Car Won't Start FAQ

"Jacob has a gorgeous convertible. He loves it and tries his best to take care of it. Jacob has a fixed schedule: he wakes up at 6 am, goes for a jog. Gets back home by 7 am, takes his shower. Then he eats his breakfast and at sharp 8 am he leaves for office. He takes half an hour to reach office. Which is the perfect timing, as his office starts at 8.30 am. This is his daily schedule that he follows religiously. One fine winter morning Jacob comes to his car at 8 am, as always. However, his beloved car doesn't start."
Let us see the questions that pop up in Jacob mind, and the answers to those "car won't start FAQ".

The first thought that comes in anyone's mind is "My car won't start, why won't my car start?". A very common fear being that the car will not start in time and the rest of the day will be spent in trouble shooting it. The key here is to keep your cool, if the car doesn't start there are several checks that you can do to diagnose the gravity of the situation.

Question: What is the deal, why won't my car start?
Answer: There could be several reasons for your car not starting. First question you need to ask yourself is, does it have fuel? Open the fuel tank and check. If there is fuel you can carry on. If there isn't fuel then do not try to start the car. The car will not start and the lack of fuel can cause air bubble formation in the fuel tank, leading to further problems.

Question: I have fuel, nonetheless I am facing car starting problems in the winter, why?
Answer: In cold misty weather, cars often have starting problem. At such times, the best that you can do is, make sure is gets good running. Keep it well oiled and fueled. It will start after a few tries. Nonetheless, if it doesn't do not stress the engine, take the car to a mechanic and get it checked. A little hot-wiring should do the trick.

Question: All is in place, but the starter doesn't crank, why?
Answer: All might seem in place, but actually, it isn't. If the starter doesn't crank, it means that there is a problem with the starter motor. Which means that your battery isn't charged or is faulty. If your battery is also perfectly fine (so check your battery before you start), then the problem could lie in your ignition switch. Simply stated, the switch is dysfunctional and is not catalyzing the ignition. If you have one of the manual transmission cars, there will be a switch at the clutch pedal. In this case, the car will start only if this switch is pressed. Hence, if there is a problem with the clutch pedal, the car will not start.

Question: There is this click when I try to start the car, but no crank, why is that?
Answer: Mostly the reason for the occurrence of this problem is a bad battery. If your battery is not charged, you will face the "click, but no crank" problem. Nonetheless, there is a possibility that your battery is fine, and you might still face this problem. In such a case, the problem lies in starter solenoid, cables, or the starter motor. So, get them checked (only if you are absolutely positive about the functionality of your battery).

Question: There is a click, there is a crank. But why won't the compression hold?
Answer: If your car has the click and crank, this means that there is no problem in your engine. It is working fine. Now you will ask, "then why won't the car start?" At such times, ordinarily the issue is with the fuel line, fuel tank, bad fuel, clogged fuel screen or a bad fuel pump relay. Another possibility could be a problem with the defunct ignition coil, switch, commutator, rotor, or the distributor cap. There is also a slight possibility that there is a problem, like broken timing belt or gear and low compression.

Question: Ok! I have started the car, now! How do I make sure I don't face such a travesty again?
Answer: This is the simplest of all. As you may have already read in the description, take care of your car. Make sure there is always fuel above quarter capacity of the tank. Make sure you charge your battery every 2 months. Get an oil check done at regular intervals. Most important of all, get you car serviced every 2 - 3 months.

So, I believe all your questions are answered. This is where I sign off. Take care of your car and it will take you where you need to be. Bon Voyage, mon ami!!