Process · Self-help
What To Check Before You Call Us
We would rather you saved the callout than paid for one you did not need. A handful of checks take two minutes, are safe to do, and resolve a fair number of no-starts outright — particularly on automatics, keyless cars and vehicles that have simply been left with something switched on.
If they do not fix it, they are still worth doing. Knowing whether the dashboard lights up, whether the car clicks, and whether the engine turns over tells us far more about the fault than 'it won't start' ever can.
Key points at a glance
- Automatics
- Try selecting N as well as P before cranking
- Keyless
- Hold the fob to the marked start position
- Manuals
- Press the clutch fully — the switch may need it
- Observe
- Silence, clicking, slow crank or cranks-but-won't-fire
What this means in practice
- Check nothing is switched on that should not be — interior lights, boot light, a door not fully shut.
- Look at the dashboard: no lights at all is a very different fault from bright lights and a click.
- A fob with a flat coin cell can prevent a start even when the car's own battery is fine; most fobs have a marked backup position.
- Do not keep cranking repeatedly — long cranking attempts overheat the starter and finish off a marginal battery.
- Note anything recently fitted to the car, such as a dashcam or tracker; it is often the answer.
Questions we get asked
Should I try jump leads first?
Only if you have decent leads, a willing donor vehicle and you know the correct connection points. A poor attempt can make things worse and tells you nothing about why it failed.
What if the dashboard lights are bright but it just clicks?
That usually means the battery has enough charge for lights but not for the starter, or there is a connection fault. It is a classic battery-service job.
What if it cranks strongly but won't fire?
Then the battery is doing its job and the problem is elsewhere — fuel, spark or immobiliser. Tell us and we will point you to the right kind of help.
Checked and still stuck?
Call us and describe what happens when you turn the key — we will take it from there.
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Category: Process, cost & aftercare · Our services · Battery replacement · Areas we cover