What should you do if your car won’t start?

Many times a customer will report that the engine cranks but does not turn over.  If all of the usual noises occur when the key is turned, the engine is turning over.  In this case, get the car to a mechanic because there are many factors that can prevent the car from starting.

However, if the car is totally silent and still, a jump start may be necessary. Be extremely careful when jump-starting a car. Batteries can explode, and cheap jumper cables really are not sufficient to carry the current to start most modern automobiles. The ones that I use with my truck cost more than $100. For instructions on jump-starting a car, check out Liberty Mutual’s teen driving Web site at http://tinyurl.com/yg6wc82. There is a downloadable PDF file as well as instructions on the site itself.

With all of the electronics in modern cars, an errant jumper cable can cause hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars in damage. There is the story going around of the improperly jumped Mercedes-Benz that ended up with a $4,000 repair bill. There is also the story of one of the local towing companies telling the car owner that the battery was installed backwards (ignoring the fact that the car had been performing fine for a number of years). The battery was turned around and most of the electrical system was destroyed.

A persistent area of confusion that mechanics and customers face when communicating with one another is which side of the car is which? Mechanics use the perspective of someone sitting in the driver's seat. The mere act of exiting the car and looking at it from the front does not alter the sides. The left and right sides are still in the same place; it is the driver who has reoriented. It is extremely difficult to make the requested repairs if the mechanic is being told the wrong side of the car. So remember: it’s as seen from the driver’s seat.

Rick Hollis is the owner of Hollis Automotive.