Car won't start — what to do? A step-by-step practical guide

Before you pop the hood, listen closely. The sound (or lack of it) often points straight to the cause.

• Silence after turning the key — no power, deeply discharged battery, loose ground.
• Clicking / knocking — battery on the edge, faulty starter or bendix.
• Starter cranks but engine won't catch — fuel, ignition or immobilizer issue.
• Dashboard lights go out on start — battery can't hold voltage under load.
• Engine fires and dies — sensors, fuel pump, filter, spark plugs.

1. Dead or worn-out battery (about 60% of all winter call-outs).
2. Faulty starter or alternator.
3. No fuel or a failed fuel pump.
4. Flooded spark plugs after repeated attempts.
5. Immobilizer fault / key problem.
6. Loose battery terminals or ground cable.
7. Failed sensors (crankshaft, MAF, MAP).

Step 1. Check the basics

• Is there fuel in the tank? The gauge can lie — especially after a failure.
• Is the shifter in 'P' (automatic) or the clutch pressed (manual)?
• Do the dashboard lights come on at all?

Step 2. Listen to the starter

Turn the key. Fast clicking usually means the battery is the culprit. If the starter spins normally but the engine won't catch — look at ignition or fuel.

Step 3. Don't crank endlessly

One attempt is 5–10 seconds max, then a 30-second break. After 2–3 failed tries you'll only flood the plugs and finish off the battery.

Step 4. Check battery terminals

Wiggle the clamps — if they're loose or covered in green corrosion, that can block the start. Gently tighten with a 10 mm wrench.

Step 5. Try jumper cables — if you have them and a second car

Connection order (very important!):

1. Red cable: '+' of dead → '+' of good battery.
2. Black cable: '−' of good battery → unpainted metal engine part of the dead car (ground).
3. Start the good car, wait 2–3 minutes.
4. Try to start the dead car.
5. Disconnect in reverse order.

Symptoms: a quiet 'click', dimming lights, the radio resetting. In start-stop cars, voltage below 12.4 V already blocks starting. In winter battery capacity drops by up to 40%.

If the battery is over 4–5 years old and dies again after recharging — it's time to replace it. Our team brings a new battery to you.

Starter: loud knocking, a single click, 'skipping teeth' after start. Alternator: battery warning light on while driving, dimming lights, weakening engine. The car may start on a charged battery but die again after a few kilometres.

• No fuel — trivial but real. Always worth checking.
• Waxing diesel — in winter — diesels struggle below −15°C.
• Failed fuel pump — no characteristic 'buzz' after turning the key.
• Clogged fuel filter — car stalls at idle or won't start when warm.

A flashing key icon on the dashboard = the immobilizer doesn't recognise the transponder. Replace the remote battery, hold the key directly against the coil (on the steering column in many cars). Still nothing? Computer diagnostics are required.

Don't experiment if:

• You don't have jumper cables or a working car nearby.
• The car is in an underground parking lot or an inaccessible spot.
• There's smoke, a burning smell, or a leak under the hood.
• You had an accident or the engine warning light is red.
• You drive an automatic or 4×4 — flat towing can wreck the transmission.

In those cases the safest option is roadside assistance or transport by flatbed. We also offer emergency vehicle start-up on site — 24 hours a day.