A dead battery, an alternator issue, or a bad starter are the three most frequent causes of a Mitsubishi Outlander not starting.
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When your car has power but won’t start, what does it mean?
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.
What could result in a no start?
It may be one of the following if your automobile won’t start even after you’ve checked the steering wheel and gas level:
- failed battery The most typical cause of a car not starting is a dead battery. Check your battery to see whether it’s weak if you have a battery tester. Try using jumper cables to jump start your automobile if you don’t have one.
- battery deterioration Battery corrosion might cause problems. Try starting your car again after checking and cleaning your battery posts to ensure a complete, clean connection. An employee at an auto parts store can point you in the proper direction and provide you tips on how to clean your battery.
- defective starter motor The engine must be physically turned over and ignited for the starter motor to work. If this is the problem, a new one needs to be installed.
- Timing belt fault. The timing belt makes sure that the engine’s valves open and close at the right intervals, preventing the pistons and valves from ever coming into contact. The timing belt is the component of your engine that requires the greatest maintenance. An engine replacement may be necessary due to catastrophic engine damage brought on by a failing timing belt. When to replace a timing belt is specified by the automaker. The period is typically every 60,000 miles or five years and is dependant on mileage (whichever comes first).
- Distributor cap that is broken or cracked. The distribution cap directs electricity from the ignition coil of the engine to the spark plugs. Your car may experience issues if moisture enters under the cap. Before reinstalling, clean it with a dry, clean cloth. Make sure to swap out a broken cap.
- defective ignition coil. An electric spark is produced from a battery’s voltage by the ignition coil. There isn’t enough juice if the ignition coil is destroyed. To check the strength of the current flowing through the coil, you’ll need a multimeter, a device made to detect electrical current, voltage, and resistance.
- fuel filter clog. The engine won’t receive enough fuel if the fuel filter is clogged. If this is the issue, a replacement will typically be required.
Contact a reliable auto repair if you are unable to resolve the issue yourself (or if you don’t feel comfortable opening the hood).
Roadside Service coverage* can be useful if your car won’t start. Erie Insurance’s Roadside Service coverage covers reasonable auto towing and necessary labor expenses at the breakdown location. Speak with an ERIE representative in your area to learn more about this coverage.
*Roadside Service coverage is only offered if the vehicle has comprehensive insurance.
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 can you figure out why a car won’t start?
On a Monday morning, you rush out the door and try to start your automobile but it won’t start. Surprise! It won’t turn on! Do you know how to diagnose the issue with your car pet? It will be challenging to fix it if you don’t know where to start.
Your car won’t start for a variety of reasons:
1) Does the engine turn over?
The engine’s ability to start should be your first priority. You can move on to the following step if you are aware that your engine is starting. Usually, when you turn the ignition, you can hear it from the sound of the starter. You may have a low voltage or starter issue if the automobile won’t crank when the ignition switch is turned to the start position.
Make sure the car battery is charged and in good functioning order if your engine won’t start. Either use a booster pack, or try to jump start the battery with one from another vehicle. If you have an additional car battery at home, you can also use that instead.
There is probably a problem with your starter or the electrics to it if the battery is sound and the jump start didn’t assist the engine crank.
Testing the starter’s wiring is the next step. Typically, a starter has two wires attached to it: a large b+ wire and a tiny wire.
Between the engine and the body, inspect the ground. To determine if it’s a poor ground, connect a jumper cable between the battery negative terminal and a good ground location on the engine.
When you turn the ignition switch to the starter position, see if you get 12V on the little wire. While doing it, keep your hands away from any moving parts!
If the ground is sound and both wires have 12 volts, there may be a starting issue or an amperage issue with the large wire. It’s uncommon for the substantial power cable to the starter to sustain damage, so you must load test the wire to confirm it is the root of the problem.
If you have performed a loading test and it came back OK and you crank the engine while getting 12V on the little cable, your starter is defective and needs to be replaced.
You need to check the ignition switch, starting relay, fuses, and the wirings between the ignition switch and the starter if you are not obtaining 12V on the small wire when the ignition switch is in the starter position.
2) Examine the RAM for error codes.
Use an OBD2 scanner to check the trouble code memory to see if there are any stored trouble codes if the car cranks but won’t start. You can skip over a lot of the troubleshooting procedures by reading the issue codes and going straight to the part for which you got the trouble code.
Most vehicles manufactured after 1998 have an OBD2 system, which makes reading trouble codes fairly simple. OBD2 codes contain information regarding the issue codes. If you drive an older American car, there’s a potential that your OBD1 codes can be read without a scanner.
3) Inspect the crankshaft and camshaft sensors.
