Diagnosing the reason for a car not starting is not the easiest task at hand because it could be caused by a multitude of factors. Unfortunately, some of the reasons might not be something you could fix yourself but for the ones that are you could save yourself a trip to the mechanic.
Test Your Battery for Signs of Life
This potentially is the easiest problem to fix and the one we all hope to have when a car is not starting. Diagnosing it can be done using a battery tester. You could easily jump your car and drive it to the nearest location where you could purchase a new battery for your vehicle.
Please note that if the car switches off right after disconnecting the battery charger you might actually be having issues with the alternator.
Check if the Engine is Cranking
If the car is not cranking when you are trying to start it, you may have a low voltage or a starter problem, in which case you might want to check that the cables connected to the starter are properly set up.
If you are not familiar with car engines and mechanics, you should not try to fix cables yourself or you might do more harm than good.
Check For Trouble Codes if You Know How
Diagnostic Trouble Codes are five-digit codes that identify a particular problem in the car. Knowing how to read them with a OBD2 scanner will save you a lot of troubleshooting time. The first numberlets you know whether it’s specific to the vehicle manufacturer or an SAE generic code that applies to all OBD II systems. The last three numbers provide information regarding the specific vehicle circuit and system.
Check the Fuel Pressure for a Bad Fuel Pump
A bad fuel pump can certainly lead to issues with the card properly starting. You might just need to have your wires checked or the problem might actually require to replace the whole fuel pump.
In Conclusion
These are just a few common issues that might lead to your car not starting. Given the complexity of a vehicle, there are many more things that could go wrong. Referring to an expert mechanic might not only save you time but also quite a lot of money since they will be able to pinpoint to what is really causing the problem right away.