Addressing Auto Problems: Troubleshooting a Vehicle That Refuses to Start

We all have our “off” days. These are the days when you wake up on the wrong side of bed and you find yourself über-late for an important meeting, breakfast tastes like cinders and your shower’s broken. Thinking that your day can’t be any worse, you slip into your car, insert the key into the ignition and turn it, just wanting to get to work as soon as possible. To your absolute horror, all you hear is a “rrr-rrr-ing” sound. You try again and again only to have the same results.

When trying to re-start your vehicle, do avoid holding your ignition key in the Start position for more than ten seconds. This could damage your ignition mechanism or ignition starter, which could mean very costly repair bills.

Before you start panicking and thinking your car is a worthless piece of junk, keep in mind that there are some steps by which you can determine the cause of your auto problem. Before calling a tow truck, you can try out these troubleshooting steps first. (Although if you are in a hurry, you may want to hail a cab and inspect your vehicle when you get home.)

Troubleshooting your stubborn auto:

The following are some of the behaviors that your car might display when you turn your key to the Start position, and the reasons why your auto refuses to start.

When all you hear is clicking or silence when you try to start your car: This could indicate battery problems. Check if you left any of your doors partially open or if you accidentally forgot to turn off some of your auto lights. A drained battery or more specifically, a dead battery could be the main reason why your vehicle won’t start. Turn your key to the On position and check if your other auto accessories work. If they work, then a dead battery isn’t the culprit.

When your auto attempts to start but the engine won’t fire: When this happens, the auto problems usually have to do with damaged points or plugs. Dirty spark plugs could affect your engine’s performance, preventing it from starting effectively. Clean out your spark plugs and try starting your car again. If you left your car out in the rain overnight, or if your vehicle suddenly stopped moving while you were driving through flooded streets (or even just a large puddle), then it’s possible that water has seeped in and your auto’s points are now too damp to operate. If your points and plugs are wet, then you can dry them using WD-40 or starter spray.

Addressing Auto Problems: What to Do When Your Auto Stalls and Refuses to Restart

Once in a while, even the sturdiest and the most well-maintained vehicle can experience stalling. Contrary to popular belief, new drivers aren’t the only ones who are prone to experiencing auto stalling. If, however your vehicle is starting to stall a lot more than it used to, then you know that it’s time to restore your auto’s original condition by exercising excellent vehicle maintenance. Basic vehicle maintenance includes inspecting the components under your vehicle’s hood, looking for loose or broken belts, checking your oil levels and performing an auto tune-up.

While most stalling problems can be solved with correct and regular maintenance, this auto problem becomes serious when your vehicle stalls and refuses to restart after several tries. If you find yourself in this situation, then here are some tricks you can do and items you can check to determine the reason behind your auto’s stalling.

#1 Start by turning off all of your vehicle’s accessories including your auto lights, radio and air conditioning system. If, however, you happen to be parked in the emergency lane, then keep your hazard lights on. You need to turn off all the unnecessary vehicle accessories to reduce the likelihood of draining your battery while you’re trying to restart your auto.

#2 Be wary of how many times you attempt to turn over your engine. Turning your engine too much will cause your vehicle’s battery to drain quickly. When this happens you’ll end up worrying further on how you can jump-start your vehicle.

#3 Check your gas gauge. If it says empty then your auto didn’t just stall, it flat-out ran out of gas. You know the solution to this one already. Get some fuel into your vehicle to start traveling again.

#4 If your auto stalls and the temperature gauge indicates that your vehicle was operating beyond the normal range, then let your car cool down before attempting to restart it. It might be a classic case of auto overheating. If large white clouds of smoke start coming out of your vehicle from under the hood, then you know your engine just overheated. Fill the (usually) empty radiator with water and try to get your vehicle’s operating temperature as close to normal as possible before restarting.

#5 Another possible reason behind your auto stalling is a flooded engine. Let the excess fuel abate and wait for minutes before trying to restart your vehicle.

How to Cope with Poor Fuel or Oil Consumption

Based on statistics, poor vehicle maintenance is one of the leading causes of bad fuel and/or oil consumption. A poorly maintained automobile is inclined to consume up to twice the amount of oil and/or fuel compared to a well-maintained car. This is one of the primary reasons why in my posts I keep on stressing the importance of keeping your auto in tiptop shape at all times.

