What causes a LaCrosse to fail to start despite having power?
2 Answers
Failure to start can be attributed to multiple factors, primarily involving fuel, air, and sensor issues. Here are the relevant details: 1. Starter motor malfunction: The ignition coil or wiring issues may prevent spark generation. Spark plugs may fail to fire due to excessive carbon buildup or inherent defects. 2. Air-related issues: Engine air leaks causing insufficient cylinder pressure for ignition, or inadequate air intake/exhaust flow problems. 3. Fuel system faults: Fuel shortage, inoperative fuel pump, damaged fuel pump relay, or faulty fuel injector relay. 4. Sensor failures: Malfunctioning crankshaft or camshaft position sensors, which determine cylinder timing – if defective, the ECU cannot determine proper ignition timing.
My old car had this issue before—lights would come on brightly, the dashboard looked normal, but when turning the key, all I heard was a clicking sound, and the engine just wouldn’t start. It’s most likely a problem with the starter motor or related components, like severely worn carbon brushes inside the motor failing to make contact or a stuck relay not responding. Listen to the sound: if it’s just a single click with no follow-up, the motor might be jammed; if there’s a buzzing sound but the engine doesn’t turn, it could be a transmission issue. Don’t just check the battery’s health—consider the fuel system too. Could the fuel pump be failing? Once, I had so little fuel left that the pump overheated and burned out, leaving me stranded halfway. My advice: start with the simple stuff—check the fuse for the starter motor in the fuse box and measure the voltage with a multimeter. If that doesn’t work, take it to a reliable repair shop instead of wasting time trying to fix it yourself.
