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Car Starting Problems
Some of the common car starting problems stem from a discharged battery, a bad fuel pump (or no fuel), a weakened starter motor, or a broken electrical connection. Checking each part will help troubleshoot why the car won’t start.
5,524 Questions
How can you determine positive and negative to hook up car battery?
Here are the battery terminal identifiers I have seen over many years:
- A plus symbol [+] embossed into the battery top next to the positive terminal,
- A negative symbol [-] embossed into the battery top next to the negative terminal,
- An abbreviation [POS] for the word positive embossed into the battery top next to the positive terminal,
- An abbreviation [NEG] for the word negative embossed into the battery top next to the negative terminal.
- And on some batteries, although they MAY look the same, the diameter of the positive and negative terminals will be different, with the positive terminal being just barely / slightly larger in diameter than the negative terminal.
- A DC voltmeter can be used to determine terminal polarity.
Have you tested the starter itself? Remove it, take to Auto Zone/Advanced/etc. and they'll do a free bench test for you.
What is wrong with a 2000 Nissan Altima if you put your key in the ignition and it won't turn?
Wrong key or the tumbler assembly is worn out and must be replaced. Try spraying powdered graphite in the lock assembly as that may help. Do not use WD40 or any other liquid lubricant. If you have in the past, then spray inside the tumbler assembly with electronic cleaner and let set for 5 minutes to allow it to evaporate. Then spray with powdered graphite. If this does not work the assembly must be replaced. Also using a heavy key chain will cause this sort of damage.
Jump the compressor relay next to the fuse panel under the hood. Pull the relay out and use a piece of wire to jump the contacts. Compressor will engage, with the engine running fill with your 134a.
Your 1997 Nissan senta car wont start what do you do?
There are several things that you should check. Your battery may be dead. This is likely the case if you turn the key and don't hear any sound at all. Another option is that you are out of gas.
On the inside of the car on the top lower end of the steering column is the neutral safety switch. It will have 2 purple wires. If you jumper the two and then try to crank it with the key and it starts then the neutral safety switch is defective.
hi there i also have a 1990 ford laser and the same thing kept happening to me.all i did was replace the distributor and changed the plugs and the car was sweet as
Car wont start after overheating?
if the engine does not turn over it may be seized
Most modern fuel injected engines have a cutout for overheating , preventing you from cooking the engine. When carburetered engines overheat , the carby may stop working because of fuel vaporization, sometimes called vaporlock.
It could be the fuel pump. Sometimes they make a high-pitched whine that might sound like a squeek.
The starter cut relay is mounted on a large U-shaped bracket just to the right of the steering wheel under the dash: barely visible through the "spaghetti." Factory manual calls this bracket the "relay box," and it also mounts several other relays. The Theft-Deterrent CPU is mounted against the outside driver's footwell (Kick-plate)and is one of three small brains in the area, near the fuse box.
Your 88 pathfinder clicks when you try to start it?
It could be 1 of 4 things. 1.Bad solenoid, 2. Discharged battery, 3. bad battery connections,4. bad connections at the solenoid.
How do you remove the starter on a 98 Nissan Sentra?
The starter on 4th generation (1995-1999) Nissan Sentras is very easy to locate and replace. It is a mostly-black cylinder, about 9 or 10" long and 3" thick, that sits on the front center of the engine. It is held on by 2 bolts, and has 2 wires connected. The 2 bolts come off easily, one of the wires simply comes unplugged easily, and the other has a small bolt holding it on.
Replacement may involve removing a bracket that holds the throttle (gas pedal) in a certain position, because there may not be enough room to work with that bracket in place. Removing and replacing that bracket (which is held onto the engine block by 2 bolts), does not affect the operation of the car.
If this is the first time the starter is having issues, replacement can be put off for a couple weeks by taking a small hammer (or something similar) and hitting the starter. Don't hit it too hard, but don't be too gentle. It might take several hits to get it to work. This is only a temporary solution. The starter WILL have to be replaced eventually.
1993 Ford Fiesta will turn but not start?
i had the same problem, it could be one of a few different things, if the Car has and injection type engine there is an emergency fuel cutoff switch that could have been activated(what happened to me but im still unsure how), its located in the passenger footwell behind the plastic panel near the floor, there will be a small hole, about an inch in diameter with some sponge in it, if u push your finger through here should feel the button you have to press ontop of the assembily behind there, if not its fairly simple to remove the panel to look at it. it could also be damp electrical connections under the bonnet, spray something that will get rid of the water on it (Wd-40) on the ignition module, which is located in the middle of the bonnet, closest to the windscreen, and other electrical connections on the actual engine, (there should be about 3 or 4), if its a carbourettor engine (chek in your manual) and the fuel has been ran low, due to the age of the car, the fuel tank potentially has quite abit of "rubbish" in it which could be stopping the fuel flow. Listen for your fuel pump aswel if its a carb engine, if u cant hear it then it may be that that's gone, you will find that, behind the engine, right below the carb! also b4 u go taking the carb apart i would take the air filter assembily off (the grey plastic aswel not just the filter, and try and start it, maybe the air filter is clogged. and before taking carb apart and if still no success....buy a haynes manual! hope you fix your problem though, J
Ignition switch 1996 Honda passport is locked car will not start?
