Most people who own a car or drive one regularly must have at some point experienced difficulty starting the vehicle. Fortunately, you can get an idea as to why starting up a vehicle is “hard” and or not starting at all simply based off how the car reacts when you turn the key – you can generally tell what is wrong with it.

If your vehicle is hard to start or won’t start at all, and you’ve tried all you can to resolve the issue – please be sure to call your mechanic or a reliable auto-technician who will run an expert diagnostics on it.

Discussed below are possible reasons why your vehicle isn’t starting or is having difficulties starting: 

Fuel Delivery Issue 

Your vehicle requires air and fuel in order to fire up. If the combustion chamber is denied fuel the engine will crank over and over without firing. The most common fuel issues are failed fuel pump, clogged air filter, or clogged fuel injection system. Whatever the trouble is, an expert mechanic should get it fired up in short while or in no time at all. 

Dead Battery 

Perhaps the most common problem that prevents a vehicle from starting is a dead battery. In most cases a simple jump start will get the vehicle up and running if the battery died due to leaving the lights on or using the radio when the car is off.

However, batteries have limited cycles and they do die (technical term is end-of-life), so they’ll need to be replaced eventually after several years of use. 

Failed Alternator 

The alternator is responsible for powering electronics as the car’s engine is on. Excess electrical power is then stored in the battery to start the car. Common signs of alternator trouble include trouble operating power windows or seats, a radio that won’t work properly, and dim or flickering headlights. If the alternator fails completely the battery will be drained of its power, resulting in a car that won’t start. 

Malfunctioning Starter 

When the key is turned, power is sent to the starter motor. When charged, the starter actuates and engages with the flywheel. It then spins the flywheel to get the engine motion started, which allows it to run on its own. If the starter fails, you will often hear a loud click or a series of clicking noises when you turn the key. 

Damaged Ignition Switch 

A damaged or faulty ignition switch might not be as common as the other causes of difficulties starting a car but make no mistake, it’s something that can happen! It’s no news that most of us drive older cars in Naija, and after a multitude of times turning the ignition on and off over the long years; the ignition switch will undergo the inevitable “wear and tear” – which could make starting the car a bit tricky.  

Also, faulty wiring or extreme temperatures (heat or cold) can affect the switch – preventing it from functioning optimally. Another thing to be wary of is those of us who like to load our key-rings with all the keys we own, please be aware that that can also wear out the ignition switch as well.  

Nothing is more painful than decking out nicely in the morning or any other time of day, feeling on top of the world, walking over to where you parked your vehicle, only to get in and it refuses to start. Feel free to share your own experiences.