Here are common reasons:
Car Cranks but Won't Start
- Faulty fuel pump: A bad fuel pump won’t deliver fuel to the engine, even if you’ve just filled up.
- Faulty spark plugs: Without hot sparks to ignite the fuel charge in each cylinder, there is no combustion and no expansion of the burning mixture. Therefore, the engine will not start.
- Faulty timing belt: If the timing belt stretches or breaks, the car will not start. Furthermore, repeatedly trying to turn the engine on can cause serious damage to the engine by bringing the valves in contact with the piston.
- Faulty ignition coil: If the ignition coil is not working, there will be no spark and without a spark the car won’t start.
- Bad cam or crank sensor: If the sensors are not working they will either provide no information to the ignition system, or will provide incorrect data. In both cases, the engine will not turn on.
Car cranks but won’t start and has clicking noise
A clicking noise when trying to start your car and no engine ignition usually indicates a battery problem. Either the battery is discharged or the connections are faulty. If the battery and the connections are functional, then the starter might have failed.
- Faulty battery or terminals: Batteries have a finite lifespan, and terminals can loosen or corrode.
- Faulty starter: You can easilyidentify this problem if nothing happens when you turn the key in the ignition.
- Ignition problem: Ignition problems occur due to faulty contacts in the ignition switch, or in the wiring. If there is a grinding noise when you turn the key.
- Starter is faulty: Do not persist in cranking the engine.
Car Won't Crank but the Battery Is Good
If your headlights can switch on, but your car won’t crank, that means that your car battery is charged, but either the starter or ignition is the issue. If the starter or ignition is the problem, a starter engine can be jumped by using a charged battery.
