Few things are as frustrating as a car that refuses to start. You get dressed to go out or head off to work, you head to the garage, turn the key and are greeted by nothing but silence.
Suddenly your well planned day is thrown into disarray, all because the car will not start. Now you have to find a ride to work, figure out a way to get the kids and find out what is wrong with your car. So why doesn’t your car start – and what can you do to fix it? Here are some common causes of a non-starting car.
You Left Your Lights On
One of the most common reasons your car will not start is that you inadvertently left your lights on. This is all too easy to do, especially if it has been raining and you had your headlights on in the daytime.
While some newer cars are equipped with lights that turn themselves off, many older vehicles do not have this feature. Even if you turned your headlights off, an open door could cause the interior lights to illuminate, slowly draining the battery and leaving your car without the power it needs to start in the morning.
The Battery is Getting Weak
If the lights are off but the car still will not start, a dead battery is probably to blame. Even if the battery is not fully dead, it may be too weak to turn the engine over.
Every battery, no matter how expensive, has a limited lifespan, and when that anticipated lifespan is over, the battery will quickly lose its starting power. If your car will not start, check the sticker on the battery to see when it was installed, and how much life it has left.
Temperature Extreme
Temperature extremes can really take a toll on your car’s battery, draining it of power and causing hard starts and other problems. While the Fairfax area rarely experiences the extremely cold temperatures common in other parts of the country, a sudden drop in temperature could still damage your battery and starting system.
Very high temperatures could also damage your battery, and that is a more common scenario here in Fairfax. If the weather has been very hot lately and your car suddenly will not start, ask the mechanic to check your battery for possible problems.
It is frustrating when your car will not start, but this is an all too common problem for Fairfax area drivers. Knowing what causes these issues can make your life easier, so you can get where you are going and have one less thing to worry about when you get behind the wheel.
