No matter how well you take care of your car and how consistent you are with maintenance strategies, occasionally, your car simply might not start. What can you do if you don’t have a background in mechanics? Fortunately, for the average car owner, a few strategies are available to help you get your car started. Your options are limited, but you might have overlooked the simplest part of starting a car.
Tips for Starting Your Car When the Engine Won’t Turn Over
These tips won’t work for everyone, but they have been successful for some individuals when trying to start up a car that simply won’t run. Lock and unlock the driver’s door, and then try starting up the car again.
If you can hear either a single click or a bit of fast clicking as you turn the key in the ignition, you might be able to start the car if you place the gearshift in neutral. While this next tip might seem silly to you, it is possible that you have the wrong key. Check to make sure that it is the right one.
If you don’t hear any noise at all when you turn the key, your car battery might be dead or the connections might be corroded. It’s time to look under the hood if you feel up to the task. If the connections feel loose, tighten them up before trying to start the car up.
Tips for Starting Your Car When the Engine Does Turn Over
Sometimes you can get the engine to turn over, but the car won’t start. If this happens to you, first check to make sure that the car has gas in its tank. Fuel gauges are sometimes faulty and provide a false reading. If you know that the tank has gas in it, try this next tip. Take the fuel cap off all of the way. Replace the cap and try again to start up the car.
If you can get the engine to turn over, but it still won’t move, then you might want to look at whether or not your car is stuck on something or wedged in between two hard places on a curb or wall.
If none of these simple tips for starting your car have corrected the problem for you, it is time to either call AAA or have the car towed to the garage mechanic. Unless, of course, you are one of the lucky car owners who have a car mechanic in the family who does house calls!