I have had more than one solenoid go out on me, and it’s troublesome to diagnose. Often, when you turn the key and the car doesn’t start, the most clear culprit is the battery. Sometimes, when nothing happens when you turn the key, it means that either the battery is completely dead, or the ports are loose or corroded and not allowing electricity to flow.

But the solenoid can regularly go faulty as well. When that occurs, you may notice 2 things. First, your car will not begin at all, and 2nd, you battery will still be charged. How are you able to tell if your battery is still strong? One simple way is to look at your headlights. If your headlights still come on but nothing happens when you turn your key, then you know that it isn’t your battery’s fault.

Regardless of if there were a partial charge in your battery, enough so to switch on the headlights, there should be some type of noise when you turn on the ignition. So ruling out the battery pretty much tells you their either your solenoid is faulty, or else that the starter has absolutely gone out. But even then, there should still be some sort of noise.

Replacing a solenoid can be somewhat of a challenge depending on the car. The solenoid is a tiny part, usually not too much larger than a golf ball, however it can sometimes be buried under other parts. So changing it can need a bit of expertise. You may be able to still start your car by manually bridging the connection with a bit of metal and a rubber handle. I have used a screwdriver before for this by touching both of the raised posts to the metal of the screwdriver, which reestablishes the connection. But this isn’t recommended for obvious reasons.

Understanding the electrical systems of your vehicle can save you plenty of cash. Solenoid problems can be straightforward to fix. So can car battery issues. I don’t like to pay a mechanic unless absolutely required.

What’s The Solenoid And Way’s To To Diagnose It is a post from: WiredWriter