5 Possible Reasons Why Your car Won’t Start in Salem, OR

 

5. Dead Battery

This is probably the most common reason why a car that worked the day before would suddenly not start the next morning. Usually, a dead battery happens because the headlights or the dome light didn't get turned off and drained the battery completely. Usually, all you need to do is jump your dead battery (preferably with a jump box or portable battery charger) and let the alternator recharge the battery for about 30 minutes, and you should have no more problems. If you continue having difficulties starting your car in the morning, you may have a drain on your battery somewhere, or you may need a new alternator.

 

4. Empty Gas Tank

A wise man once said "never underestimate a car's ability to run out of gas"- and truer words have rarely been spoken. If you're running low on gas when you park at night, and your car won't start in the morning- you may just be out of gas. Remember, it isn't good to run your vehicle extremely low on gas, so it's not even worth the risk. Keep your gas tank full.

3. Bad Starter

No, we're not being glib -- there's a part of your motor called the "starter." The starter takes energy from your battery and engages the first full cranks of the engine itself. Once started, your engine is a self-sustaining machine, and the battery and the starter aren't needed again until the next time you start the car. However, if your starter is having problems, your engine won't have that initial power it needs to get going, and you'll be stuck wherever you're parked. If you turn the key in the ignition and you hear a loud screech, grinding and/or smell smoke, you may need to have the starter replaced.

 

2. Ignition Switch

The ignition switch is located just behind where you insert your key when you start the car. This electronic part is what diverts power to the various systems in your vehicle- depending on the position of your key. If you turn your key, and some of the regular components get power, but not others -- like the starter or the fuel system -- the problem is possibly a faulty ignition switch. This should be replaced by a professional as soon as possible, even if you're able to start the car, because a faulty ignition switch could cut the power to your vehicle at any point -- even while driving down the highway.

1. Vehicle is in Gear

This is likely the most embarrassing reason why you're having trouble starting your car, because it's completely your fault. Unlike a faulty ignition switch or starter- and even more than a dead battery or empty gas tank- leaving the vehicle in gear rests squarely on your shoulders. Fortunately, it's an incredibly easy problem to fix. Vehicles need to be in park or neutral in order to start -- depending on the transmission type. If you notice your car won't start because you've left it in gear -- or you're not engaging the clutch in your manual transmission -- then just take a deep breath, accept the mistake, fix it, and never let anyone know what happened.