Last Saturday, my battery died (I had left the headlights on overnight), and I got it replaced at AutoZone. The car ran fine until yesterday morning. It's a '98 Saturn SC2.
When I turn the keys, it cranks, but the engine doesn't start. The radio comes on, and I get the "CHECK ENGINE," "battery," and uh, I think "oil" (it looks like a dripping-faucet icon) lights. What's the deal, and what should I do?
I'm so low on money, I'm hoping a tow + the fix isn't going to kill me...
2007-03-22 04:07:34 · 7 answers · asked by Brianne K 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
If it died on you at a stop light and won't start = Timing belt.
2007-03-22 04:19:33 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. KnowItAll 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your car is like mine, all of those lights will come on every time you start the car. Then when it starts, they will go off. Start with the simplest problem first----do you have gas in the car? Make sure, there are still people who know how to steal it out of your car. If you have a carburetor, take off the air cleaner and check to see that gas is actually getting in there by turning the key to "on", listening for the hum of the fuel pump, and looking down the carburetor to see if there is gas in it. If your car is fuel injected you won't be able to do this part. If you have a battery charger you can hook it up and see if your battery has enough of a charge to start the car, it may have been old when you bought it, or not fully charged. Turn off everything electrical and try again. Or just wait 20 minutes and try---you may actually have flooded it. Just guessing, but unless your problem is the alternator, the tow will probably cost you more than the fix.
2007-03-22 04:25:43 · answer #2 · answered by kldt7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We purchase old vehicles perpetually and battery subject concerns continuously arise. Heres are 2 techniques which could help save it beginning & what it may be. One vehicle wasn't pushed in the winters & if left it to long without driving would not initiate the two. So each and every few days i'd initiate it for a couple of minutes. If I waited longer then that i'd desire a bounce. i'd purely attempt this if i became you. yet another vehicle would not initiate & had to be jumped each and every morning. After finding out to purchase 3 new batteries we found out the Antenna became the reason. by some ability draining the battery. We disconnected the antenna and have not had a concern in view that. probable no longer what's inflicting your concern yet purely a heads up that something small like which could be what's incorrect.
2016-12-15 06:18:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make sure it has gas in it.
It could be a number of things, since it is a few years old. I would try to find someone who knows a bit about cars to look at it and make sure it isn't something simple before you pay to have it towed and repaired.
Pull one of the spark plugs out, and plug it back into its wire - hold it against something metal and have someone else crank the engine to see if it is getting spark.
There are a couple of sensors that sometimes fail - the crank and cam position sensors will keep the engine from starting (they are there to keep the engine from destroying itself if it jumps time or the timing belt breaks). Unfortunately unless you have the computer to plug the car into, the only way to figure out if that is the problem is to replace them (do it one at a time, and if it starts working, then return the other one (or put it in too).
good luck!!
2007-03-22 04:15:38 · answer #4 · answered by Joe M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what kind of place would replace your battery just because you left the lights on and it went flat. They can easily be recharged and never give you anymore trouble.. All these lights are normally on when you are trying to start the engine and go out one=ce the engine starts. Have you got any gas in the car?? I suggest if you can afford it, to join AAA or CAA just to make sure you are getting reputable people working on your vehicle. It sounds like you were ripped off over the battery and I sure wouldn't be taking any vehicle of mine there again. A lot of AAA or CAA approved shops have decals on the window to show they are affiliated with AAA or CAA. If you can't afford to become a member, then use these decals as a sign of a reputable shop.
2007-03-22 04:26:06 · answer #5 · answered by al b 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ok, check these things first.pull 1 of the plug wires off and see if your getting spark,then check the gas filter,to see if theres any gas coming through.
2007-03-22 08:12:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
don know
did they give u a new battery or just recharged your old one
if it's the latter, u need a new battery
2007-03-22 04:29:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