The RPM signal from the crankshaft and camshaft sensors will be examined next. You can do this by looking for any RPM readings on the dashboard from your tachometer. Even better is to use an OBD2 scanner to measure the crankshaft RPM from the engine control unit. If there is a problem with the crankshaft or camshaft sensor, you will typically receive a fault code.
However, in most cases, you can only make corrections if you are getting any RPMs in the engine control unit and make sure there are no trouble codes stored. In more advanced troubleshooting, you can also check the signals from the crankshaft and camshaft sensors with an oscilloscope to see if the signal looks good or not.
4) Verify your fuel pressure.
It’s time to check for fuel pressure if the crankshaft and camshaft sensors appear to be functioning properly. Low fuel pressure can be caused by a damaged fuel pump, a clogged fuel filter, or a bad fuel pressure regulator, which may prevent your car from starting. Your automobile probably won’t start for a variety of reasons, including low fuel pressure.
If your car has a fuel pressure sensor, you may either check the fuel pressure with a fuel pressure gauge or with an OBD2 scanner. You will probably also receive a fault code indicating that the fuel pressure is low if it has a fuel pressure sensor. However, it’s wise to check it using a manual fuel pressure gauge just to be safe.
Check the wiring, relay, and fuse to the fuel pressure pump and see whether it is pumping any fuel if the fuel pressure is low. Replace the fuel pump if you can connect voltage to it but it won’t start. Replace the fuel filter and troubleshoot the fuel pressure regulator if the fuel pump is functioning properly.
5) Inspect the ignition coil’s spark.
Another typical issue when a car won’t start is spark. A faulty spark plug, ignition coil, or ignition cable could be to blame. You should always diagnose the crankshaft sensor first because the wirings may also point to the ignition coil or a crankshaft sensor that is not sending a signal.
By taking off the spark plug and cable/coil, you may inspect the spark. Remember to keep your hands away from the spark while testing for spark to avoid receiving a potentially harmful shock. Attach a cable between the plug and a reliable ground point.
6) Verify whether the injectors are opening.
The injectors not opening and injecting fuel into the engine is another frequent problem. In most circumstances, a blown fuse or damaged power line is to fault, but in rare instances, a defective engine control unit may also be to blame.
You can use a multimeter to test the voltage and determine whether the injectors are opening. The engine control unit’s ground signal and a 12+ power pin are typically the two pins that the injectors have. While cranking, make sure one of the cables has 12V, and use an LED light to see if you receive any ground signals. With an oscilloscope, the injectors should be subjected to more complex troubleshooting.
If you pay close attention, you may usually hear a little clicking sound made by the fuel injectors as they open. Have a friend start the engine to listen for injector clicks. The injectors shouldn’t be malfunctioning if they are clicking. If the car is injecting fuel, you may also check the spark plugs because they will be damp but not producing any sparks.
7) Verify the timing of the crankshaft and camshaft.
Your automobile might not want to start as a result of a damaged timing belt or chain, which can seriously harm the engine. Most engines include TDC markers that indicate where the camshaft and crankshaft should line up. These marks must be located online or in your car’s repair manual. The timing must then be verified to be accurate.
In almost all cars, broken valves are the result of a jumped timing belt or timing chain. Always perform a compression test to ensure that the compression is good and the valves are not bent if you think your chain or belt may have skipped.
8) Perform a compression/leakdown test.
Check compression and leak down through the piston rings as a last resort if fuel and ignition are working but the car still won’t start. To ensure that all of your cylinders are under the same pressure, you should do a compression test first. To find out what pressure the engine should have, consult the repair manual. Even though the pressure between the cylinders should be equal, worn engines may have a tiny drop in pressure.
A leak down test is designed to assist you in determining whether any pressure is passing through the piston rings all the way to the engine’s base. This might help you identify damaged pistons and piston rings.
Come to our repair shops in Hamilton if all of this is too much for you. Your car will be well-cared for by us.
What are the most typical issues in starting an engine?
The main cause of engines not starting is a dead battery. Drain is a frequent cause of battery failure. Typically, the battery in your automobile uses a small percentage of its capacity to start the engine before being recharged by the alternator as you drive. When a light or other electrical device is left on while the car is off, problems can occur since this can drain the battery and reduce the power available for a start-up. Other times, your battery may just stop working altogether, without any of the aforementioned problems.
If you try to start your automobile but it won’t go, you’ll know this is your issue.
Your engine is most likely having an electrical issue if it won’t even turn over. You can attempt jump starting your battery for a temporary cure, but true battery failure necessitates rapid replacement.
How can you identify if the problem is with your starter or battery?
