5 Reasons Your Car Won't Start

You use your vehicle almost every day, whether it's to drive to work, drop the kids off at school, head to the grocery store, you name it. Regardless, the reliability of it is important, and when you turn the key in the ignition, you expect it to start.

When it doesn't, you then have to figure out why.

Now there are a few reasons why, but some of those are more common than others.  

Below we’ll discuss 5 reasons your car won’t start and what to do when it doesn’t.

1. Dead Battery

The number one reason your car won’t start is a dead battery. 

A vehicle’s battery provides electrical power to the entire vehicle. If the battery isn’t working properly, none of the electrical components will be operational. 

Lack of battery power can come by way of electrical overuse, a loose wire, poor conductivity, or the lifespan of a battery. If your vehicle’s battery light is on, you’ll need to jump-start your car. 

2. Broken Starter

If you hear a clicking noise when you try to start your car, you might have a faulty starter.

The starter is an electrical motor connected to the battery. It sets the engine in motion when the ignition is turned. If the starter is bad, there won’t be enough power to get the engine going.

This clicking noise could mean the starter is broken or weakened. You might also hear some significant noise if your car does start.

3. Car Won’t Start, Check the Gas

This is too obvious, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to forget to fill up your tank. 

If you run out of gas, you won’t be going anywhere fast. This solution is simple and likely less expensive than the other issues your car might have mechanically if it's not the gas. 

Make sure you keep your gas tank full in colder temperatures so low levels don’t damage the vehicle over time. 

4. Alternator Issues

A bad alternator could be the reason your car won’t start. 

The alternator generates electricity and stores the extra electrical power in the battery of the vehicle. This can be fixed through a jumpstart, but keep an eye out. If you continue to need to be jumpstarted, your alternator isn’t restoring power to your battery, and it’s time to purchase a new one.

5. Fuel Delivery

Without fuel, your car can’t go. 

If you’ve already checked the tank to make sure you’re full, there might be an issue with a clogged fuel filter. 

If your filter is clogged, the fuel won’t be able to pass through in high enough quantities to get the engine running. Fuel delivery can also be affected by a faulty fuel pump, which means there’s no way to pump gas to the engine, and therefore another reason your car may not start. 

Fix the Problem Fast

If your car won’t start and you're shopping for parts to fix it, check out our wide selection of parts.

We’re the number one source for OEM and Performance parts for Volkswagen, Audi, and BMW, and our customer service is guaranteed with over 20 years of experience. 

If you need assistance in your parts search, feel free to give us a call. We look forward to shipping parts out to you soon!