if the battery is dead the switch wont unlock or start
Can the starter solenoid by replaced without replacing the starter?
sometimes, but contact your local auto parts store to see if it is even sold seperately
1994 Chevy caprice turns over will not start up?
It could be your Fuel pump or your Fuel filter might be clog. If that is not the problem check your Distributor to see if it's firing correctly.
The engine needs fuel, compression and spark to run, your missing one of those.
Why would a car take 10 seconds to start and cough when it is cold?
the spark plugs may be bad/or failing, and the engine is warm enough to sustain (SP?) itself and let it run at a ideal temprature..(mostly oil temp) affects running effectiveness == ANSWER== wish my vehicle only took 10 seconds to start, and there is nuthing wrong with my vehicle. but all vehicle take a little longer to start when cold. the "cough" is usually caused by the choke not working quite correctly modern cars are made to start without touching the gas pedal older cars you had to use gas pedal to engage automatic choke so if newer car cough is caused by excess gas in chamber keep foot off gas pedal hard habit to break i know,
buy a pcm
You ran your 94 z28 camaro out of gas and now it wont start could this be the fuel filter?
Most likely the fuel filter is plugged up from gas tank sediment. Change the filter.
You need to have these 2 items fixed under this national recall-people are stumped over the problems their Sunfires and they are most of the time related to these 2 recalls:
NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 04V036000 - Hide Details Recall Date: 01/27/2004
Component: 2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE GT COUPE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
Potential Units Affected: 1415231
2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH Recall Date: 01/27/2004
Summary:
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence:
IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. THE FIRE COULD SPREAD TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, WHICH COULD INJURE OCCUPANTS OR CAUSE DAMAGE TO ADJOINING STRUCTURES.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT IN THESE VEHICLES TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FROM FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND CHECK THAT YOUR CAR WILL START WITH A PROPERLY CHARGED BATTERY AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BEGIN ON MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CHECK THEIR VEHICLE ONLINE BY GOING TO WWW.MYGMLINK.COM AND ENTERING THE VEHICLE'S IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.
Potential Units Affected: 1415231
Notes: PONTIAC SUNFIRE 04002
NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 07E021000 - Hide DetailsRecall Date: 03/12/2007
Component: 2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE GT COUPE FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES
Potential Units Affected: 742
2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES Recall Date: 03/12/2007
Summary:
CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.
Consequence:
FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
Remedy:
DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.
Potential Units Affected: 742
Notes: PONTIAC SUNFIRE
check the solenoid,and check the starter then check ignition switch
Check that the red and purple wire connectors on the starter are not loose. Put the car in park or neutral and engage the emerbency brake. Make a quick temporary electrical connection with a metal tool between the red and purple posts and the solenoid will pull in and run the starter. If it does not - the solenoid is bad. If it does spin then you have to track the purple wire back to the transmission switch on an automatic or the clutch switch on a straight shift.From either of those switches it goes on a yellow wire to the igintion switch. The clutch has to be depressed to start or the transmission has to be in neutral or park to start. LOL
AnswerTo me, when you say "it won't start, won't even turn over", you mean that the starter isn't engaging. There are only a few problems that can cause that if you're sure the battery is ok: The starter/solenoid has failed, there is a faulty electrical connection somewhere between the starter and the battery or the keyswitch or neutral lockout switch has failed.Where is the starter on a 1992 Plymouth Voyager?
The starter is located near the transmission on the drivers side of the 1992 Plymouth Voyager. The starter is responsible for turning the engine over.
Why my 2001 jeep grand Cherokee V8 won't start after running out of gas?
Try adding more gas i have added gas plus some fuil enjector cleaner it still wont crank
Without doing a "hands-on troubleshooting" of your problem no one can be certain of the cause of the symptoms you describe.
However, it is possible that in the process of replacing the transmission, the alignment of the flywheel gear teeth to the starter got out of proper alignment.
Misalignment of a starter gear with the flywheel gear can cause uneven stresses which result in great drag, and possible damage to the starter and/or flywheel ring gear.
Have an automotive technician who knows what he/she is doing check the starter mounting alignment.
