What does the car do when you turn the key
The way a car fails to start says a lot about why. Before you call anyone, notice exactly what happens:
- Nothing at all, dash dark. The battery is flat or a terminal has come loose. Also check the fob battery on push button cars.
- Rapid clicking, dash lights flicker. The battery has enough power for the lights but not the starter. This is the classic minus 25 morning.
- One loud click, lights stay bright. The battery is probably fine. The starter, its solenoid, or the cable or ground feeding it is the suspect.
- Slow, groaning crank that gives up. A weak battery, a corroded cable, or oil so cold and thick the starter can barely turn it.
- Normal crank but it never fires. Fuel, spark, a crank sensor, or the anti theft system. The battery is not the problem here.
- Starts for a second, then dies. Often the immobilizer not recognizing the key, or a fuel delivery problem.
Write down which one it is. It is the most useful thing you can tell us when you book or call.
Things worth trying before you call a tow
A few simple checks fix more no starts than you would think.
- Put the shifter firmly in Park, then try starting in Neutral. A worn neutral safety switch can block the starter in Park.
- If the steering wheel is locked, turn it gently while turning the key or pressing the button.
- On push button cars with a weak fob, hold the fob right against the start button. Many cars read it that way.
- Try a boost. If the engine fires right up, the battery was flat. Drive straight to the shop rather than shutting it off in a parking lot.
- Crank for no more than about ten seconds at a time, with a short rest in between, so the starter does not overheat.
If you smell fuel, see smoke, or the battery case is swollen or cracked, do not boost it. Leave it and call for a tow.
We don’t tow
SA Auto Repair does not offer towing. If the car will not start after a boost, arrange the tow yourself through CAA, the roadside assistance on your insurance or vehicle, or a local towing company, and have it brought to Unit 1, 1541 Star Top Road, Ottawa, ON K1B 3W5.
Call (613) 744-1521 before the tow truck heads our way, so someone knows the car is coming and is there to take the keys. We are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 6pm and Saturday 9:30am to 2pm, and the last drop off is 2pm.
If a boost gets it running and you are driving it in, the route is simple. Take the 417 to Exit 112, turn right on Innes Road, then right on Star Top Road. Unit 1 is about 350 m up on the right.
How a no start gets tracked down
The first job is to separate the battery and starter side from the engine side. The battery gets a load test, the cables get checked for voltage drop, and the starter gets checked for what it draws and whether it is actually getting power when you turn the key.
If the engine cranks but will not run, the work moves to fuel pressure, spark, and the sensors the computer needs to fire the engine. A computer scan shows stored codes and whether the immobilizer is blocking the start. If the check engine light was on before this happened, mention it, because the check engine light codes from the week before are often the clue.
Intermittent no starts are the hardest. If it only fails after sitting in a parking lot for an hour, or only on wet mornings, put that in the booking notes. A short video of the dash and the sound when you turn the key helps a lot, and you can attach up to 4 photos to the booking.
Cold mornings in Ottawa
Most no starts we see in winter follow the same pattern. The car started a bit slow in November, nobody thought much of it, and then the first minus 20 morning in December or January it clicked and quit. The battery had been weak for weeks. Cold just took away the last of the margin.
If your car cranks slowly now, it is worth having the battery tested before it leaves you stuck in a parking lot. Our battery testing and replacement page covers what the test involves and how to choose a battery for an Ottawa winter. The car care post on a car that won’t start on a cold morning goes further into winter starting.
Price
There is no posted price for a no start, because the fix can be anything from cleaning a terminal to replacing a starter or fuel pump. You get a diagnosis and a price before any part is replaced. You can also book online any time and choose car doesn’t start.
Questions people ask
Does SA Auto Repair tow cars?
No, the shop does not offer towing. Arrange a tow through CAA, the roadside plan on your insurance or car, or a towing company, to Unit 1, 1541 Star Top Road, Ottawa. Call (613) 744-1521 first so someone is expecting the car and can take the keys.
Why does my car click but not start?
A fast clicking with dim or flickering dash lights almost always means the battery is too weak to spin the starter. A single loud click with the lights staying bright points more toward the starter, its solenoid or the cable feeding it. A boost is the quickest way to tell them apart.
My car cranks but won't start, what is wrong?
The engine is turning, so the battery and starter are doing their job. The usual causes are no fuel getting through, no spark, a failed crankshaft sensor, or the anti theft system not recognizing the key. A flashing key or security light on the dash points to the last one.
Why won't my car start on cold mornings?
At minus 20 or colder, a battery delivers much less cranking power while the engine oil thickens and is harder to turn over. A battery that was getting weak in the fall is usually the first thing to fail when the cold arrives. A load test tells you whether the battery or something else is to blame.
Is it safe to boost my car myself?
Usually, if you follow the order in the owner's manual and the battery case is not cracked, swollen or leaking. Connect positive to positive, then the negative from the good car to bare metal on the dead car's engine, away from the battery. If you smell fuel or rotten eggs, or see smoke, stop and call for help instead.
