You have made one of the best bargains in form of a used car purchase and now your new machine won’t start and you are wondering what went wrong. Top three culprits for this problem are battery problems, a faulty starter of fuel and ignition problems. Here are a few leads to point you to the right direction when faced with this problem.
Battery problem Symptoms
A dead battery is evidenced by signs such as slow cranking, dimming of the dashboard and gauges lighting and dimming of headlights when starting the car. If the result of your low battery is a result of leaving the headlights running or maybe the key on the ignition, then a simple jumpstart will resolve the immediate problem. However if the battery has seen better days and simply can do the job, then it is time to go shopping. Always remember to have jump starters in your tool box or signup for emergency roadside assistance services.
Fuel and Ignition Problems
Usually your dashboard lights only need very little energy. This means that if your car won’t start and the dashboard is not illuminated despite getting the normal cranking on start, then this time you might be sporting a faulty ignition. If the issue was the battery, at least some sort of activity would be noticeable on the dashboard. In addition you may get the ‘check engine’ light which might not always be the case in pre-owned cars which might have undergone several maintenances altering normal functions.
Faulty Starter
The starter is the electric motor that spins the engine into starting and usually when it is faulty, it will usually click on starting but does not transmit the power to start the engine. It could be a wiring problem or an outright failed starter that needs replacement. In case of this issue, there will simply be zero activity on the dashboard stereo or even lights. It is simply dead.
