Q: car won't start.

asked by on February 06, 2017

a few days ago I​ tried turning on my car and it turned on normally and then after like a second or two, it turned off. I tried turning it on again and it did the same thing it turned normally made the noise of a car that is turning on and then it would turn off. My lights and radio work fine but the car won't start. On the third try to turn the car on it didn't make the noise that cars make when they turn on. It didn't make any noise at all. So I'm very confused as to why at first it was making the noise and then dying but then now it doesn't even make a noise or any clicks what so ever. The radio and lights still work, though. What might be the problem as to why my car won't​ start?

My car has 73000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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A possibility is a faulty ignition switch. If the switch opens after the car starts, the engine will shut off. But, that is just a possibility and a diagnostic would have to be performed to rule that in or out. Be sure you have a fully charged battery that passes a load test. Starters motors can display intermittent operation if they are faulty. With a fully charged battery, if the starter motor does not run that signifies an electrical problem in the starter circuit (includes the ignition switch) or a problem with the starter motor itself. If there is power to the starter motor and yet it doesn’t run, the starter is condemned and replaced. Alternatively, if there is no power to the starter, or there is a big voltage drop anywhere on the circuit to the starter, then the circuit has to be traced until the fault in the circuit is found. Notably, faults can include high resistances, due to corrosion, wire strand breaks, or loose terminals, which can only be diagnosed using a voltage drop test. Regardless of what the underlying cause of the no start condition is, if you desire that a certified mechanic resolve this promptly, please simply request a no start diagnostic and the responding mechanic will get it diagnosed and repaired for you. Please let us know if you have further concerns or questions as we are always here to help you.

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