With the refusal of the car to start or the fact that the car stalls immediately after starting, drivers are faced at the most inopportune moment. Sometimes the reason can be hidden in the wrong oil in winter, when the engine literally freezes from the inside. But often the problem with starting the engine lies much deeper than just a driver's oversight when buying oil.
Fuel system malfunctions
The car won't start for two main reasons - fuel and electrical. If, for some reason, the gas-air mixture is not supplied to the engine cylinders, and the starter, spark plugs and other related equipment cannot perform their functions, the engine will not start.
Now, regarding the problems with the fuel system of the car - here we will look at five main reasons why the car "does not want" to go anywhere:
1. Lack of fuel
A common problem that, however, every driver can face. Firstly, you can simply forget to refuel, and secondly, it happens that the fuel level indicator on the dashboard or on the fuel pump itself is faulty.
2. Defective fuel pump
An inoperative gasoline pump is a fairly common reason why a car will not start. To check if it works, turn the ignition key and listen. If, immediately after turning the key, the characteristic dull buzzing sound of the fuel pump motor is not heard, the problem is definitely in it.
3. Fuel leak
Fuel leaks are, if not the most common, possible cause of engine failure to start. Its main signs are the smell of gasoline in the passenger compartment and oil stains on the asphalt. The main danger is fire, so there is no need to hesitate in solving the problem, and it is best to solve it in a professional car service.
4. Defective fuel injectors
If we talk only about the fuel part, then all the injectors can fail at once for only one reason - poor fuel quality. You can check the viability of each of them only at a specialized stand, so if all the reasons described in this article do not work, it is possible that the problem is precisely in the clogged nozzles.
5. Clogged fuel filter
The problem, which is solved in a cheap way, puts even seasoned drivers into a stupor for a long time. If you have not changed the fuel filter for a long time, then perhaps it is simply clogged up to a critical value.
An experienced foreman usually resolves fuel problems in a matter of minutes. Whether it is the electrical component of the car, when experience alone may not be enough - for example, if the engine start is blocked by the built-in anti-theft system or an immobilizer. In this case, only a narrow specialist in his field will help.
Problems with electrical, electronics and technical issues
Problems with an electrician can be roughly divided into three groups - this is the electrician itself, electronics and electrical equipment. The list of faults here can be very long, but not everything is so bad, because you can check most of them yourself.
1. Lack of battery power
To facilitate the work, it is recommended to acquire a primitive tester and learn how to determine the malfunctions of the main electrical components of your car with its help.
But even without auxiliary devices, you can understand, for example, that the battery in the car just sat down. To do this, turn on the dashboard by turning the ignition key and select the battery voltage value on the on-board computer. If, without additional load, it is below 12.4 volts, it is time to charge the battery, having previously filled its cavity with electrolyte to the desired level, or buy a new one if the service life of the charger has exceeded 5 years.
2. Malfunction of the starter
The starter can fail due to its technical obsolescence - for example, when the bendix breaks down, or the lead fork, brushes, and stator magnets wear out.
Anchor misalignment becomes the most significant problem. The best solution would be to replace the equipment with a new one, since the repair will cost about the same amount.
Note that in a situation with an anchor, the starter will turn the engine, but so slowly that it will not be able to start.
If, in response to turning the key, absolutely nothing happens, no sounds, clean the starter contacts and the ground on the car body. More often than not, such a simple manipulation will help start the car, and the starter has nothing to do with it. To prevent the contacts from continuing to oxidize in the future, coat their joints with grease, like the battery terminals.
3. Fuses
It so happens that the driver spends hours looking for a problem along the chain from the fuel filter to the electronic control unit, and the whole thing may be in the injector fuse or the same starter. Invest in a complete set of fuses for your vehicle.
Fuses with a higher resistance than specified by the manufacturer must not be installed. If the device burns out periodically, the problem should be looked for in the car's electrical circuit.
4. Burnt wiring or part of it
The cause of the burning of the wiring can be both a factory defect - for example, if the wires rub against the body, and an attempt to independently interfere with the car electrical device. Typical signs are the failure of the dashboard, shutdown of one or more electrical appliances, the smell of fused rubber. The problem is completely eliminated only in a car service or with the participation of a professional auto electrician.
5. Failure of sensors
Engine start can be blocked by sensors of the crankshaft, throttle position, coolant temperature, and knock. In the event of a malfunction of these sensors, a very difficult cold engine start will be observed, and after a possible start, the car will surely stall.
Thus, if the starter turns, and the engine even makes attempts to start, with a 90 percent probability one of the sensors is “to blame”.
6. Ignition malfunctions
More precisely, the cause may be a malfunction of the ignition and everything connected with it - the ignition unit, coil, high-voltage armored wires, candles. Checking the unit is simple - just connect the wires directly. When the spark plugs are inoperative, the engine will rotate, but unsuccessfully, as in the case of a malfunction of the armored wires. It will help checking the spark plugs and replacing them with new ones if necessary, as well as diagnostics of the ignition coil and wires.
7. Failure of the electronic control unit
Determining the malfunction is simple - if the main computer board burns out, absolutely nothing will work in the car. An elementary way to check the unit yourself is to turn on the ignition and try to communicate with one of the devices using the on-board computer. If no data is received, the ECU needs to be changed.
Indirect signs of a malfunction of the electronic unit are inoperative turn signals, side mirror drives, heated seats, and a trunk button. If everything stopped working right away, then the main car brain is dead.
There are also frequent examples of technical malfunctions due to which the car refuses to start.
8. Worn timing belt
Open the bonnet and inspect the belt carefully. If it is torn into flaps, and there is little left of it, it is possible that its teeth have already jumped two or three positions, which automatically makes it impossible to start the engine. The start is also canceled when the timing belt is torn.
9. Burnt-out cylinder pistons
Burned-out cylinder pistons are sad news for the car owner, because engine repair in this case will cost a lot of money. The problem is determined by measuring the compression in each of the cylinders, and is solved by overhauling the engine.
In addition to the engine, problems can be caused to the motorist and "Gluttonous" electrical appliancesthat accelerate the discharge of the battery.