Categories: Tips and Tricks

Here’s What You Should Check If You Have Trouble Starting Your Car

Common Reasons Why Your Car Won’t Start

Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to start your car, especially when there’s somewhere you need to be. Most car owners have experienced this situation at some point, but in most cases, they don’t know what to do or the reason why it happens. Performing routine car maintenance can help prevent this situation and avoid expensive visits to the repair shop but, at some point, a car issue is likely to arise. To help drivers find some guidance, at Carizma Motors we have listed the most common reasons why a car won’t start.

Dead battery

The function of a car battery is to supply electrical energy to the starter and ignition system in order to make the engine run. When the battery fails, it loses its ability to maintain charge. In most cases, the battery stops working due to a driver’s oversight like accidentally leaving the lights on for a whole day. In this case, you simply need to use jumper cables to start the vehicle. Another common cause of a dead battery is an alternator failure, a component that is responsible for supplying charge to the battery to keep it in peak condition. To prevent this situation, experts recommend replacing your car battery every 50,000 miles or three years, even if it’s not damaged.

Damaged Fuel Injector

Fuel injectors are electro-mechanical devices responsible for delivering a specific amount of fuel to the engine’s combustion chamber. The correct amount of fuel supplied is proportional to the power generated by the engine, so it’s really important to keep the fuel injection system in good shape to prevent running issues. The most common signs of a failed fuel injector include rough idling, fuel leaking, excessive exhaust smoke and loss of power.

Clogged fuel filter

A fuel filter, as its name indicates, is a strainer that filters out dirt and other contaminants from the fuel to prevent damage to the combustion chamber. As a vehicle gets older, more sediments get accumulated in the gas tank and fuel filters need to work harder. That’s why eventually they get clogged and need to be replaced. If your engine cranks but doesn’t start, if it takes too long to start or has sluggish acceleration, your car’s fuel filters can be partially blocked. Check your owner’s manual to see how often the manufacturer recommends replacing fuel filters.

Worn spark plug

Spark plugs are responsible for delivering electric current to the combustion chamber in order to ignite the compressed air-fuel mixture. In other words, it is what makes your vehicle start and move forward. Worn spark plugs won’t be able to provide enough spark for the engine to ignite. The most common symptoms of bad spark plugs are rough idling, difficult start and poor fuel economy. They will probably turn on the Check Engine Warning Light to advise you that something is wrong. It’s essential that you keep the spark plugs in good condition and replace them if necessary so that your car can continue to run smoothly.

Read more: How to make your car last longer

If your car won’t start, it’s usually at the most inopportune moment. If you find yourself near Lubbock, TX and experience any mechanical issue with your vehicle, contact us at Carizma Motors and our qualified service team will be happy to help. You can request a service by calling us at (806) 712-2279 or schedule an appointment online. We will quickly repair the hassle so you can be back on the road as soon as possible.