What to Do If Your Car Won't Start

There may be times where you will need to get in your car and just go but the car fails to start. Obviously you have your key inserted properly and are turning it to engage the engine but it still doesn't start. There are a few things you can check on your car yourself and even a few fixes that will help you to determine why your car won't start and what you can do about it.

* Are you having trouble turning your key in the ignition? Sometimes the steering wheel gets locked when the wheels are left at a certain angle or you are parked on an incline such as a hill. If you turn your steering wheel from left to right while lightly turning your key in the ignition, it will unlock the steering wheel.

* Did you remember to fill your gas tank? This is one of the most obvious reasons why your car may not start. Failing to keep your car filled with gasoline means that the car has no fuel to run. A car's fuel is it energy, without it, you are a duck sitting in water. It is a good idea to at least keep your tank filled to the quarter or the half full line before you park it for the night. That way in the morning you will not have to worry about the car not starting due to insufficient fuel.

* Check your battery connections. Sometimes the battery cables get loose from driving over large bumps and potholes. Just go under the hood of your car and see if and cables connected to your battery are loose. You may want to tighten them back up before starting your car.

* Did you leave your lights or maybe your alarm went off but you failed to disengage it. When you leave the lights running on your car, you drain the battery. The same with your car alarm, if the alarm was triggered and never turned off it will drain your battery. A good way to check to see if your car's starting problem is related to the battery is to turn the key in the ignition and turn on your windshield wiper blades. If they move slower than usual and the lights on your dashboard are dim chances are your battery is failing.

* Is your starter dead? When you turn the key in the ignition, do you hear a clicking noise? If not you have a problem with your starter. The most common problem with starters is they tend to go out with no previous warning. Without a starter your car is useless until you get a new starter installed.

* Another possibility is that maybe you flooded your engine. If you recently drove through a large puddle or had a car wash and maybe washed your engine too, then chances are your engine was flooded in the process. This can happen when your car is overdue for a tune up. If you are not capable of performing a tune on your car, ten have your car towed to a car shop and have a tune up done.

Taking proper care of your car and getting the necessary maintenance preformed on your vehicle at the proper intervals can save you the inconvenience of one day getting in your car and having to deal with it not starting.