When Your Engine Does Not Crank Up

Margaret Adams
July 20, 2006

After putting in your keys in the ignition and after the nth time you still could not start your car, what do you do? Take it easy. It is not the end of the world yet. Maybe you can try checking first if you can troubleshoot any vehicle problems your car may have before you actually rush to call a tow truck. Remember, it may take just a couple of tinkering to get your car going back on the road. Saves you a lot of money, too.

So now your engine seems not to crank. And this kind of situation could be quite bewildering. But if you know where to look and what to find, you can surely make your car running again. Remember, knowledge of troubleshooting car problems is just like knowledge of where to find Lincoln Mark VIII parts list: it saves you a lot on trouble, efforts, and monetary resources.

First off, you should understand that an engine that does not crank could be caused by a bad starter or even by a dead battery. Now, you should know if your car has got an automatic transmission or if it works on a stick shift. For automatic cars, check the transmission. Make sure that the transmission is in park mode and your foot is set on the brake. On the other hand, if you have a car installed with a manual transmission, make sure that the clutch pedal is depressed completely. Also make sure that the neutral safety switch is behind the clutch pedal.

If these tactics do not work, you should now check if you have fastened your seat belt properly. You see, for safety reasons, there are some automakers who make sure that drivers and passengers are safety buckled up. And when the car’s system notices that the driver’s seat belt is not yet fastened, you can also make sure that your engine would not start up.