We’ve all experienced a dead battery that prevents the engine from starting. If the car won’t turn over but you have power, you do not have a dead battery, and you do not have a failed alternator. Which means you will need to search for other reasons.
I will cover each of these conditions with details about how you can get the engine running again. This post also provides the total cost of repairs, if it is a repairable condition.
Causes of Car Won’t Turn Over But Has Power
When your car has power but doesn’t turn over and start, the starter motor is most likely the issue. It could also be the starter solenoid or the transmission range selector contact.
But there’s also the possibility that faulty wiring or a seized engine is at fault.
Here’s further information on the most common causes of your car not turning over but having power.
#1. Defective Starter Motor.
The starter motor is mounted to the engine and engages with the flywheel to spin the engine and get the car moving. The starter causes the crankshaft to spin when it is engaged. When the starter is faulty, the engine does not receive the necessary jump.
When the starter is defective, you will not hear anything upon ignition, or you may just hear a click. The engine will not crank since the starter is what is supposed to create this.
#2. Bad Starter Solenoid.
Even if the starter motor is okay, the issue could still be coming from this system. Sometimes it’s the starter solenoid instead. The solenoid is almost always located on the starter, exceptions would be on some older cars the part was separate.
When the starter solenoid is failing, the engine won’t crank or start. You also won’t hear clicking if this part has failed.
#3. Poor Transmission Range Selector Contact.
Within the automatic transmission shifter, we have the range selector. This is sometimes referred to as the neutral safety switch. This can have poor electrical contact, so the engine doesn’t know it is in Park or Neutral.
Fortunately for us, this can be a simple fix if it is salvageable, or not.
Put your foot on the brake, and shift the lever into neutral. Try starting the engine once again.
If that doesn’t work, put it back in park again and try it again. You might need to just move the shifter to engage the electrical contact.
#4. Bad Wiring.
There are many wires between the switch and the starter that needs to be working for the car to start. If for any reason, the wiring gets damaged or loose, you are going to have serious issues starting the car.
If the wiring from the ignition switch does become loose or disconnected while driving, it may cause the car to stall.
You are going to want to check all of the electrical wires that are connected and to see the condition they are in.
You may also want to double-check the battery. You may consider jump-starting the car since it could a weak battery and some power.
#5. Engine Seized.
If the engine seized, you aren’t going to start the car. You should be able to use any electronics, however, since the electronics would run off of the battery.
The engine could be seized due to low engine oil, or water made its way into the system. An engine could also seize due to extreme engine wear or overheating.
Car Won’t Turn Over: How to Fix
Once you determine the starter is the problem, you can replace it. If you have a manual transmission, however, you always have the option of push-starting the vehicle to get it running.
If you determine that the starter solenoid is the issue, you can jump-start (bypass) it with an insulated screwdriver. Place the metal blade across the contacts to bridge the ignition switch and starter motor. (Be extremely careful, and only jump-start under the vehicle on the ground, and keep your arms away from the rotating parts.)
If you suspect the transmission range selector circuit is at fault, you should replace it as soon as you can, even if you’re able to start the vehicle normally by playing with the gears, it’s important to recognize that this is a safety-switch mechanism to prevent the vehicle from starting in gear.
Defective wiring can be the trickiest and most troublesome issue to deal with to determine what is wrong, as you will likely have to inspect each connector/wires to get the integrity of everything while examining the wiring harness. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, it’s probably best to seek help or ask a professional.
If the engine has seized, you have no option but to replace or rebuild it. If it is an older vehicle, it might not be worth the cost or expense.
Cost to Fix a Car That Won’t Turn Over
The cost to get your car started depends on the cause of the symptoms. Replacing a starter will cost an estimated $400 to $600, of which $100 to $150 is for parts alone.
Replacing a transmission range selector is estimated to cost $125 to $200, of which $75 to $125 is for parts alone, leaving only a small amount for labor. It’s usually easy to find and replace the sensor.
Commonly, fixing defective wiring will apply more labor than the cost of parts. First, you must find the defective wire or connection, which can take a long time, especially if you don’t know what you are looking for.
However, once you find the fault, repairs will only travel the cost of replacing the wire or making the connection again.
The most expensive scenario will replace or rebuild the motor because the engine is seized. For some vehicles, replacing their engine can have an instant bill of more than $3,000, parts and labor. Again, this is only worth it if your vehicle still has value.
All these numbers change based on what vehicle you drive and where you take the car to fix said problem. For luxury vehicles, you will pay more just because the parts are more expensive. If you take your car to a dealership to have the issue repaired, expect to pay extra.