If you’ve ever tried to start your car after turning the key in the ignition, you most likely felt a great deal of frustration. Your automobile definitely needed some kind of expert assistance, such as assistance from an auto club and a jump start so you could transport it to a certified VW repair facility.
What stops an automobile from starting? There are numerous causes:
A battery issue is among the most frequent causes of automotive trouble. The battery frequently fails to give the starter system enough power. Despite cranking slowly, the engine might not start. The dashboard lights frequently don’t turn on. Your power windows, windshield wipers, and everything else connected to your electrical system won’t work if the battery is dead. Your battery issue can be identified by an Ottohaus certified VW repair specialist, who can also replace it if necessary.
The key not turning in the ignition is another factor that prevents you from starting your vehicle. The ignition lock, which is the most frequent cause of this, locking the steering wheel. The wheels are frequently turned to the side and pressed up against a curb, which causes this. Most of the time, you can turn the ignition key by gently jiggling the steering wheel. But there can be a problem with the lock itself or the ignition system. The specialists at Ottohaus of Charleston are skilled in fixing VWs and can take care of your issue.
You can have a problem with the ignition system even though you can freely turn your key and make sure your battery is working properly. It’s possible that the ignition switch, which signals the starter, has to be repaired. The starter motor or the wiring from the ignition switch to the car’s computer could possibly be at fault. Technicians from Ottohaus will be able to identify the problem and carry out the required fixes.
If your car is having trouble starting, get in touch with Ottohaus. We’ll be pleased to inspect your car, find the issue, and carry out the required maintenance. We can assist you in Charleston at two convenient locations.
In This Article...
Why would my car suddenly stop starting?
A fading or dead battery, frayed or corroded connecting cables, a defective alternator, or a problem with the starter are the common culprits when a vehicle won’t start. It can be challenging to tell whether a battery or alternator issue is at hand. Here’s how to determine who the culprit is.
Bad Battery Symptoms
Consider a failing battery, a loose or corroded connection, or an electrical draw if your car cranks slowly, starts inconsistently, is harder to start on chilly mornings, or doesn’t make any sound or light up the interior when you try to start it. A low battery with terminal corrosion that is obvious is likely damaged.
If a jumpstart is successful, a battery issue is present. However, you must also determine whether it is just nearing the end of its life or whether there are more serious problems. A malfunctioning alternator may be the cause of a dead or depleted battery. The additional pull from auxiliary lights, fuses, sound systems, alarms, and other devices may also be the cause.
Why won’t my car start even if it has power?
When a new engine won’t start, the battery is typically at blame. However, a dead battery and an alternator are mostly out of the question if the car is still getting electricity. Some batteries could ship from the factory with a lesser charge retention capacity. This is a manufacturing flaw, and the warranty allows for a replacement.
However, it is simple to believe that the battery is in perfect condition if a car won’t start but still has power. It can be very deceiving, especially if the lights, horn, and other electrical components work well. This is because not all peripherals use the same amount of energy.
To start the engine, however, the starter motor requires a lot of power. It’s possible that a battery nearing the end of its useful life won’t be able to power the starter motor sufficiently. Additionally, some electronic ignition systems start out by using a lot of energy. But since they draw less power from the battery, accessories like lights, horns, and radio systems might function.
Everyone may become confused at this point. So, get your multimeter and examine the battery terminals if your car won’t start but has electricity. It should ideally read 12 volts with the engine off, if not extremely near to it. The battery is on the verge of dying if not.
Start the car, switch on most of the accessories, and read it once more. When you press the accelerator, the voltage shouldn’t drop; instead, it should rise to 13.5 to 14 volts. If this doesn’t happen, there might be a problem with the alternator. This is the most prevalent issue if a car won’t start but has power.
Why won’t my car start even though the battery is not dead?
Damaged or Broken Ignition If your headlights work but your car won’t start, your battery is charged but the starter or ignition isn’t working properly. A starting engine can be jumped using a charged battery if the starter or ignition is the issue.
My car won’t start, but the battery is fine. Why?
Your starter may be the issue if the battery appears to be in good condition. A starter is a little motor that uses battery power to pull current in order to start an engine. When you turn the key in the ignition, you can hear a clicking sound if the starter fails or malfunctions. In some cases, loose connections are the issue, while in others, a new starter may be required. There is no assurance that jumping a car will fix starter issues.
How is the battery on a Volkswagen reset?
To start with, you should determine whether the immobilizer is the issue. To do this, start your Volkswagen’s batteries and check to see whether your dash’s immobilizer warning lightmost likely in your speedometeris flashing. It ought to resemble the silhouette of an automobile with a key inside.
