You get up in the morning and get ready for work.  You are going to make it on time.  You get your car, you put your key in the ignition and turn the key.  It won’t start.  Dang it.  Below are some potential reasons why your vehicle won’t start.

⦁    You have a loose fuse.

This is the simplest explanation.  Before you start toying around with all other parts of the car, make sure to check your fuses first.

⦁    You have battery corrosion.

General wear and tear of your battery is natural in the aging process.  Your battery can become dirty or corroded.  This can break the connection between your battery and the rest of the car.

⦁    Your battery is dead.

The most common reason why your vehicle won’t start is simply a dead battery.  Try testing your battery.  If you try jump-starting your vehicle and the vehicle starts right away, this is a sign of a dead battery. 

⦁    You have a bad ignition switch.

If you have figured that your battery is ok, it’s time to check the ignition switch.  The best way to check your ignition switch is to turn the key to an on position, but don’t turn the engine.  If the red warning lights on your dashboard don’t light up this means the ignition switch is bad.  If this is ok, then turn the engine over.  The dashboard warning lights should turn off at this point.  Also, your lights should either dim or turn off completely.  If they do, then your ignition switch is ok. 

⦁    You have a bad starter connection.

A bad starter connection can be caused by corrosion on your battery.  To test your starter connection, hold a circuit tester to the starter.  Note that no part of your body should be near the moving parts of the engine.  If you have a friend or if you have to do it yourself, turn the key to check the current.  If your starter is getting current but it isn’t spinning, you need to replace your starter.






Source:
Wright, Matthew (n.d.)  Why Won’t My Car Start?  About.com.  Retrieved from http://autorepair.about.com/od/troubleshooting/a/ts_no-start.htm