Car won’t start? Here are 3 tips from a locksmith…
Like electricity, starting your car is something most of us take for granted without really understanding fully: flip a switch and a light turns on; put your key in the ignition (or push a button) and the car starts. How easy is that?! Easy enough – until it’s not.
So, what happens when you turn the key and your car won’t start? Just like that, things become so much more complicated, and always just at the wrong time – when there are appointments to be at, people to meet, and places to be! So what do you do when your car won’t start? Here are three tips from a locksmith:
TIP 1: CHECK YOUR CAR BATTERY
Perhaps this one seems like it goes without saying; but having been on the charging end of more than a few sets of jumper cables, I can assure you it’s worth double-checking!
You can check the battery by turning on the hazard lights, trying to flash the high beams, or by watching what happens on the dashboard when you turn the key/push the START button – do the lights on the dash flicker? Does the car attempt to start but die out? Your car battery could be dead! Try giving it a jump.
SIDE NOTE: If you have a smart key system, your key battery being dead could also stop your car from starting! Try changing out the battery in your key transmitter or putting it in the backup pocket inside your car (instructions on finding this can be found in the manual or online).
Car won’t start still? Then…
TIP 2: CHECK THE THEFT LIGHT ON THE VEHICLE
Since the year 2000, most vehicle keys have a transponder chip hidden away inside of the head of the key – yes, even if your key doesn’t have lock or unlock buttons or any kind of remote capabilities, odds are good that it still has a transponder chip!
In cars with the transponder system, there is a light on the dashboard to indicate the status of the immobilizer system – sometimes it is an LED picture of a car with a padlock intertwined or a key, sometimes it is simply a little red dot that flashes on the dash when you turn the key to the on position. Find this light on your dash and watch what it does when you attempt to start the car: does it go right out? Does it stay solid? Does it flash in a certain pattern? This could be an indication that your car won’t start because it is not recognizing your transponder key…
If that is the case then…
TIP 3: CALL SOUTH SHORE LOCK AND KEY
If your car battery is at a healthy 12V, your smart key battery is good, and your car won’t start still, then it’s time to bring in the reinforcements: call South Shore Lock and Key*. We can help you determine if your issue is a key/ignition issue and, if it is, we can fix it for you! We can provide new keys, new ignitions, programming work and more!
*There are a few scenarios in which the car dashboard may come on even though the car itself won’t start, but which are not related to key issues – for example, if you have a smart key system and pushing the button on the dash causes it to light up as usual, you’re not dealing with a key issue, even though the car won’t start. Also, in general, if the theft light goes out right away when you try to start the car (an exception being Subaru, which has its own system for flashing theft lights), you can be sure the key is not the issue.
