Why is there no response when starting the car?
2 Answers
When driving, you may encounter situations where the car fails to start. Below are specific explanations for why a car might not respond when starting: 1. Frozen exhaust pipe: The visible symptom is misty cylinder pressure, with normal fuel and power supply, but the car won't start. This situation is more likely to occur in vehicles used very infrequently, such as those driven only short distances between home and work. The water vapor from engine combustion freezes in the muffler of the exhaust pipe. Solution: Very simple—place the car in a warm environment, and once the ice melts, it will start naturally. A thorough solution is to drive at high speed for a while; the heat from the exhaust will completely melt and expel the ice. 2. Valve gumming: In winter, especially after using unclean gasoline, the gum in gasoline that cannot be burned accumulates near the intake and exhaust valves and the combustion chamber. On cold mornings, this can make starting difficult or even impossible. Solution: You can drip some engine oil into the combustion chamber, which usually allows the car to start. After starting, take the car to a service station for a no-disassembly cleaning. In severe cases, the cylinder head may need to be disassembled and cleaned. 3. Poor ignition system performance: On very cold days, due to low intake air temperature, fuel does not atomize well in the cylinder. If the ignition energy is insufficient, this can lead to cylinder flooding, where excessive fuel accumulates in the cylinder, exceeding the ignition limit concentration and preventing the car from starting. Solution: Remove the spark plugs, clean the oil stains between the electrodes, and reinstall them to start the car. A thorough solution is to inspect the ignition system and address the causes of low ignition energy, such as spark plug electrode gaps, ignition coil energy, or the condition of high-voltage wires. 4. Blocked fuel flow: The symptom is no oil pressure in the engine fuel supply line. This often happens on extremely cold mornings due to long-term dirt accumulation in the fuel line. At very low temperatures, water and debris mix and block the fuel line, preventing the car from starting. Solution: Place the car in a warm environment, and it should start after a while. Alternatively, thoroughly clean the fuel line. 5. Weak battery: The symptom is the starter motor turning but not fast enough (lacking power), or later, the starter motor only making noise without turning. Low winter temperatures or forgetting to turn off certain electrical devices can prevent the car from starting, especially after long-term short-distance, low-speed use in winter, which causes the battery voltage to drop below the rated value, making starting and normal operation impossible. Solution: Call the service station for assistance, jump-start the car, or temporarily start it, but afterward, the battery must be recharged at a service station.
I've been driving for decades and encountered several no-start situations. The most common is a dead battery, like one winter morning when I forgot to turn off the headlights overnight and drained all the power - the engine wouldn't even crank. Another time, when the starter motor was stuck or faulty, there was just a 'click-click' sound but the engine wouldn't turn over. Additionally, worn ignition switch contacts or blown fuses can also cause this. My advice is to first check if dashboard lights come on - if they do, there's power but the starting circuit has issues; if not, directly inspect battery terminals for looseness or corrosion. Don't forget manual transmission cars must be in neutral or clutch fully depressed, automatics in Park. Regular maintenance saves major headaches - test voltage periodically and replace old batteries. Nowadays I always keep a portable jump starter in the garage just in case.
