Family Cars Information

Engine does not crank

When you turn the key to start, you may hear a single click or nothing at all, or you may hear a rapid series of clicks, like a woodpecker, or you may hear the cranking sound, but it goes very slowly.  The most common cause for any of these is either a weak or dead battery, or a dirty or corroded connection to the battery.  Before you go any further, turn your interior light on, then try to start the car.  If the light is dim or goes dim when you turn the key to start, then Click here to find out what to do when you have a dead battery.

If the interior light is bright when you turn it on and doesn’t change when you turn the key to start, the battery is probably ok.  This condition can be caused by the following: (this list is sorted from most likely to least likely)

You do not have the transmission selector in park or neutral on an automatic transmission vehicle or there is a problem with the neutral safety switch.  Try starting again with the transmission selector in Neutral.

You are not depressing the clutch pedal all the way down on a standard transmission vehicle or there is a problem with the clutch pedal switch.

There is a problem with the ignition switch or connecting wiring.

There is a problem with the starter motor or starter solenoid.