Car won’t start? The common causes and what to try first
Clicking, whirring or silence. What each sound means, the simple checks that sometimes fix it, and when to call for a jump start or recovery.
You turn the key or press the start button and the car doesn’t go. Before you call anyone, take a minute to listen and look: the way a car fails to start tells you a lot about why, and sometimes the fix is simple.
Listen first
| What happens | Most likely cause |
|---|---|
| Nothing at all: no lights, no sound | Flat battery, or a loose or corroded battery connection |
| Rapid clicking, dashboard lights flicker | Flat battery: enough charge for the lights, not the starter |
| One loud click or clunk, lights stay bright | Starter motor or its solenoid |
| Engine turns over slowly, then stops | Weak battery, often on a cold morning |
| Engine turns over normally but won’t fire | Fuel, ignition, a sensor or the immobiliser |
| Starts, then dies after a second or two | Immobiliser, or a fuel supply problem |
Things worth trying
These are safe on almost any car, and each one fixes a surprising number of “breakdowns”.
- Automatics: make sure the gear selector is fully in P, and press the brake pedal firmly while you start. Try N if P doesn’t work.
- Manuals with a start button: push the clutch pedal all the way down. Many won’t start without it.
- Steering lock: if the key won’t turn or the button does nothing, turn the steering wheel gently left and right while you try again.
- Keyless cars: if the car says it can’t find the key, the fob battery may be flat. Most cars have a backup spot, often on or near the steering column or start button, where you hold the fob to start. Your handbook will show it.
- Switch everything off: lights, heater fan, heated screen and seats, radio. Every bit of current helps a weak battery.
- Diesels in the cold: turn the ignition on and wait for the coil-shaped glow plug light to go out before you crank.
What not to do
- Don’t keep cranking. Try for no more than ten seconds at a time, with a pause between attempts. Long cranking drains the battery and can overheat the starter motor.
- Don’t push-start an automatic, a hybrid or an electric car. It won’t work, and can cause damage. Even on a manual, it can harm the catalytic converter and isn’t safe on a busy street.
- Don’t use jump leads from another car unless you’re confident about the connection points. Modern electronics don’t like a mistake.
- Don’t add more fuel if you’ve just filled up and the car is misbehaving. If you might have put in the wrong fuel, leave the engine off and call for help.
Electric and hybrid cars
If an electric car’s screens stay dark, the doors won’t unlock or it won’t switch on at all, the usual cause is the small 12-volt battery, not the main drive battery. It can often be boosted at the roadside. See our guide to electric car breakdowns.
Is it the battery?
A battery is the likeliest cause if:
- The car has been parked for a week or more
- Something was left on overnight: lights, an interior lamp, a phone charger
- The battery is more than about five years old
- It’s the first cold snap of winter, and the car has been doing short trips
A jump start from a professional booster pack will usually get it going. Afterwards, drive for at least half an hour and get the battery tested.
When it’s something else
If the engine spins at normal speed and won’t fire, or the car starts and immediately dies, a jump start won’t help. It could be a fuel pump, a crankshaft sensor, an immobiliser fault or something more serious, and it needs a garage with diagnostic equipment. That’s when to call for breakdown recovery. We’ll carry the car to your garage on the flatbed, with you in the cab if you need a lift.
A car that’s stood for months
Cars left for a long time collect several problems at once: a dead battery, seized brakes, flat tyres and stale fuel. Getting one going where it stands is rarely worth the effort. We can collect it as a non-runner and take it to a garage to be brought back to life properly.