I found the following in English but do not know where I copied it:
Why Won't My Car Start? Do I need a jump start? Dead battery? Bad starter? stuck key?
If you turn your car key and get nothing, or get anything less than an engine roaring to life, you might be in for
a bad day. Starting problems can be very frustrating because there are so many things under the hood that
can keep a car from starting. Heck, pretty much everything under the hood can keep the car from starting.
In order to troubleshoot a no-start problem, you need to start at the beginning of the line, the battery, and
work your way back. Some tests for a no-start problem are simple, others are a pain in the neck and a technical
nightmare. Nonetheless, you need to figure out why the car won't start, so we'll try to help. If your key won't turn
in the ignition, try this fix:
Electrical No-Start Problems
Check your fuses: Few cars have a fuse associated with the starting system, but before you go
monkeying around with everything, check your fuses to be sure it's not that simple.
Battery Corrosion: Over time your battery connections can become dirty, or corroded. This corrosion
breaks the connection your battery has with the rest of the car, and it won't start.
Try cleaning your battery posts and try to start the car again.
Dead Battery: The most common reason your car won't start is a dead battery. If you have a battery
tester that can measure cranking amps, test your battery to see if it's weak. If you can't test it yourself,
you can test the battery indirectly
byjump-starting the car. If it starts right away, your problem is most likely a dead battery.
Replace the battery, and clean the battery connections to ensure good contact.
Bad Igntion Switch: If your battery checks out, but the starter is still silent, it may be a faulty
ignition switch. Turn the key to the on position (not all the way to start). If the red warning lights
on your dash don't light up (and your battery connections are clean), the ignition switch is bad.
If they do light up, turn the key to the start position. The dash warning lights should turn off at this
key position (most cars). If you're not sure, turn on the headlights. When you try to start the car,
the lights should either dim (a lot) or turn off completely. If they do, your ignition switch should be ok.
If not, the switch will need replacement.
Bad Starter Connection: Corrosion can not only keep your battery from connecting, it can affect any
electrical component, especially the ones exposed to the elements like the starter. If you have a helper,
you can test the connection by holding a circuit tester lead on the wire that engages the starter. This
is the smaller of the two wires connected to the starter. Be sure no part of your body is near the
moving parts of the engine - it could still start at any time! Have a friend turn the key and
check the current. If you're getting current to the starter but it ain't spinning, it needs replacement.
If your starter spins freely when you turn the key, the problem lies elsewhere. Now you begin to check the
other systems that could keep it from firing up.
With the starter-related causes of your no-start problem out of the way, we continue the search for why
your car won't start. If the engine can't get spark, there will be no fire. But don't crawl into the hole just yet.
Spark is created by your car's ignition system (ignition means "to ignite). Ignition system troubleshooting
isn't too difficult when you're looking for a no-start problem. The first place to check is your coil.
Coil Testing: To properly test your ignition coil you'll need a multimeter that can measure impedance.
If you don't have a multimeter, there is an easier test you can perform using simple hand tools. Test
your coil and, if it's bad, replace it.
Distributor Cap: Your no-start problem probably isn't caused by your distributor cap, but occasionally,
especially during wet weather, a faulty cap can keep your car from starting. Remove your distributor
cap and check the inside for moisture. If there is even a drop or mist of water inside, wipe it out with
a clean, dry cloth. Inspect the cap for cracks and replace it if necessary. Once its dry, though, it'll work.
Coil Wire: The starting problem could also be due to a broken or shorting coil wire.inspect the wire
to see if there are any obvious cracks or splits, then test for continuity using a circuit tester.
Did it start? No? Ok, on to the fuel-related possibilities.
If the starter is spinning and the sparks are flying, your no-start problem has got to be related to the fuel system.
If your vehicle is fuel injected, there are a number of sub systems that could be the culprit. It will take some
serious diagnostic work to figure it out, but there are some things you can check in the garage that will narrow
it down, and could save you some money by avoiding a trip to the repair shop. Here are some things to check:
Hope you can use it.
I did some research and cleaned up the battery cable/earth. What other earth should I clean? I did some research but am having trouble finding other earths. Thanks!
