Dead car battery: A dead battery is the most common reason why a car won't start. If you have a battery tester, check your battery to see if it's weak. If you don't have one, try to jump start your car with jumper cables.
If the engine does not crank or make any sound when you turn on the ignition, then the battery may be dead. If you hear a clicking noise when starting the car, then the starter motor may be broken.
When your engine cranks but won't start or run, it could mean your engine is having trouble producing a spark, getting fuel, or creating compression. The most common causes are problems in the ignition (for example, a bad ignition coil) or fuel system (for example, a clogged fuel filter).
1) Identify the Problem
Slow crank: The starter cranks, but it does not produce enough engine RPMs to successfully start the vehicle. Click, no crank: The solenoid clicks, but the starter fails to crank at all. No click, no crank: The solenoid isn't clicking, and the starter isn't cranking.
When you turn the key or push the start button, if you don't hear the starter engage, this is considered a no-crank and the vehicle will fail to start. Often this issue is a result of one or more components that assist the engine in powering up.
What are the first two things you should do before starting the engine? Make sure the car is in park and the parking brake is set.
In order to start running under its own power, an engine needs four essential things: air, fuel, compression and spark.
Place your key in the ignition – Your ignition will be located to the right of your steering wheel, just behind it. In some instances, this will just be a button, known as 'push-button ignition'. Turn the key or press your push-button ignition – Turn it all the way to start the engine.
That dreaded clicking noise can usually be traced to the battery, and the fix could be as simple as a jump-start or tightening a cable. Just one click, though, probably means the fault lies with the starter motor (more on that later).
The Starter
The starter is a tiny but powerful electric motor that spins a small starter gear. When you turn the key, power is sent to the starter which engages its starter gear with the engine. The starter then "cranks," creating that unmistakable sound of a car engine starting up.
Electrical faults in the starter are mainly caused by overloads. This can manifest itself in ground and winding short circuits in the field and armature winding, but sometimes also in the coils of the control elements (solenoid switch).
If the starter motor spins but does not crank the engine, you likely have a problem with... Faulty or damaged battery. To address this issues, check the battery and charging system for problems.
The four signs of a bad starter solenoid include an engine that won't start; the absence of a clicking noise when cranking the engine; a spinning starter without an engaged flywheel; and a slow-cranking engine.
Let someone turn on the ignition key or press the starter button. Observe the light — if it doesn't turn on, the solenoid is likely failing to transfer power and might need replacement. However, if the light turns on but there's no clicking sound or starter engagement, the issue lies with the car starter.
Although there are many different designs to an internal combustion engine, there are three crucial components needed to make one run, a fuel to burn, oxygen to support combustion, and an ignition source to start combustion. These powertrains use a 12 V battery system to start the vehicle and power the accessories.
In your vehicle, what should you adjust before you start your engine? Be sure the vehicle is in park, adjust the seat, adjust all rear-view mirrors, move anything blocking you view, lock all car doors, and then put on seat belt.