{"id":1022,"date":"2020-06-16T01:52:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-16T08:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=1022"},"modified":"2023-04-19T05:19:28","modified_gmt":"2023-04-19T12:19:28","slug":"my-car-wont-start-what-should-i-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/my-car-wont-start-what-should-i-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Won\u2019t My Car Start?"},"content":{"rendered":"\nReading Time: <\/span> 5<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\n\n\n

It never fails—when your car refuses to start, it happens at the most inopportune time. It’s always when, say, you’re running late for a critical doctor’s appointment or a big work meeting. What makes things worse is that you usually have no idea why your car won’t start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it the battery? Is it the fuel pump?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t always straightforward. You might be surprised to find out how many issues can potentially prevent your car from starting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common Reasons Why Your Car Might Not Start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Automotive professionals break down no-start situations into two separate categories: crank-no-start and no-crank-no-start. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A no-crank-no-start condition is when the engine doesn’t turn over at all, or it sluggishly tries to turn over but cannot. On the other hand, a crank-no-start condition is when the engine turns over, like normal, but doesn’t fire up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two conditions have distinct lists of potential causes. Let’s take a look at both scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A no-crank-no-start condition is when the engine doesn’t turn over at all, or it sluggishly tries to turn over but cannot.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Engine Cranks Normally (or Faster Than Normal) but Doesn’t Start<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you turn the key to start your car, the battery supplies power to turn the starter motor and crank the engine. Then, fuel and air enter the engine, where they’re compressed and ignited to create a series of small explosions. It’s these explosions that send the pistons downward in the cylinders to get (and keep) the engine running. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without an air\/fuel mixture, spark, and compression, the engine will crank normally (because the starting system is working properly), but it won’t start and run. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A crank-no-start condition such as this is typically caused by a problem with fuel delivery, spark delivery, or engine compression<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fuel Delivery Issues<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Obviously, your car needs fuel to run. If the engine isn’t getting enough fuel, there’s a good chance it will crank but not start. Fuel pressure and\/or volume problems can stem from a number of sources, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n