If you turn the key in the contract and your car does not start, do not despair. Before calling a tow truck, try these seven simple tips to start your car again. The only tool you need? A shoe.
Your car does not start, but don't lose hope!
Most people do not think of keeping a box filled with mechanic tools in the trunk of their car. Therefore, when they find themselves stuck with an engine that refuses to start, they feel rather helpless. But if it happens to you, don't give up right away. We have compiled a list of advice before dropping, and none of them requires a tool. We classified them according to the symptoms, and it costs nothing to try them. Of course, they will not solve the source of the problem, and you still have to go through a maintenance inspection, but one of them could restart the battery of your car to allow you to ride to the closest garage.
Symptom: The starter is click
Advice: Tour the key
Turn the key to the repeated starting position, about 10 laps at a time. Stop and wait for five minutes. Then try to start the engine.
Hit the terminals with a shoe
Give a blow in each battery terminal with the heel of a shoe to rotate it slightly. Then try to start the engine. A click at the starter can be caused by a low battery, dirty battery terminals, a worn starter engine, or a seized solenoid.
Here are some tips to try:
Advice: Touring the key so that the car starts
Light the ceiling light and observe it while you try to start the engine. If it goes out, this is a sign that the battery is really weak -flat. To warm the battery, terminals, and starter, try the technique of "key towers". But if the ceiling light has remained on when you turned the key in the contact, go to the next trick.
Battering the battery
Breaking and without tools, it is impossible to clean battery terminals clogged by corrosion. But you can try to move the terminals, or at least shake them enough to improve their contact (Photo 3).
Start in the starter
If you have access to the starter engine, try to give it a blow with the iron stem of your jack. Sometimes the electrical contacts block and can be released by typing on it.
Symptom: no click when you turn the key
Play with the gear lever
Keeping your foot on the brake pedal, place the gear lever in a neutral position and try to start the engine. If this does not work, put the lever in the "Park" position and try again. Bringing the gear lever sometimes makes it possible to restore electrical contact inside the automatic transmission selector (also known as the neutral safety switch).
Symptom: the engine runs but does not start
Advice: swapping the relays
Pull the fuel pump relay with a dry blow-up. Then align the pins of the spare relay and push it directly into the socket.
Give a blow in the fuel tank
Hit the bottom of the fuel tank several times with the heel of your shoe. Then try to start the vehicle.
Reset
By making sure that the car radio is well turned off, turn the key in contact with the walking position and hold out to hear a two-second buzz. It is the noise of the fuel pump that begins the injection system. If you hear no sound, the relay of the fuel pump could be defective, or the pump itself at the end of the race. First, locate the relay of the fuel pump in your owner's manual or on the legend indicated on the panel of the fuse box under the hood. Then locate another relay with the same room number and exchange it with that of the fuel pump (photo 4). Try to start the engine then. If it still does not light up, hit the fuel tank with your shoe to shake the engine of the fuel pump (photo 5).
Save a drowned engine
If you smell a fuel smell, the engine is drowned. Press the accelerator pedal, foot to the floor, and hold it in this position while you run the engine.
Trap the computer
A vacuum leak or a defective temperature sensor can cause a too-diluted air/fuel mixture to start a cold engine. If you have tried all the tips shown here and your car still does not start, press the accelerator half and try to start the engine. The on-board computer will think that it should add more fuel.
Owner of a Ford? Read this!
One Saturday morning, a short time ago, my wife hit a tree with one of the sides of the car. This is where she called me: "The car does not start anymore. "I jumped in my van to join her. She was on the aisle of the road, sitting in our exploring broken down. The whole side part on the passenger side was damaged, but not to the point of justifying the engine failure. We had the car examined in a garage, but the mechanics failed to solve the problem for three days. The following Monday, "Dr. Rick" and I discussed the article on the front page of Car & Garage this month: "Start a flat engine. »»
After he told me of all his advice, I asked him, "Would you also have a few little eccentric tips to share? "Ah yes," he replied. "Most Fords have an automatic deactivation switch for the fuel pump to prevent the car from fire if it is rugged. If the switch is engaged, the car will not start. " What?
"Yes, the system is deactivated even if someone just runs you in a parking lot. I asked him how to reactivate it in this case. "Just press a small button located on the coup-de-pied panel on the passenger side. »»
Really? That afternoon, my wife and I went to the mechanic to find our car, where I started the reactivation button. The car started immediately, as if by magic. A small visit to Rick the previous Saturday would have avoided the towing costs of $ 100. At least, we saved on labor costs!
Rick's note: These reset buttons are not in the same place on all cars. Consult your owner manual.