Does the car make a clicking noise when you try to start it, but it won’t turn over? That might be encouraging. When a car needs a jump to start but won’t start after being turned off, the battery is probably dead.
Something sounds off.
When you turn the key or press the start button, there may be a clicking sound, which is one of the signs of a defective starter. However, a starting can stop working altogether or make noises that signal its approaching demise, such as buzzing and grinding. Oh, listen!
You’ve got lights but no action.
You may have a problem with the starter if you try to start the engine and the dashboard illuminates but nothing happens to the engine.
Your engine won’t crank.
Even after attempting a jumpstart, does your engine still not start? At this point, you should dial a towing service and drive your vehicle to the closest Firestone Complete Auto Care. Nothing else than a qualified technician will start your engine if a jumpstart doesn’t work.
Smoke is coming from your car.
The starter is a component of your car’s electrical system and is vulnerable to short circuits and blown fuses. Your car’s starter may overheat if you’ve been trying to start it for a long time, which increases the likelihood of electrical problems and the accompanying smoke. Call for assistance if you see or smell smoke instead of twisting the key more.
Oil has soaked the starter.
If your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, the starter is often located on the passenger side of the engine, directly below the exhaust manifold. If it is a front-wheel-drive vehicle, look above the transmission on the driver’s side or under the exhaust manifold. On some automobiles, they may also be found just beneath the intake manifold. If you open the hood to discover that your starter is covered in engine oil, your broken starter may be a sign of an oil leak, which is another issue. Keep an eye out for oil leaks to prevent starter problems of this sort because, regrettably, what begins as a few droplets of oil can steadily and often unnoticeably evolve into a costly problem.
When the starter motor fails, can you jump start a car?
There are two methods for starting an engine with a bad starter motor:
- Restart your vehicle
- Start your car with a push.
However, you need to have the following resources available before you start working on a beginner problem.
If you do have the necessary equipment, try one of these two approaches of starting your car:
Jump-Start Your Car
Your automobile may frequently not start because of a weak or drained battery. Giving the starter enough amps will enable it to operate normally, which will cause the engine to start.
You can either use a portable jump starter or the battery and jumper wires from another automobile to jump-start a vehicle.
What you should do next is as follows:
- Locate the automobile battery by lifting the hood of your vehicle. Consult the car’s handbook if you can’t find it. Don’t work on your automobile battery if it appears bloated or is dripping. Instead, give a mechanic a call because the battery could need to be changed.
- If the car battery appears to be in good condition, connect the positive terminal of your weak battery to the positive terminal of the backup battery or jump starter using the positive wire (red jumper cable).
- Connect the negative terminal of the charged battery to any exposed metal on the vehicle using the black jumper cable.
- Now start the engine and wait for the battery to charge for a few minutes.
Depending on the engine type, DOD, and battery condition, a dead battery may take between 5 and 20 minutes to start up.
Detach the jumper cables once you’ve successfully started your automobile with a jump. The (-ve) clamp comes first, followed by the (+ve). Ensure that none of these cables touch one another as well.
Note: A broken starter may be to blame if your battery is charged but your car still won’t start. The starter relay can thus be disregarded.
There is also another, more straightforward method you can employ as well:
Push-Start Your Engine
Push-starting, often referred to as bump-starting, is an antiquated yet reliable method to start an automobile with a defective starter. It only functions, though, if your car has a manual transmission.
How to do it is as follows:
- Keep the engine running while shifting into first or second gear on your car’s manual transmission. Maintaining your vehicle in second gear will enable a smooth push-start. Additionally, it lessens system harm to your car. However, when you have a significantly smaller distance to push-start, use the first gear.
- Get a strong person to push your automobile from behind so it can accelerate to 510 mph.
- When you reach this speed, release the clutch. The car can be started with the speed that has been reached.
- If the first try is unsuccessful, repeat the procedure.
If you have attempted the aforementioned techniques for starting a car with a bad starter motor and been unsuccessful, you might wish to examine your vehicle’s other parts.
How would I be able to tell if my starter failed?
Still, keep an eye out for these seven indications that your starter is failing.
- #1: The Engine Won’t Start.
- #2: Loud, grinding, or whirring noise.
- #3: Occasional Trouble Starting the Car.
- #4: The Starter Continues After the Start.
- #6: The starter engages but the engine won’t turn over.
A starter may a battery be drained?
Can a poor starter therefore drain your battery? Yes, it can, to put it succinctly. Additionally, constantly attempting to start your automobile with a broken starter could cause the battery to deplete much more quickly.
One of the main causes of battery overcharging is a bad starter. If you don’t routinely check on your car, these issues could soon get out of hand. Therefore, it would be best to become familiar with the signs of a bad starter and how to avoid them.