While we’re all inclined to make excuses as to having little or no time or money to regularly conduct tune-ups and vehicle (exterior, interior and under-the-hood) checks, let me remind you that spending the time and yes, the money, to check on your vehicle once in a while should spare you the costlier expenses of needing to have your auto repaired constantly mainly because you failed to maintain it properly.

I actually had to learn the importance of vehicle maintenance the hard way. My first car exhibited signs of poor fuel consumption which I failed to check on for weeks. I found out later that the main cause was fuel tank leakage, which eventually caused bigger problems, denting my bank account quite well. If I had checked and addressed the problem sooner, then I could have spared myself from the hassle of having to spend a hundred dollars more than I should have. A simple fuel tank replacement should have saved me more gas, which is why I advise you to start checking your auto the moment you notice its gas-guzzling or oil-draining habits.

If your vehicle has been using up more gas or oil than it normally does, it’s time for you to ask yourself the following questions:

When was your last auto tune-up? In my previous posts, I’ve stressed the importance of auto tune-ups to the point of redundancy. But as I said, a tune-up could let you determine auto problems from the onset of its early symptoms, preventing the problem from getting bigger. While it may not solve all your auto problems, it does give you an idea on what you should focus on when it comes to home auto-repairs.

How much load is your vehicle carrying? If you’ve been hauling around extra baggage, even if it’s just around 100 to 200 pounds more than you usually do, then this could be the cause of your auto’s poor fuel economy. Remember, the heavier your auto, the more gas your vehicle consumes. This is the reason why trucks, SUVs, vans and APVs use up more gas compared to compact car models.

When was the last time you had an oil change? If you haven’t changed your car’s oil for a long time, then this could be the root of your auto’s oil and fuel issues.

Auto Tune-Ups: DIY: What You Need and What You Need to Remember When Tuning Your Auto

Considering doing your auto’s tune-up yourself? Then you’ll need to have the right tools and materials in hand. The following are some of the basic tools and auto parts you’ll need when tuning your own vehicle:

Spark Plugs: the number of spark plugs you should have in stock depends on the number of engine cylinders you have. Remember, it’s one spark plug per engine cylinder.

A Replacement Air Filter: since you’re going to be checking and possibly even cleaning your air filter, it’s always handy to have a replacement part with you in case your filter is damaged beyond repair.

A Spark Plug Tool: for easier and safer spark plug removal

Torque Wrench: the torque wrench should come in handy when you’re removing various auto parts under your hood. (spark plug sometimes included)

A Spark Plug Gapping Tool: If you’re planning on replacing any of your spark plugs then you need to find the right amount of space for proper airflow. This is the main purpose of this handy tool.

Fuel Filter: as you can already gather from its name, this handy auto part helps clean your fuel from impurities. It also prevents debris from settling into your gas tank and destroying your engine. This auto part needs to be replaced every few years or every 30,000 to 40,000 miles—all depending on what your owner’s manual specifies.

Clean Cloth or Cloths: there’s no better way to soak up spills than with a nice, clean cloth.

Brush or Brushes: small brushes will help you clean even the most hard-to-reach places between your auto’s numerous components.

PCV Inlet Filter or PCV Filter: this auto part is found in your air cleaner assembly, near your air filter. Replace immensely dirty or clogged filters to improve your engine’s performance.

Masking Tape and Marking Pens: use these tools to label the parts you take out for easier reassembly.

Compressed Air: you can get compressed air from a can or an air compressor.

Other auto parts you may need:

Replacement Distributor Cap: if your distributor cap is damaged or cracked then you need to replace this cap as soon as possible.

Ignition Wires or Cables: exposed to extreme heat, these high-voltage current carriers are usually prone to damage and meltdowns. Replace busted wires ASAP to prevent stray current from destroying the auto parts under your hood.

Distributor Ignition Rotor: in most cases, replacing the distributor also requires you to replace the rotor found with it. If you’re planning on getting a tune-up kit, make sure your kit contains this vital part.

Auto Tune-Ups: Is Your Vehicle Running Out of Tune?

