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Troubleshooting Car Problems Saves You Time, Headaches, and Money!

Car Dealer Licensing

Have you ever flipped a car?


 

Troubleshooting car problems is common practice in the used car business.

You turn the key and one of the following occurs:

  • The engine cranks slowly
  • Doesn't crank at all when you start it
  • You just hear a click
  • You hear a fast series of clicks

    You're most likely dealing with a Low/dead battery, or a:

  • Bad electrical connection
  • Bad starter motor
  • Bad alternator.

Battery Check the battery terminals, and make sure there on tight. If not retighten them. You may try to retighten the nut, and it makes no difference. In this case you'll have to replace the battery clamps.

The charge of a 12-volt car battery is 12.6 volts. If the battery is being drained there isn't enough power to crank the engine.

Buy a multimeter to check the voltage of your battery, and alternator

Measure the voltage on the battery terminals - red lead of the voltmeter on the positive terminal, black on the negative terminal. If your battery is producing low voltage (under 12 volts) recharge it.

A multimeter, and battery charger are tools of the trade. Since you'll have multiple cars You'll be dealing with a lot of dead batteries, and will need to recharge them. Your battery can also be going dead because the alternator is not recharging it. All of the electrical power is being delivered by the alternator when the car is running. Your battery supplies the power to crank the engine. Check your alternator by using your multimeter. Check the voltage at the battery terminals this time while the car is running. The voltage from a good alternator should be over 14 volts. If it's under 13 Volts, the alternator isn't properly recharging the battery.

Use safety precautions, and properly maintain your battery to avoid car battery problems . Keep a pair of jumper cables in your car. There are times where we leave the lights on, or don't close the door all the way, and those jumper cables really come in handy. If your battery is constantly not cranking over the engine, it could be being drained by the alternator. If your troubleshooting leads you to a bad starter, tapping the top of it with a hammer will usually make it work temporarily. Do this to get yourself off the road, and into the shop to have it replaced.