Is there anything more frustrating than turning the key in your car’s ignition only to be met with silence? We’ve all been there! Whether you’re stranded in your driveway or stuck on the side of the road, a non-starting car can throw a spanner in your plans.
But fear not! In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to take when your vehicle refuses to cooperate.
From simple troubleshooting tricks to knowing when it’s time to call your car breakdown cover provider, we’ve got you covered. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get that engine purring again!
Common Reasons Why Your Car May Refuse To Start
From our analysis of the breakdown data, we found that the seven most common causes of a car refusing to start are as follows:
- A flat or faulty battery
- Alternator problems
- Starter motor failure
- The ignition lock/steering lock jammed
- Fuel-related problems (i.e. fuel pump)
- Electrical issues such as the immobiliser or ECU
- Run out of fuel
Of course, you can still break down with the engine running perfectly fine, and we’ve discussed the most common breakdown causes in another article. However, the six causes above are normally the main culprits of a car refusing to start.
What To Do If Your Car Doesn’t Start?
Depending on why your car refuses to start or crank, you might find a quick fix on your own or with a helping hand from a fellow driver.
For example, some quick fixes that you may wish to look at include:
- Locking your car and getting fuel from the nearest fuel station
- Jump starting the battery (if you have a battery booster pack or cables to jump-start your car from another)
- Releasing the steering lock with some additional force
- Disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes in the hope of it resetting any electrical issues
However, some issues aren’t as straightforward, and rather than spending hours attempting to solve the issue yourself, you may want to call your breakdown cover provider for assistance.
Whether you are at the roadside (town, country road, or motorway), home, or place of work, your breakdown provider will send assistance to you as soon as possible to fix the problem there and then or transport you to the nearest approved garage.
Note: If your car has broken down whilst out on the road, we wrote a guide on what you should do if your car breaks down.
Our Top Tips To Avoid Starting Issues
To avoid future problems with your car refusing to start, you’ll want to look at the most common reasons. For example:
- Flat or dead battery? Avoid using any of the car’s electrics without the engine running and analyse any warning signs (i.e. struggling to crank or the lights being slow to turn on inside the car)
- Run out of fuel? Fairly obvious, but keep your fuel tank to at least a quarter of a tank at a minimum
- Any warning lights on the dash? If so, this may relate to a potential fuel or electric issue that needs to be addressed
Although you can prevent certain causes, some won’t give you any warnings and can happen when you least expect it.
If you are lucky, it may be a simple, cheap fix, but we strongly recommend extending your car’s warranty for peace of mind to avoid any potentially expensive repair bills.
Final Words
A car that refuses to start is never a good start to your day, and it usually happens at the worst possible time. No matter the age of your car, it can happen to all makes and models, and the causes can often be as simple as a flat battery.
To ensure that you are covered, you’ll want to ensure you have suitable breakdown cover, whether that’s just for your car or personal cover for whatever car you are driving.
At Dynamo Cover, breakdown cover is one of our most popular products we have to offer, and we take great pride in offering nationwide coverage, 24/7 assistance, and recovery and transportation services.
If you require further information about our breakdown policy, feel free to get in touch with our team.
