Ignition System & Starter Repair, San Antonio

Car "No Start" Diagnostics & Repair at Auto Service Experts

Auto Service Experts San Antonio auto shop provides complete, professional car starting system diagnostics, maintenance, and repair. Our highly experienced mechanics are automotive diagnostic specialists and can quickly & accurately diagnose your car starting problem. We are committed to finding the exact source of the problem in order to repair it completely without unnecessarily replacing entire systems or parts which really only require minor repair. We do not simply "throw parts at problems." We take the time to investigate and determine why a component is malfunctioning, many times it could be something as simple as a blown fuse or failed connection. We use state of the art equipment, only high-quality parts, and back our work with the best warranty around.

Starter Repair/Replacement

If your car won't start, you may be in need of a starter replacement. Starting problems may be intermittent at first, but eventually, your starter will fail completely, leaving you & your vehicle stranded. If your vehicle fails to start intermittently, we do amp draw testing on the starter to determine if the resistance is high. An amp test shows if the amperage is too high and causes excessive resistance which is a sign that the starter is failing. To avoid having to have your car towed to the nearest auto repair shop, choose a good mechanic and have your starter replaced as soon as it begins to show signs of trouble. There are many possible issues that could cause a "no start". Symptoms of starting problems are often identical to charging system problems including a bad alternator or dead battery. Starting problems may also be related to exhaust or emissions problems including catalytic converter failure. Be sure to get a complete diagnosis from a mechanic that specializes in charging & starting repair to avoid misdiagnosis, or replacing parts unnecessarily. 

Two Types of Starting Failure

No Crank, No Start

If the vehicle does not start or crank it could be caused by:

• A charging system problem such as a bad battery.
• A starting system problem such as the need for a starter replacement.
• The ignition switch fails to signal the starter to start the engine. In newer cars, the ignition switch sends a signal to the body control module which then sends it to the starter. On vehicles equipped with an anti-theft device the ignition switch sends the signal first to the anti-theft module, then the body control module and finally to the starter.
• The transmission fails to recognize that the car is in Park or neutral. This can usually be repaired by a minor shifter adjustment. Bushings on the shifters wear out over time but can be adjusted back into position.
• Engine is locked up

Crank & No Start

This broken camshaft must be replaced to repair the internal engine damage which caused the vehicle to not start.

If the vehicle is cranking but does not start, some possible causes include:

• No fuel
• No compression
• Broken timing belt
• No injector pulsation
• Bad ignition coil
• Bad crankshaft position sensor
• Bad camshaft position sensor
• Faulty fuel pressure rollover sensor that tripped and is not sending power to the fuel pump.
• Faulty ignition rotor
• Faulty distributor cap
• Faulty distributor
• Faulty ignition wires

Spark plugs require a great deal of electricity to fire. They rely on ignition coils to draw electricity from the battery and store it until a sufficient amount has built up to fire the plugs. These coils eventually wear out and fail, which prevents the cylinders from firing, and can cause the vehicle to not start. Periodically replacing ignition coils provides increased performance and fuel economy, and is a part of regular maintenance.