Owning a car is something that a modern adult has to have covered. There is simply too much that relies on you having your own set of wheels not to have it. This is especially true if you live a certain distance away from all the important establishments and institutions, or if you live in a large city where walking or cycling is not a viable option. The need for a private a car hardly stops at these daily necessities and chores as you also need it during your own leisure time and when you want to have fun. Traveling on your own and taking frequent trips is much easier and more enjoyable than having to rely on public transport or organized means of getting to a place.
As important as it is though, there is a lot to think about and make sure of when you own a personal vehicle. Many things can go wrong just like on any other piece of machinery, and it will be up to you to try to fix in. You will not be in a position to call for help all of the time, nor should you if you can actually do it all on your own. It pays to be handy with the things around your home and with the things you have, and to help you with your car we decided to talk about engine troubles.
Engine Problems
Out of all the problems you can experience with the engine of your car, the most frequent one that plagues most car owners is simply the inability to start it. When the engine refuses to start when you want to drive somewhere, it can be due to a wide variety of reasons. This is especially inconvenient when you are in a rush or when you need to go somewhere far. It is not always a big enough problem to call a mechanic or have your vehicle towed as you can check to see for yourself whether or not the issue is a cause for concern.
In the following sections we will discuss the most common reasons why an engine does not want to start. More importantly, we will teach you how to check where the issue even is and how to fix it. It is so easy and straightforward that anyone can do it. You do not even have to be car savvy to perform these routine checks! In case you wish to someday learn more about cars and engines and get more serious about it, you will need the right equipment by your side. Make sure to read more if you require additional info on how best to check your engine.
When you’re faced with a situation where your engine won’t start, troubleshooting becomes crucial. Checking your vehicle’s starter is one of the important things to do. If you suspect starter issues, considering a reliable solution like a db electrical starter could get you back on the road.
1. Your Starter is Clicking
Several reasons may be causing you headaches if you can still hear the clicking sound. You could have a weak battery, the terminals on your battery could be dirty, or you could have a worn starter motor. Your solenoid may also be stuck. To check which one is actually the problem, you can try three simple tricks. In the case of a weak battery, you will need to jump it. In other situations, try the following.
First of all, you can cycle the key. Repeatedly turn the key about 10 times in a row, then stop for around 5 minutes. After this, try to start the engine again. If the dome light is bright after this, you should jump on to the next suggestion.
Tapping the battery terminals is a simple but viable way of solving your engine problem. You cannot clean them if they are corroded without proper tools, but you can move them just enough to make them give better contact and start the engine. You can achieve this by smacking each terminal with the heel of your shoe. You will want to rotate the terminal around the post. Try to start the engine after this.
Finally, you can smack the starter itself. If you can access the motor without any issues, use the tire iron and smack the starter motor. In certain scenarios the electrical contacts become stuck and need freeing. A few taps are usually enough to free them.
2. There is No Clicking
So we talked about clicking but no starting. What if there is no clicking either? Well, here is a possible solution. First, press the brake. Then, put the car into neutral from the parking position you were in. Try to start the engine like this. If it does not work, go back to the parking mode and try starting it again. These movements of the shifter could be enough to give you back the necessary electrical contact in the transmission box. The safety switch in there could need a bit more persuading to start the vehicle. Switch from neutral to park a few times.
3. Cranking Without Firing Up
If you experience an issue in which your engine cranks but still refuses to fire up, there are actually four things to try. First off, you will want to swap the relays. You will have to turn your key and listen for a buzzing sound that usually lasts for about two seconds. This is the sound of the fuel pump that is preparing the injection system, meaning it should always be there. If the sound is nowhere to be heard, you have to go under the hood. Find your way to the fuel pump relay by using the manual, instructions, or the legend. Then pull it up, find another relay of the same type and swap the two.
If the above method does not work, go back to the shoe persuasion method! With the heel of your shoe, hit the very bottom of your fuel tank. This will jar the pump motor and perhaps allow you to start the car. If you smell gas all around and inside your car, the engine may be flooded and that could be the reason for no firing. In this situation, you will need to floor the accelerator and hold it as you crank up the engine.
Last but not least, you could try to start the engine with half of the accelerator pressed. This tricks the engine and tell it to add a bit more fuel. Such approach usually works when you have a faulty temperature sensor or if there is a vacuum leak, both of which can ruin the mixture of fuel and air needed for the vehicle to start.
