The first step in diagnosing a no-start problem in your vehicle is to establish whether your engine is "cranking" or not. When you turn your key to the start position you should hear the sound of the starter motor turning the engine over, that is the engine "cranking". Once this has established, you can move on to the next round of checks.
If in the initial check you find the engine is cranking but will not start, there are a number of things that could be wrong with your vehicle, to many to list here. However, there are a couple of simple checks you can do before calling the experts.

- Firstly, do not persist with cranking the engine as you may flatten the battery or cause damage to your starter motor.

- Check fuel level, and also check your fuel cap is securely fitted so no contaminants, such as water could have entered your fuel tank.

- Check your fuses. Your vehicle owners manual should direct you to where you will find the fuse box in your car. You can perform a visual inspection of each fuse by removing them and checking that the small piece of wire joining the two sides of the fuse is in tact. Any blown fuse that is found should only be replaced with a fuse of the same size (amperage).In most modern day vehicles the size is indicated by the colour of the fuse.

If during the initial test you found that the engine was either, not cranking, cranking very slowly, or just making a clicking sound the following checks should be performed.

- Check battery. Make sure all battery leads are in good condition and all terminals connecting leads to battery are tight and free of corrosion. Usually there will be two main cables going to the battery, one red, and one black. Follow these leads from the battery and if possible check the other end of them for a tight clean connection also.

- Turn your windscreen wipers or headlights on. If you find they do not work, or seem sluggish or dim, this will indicate a flat battery. If they do work, turn your key to the start position while they are on. Any significant change in the operation of the wipers or lights while the key is held in the start position would also indicate a flat battery. A flat battery could be caused by an accessory that has been left on for an extended period of time, battery not receiving sufficient charge from the alternator or generator, or simply a faulty battery. You should be able to jump start your car. If your sure you didn't leave your lights or something on to drain your battery, get to your mechanic as soon as you can and he can test your battery and charging system. However, try to use as little accessories as possible while you are driving there. i.e. Don't drive at night or when it is raining, so you don't have to use your windscreen wipers or lights.

- If with your headlights or windscreen wipers on, you notice no significant change in their operation while holding the key in the start position, this indicates a problem in your starting circuit. If your vehicle is an automatic, check that your gear selector is firmly in the "park" (P) position. It should also start in the "neutral" (N) position. If this fails to get you started you may have to order a tow truck to get your vehicle to your mechanic for further diagnosis and repair. If you have a manual you may be able to push start your vehicle and drive it straight to your mechanic, however, be aware that if your vehicle stalls on the way, chances are it won't start again and will require another push start.

I hope this has been helpful. Thanks for reading.

Learn more about this author, Clayton Montgomery.
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