My Car Starts Sometimes and Sometimes It Doesn’t

Random car start and off problem? Stick right to the end.

It’s very often that sometimes care works properly but sometimes it just fails to keep up with the performance. To find the unknown reason, today’s article would be a helpful read.

If your car starts irregularly there can be many issues. Sometimes the problem is minor and sometimes it can be a serious issue that demands the replacement of a few arts and proper professional care. So let’s find out the reasons and solutions without wasting any more time.

Reasons for irregularity in car start

If your car is having trouble for uninterrupted starts, it is important to figure out “why” is happening.   First of all, make sure your car does not run out of fuel or petrol in the first place. Few reasons are:

• Poor or inefficient battery
• Faulty ground connections
• Loose connectivity of the starter; connection should be firm
• Dirty (carbon) starter connection

The irregularity of the car starting does not always have a complex solution. Sometimes you can overcome the problem by taking care of your car when it comes to rust and dirt. Also the battery terminals and the starter motor are faulty.

So these are the apparent things that would instantly help your car to keep up with starts. Before moving forward make sure the ground wires are not broken, faulty, or loose.

If everything is fine in this aspect, there can be other issues that we have discussed below in this article.

What to check before starting the car?

Before you start the car, there are three things you should be concerned about.

• Check the fuel filter. It should not be clogged, if so it will cause hindrance for fuel to engine link.
• Check the battery power using a multimeter. The tight and well-cleaned connections work the best way for starting a car. Replace the battery immediately if the battery is dim or puny.
• Check the spark plug for its condition. It should not be either damaged or worn out because that promotes sparking problems for car starting. The delay in spark causes the car to start randomly and then turn off, so if the spark plug is too old, consider changing it.

Look for the Onboard Diagnostic (OBD2) trouble codes

If your car model is recent or after 1996, look for the OBD2 code (in the engine’s memory). The engine control is responsible to check the poor performing and faulting component in the engine and that will tell you the main reason why your car sometimes on and sometimes off.

These codes are written as ‘PXXX’ where ‘P’ is for the powertrain of the car engine. So if the number after P is 0, it indicates toward trouble code is for all the vehicles where as if the digit starts with 1 it means the OBD2 code is dedicated to your vehicle

If you have the OBD2 scanner tool, check whether or not your vehicle has OBD2 codes stored. There are many OBD2 tools that can connect to Android and IPhone via Bluetooth so you can easily find them.

For that, plug the tool into the OBD2 port in the car and connect your device with it. If there was any trouble, you can see the codes, (mentioned above.)

Types of Irregular Car Start

If the starter motor is working you will notice the things are moving but the engine is still dead. It is known as “crank, no start”. Whereas if you hear multiple clicks or nothing while you are turning on the car is known as “no crank, clicking”.

1. Worn-out spark plugs

If the spark plug is worn out or damaged, immediately replace it with a new one. It is very likely that your car is not working smoothly due to a poor spark plug.

2. Rust in the battery

Rusty and corrosion is the killer in machinery. Carefully check the terminals of the battery. If they are rusty it can be the reason why the car works fine sometimes and sometimes not.  The corroded battery results in an irregular car start and low voltage.

3. Poor connection from the battery

Poor connectivity is something obvious why your car is not keeping up with the start.  This can be complex but very much the solution to your car starting problem. Carefully check the wire on the solenoid and make sure there is no insulation breakage.

4. Starter problem

If the starter is broken or faulty, can you expect your work to work in an anticipated manner? Certainly, not! Irregularity in car starting indicates towards the starter issue.

You’ll be lucky if the problem is a stuck starter. Just tap the starter with a hammer when you turn on the car. If not, replace the faulty starter with the one that works!

5. Poor fuel pump

The faulty or poorly working fuel pump will not let your vehicle work without interruption. The fuel pump in the car is there to maintain pressure within the fuel line.

Due to hiked-up temperate, heat, and electrical short circuits, the fuel pump may get out of sorts. This can lead the fuel pump to malfunction for the very reason. Check the fuse of the fuel pump if it needs repair, go for it.

6. Blockage in the Fuel Injectors

Keep in mind the proper ventilation in your car; this goes the same for fuel injection as well. If there is a blockage in the fuel injectors there are changes if the car is intermittent.

The blockage in the fuel injector will prevent the vehicle from getting the required amount of fuel for working without getting stopped. Three can be built with carbon in the injectors so make sure to learn it.

7. Bad Ignition Coils

If the above steps don’t turn out to be the best, here are a few more things that can result in a car malfunctioning, such as the fault ignition coils. If the ignition coil is not able to keep up with the current the car will not turn on seamlessly.

So when you are checking the spark plugs, first check the ignition coil for its proper current supply.  There can be wiring and electrical problems as well.

Also Read: How to Clean Ignition Coil

8. Other technical issues

When your car is not keeping up with the starting without stopping, there can be several more underlying reasons. For instance, the faulty engine, alternator issues, poor engine intake, and minimal AdBlue (A liquid added to many diesel cars that reduces harmful emissions). Low Adblue prevents the engine from starting. However, you should always lean on pro advice to know the core.