What Are the Reasons for a Car Not Starting and Only Making a Sputtering Sound?
2 Answers
The reasons for a car not starting and only making a sputtering sound are: 1. Fuel issues: Poor-quality gasoline contains many impurities and may even be mixed with water, which can cause serious damage to the car; 2. Excessive carbon deposits or dirt in the intake tract can change the cross-sectional area of the air passage, leading to an overly rich or lean air-fuel mixture, abnormal combustion, and failure to start properly; 3. Abnormal fuel pump pressure can cause the car to sputter; 4. Incorrect readings from the intake pressure sensor. Solutions for a car not starting and only making a sputtering sound: 1. Replace with suitable engine oil; 2. Check the battery condition: In winter, most cases of difficulty starting a car are due to a weak battery or an expired battery lifespan; 3. Replace the spark plugs in a timely manner.
My old car has had a few instances of stuttering and failing to start, and it took quite a while to figure out the reasons. The most common issue is an aging or depleted battery—using a multimeter to check, if the voltage is below 12 volts, it indicates the charge is too low, and the starter just spins without turning the engine. Another possibility is a problem with the ignition system, such as excessive carbon buildup on the spark plugs or a broken ignition coil, leading to weak sparks. The fuel supply system could also be faulty, like the fuel pump not activating—if you don’t hear a humming sound, it means no fuel is being delivered. A dirty throttle body or a clogged air filter blocking the intake can also starve the engine of air, causing it to stutter without starting. For safety, don’t force it—try jump-starting with jumper cables first. If that doesn’t work, head to the repair shop promptly to avoid further trouble.
