A car that won't start is usually one of a few things. The trick is testing to find which, rather than throwing parts at it. That's what we do at your place.
Why won't my car start? The most common causes are a flat or failed battery, a faulty starter motor, or an alternator that hasn't been charging the battery. Less often it's fuel, ignition or a security fault. A mobile mechanic can test these at your location to find the real cause.
What the symptoms usually mean
- Nothing at all, no lights, no crank: often a dead battery or a bad connection.
- A single click, no crank: commonly the starter motor or a very low battery.
- Cranks slowly but won't fire: often a weak battery, sometimes fuel or ignition.
- Everything lights up but no crank: can be the starter, ignition switch or a security issue.
These are guides, not diagnoses. We test to be sure before replacing anything.
What we check
We work through the starting and charging system in order: the battery, the connections, the starter motor, and whether the alternator has been charging. That way we fix the actual cause, not the first likely suspect. See our battery and auto electrical pages for the parts involved.
We come to you
A no-start is the classic reason to call a mobile mechanic. The car isn't going anywhere, so we bring the testing gear and common parts to it. Many no-starts are fixed on the spot the same day.