Quite often, the driver is faced with the fact that the car refuses to start. Such a problem can happen both before and after work. As a rule, everything happens at the most inopportune moment. But panic ahead of time is not worth it, because often the problem can be fixed on the spot. What to do if the car does not start? We will talk about this in this article.
How to prevent breakage?
First of all, I would like to say about regular maintenance. Often, breakdowns are associated with the fact that many parts and assemblies work to the limit. The owner is trying to ignore this for as long as possible. As a result, the Iron Horse refuses to take its owner to work or rest. In addition, malfunctions of active safety systems or controls can be fatal.
For this simple reason, it is advisable to service your car on time. For example, check the condition of the brake system every 20,000 kilometers, change the sensors and the wearing parts of the engine in time. It is impossible to completely eliminate the breakdown, but it is quite possible to minimize the likelihood of its occurrence. High-quality and regular maintenance is the right way to long and uninterrupted operation of the vehicle.
The car does not start: the starter does not turn
This problem is one of the most common. A lot of drivers found themselves in a situation where when the key is turned in the ignition, nothing happens. There is no signal in the form of a click from the starter solenoid relay. In 90% of cases, the battery is to blame. To start the starter, its charge is not enough. Symptoms in this case are as follows:
- dim glow of car light devices;
- the lack of reaction of the internal combustion engine to the turn of the key in the ignition switch;
- no lights on the dashboard of the car;
- the battery terminals are loose.
As you can see, determining the cause of the malfunction is quite simple, so if the car does not start (does not turn the starter), then you should not worry. The problem is not critical. To eliminate it, it is usually enough to clean the terminals and establish a strong contact or charge the battery.
Another possible reason is the presence of an immobilizer. The principle of operation of the anti-theft is to interrupt the circuit to the starter. There is usually a malfunction on cars after 2008 release.
The car will not start in the cold
But this problem is very common. And in many cases, almost nothing depends on the technical condition of the car. For example, stable -20-30 degrees is already a serious problem for a diesel engine. To leave for work in the morning, it is necessary to install systems that heat diesel fuel, a battery and an oil pan.
It is much worse when a gasoline power unit refuses to work. But there are only two main reasons, which are the culprits. Firstly, there is no fuel supply to the nozzles. Secondly, its ignition does not occur.
Well, then there are many factors, each of which plays a role. It all starts with poor fuel quality and ends with faulty sensors and clogged fuel pump filters. Determining the cause on the spot is quite difficult, but a lot depends on the experience and professionalism of the driver. By the behavior of the car, you can at least approximately understand where to start. For example, if gasoline does not burn, then the problem lies in the candles, wires, MAP sensor, DPRV, DMRV.
Malfunction ignition system
To begin with, we will deal with the most common problem of VAZ family cars. Will the car not start? In this case, it is recommended that you first pay attention to the ignition. If the car is an injector type, then the search should start with checking the coils, wires and candles. The latter is recommended to unscrew and look at their condition. If they smell of gasoline and wet, then this indicates that the fuel does not burn in full and flies into the exhaust pipe. There may be several reasons:
- Insufficient inrush current of the battery.
- Faulty distributor. The starter turns, but the engine does not catch.
- Damage to the insulation of high voltage wires. It is easiest to identify the problem at night, when during start-up a spark is visible leaving the engine head.
- Timing sensor malfunction. In this case, it is unlikely to start the car, and it will not work in the field to solve the problem. The only option is to clean the sensor with a carbcliner or VD-40.
A few more reasons
What else is worth paying attention to? For example, the car will not start after washing the engine. In this case, the problem definitely needs to be looked under the hood. Often, trapped water on exposed wires will cause a malfunction. First, check out all the wiring. It is advisable to start with armored wires and spark plugs. Moisture on the battery terminals can also be a cause. Therefore, it is better to inspect and wipe them.
If you do not wipe the terminals, then over time a deposit will form at the point of contact, increasing resistance and worsening contact. Gradually, the situation is only getting worse. It is also advisable to dry the candles and wells, since the ingress of moisture on these elements will lead to the difficult or completely impossible start of the internal combustion engine. Based on the foregoing, we can draw certain conclusions that the ignition system suffers the most, since moisture ingress adversely affects the contact.