If you play the piano or the guitar, then you’d surely know when something’s gone amiss. A string or a key out of tune can easily be heard and can seriously affect the overall performance of the musician. The same goes for your vehicle. Inside your vehicle (whether we’re talking truck, car, convertible or SUV) is a series of auto parts all designed to work well together in providing you with the best performance your vehicle can offer. When one of these parts malfunction or stop working altogether, you’ll certainly notice it with the decrease in vehicle handling, fuel economy, speed or ride quality of your vehicle. So how do you know that your vehicle is in dire need of a tune-up?

The following are some easy-to-spot symptoms of an auto that desperately needs a tune-up:

*note: Though a tune-up may not be able to solve bigger auto problems, it helps you determine the cause of your vehicle’s poor performance or malfunctions.

BAD FUEL ECONOMY: With the prices of fuel on the rise, you definitely don’t need the hassle of constantly having to refill your tank because your ride’s wasting too much gas. If you notice a decline on your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, then your auto needs a tune-up ASAP.

EXHAUST PROBLEMS: When checking your auto’s exhaust emissions, is it appearing denser or does it smell more pungent? Is your car releasing large clouds of white, bluish or dark smoke?

ENGINE PINGING, ROUGH-RUNNING and KNOCKING: Do you hear knocking and pinging on your exhaust or under your hood each time you drive? Is your engine running rougher these days? (A rough-running engine presents itself best when your vehicle is idling).

FEEDBACK and PROBLEMS with AUTO-STARTS: Is your vehicle these days more prone to stalling? Do you experience difficulties each time you start your ride? Notice a feedback even when your auto’s engine is turned off?

If you answered yes to any of the questions listed above, or if you are experiencing problems with your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, then you need to conduct an auto tune-up as soon as you can.

Auto Tune-Ups: Answering the What’s, When’s and Why’s of Automotive Tune-Ups

The auto tune-up is one of the most popularly known vehicle maintenance tricks out there. As you can already surmise from its name, the tune-up involves tweaking your car a little bit and replacing old filters and small parts to help keep your vehicle running at its best. But what exactly is an auto tune-up?

The Tune-Up:

Based on experience, I’ve found that going to different garages and talking to various mechanics can give you different answers to the question: “what is an auto tune-up”. But though definitions of the term “tune-up” may differ depending on the auto mechanic, most of its basic processes and standard operations remain the same. The following are some of the standard operations performed in a tune-up:

• Checking and if needed, replacing spark plugs, fuel filters, air filters and the PCV filter
• Checking the work condition f the ignition and replacing damaged parts (once again, if needed)
• Inspecting the wires running between your vehicle’s distributor cap and cylinders for damage and doing necessary repairs or replacing
• And cleaning the distributor cap and replacing it if it’s damaged or cracked

The tune-up could also mean checking all the different components located under your vehicle’s hood. The extent of your inspection or checks would depend on how extensive you want your tune-up to be.

Why Should You Get a Tune Up?

The primary reason behind the tune-up is to make sure your vehicle is still in tiptop shape. Regular tune-ups should also help prevent complete engine breakdown, since you’ll be repairing and replacing damaged auto parts before they can cause more harm to your engine’s system and your vehicle’s overall performance.

While most drivers are predisposed to getting tune-ups only when necessary, i.e. when the vehicle is going to be checked by a state safety program or emissions program, it’s more advisable to conduct regular tune-ups every year. Besides, it takes more than a tune-up to cure massive auto problems that have been gradually worsening in your vehicle in the past few months.

Car Maintenance 101: Flushing your Vehicle’s Cooling System

The Importance of your Vehicle’s Heating and Cooling System

Beyond the comforts offered by being able to control the temperature inside your vehicle, your auto’s heating and cooling systems are necessary in preventing your ride from breaking down due to incredibly high operating temperatures.

Checking your auto’s cooling and heating systems is particularly crucial in the weeks preceding the subfreezing winter season and the sweltering heat of summer. But it’s more advisable that you check these systems every time you conduct a routine car check-up or you engage in basic vehicle maintenance.

Every time you drive, your radiator uses up coolant and water mixture to help lower the temperatures in your vehicle’s engine system. The longer and the faster you drive, the bigger the stress on your engine, allowing temperatures to skyrocket to incredible heights leading to the increase of the likelihood of overheating. Because of the coolant’s crucial role in maintaining your engine’s efficiency, you need to keep your ride equipped with the right coolant mixture (pretty much the same way you’d pick out the right type of gas for your car).

