Sometimes your truck’s engine might fail to turn on when you ignite it and might signal a slight problem or a significant issue. Troubleshoot your truck to determine and fix the problem in such a case. How then does someone go about troubleshooting a truck not starting? Well, here are some of the pointers and tips on how to go about just that.

Troubleshooting a Truck Not Starting

Low Battery

Your truck’s engine might fail to start because the battery has no power. It is the most common cause of the engine failing to start. Your battery might fail to start the engine if your truck has stayed in the parking yard for a long time. If you leave your dome on or any device that drains energy from the battery overnight, be sure of trouble when you want to start the engine.

Before thinking of devices that might drain your battery, consider how long it has served you. As your battery gets old, it loses its ability to retain power, which might give you a headache when you want to start your truck.

Checking the Battery

You can determine if the power of your battery is down by turning on the wipers. If they move slowly, the battery has no adequate power. Focus on the dome light when turning on the wipers or the engine. If they become dim, then your battery has no power. Checking the voltage of your battery is necessary to determine if it is healthy or dead. A volt meter will help you to check the voltage of your battery. A well-charged battery has 12.6 volts, but if the voltage is less than 12, it has less or no charge.

Upon being convinced that the battery has less charge, you can recharge it if it is a new battery, but if it has served you for five years and above, it is dead.

Sticky Key In the Ignition

The ignition becomes hard to turn when the ignition locks the steering with the wheels turned aside. Consider turning the steering wheel from left to right as you gently turn the keys in the ignition. Doing this releases the tension in the ignition.

The key and the ignition lock wear out and become faulty with time as they serve you. If you experience this problem and your steering is not locked, the ignition lock or your key might be having trouble. If this happens, use a spare key and lubricate the key slot. If it does not work, seek mechanical help.

The Starter is not Cranking

If you put your ignition key at the start position, but the engine does not start, the starter motor is not starting the engine. A dead battery can cause this, but if your battery is okay, check the following.

The starter solenoid or the starter motor might be having a problem.

The ignition switch might be bad.

There might be a problem with the electronic module or the truck’s security system.

Conclusion

When your engine fails to start, you might troubleshoot it yourself but if it does not work, consider a mechanical check-up to establish the cause of the problem.