I can’t start the engine on a hot
Despite the fact that electronic injection is considered more reliable, the system needs careful and regular maintenance, because a breakdown of one of the components will lead to certain problems. For example, problems with sensors are very common. In this case, it is possible to determine the breakdown using diagnostic equipment. It is difficult to identify and fix the problem on the spot. You can remove, clean and reinstall the sensors. In some cases, this will help fix the problem. If you have a multimeter at hand, then with it you can measure the resistance of the sensors and make certain conclusions based on the data received. But again, you need to know the maximum permissible parameters for a particular brand of car.
For example, failure of the coolant temperature sensor will cause the electronic control unit (ECU) to receive incorrect data. And since mixture formation differs from a cold one for a hot motor, the start-up, although it will be possible, will be difficult. There may be other reasons. Will the car not start? Leakage in fuel injectors is possible. They let in fuel even when they are closed, so the mixture is re-enriched. As a result - filled candles and poor start.
Gasoline pump and electronic control unit
A constant pressure in the fuel supply system must be maintained regardless of the ambient temperature. If the pump is not able to create, for example, 6 atmospheres, but instead gives 3-4 atmospheres, then there will immediately be problems not only with starting, but also with driving at high speeds. The gas pump may be serviceable, but the fine and rough filters are dirty. In this case, the required amount of fuel will not pass along the highways, therefore, the car will “blunt” when driving. This also applies to the moment of launch.
The electronic control unit is the brain center of the car. It is this block that sets the duration of the fuel supply, the amount of air and gasoline supplied to the combustion chamber. It is easy to guess that any malfunctions of the electronics will lead to the fact that the car will not start. But since the ECU receives all the initial data from the sensors, it is necessary to check them first of all, this also applies to wiring, which for many years of operation can partially fail due to oxidation or old age. As a rule, the computer works without problems, if moisture does not get on it, when it is in an unfavorable place, it is better to protect it additionally by installing a plastic casing.
Stalls on the go - what should I do?
If you were driving quietly to work, and suddenly the car died out, turns but does not catch, then it is best to contact the service station. The fact is that often the problem lies in the engine or the gas distribution mechanism. For example, insufficient compression in the cylinders, which is especially noticeable at low temperatures. Repair in the field vehicle will not work. It is necessary to tow the car to the technical center, where the problem will be solved. The malfunction is often associated with the natural deterioration of the power unit and is characteristic of ICEs that have passed 150,000 kilometers or more.
If the problem appeared after a major overhaul, then there are only two options - incorrectly set thermal clearances or the timing is not set to the marks. In any case, the help of specialists is indispensable.
Some practical advice
If the car starts and stalls, then it is worth checking the condition of the fuel pump filters. Especially if the temperature is low outside. For example, dirt and water freeze - fuel permeability decreases along highways. In this case, it is recommended to turn the ignition on and off several times by pumping gasoline. Often, such manipulations help. However, with such a malfunction, a long ride is not recommended. Also, before starting the car in cold weather, it is advisable to turn on the high beam headlights for 3-5 seconds. This will allow the battery to warm up and start up will be smoother.
Resource of knots and units
It must be understood that all the parts that are used in the construction of vehicles have a certain resource, having exhausted which there are no guarantees in further uninterrupted operation. For example, if the car does not start, it turns, but does not catch, and at the same time you have never changed the distributor or the candles, then it is worth paying attention to these nodes. This applies to everything else. A striking example is the MAP sensor, which is actually the main sensor in determining the vacuum in the combustion chamber, and, therefore, is responsible for high-quality mixture formation. Also, the gas pump must give constant pressure, have clean filters of rough and fine cleaning. It hardly makes sense to talk about the need to replace high-voltage wires and spark plugs. In the passport of the technical tool, the terms for checking and replacing are indicated, they must be followed.
To summarize
With proper maintenance, any car will please its owner with trouble-free operation, regardless of weather conditions. But each machine needs care and timely replacement of components and assemblies. It is also recommended not to save on sensors. For example, Chinese cheap substitutes can initially be defective and only give the owner trouble. In order not to pay twice, it is better to immediately buy a trusted brand.
If the car stalled on the go or simply did not start in the morning, then there is no need to panic. Nothing bad happened. You can go to work by bus or taxi, and tow the car to the nearest service station. If you manage to deal with the problem yourself, then this is just fine. But not everything always depends on us, so sometimes it is worth trusting complex technical work to specially trained people.