Why Won’t My Car Start?

Figuring Out Why Your Car Won’t Start

When you’re prepared to tackle the day, there’s nothing worse than hopping in your vehicle and turning the key, only for nothing to happen. When your vehicle refuses to start, there could be a number of different reasons. When a simple jump won’t do it near Dallas, Lubbock, or Waco, you’re going to want to visit one of our Stanley Auto Group locations, where we’ll be able to quickly diagnose and solve the problem. 

Your Battery 

When your vehicle won’t start, it can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you have somewhere that you need to be. If you have a friend that’s willing to help, you can always attempt to jumpstart your vehicle, but this may not always solve the issue. Your electrical system spreads throughout your model and includes parts that you most likely don’t think of often, like your serpentine belt. If these parts are damaged, it could leave you with a drained battery. If your battery is full and you’re still experiencing issues, you’re going to want to make an appointment for service as soon as possible, as it could be a sign that your spark plugs or starter might be giving out. When you need service that you can rely on, our Stanley Auto Group locations are always available and ready to assist. 

Having Trouble Staying Charged?

Your battery is designed to last as long as possible, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to last forever. When your vehicle can’t seem to hold a charge, it may be because of:

• Corrosion: You’ll most commonly find corrosion around your battery terminals. It can directly affect your battery’s performance and is often easy to spot. 
• Draining: If you’ve forgotten to close a door or turn off a light, your battery may be slowly draining once you exit your vehicle.
• A Bad Alternator: This part is responsible for charging your battery, so when it goes out, you won’t be getting any new power. 
• A Bad Battery: Everything goes bad sooner or later, and your battery is no exception. If you’re having issues, it may be on its last leg.

Other parts can cause electric issues as well, like your fuses. When you can’t seem to find where the problem originates, it’s best to bring your vehicle in for service, where we can quickly diagnose it.

Fixing Your Battery 

Your battery should generally be replaced when it can’t seem to hold a charge, or when it can’t accept a charge. When jump-starting your battery won’t help, it’s most likely outstayed its welcome. When you bring your vehicle in, our technicians will be able to monitor its output with a voltmeter so that they can be absolutely sure whether or not you need a new part. If your battery is fine, there’s most likely a bigger problem at play. If this is the case, you can count on our mechanics to find where your vehicle is struggling. From there, we’ll be able to repair your model so that it doesn’t give you any more issues. If you do need a new battery, you can expect the replacement to last between three and seven years on average.