We’ve all been there. 

You’re getting out of work, you put your key in the ignition. You turn it and the car does nothing. 

Okay, no big deal. You give it a second and turn it again. Alas, again, nothing happens and you’re left thinking “Okay, my car won’t start. Now what?”

Whether it’s hot and oven-like in your car or you’re braving the cold without your heater, you need to get your car up and running fast. You have places to be!

We’re here to offer you advice. Keep reading to learn more about what to do when your car won’t start. 

Assess the Situation

There are several reasons why your car won’t start. While you’re not a mechanic, you can likely figure out the culprit (or at least get a good idea of it) on your own.

Will your car not start, but your lights and radio are still working? There are a few potential causes of this.

The First (and easiest) solution, your car might just be in the wrong gear. If your car isn’t in park or neutral, it’s possible that it won’t start running. If this is the case, the fix is as easy as putting your car into neutral. 

If nothing is turning on, there are more options.

Another easy one is that your key fob is no longer working. They do run out of battery from time to time. If you have a touch-to-start car, this is going to be a problem. Look at your manual to see if there’s an option to start your car with a dead fob. 

It’s possible that you’re out of gas. Did you get too confident on your empty gas tank, miscalculating how far you had to drive? This is a common problem. See if someone can bring you a tank of gas to get you back on the road. 

A common problem that causes cars to lie dormant is a dead battery. If nothing comes on and you can’t even turn on your light, this is likely the culprit.

See if you can have someone “jump” your car. This will get you back on the road in no time. 

Call for Help

So none of these solutions are working. Now what? 

If this is the case, don’t be afraid to call someone for help. Contact your car insurance company and towing & roadside assistance services so you can get your car into a safe place and somewhere that it can be fixed.

It’s helpful if you have a friend who can drive you home or to the mechanic in the meantime. 

“My Car Won’t Start!” No Problem

It happens to everyone. Next time you’re panicking because “my car won’t start!”, take a breath and go through this quick assessment list. If nothing works, contact your insurance and your local towing company and they’ll take care of everything for you.

Don’t panic. 

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