When was the last time your car wouldn't start?
By paidreader
@paidreader (5143)
United States
June 27, 2007 1:43pm CST
Has it been a while or was it recently? What was wrong with yours?
It's been a while since I've had vehicle problems but mine wouldn't start just last week. While I'm no mechanic, I have had enough car problems over the years to recognise some things. Automatically, my first thought (besides NOT NOW!) was that it couldn't be the battery since the radio came on. Next programmed response was starter or alternator. Hubby has fixed that before so I wasn't too worried even though he wouldn't be able to work on it til the weekend. Luckily he gets home early enough during the week that I could still use his truck to take care of my errands before 5.
Well, the weekend came and hubby ruled out plugs, alternator, starter, carbureator and fuel filter. Seems as though my fuel pump went out. That's a tricky (and costly) repair since you have to take the gas tank off to get to it. Grrrrr. Hope it doesn't rain again this weekend. :(
3 people like this
11 responses
@Illinois_shy_girl (123)
• United States
28 Jun 07
The last time my car wouldn't sart it was because my bettery cables were loose. I knew that it was what was wrong because I had had that problem before. I finally had to take it to the shop and I told them to replace the cable ends and they didn't. All they did was grind them down to a smooth clean suface. I also asked them to install a new battery. At least they did that much right! I really shouldn't complain thogugh I haven't had another problem. YET!
1 person likes this
@paidreader (5143)
• United States
28 Jun 07
I agree that replacing the cables would have been better. It would have saved you the aggrevation the second time, if nothing else, lol. I've had loose cable problems before. The car had just been in the shop & when they finished the unrelated repair, they forgot to tighten my cables the last little bit. When it wouldn't start after I stopped for gas, I was SOOOO mad! I had to get a jump, then drive back to the shop using my jumper cables to keep it running. :(
@Kowgirl (3490)
• United States
28 Jun 07
Sorry to hear you are down to one vehicle but be happy you have one you can depend on while geting this repaired. It's not like you are going to be depending on someone else or public transportation to get around like some people have to do every day. I'm sure you will get your wheels back soon and life will be much easier. Funny how we get used to having something then have to do without it for a while... it makes us appreciate it more.
1 person likes this
@paidreader (5143)
• United States
28 Jun 07
Very true! I have been without a car before so luckily I'm not too dependant. When my daughter was in elementary school I used to walk the (just under) 2 miles to & from school with her. I've also been a bus rider at times, so luckily there are alternatives.
Things could have been worse, I suppose. At least it happened just before I started looking for a part time job. Now I can get it fixed & not be worried about not getting to an interview on time. ;)
@Caila611 (992)
• United States
28 Jun 07
It's been a while for me too. Let's see i have had my current car for 4 years now. So it's been four years since i have had car trouble. It's nice not to worry about if your going to get to your destination or not. LOL! I hated that. I used to have to keep two gallons of water in my trunk so i could fill up the radiator just to make it to work. . .halfway. Thank goodness that car is gone!
1 person likes this
@paidreader (5143)
• United States
28 Jun 07
LOL, yes I had a collection of fluids in the trunk of my last car, so I know that feeling! This truck hasn't had too many problems since we got it in 96. We've put alot of miles on it and had a lot of good family times together so it's going to be hard to see it go.
@paidreader (5143)
• United States
28 Jun 07
LOL, yes, they all need some time to warmup. At least the parts that can break are a little easier to reach on a motorcycle. :)
@mgmagana (3618)
• United States
27 Jun 07
the last time our car wouldn't start we took it to go get looked at and it was the battery, we didn't think it was b/c u know they're supposed to last a certain amount of miles or years and the car was fairly new! so it was under warranty so we just had to pay for the battery!
1 person likes this
@arcidy (5005)
• United States
27 Jun 07
Well I dont have a car so I can say never lol but the last time a car wouldnt stop while I was in it would have to be at the drive in last year my friends and I went to the drive in last summer and after the movies the car would not start I guess we left it off for to long I dont know im guesing that could be the reason but its weird because that happens a lot when I go to the drive in a lot.
1 person likes this
@paidreader (5143)
• United States
28 Jun 07
LOL, I haven't been to a drive in for YEARS! They don't have them in my area anymore. I think the last one I went to was (wow) 17 years ago. I had to look up when Misery came out. :)
Hope your friends carry jumper cables. ;)
@tina12679 (1126)
• United States
27 Jun 07
The last time my vehicle wouldnt start was that i needed a jump i let my lights one...Boreing LOL and before that over the winter i needed a new battery the old one wouldnt hold a charge...Boreing again LOL Before that my car would start but wouldnt go anywhere, my seals went out on my transmission and they all had to be replaced. Talk about tricky and costly!!! Luckily for me i didnt need a whole new transmission. Unluckily for me that i know more about fixing a vehicle then my hubby does, and the extent of my knowledge only goes as far as changing a a tire and maybe a brake pad. So off to the local mechanic it went and i didnt get it back for a few weeks. Is there really anything worse then when your car breaks down no matter how small the problem may be.
1 person likes this
@paidreader (5143)
• United States
27 Jun 07
How very true! I wish my problem had been so boring though, lol. The last big thing that went wrong with my truck was the transmission seal. You're right about it being costly. Pretty embarrassing going down the road with a plume of white smoke following you. ~:O
@caver1 (1762)
• United States
27 Jun 07
My van is in the shop now. It was making strange noises, so not quite the problem that you're having.
In February we had a little snow and my hubby decided to put his Jeep into 4-wheel drive. That was a mistake. Something broke and he drove home at 15mph. It continued to start, it just wouldn't go. Well, it was an 1987 model and we decided not to fix the thing. We sold it on E-bay for parts. We found another Jeep, 1999 model and bought it. Now I have a car payment.:( It can be difficult making that "fix it or replace it" decision.
Good luck getting your's fixed.
1 person likes this
@paidreader (5143)
• United States
28 Jun 07
Isn't that the truth! I upgraded my 86 Mercury for a 94 pickup so I didn't have to worry about repairs for a little while. That was nice! Hubby is ready to fix it then sell it, but I'm not really looking forward to making payments again. Not to mention the increased insurance. Such is the cost for reliability, I suppose. :(
