My car won’t start, is it because of the battery?

Your car won’t start, and your starter doesn’t run? There are many possible causes, the first and 95% of which is the battery. But what are the different possible scenarios for a vehicle not to start? How important is this source of electricity and how can we recognize that it is flat?

Start-up problems

Among the damaged parts responsible for a car’s starting problem are those specific to the diesel engine, such as dirty injectors. As for the gasoline engine, the problem may have occurred with the ignition coils. Older models have this difficulty compared to the carburettor. Whatever the type of fuel, the malfunction or deterioration of the belt at the tension rollers, fuses or relays of the motor service box, ECUs, neiman or immobilizer are also affected. In addition to spark plugs for gasoline and glow plugs for diesel, the starter and battery are the most common.

Battery, to supply the car with electricity

Here’s how to start may become impossible when the battery is tired. To start, the engine collects energy from the starter, which is supplied by the battery. It is at the stage when the engine is running that the alternator comes into play to recharge the alternator. The dual function of the battery is to produce the pulse required by the starter to start the engine. It also supplies power to the car when the engine is not running or during heavy use. As it is subsequently exposed to temperature variations, being in poor condition, it cannot withstand them, and this can lead to a breakdown.

Flat battery

To check if the battery has its charge, it is necessary to do so correctly using a voltmeter connected to the “minus” terminal by the blue cable and the red one to the “plus” terminal. When the multimeter displays 12.6 V, it means that the battery has the necessary charge; whereas with a voltage of 12 to 12.3 V, it is a sign of discharge. Thus, a value higher than 13 V corresponds to an overload that may be caused by the charging circuit. On the other hand, a figure of less than 10.6 V simply means that the battery needs to be changed, it no longer fulfils its functions. Try to perform this check only when the engine is shut down.

Overheating, signs of engine failure

What to do in case of a flat tire?

Driving should go smoothly, however, for many reasons, it happens on the road that one or more wheels are punctured. Without a spare wheel, you can do nothing even though you learned how to change it in your code of conduct.

Passionate about cars and mechanics, the car maintenance mechanic repairs and carries out routine maintenance on increasingly sophisticated vehicles. The skills necessary to exercise this profession having followed the evolution of new electronic equipment (ABS system, on-board computer, GPS, airbags, air conditioning, alarm…), the mechanic of yesteryear is now replaced by the mechanic car maintenance technician.