Coolant, like all the other fluids used by your vehicle, has a tendency to break down over time. This is why you need to replace your coolant mixture once in a while. When the coolant breaks down, more stress is placed on your radiator and your engine begins to run hotter than normal. Gunk and mineral deposits also build up under your vehicle’s hood, effectively reducing your vehicle’s overall performance. Prolonged use of bad coolant can also result to radiator damage, requiring you to replace your radiator sooner than you actually have to.

How Often Do You Need to Flush Out Your Cooling System?

The frequency required by your vehicle may depend on the type of auto you own and the weather conditions. If you live in an area that has moderate climates, then you can flush out your vehicle’s cooling system once a year. If, however, you live in an area known for its harsh winters and/or sizzling summers, then you may need to change your coolant mixture twice a year—at the start of summer and at the start of winter. Browse through your owner’s manual for more information on this matter.

The following are some steps on how you can flush out your vehicle’s cooling system.

Addressing Auto Problems: Finding out What Your Vehicle’s Smoke Signals

Exhaust problems are some of the most common auto problems experienced by drivers around the world. You may, at one point, have noticed that your vehicle is emitting too much smoke or that your auto has been releasing puffs of white or very dark emissions. You’re not quite sure if the type of smoke or the amount of smoke being released by your vehicle is still within boundaries of what could be considered “normal” for your vehicle. You’re asking yourself: “Is it normal? Is it bad? Should I take my vehicle to a mechanic?” Before you start panicking or dismissing your vehicle’s exhaust emissions as something trivial, read some of this pointers and clarifications first.

As was mentioned in the previous post, it’s normal for small amounts of exhaust emissions to exit your vehicle at any given time. Large clouds of smoke may even be normal if you’ve just started your vehicle during a particularly cold morning. The clouds of smoke may be attributed to condensation. If, however, your vehicle is releasing excessive smoke, or if the smoke is grayish, black or white in color, then this indicates part malfunction.

Addressing Auto Problems: the Misfiring Engine or Engine Cylinder

While today’s engines are more efficient and at times less gas-guzzling compared to their predecessors, some engine problems continue to plague various vehicle owners. One of the most common engine problems encountered by drivers is a misfiring engine. There are times when it’s not the total engine or the complete number of engine cylinders that misfires, sometimes it’s just a single engine cylinder that constantly misfires every time the vehicle is used. And that’s just the tip of an iceberg.

Car Maintenance 101: Checking for Leaks

In some of the earlier blog posts, we’ve tackled the dangers of leakage, whether it be oil, gas or coolant mixture. A lot of drivers tend to dismiss the presence of unexplained spots in their usual parking spaces—whether it be in the office parking area or the driveway. While you can attribute the leakage in the parking area to someone else’s vehicle, if you find unexplainable spots in your own garage or driveway where you usually park, then there’s an incredibly high chance that your vehicle has sprung a leak somewhere—and this is something that you should NEVER ignore.

If your vehicle is no longer as new as you’d like it to be, then the chances of having leakage in your vehicle increases significantly. The following are some easy steps on how you can quickly and efficiently check your vehicle for leakage.

Step 1: Find a large piece of cloth or paper to put under the vehicle. Large amounts of newspaper, plain paper, cardboard or a large bath towel will do. Remember, the plainer the paper/cloth and the lighter the color, the better.

Step 2: Spread the paper/cloth evenly under the vehicle. This means cover the entire width of your car, from left to right, front to rear.

Step 3: Start your vehicle.

Step 4: Let the car engine run idle for approximately five minutes, but not any longer than that.

Step 5: Turn off the vehicle.

Step 6: Pull the paper/cloth out of your vehicle. Inspect the paper or large cloth for any signs of spots. A drip here and there may be okay, but if you find several drops or a puddle of fluid in a concentrated area, then you definitely have a nasty leak somewhere.

Step 7: Turn to your owner’s manual or a reference book that has your car’s make and model to find out which part of your car is leaking. After finding out the general location of the leakage, note down your findings and bring your car to a trusted garage mechanic for a full check-up as soon as possible.

You can also use your owner’s manual to find out which of your vehicle parts is in dire need of repair or replacing. If you need to find a replacement fuel tank, be sure to check for the right tank that meets your vehicle’s standards and specifications. You’ll find a number of replacement parts online, but I highly suggest that you choose the brand that meets or exceeds OEM standards.