When the Car Won't Start: Common Problems

When a car won't start, there are quite a few things that could be wrong. One of the most common problems that vehicle owners experience is when the car acts like it is out of gas. The car sputters along, and then that final sputter comes out and the car dies. It appears the car ran out of gas, but it still has a full tank. If this sounds familiar, these are the first things that DIY mechanics are encouraged to check for.

Fuel Filter

If a car was recently running low on gas, it's a safe bet that the filter needs changed. When cars run low on gas, the dirt that is in the bottom of the gas tank gets sucked up into the car, and it begins to circulate just like gas does. It attempts to run through the filter, and most of it stops there. This is good because it does not have the chance to damage the car, but it can be bad because it can easily clog the filter up.

Electrical Issue

While this is less common, it never hurts to get the car to the shop and have a professional mechanic look under the hood. This is easier and less costly than the next thing on the list, so it's a nice idea to have it looked at. Modern cars have electrical wiring systems and computers that control everything. Even older cars still have wiring systems that can make a car suddenly die. A loose wire that is connected to the starter can easily make a car not want to start, and sometimes people easily mistake this for the car acting like it is out of gas.

Most professional mechanics can pop the hood, give a car a good look and then determine whether the wiring on a car has been tampered with. This is more common in used cars, however. Those that are the only owner of their vehicle probably do not have to worry about the wiring system having been messed with by a bad DIY mechanic, but wiring and computer issues may still be the problem.

Bosch Fuel Pump

This is the one things that everyone hopes is not the problem. These can be a pain to do all alone in the backyard when compared to other quick fixes, and a Bosch fuel pump can be costly, depending on the car. However, if it is the Bosch fuel pump then the Bosch fuel pump will need to be replaced.

Most Bosch fuel pumps will give some sort of indication that they are about to go bad. This indication usually comes in the form of a car sputtering and stammering while it is running, or it may start a bit rougher than normal. Owners may also have to turn the key over for a bit longer for it to start, almost as if the car is about out of gas. Usually when a Bosch fuel pump is bad, or about to go out, the engine will not get enough gas causing the above situations.