Blog

4 Simple Reasons Why Your Car Won’t Start

Simple Reasons Why Your Car Won't Start

It’s Monday morning and you’re late for work. You sprint out the door, hop into your car, and start the ignition. There’s only one problem – your car won’t start.

Your mind begins racing, wondering how you’re possibly going to make it to work on time if your vehicle won’t turn on. While the solution to your problem could very well be too complicated to diagnose on your own, you may also find the answer to your troubles in a matter of minutes.

Here are some of the most common reasons why your car won’t start along with some simple solutions:

Your battery is dead

A dead battery is the most likely reason why your car isn’t turning on.

If you left your lights on all night, your battery likely got drained and doesn’t have the juice to power the starter. If that’s the case, it’s time to bust out the jumper cables.

If you’ve had your battery for a long time, it may just be too old, signalling the need for a new one.

Your battery terminals have corroded

If you’ve experienced problems with your battery in the past, there may be a large amount of corrosion that has built up on the battery terminals over time. Take a minute to disconnect the battery and clean the terminals as best as you can. Re-connect the battery, and try turning on your engine again.

Remember that this is only a temporary solution, and you should still look to buy a new battery sooner rather than later.

There’s an issue with your key

Sometimes, the problem isn’t with the engine, but the key itself.  If you’re lucky, you can fix the problem by referring to your owner’s manual or calling your local dealership.  If you own a spare key, you can also try that out. If your spare key works, you’ll know for certain that there’s a problem with your master key and not your engine.

You forgot to fill up

This may sound completely obvious, but some people don’t even realize they forgot to fill up the night before. While you may feel a little dumb if this is the case, at least you know there’s nothing wrong with your vehicle. Swallow your pride and ask your neighbour to help you out. It may be a little embarrassing, but it’s a heck of a lot better than being late for work by a couple hours.