Why the car does not start the first time: possible causes and solutions

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

Sometimes even the most reliable car starts to act up and cause problems for the owner. So, one of the frequent problems is that the car does not start the first time. It doesn't matter if it's a Granta or a Japanese Toyota, this situation can happen to anyone. But what to do? Of course, no one wants to "oil" the starter in another attempt to start the engine. What is the reason for such a phenomenon? Today we will just look at why the car does not start the first time.

Battery

First of all, attention should be paid to the battery. It is because of him that the car does not start the first time from auto start or just from the key. If the car "grabs" only on the second or third attempt, it is possible to ascertain insufficient voltage in the battery. This happens especially often in winter. Also similar problemoccurs in owners who daily use the car for short distance trips (3-5 kilometers). During this time, the generator cannot give a normal charge, the battery is constantly in a discharged state.

In addition, if the battery is over a year old, it is worth checking the level and density of the electrolyte. This applies to serviced batteries, where for this there are special plugs on the case that are unscrewed. The ideal density is 1.27. It is measured with a hydrometer. What are the ways to solve this problem? In case of insufficient density, it is worth adding electrolyte to the battery and "drive" the battery by charging with a low current strength. After such maintenance, the battery will maintain a normal voltage level for a long time, and the motorist will not wonder why the car does not start the first time.

How to increase voltage for short trips?

If the machine is used infrequently, it is recommended to do a prophylactic charge of the battery with a charger once every six months. Thus, we will not give the battery the opportunity to be discharged and lose up to 20 percent of its capacity. Experts recommend the same preventive charging to those owners who often drive a car. This is especially true in anticipation of cold weather.

Terminals

If the car does not start the first time, the reasons may be commonplace. These are battery terminals. They may not fit snugly. Because of this, power to the starter is intermittent. Also, do not exclude the oxidation of the terminals. It's possiblenoticed immediately upon a cursory examination. Due to oxidation, the car does not start the first time. Oxides can be removed with sandpaper. And you can exclude their further appearance with a special conductive lubricant.

Starter

If the car does not start the first time, what is the reason? When the terminals are clean, and the battery produces a voltage of more than 12.5 volts, you can blame the starter. In this case, the launch will be accompanied by a characteristic clicking sound. This indicates problems in the wiring and relay.

Also note that over time, the starter gets dirty and the brushes wear out inside. Therefore, most likely, the reason for the poor start is in this element or in the wire that goes from the ignition switch to the starter.

Ignition system

If we talk about old cars, it is quite possible that the cover of the distributor is broken. As a result, the "slider" cannot properly interact with the wires, the spark is simply not supplied to one or more cylinders.

Also, do not rule out a breakdown of high-voltage wires. It is very easy to determine this. At night, under the hood, white and blue sparks on the wires should not appear. If this is the case, it is worth replacing the high-voltage wire set. Another reason that the car does not start the first time is the coil. It can be the same for all cylinders, but on modern cars a separate coil is installed for each candle. Typically, coil breakdown occurs due toincreased moisture. This element is non-separable and changes entirely to a new one.

How to check which coil is out of order? This will require a special tester. But it is better to install a known new one and check the quality of the launch. As practice has shown, even with a faulty coil, the motor will start, but badly. But after installing a new engine, it starts with half a turn.

Candles

A bad start can also be connected with candles. So, after trying to start the engine can seize and immediately stall. The reason for this phenomenon is flooded candles. Their condition can be determined only after dismantling. So, if the element smells strongly of gasoline, and there is some kind of plaque on the surface, the candle must be thoroughly washed in some kind of solution. You should also check if it gives a spark (this can be done using a tester). In extreme cases, you can replace the elements with new ones and check the quality of the engine start. But it is worth remembering that the replacement of candles for a car is required no earlier than after 30 thousand kilometers. The only exception may be defective products. As for the iridium candles, their resource is about 100 thousand kilometers.

Fuel system

Poor engine starting may be caused by a dirty fuel filter. As you know, there are two such elements in the car. This is a coarse and fine filter. As a rule, the last element is hammered. This happens on a run of about 60-90 thousand kilometers. The filter itself is paper.corrugated element with micropores. It is they who hold dirty particles. Over the years, these pores become clogged and the pump is no longer able to pump gasoline through the filter. What is the solution to the problem? The solution is obvious - replacing the fuel filter with a new one. This is the only way to guarantee a quick and trouble-free start of the engine in any conditions.

Among the less common causes of a poor start, experts point out contamination of injectors (applies to diesel engines) and injectors. In this case, replacement will be an expensive pleasure, so many owners prefer to ultrasonic clean these elements. But this is done only at specialized service stations.

Pay attention

Whatever the reason for a bad engine start, do not forget the main rule. Do not turn the starter too long in an attempt to start the car. This negatively affects the battery. If it is not new, then in a couple of attempts it can be “planted” at all.

To prevent this, rotate the starter for no more than 4-5 seconds. And the interval between launches should be about 30 seconds. Remember that when the battery is deeply discharged, it significantly loses its capacity. And it will not be possible to resume it in the future.

Conclusion

So, we found out why the car does not start the first time. As you can see, the reasons for this phenomenon can be very different. First of all, you should pay attention to the battery andterminals. And then check the ignition system and starter.