If it is flashing, the immobilizer is no longer attached to the system. You must do a cold reboot in this situation, which may be done by following these steps:
- Severing the two battery cables
- Tap the two cables collectively.
- Disconnect the cords for fifteen minutes.
- Reattach the battery’s cords.
You can also attempt the following alternate technique to get your key to self-reprogram if the previous one doesn’t work:
- Make sure a charger is being used to charge the battery.
- Keep the battery charged and the engine off while leaving the key in the ignition for one hour.
Bring your automobile to the closest Volkswagen dealership if nothing else works, and have the immobilizer resynchronized with your vehicle there.
The Volkswagen has to be reset.
4: A notice requesting your permission to restart the oil change service should display. By releasing the 0.0 button and pressing it once more, you can confirm that you have.
5: After the “Service Was Reset” message appears, wait for it to go away before turning off the ignition.
The process for turning off the service light is identical on a number of contemporary Volkswagen models. The VW Passat, Jetta, Tiguan, and other models should all function using the procedures below.
2: Start the ignition while holding down the 0.0 button on the instrument cluster.
3: To access the reset feature, let go of the 0.0 button and press the hour and minute button.
4: After a brief delay during which the display returns to its initial state, turn off the ignition.
5: The service light ought to be off after waiting at least ten seconds before starting the engine again.
How can you figure out why a car won’t start?
Why Won’t My Car Start? Diagnosis
- 1) Does the engine turn over?
- 2) Examine the RAM for error codes.
- Crankshaft/camshaft sensors should be examined.
- Four) Verify the fuel pressure.
- 5) Inspect the ignition coil’s spark.
- 6) Verify that the injectors are activating.
- 7) Verify the timing of the crankshaft and camshaft.
- 8) Verify the compression and leakdown test.
How can I determine whether the starter fuse is blown?
Some starter relay fuse failure indicators are obvious, while others are less obvious. There are a number of tools required to adequately test for defects if you think your starter relay may be malfunctioning, including a voltmeter, wires, wrenches, and sockets.
To better understand whether the fuse is operating properly, you can use the multimeter to measure the voltage that is traveling through it. The sockets and wrenches are required to remove any vehicle parts in order to reach the fuse, and the wire serves as a jumper.
Check Voltage
Connect the red probe of your multimeter to the battery’s red terminal and the other to the circuit for the ignition switch when the multimeter is set to 20V DC. Have a helper turn the key and start the engine while they are seated in the driver’s seat.
Be sure to keep an eye on your multimeter while the engine starts. You have an electrical conductivity issue and require a new starter relay fuse if the voltage lowers by more than 0.2 volts.
Check Electrical Resistance
Put the probes of your multimeter on the ignition circuit terminal and ground lead to test the electrical resistance. The starting relay fuse needs to be replaced if the multimeter value is greater than 5 Ohms.
If you don’t have a multimeter, you can measure electrical resistance using a wire. The wire should have one end on the battery lead and the other on the ignition circuit. The starting relay does not need to be replaced if you hear a loud click. However, a weak click is a good indication that the fuse is bad if there is one.
Nothing happens when I try to start my car?
When the ignition is turned on but no lights illuminate on the instrument panel, there is no power coming from the battery. It can be a blown main fuse, a broken ignition switch, a dead battery, or a loose battery terminal.
If the headlights come on, the battery has electricity, so the ignition switch, fuses, or wiring between the ignition switch and battery could all be at fault. The battery can be fully dead if the headlights don’t function. The battery can be charged; find out how below.
How can you identify if the problem is with the starter or battery?
Let’s start by diagnosing this problem since it is the least expensive and easiest to replace. Does the car make a clicking noise when you try to start it, but it won’t turn over? That might be encouraging. A dead battery is likely the culprit if a jump starts the car but it won’t start once it is turned off.
Why did my car battery die?
Consider checking to see if you may have left the vehicle’s interior or exterior lights on or if a door may not have closed all the way. We’re confident you already did this as soon as the problem began. Open the hood and inspect the battery terminals if the problem wasn’t caused by the lights. You may only need to give the terminals a brief clean with a toothbrush and some baking soda solution if you notice corrosion (a white powder-like substance) there. Still not an issue? Think about the battery’s age. The average automobile battery lasts 4-5 years. Have your problem diagnosed as soon as possible if your battery is less than four years old and has no other problems. If the problem is with the battery, you might be covered by a warranty and be able to get a replacement. If the diagnosis reveals that your battery is in good condition, the problem may be with the alternator.
The next step is to inspect the alternator if there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with your battery yet it won’t maintain a charge.