Why Won't My Car Start

Reasons Why Your Vehicle Won't Start

When you have places that you need to be, there’s a good chance that you’re relying on your car to start when you turn the key over. When that doesn’t happen, you might find your plans in freefall. When you’re trying to figure out what the problem could be near Gilmer, Tyler, or Longview, you’re going to want to head to Stanley Ford Gilmer, where our service department is always ready to help. 

Running Out of Charge

If your battery is giving you issues, you’re going to want to figure out the reason that it died in the first place. When you enter your vehicle, you’re going to want to be on the lookout for anything that’s plugged in, as this is more than likely your culprit. You might also find that a door was left slightly open, or that your headlights were on. Your battery’s job is to hold electricity, but it has no way to generate any when your vehicle is turned off. If left alone for long enough, it’ll eventually run out of charge. On the positive side of things, you might only need a jumpstart. A jumpstart works by transferring power from one model to another so that you have enough voltage to start your vehicle. If this was the fix that your model needed, you’re still going to want to have your battery tested so that you can make sure there are no other underlying issues.

Signs of a Faulty Battery

If your vehicle doesn’t roar to life after a jumpstart, you might have a bigger problem at play. You’re going to want to take a closer look at your battery, where you might be able to notice symptoms like: 

• You Can Spot Visible Corrosion On Your Terminals 
• Your Terminals Could Be Loose
• Your Battery May Have Reached Its Expiration Date

Sometimes, a loose terminal might be the only thing standing between you and the road. In that case, a quick tightening will do the trick, but if you’re dealing with corrosion, you’re going to want to be a lot more careful. For an accurate reading of your battery’s health, you’ll want to remove it from your vehicle and bring it to Stanley Ford Gilmer. Here, we have the tools necessary to give you a definitive answer on how your battery is doing. 

Running Into Larger Issues

If your battery isn’t the reason for all the hassle, you may be wondering what is. Your vehicle’s electric system is extensive, with a lot of moving parts. When your battery refuses to work with you, it might not be receiving help from your:

• Alternator: Your alternator converts mechanical energy into electric energy and is essentially the main part responsible for powering your battery. Without this part, your battery will never receive the electricity needed to keep going.
• Spark Plugs: Without working spark plugs, your vehicle won’t be able to start. While it’s rare for these to go out, it’s certainly not impossible. You’ll want to have them checked if you still can’t seem to start your model.
• Or Other Parts

You can get a better idea of what’s wrong with your vehicle when you decide to have it towed to Stanley Ford Gilmer.