CAR WONT START TROBLESHOOTING

      There are many things that can keep your vehicle from starting. From fuel ignitions to fuel itself, there are many possible things that can keep your car down. I am going to give you some information about what you need to try to get your vehicle back on the road. There are many things you can do yourself, and in return, you can save yourself a lot of money

     The first thing you want to do is check all of your fuses. There are fuses in the cab of the vehicle, usually under your dash. They are usually located above your gas pedal and break pedal, normally to the left of them. There are also fuses located under your hood.

     You want to check each fuse and make sure they are OK. There are fuse testers available at many of your local part stores. You can also check them easily by looking at them. A fuse has a thin metal strip that must be solid, connected. If you don't see the strip or it is broken, replace that fuse. Most burnt fuses have a black mist inside the fuse. Because your car is not starting, check the fuses that are relevant with your problem, such as fuel pump relay and ignitions fuse.

      Most vehicles have a place where you can test the problems with your vehicle. As you can see above, for the price, you can't beat it. This tester is very important, because it can find your problem or point you into the right direction. Some of the newer cars have it installed into the dash, such as a Chrysler Sebring. In this car, you can turn the ignition switch on a couple of times and the code will appear on the dash. In order to find your problem, you have to know what your code means. The code will appear as a letter and numbers. It is up to you to find the meaning. If you are deciding to work on your car, you should try to get a Haynes Manual. This book will tell you everything you need to know to perform maintenance on your vehicle. Once you have your code, you can start solving your problem. If you can't get a code, then follow some of the steps below.

      First, does your car crank when you turn the ignition on? If it does, you are getting power from your battery. That doesn't mean not to check it though. It still can cause your car not to start. Make sure it is fully charged and all your terminals are clean. You can use a wire brush to clean the blue powder substance off of your terminals and wires. Make sure it is cleaned very good. Make sure your wires look good and there are no jammed or pierced wires. Always make sure to be careful when you are working with electrical wires.

     If you turn your key and you hear nothing, it could be a couple of things. Make sure your battery is fully charged and all your terminals are clean. If it is, then we are most likely looking at a starter. If your battery is dead, then it probably is your battery. You might need to buy a new one. If you have been having problems with your battery, your alternator might be going bad. Usually when this happens, your headlights may not be as bright as they once was. Also, your interior lights may be weaker then they once were. Both your starter and alternator, run off 12 volts. If you can start your car and you have a voltmeter, you can test your alternator. If it is below 10, you should consider replacing it. If you can start your car, another quick way of testing it is this. Take your hot side battery terminal off while the car is started. If it dies instantly, your alternator is bad. If it keeps running, your alternator is OK.

      If everything above checks out or doesn't solve your problem, we have to check to see if your engine is getting fuel. The fuel pump sends fuel to your engine. We are going to make sure you are getting fuel. When your turn your ignition switch on, turning your key over without starting, you should hear a buzzing sound for a second or two. If you hear this, then your fuel pump is kicking on. Some fuel pumps are located in the under the back seat. Others are located in the fuel tank or other places. If you have someone to help you and you don;t hear nothing, have them turn the key on and you listen from the gas cap area. Take off your gas cap and put your ear down. If you don't hear it this time, then your pump might not be working. Also, you want to check to make sure your fuel filter is not clogged. They are located on the gas line somewhere, usually on the passenger side of the vehicle. If you have never changed it, and you are close to 70,000 miles or more, it wouldn't hurt to do so.

     You can also check to see if your engine is getting gas by spraying engine starter into the carburetor or intake. When you do so, try to start your car. If it starts and dies, then you have a fuel problem. If it does nothing, you will probably have to start checking the igntions system.

      There are many things in the igntion system thay can cause your car not to start. This is why having a code tester is very important. Without it, it is near impossible to figure out your problem. You have multiple sensors in your car that send information to your Powertrain Control Module or ECM. Once again, make sure you have checked all your fuses. You can also check your ASD relay, Automatic Shut Down relay.

     It gets a little complicated here, unless you have some knowledge about ignition systems. I will tell you some things that you can check though. You want to make sure you are getting a spark. You have to take out your #1 ignition wire. Your owner manual or vehicle book will tell you where this is. You can pull it out and place the tip of an screwdriver inside it. Then, place it against a ground. The engine will work as well. Have someone to try to start your car and see if you see a blue spark. If you do, you are getting spark and if not, you have no fire to your spark plugs. If you have a distributor, it could be this. It could be your rotor or your CAM sensor. You also have a Crank sensor. If you don't have a distributor, check all of your coils. Check all of your wires that go to the spark plugs. Next, check your timing belt or chain. If this is broke or off a couple of teeth, your vehicle won't start. It could even be your ECM itself.

     Like I said, there are many things that can cause this. The more you can do yourself, the more you are going to save money. You have many wires in your vehicle. With just one short in a wire, it can cause your car not to start. If a wire is not grounded properly, it won't start. Check all your wires and make sure they are connected right.

     I wrote this hub because I know how it feels to be broke down and have no one to help you. I hope this helps you in some way.