# Car Engine Won't Start. Two hours later Does **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 15, 2024, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-engine-wont-start-two-hours-later-does/1011652 "2024-12-15T01:41:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-engine-wont-start-two-hours-later-does/1011652/21 "2024-12-15T21:23:32Z")
Thank you! I will. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-engine-wont-start-two-hours-later-does/1011652/22 "2024-12-15T22:07:55Z")
How old is the battery? If it is more than 5 years old? replace it. Standard car batteries are for starting the car **only.** then the alternator takes over. If the battery is old, or the car is seldom used, or if you have accesories running, like a dash camera, or if you drive less than 20 minutes per trip, the battery is not getting enough charge. I switched to a deep cycle type battery years ago and it was more expensive but well worth it. Don’t go looking for more expensive problems like an alternator until you are sure of the battery. Unless you have an old classic car you probably don’t even have a distributor. Occam’s Razor. Look to the simplest cause first. That is the most likely problem. Be certain of your battery. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-engine-wont-start-two-hours-later-does/1011652/23 "2024-12-15T23:35:33Z")
Not to be that guy but we’re 20+ posts in and the OP still has provided zero useful description of what “won’t start” means. 100% of the well-meaning advice is useless or harmful UNTIL we can aim at the symptoms the OP has, not the ones we’re guessing they have. For everyone talking about batteries, maybe it cranks great but won’t light. OP: _Please_ explain in detail what happened / happens when you try to start your car. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-engine-wont-start-two-hours-later-does/1011652/24 "2024-12-15T23:40:50Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Not to be that guy but we"re 20+ posts in and the OP still has provided zero useful description of what “won’t start” means. Not to be that guy, but we’re 20 posts in and the relevant helpful and useful information was provided a number of posts back. Thanks anyway ( and better luck next time ). ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-engine-wont-start-two-hours-later-does/1011652/25 "2024-12-21T03:19:41Z")
Final update: Truck wouldn’t start ( again ). Had her towed to the mechanic I used. I mentioned the great suggestions mentioned here and suggested it might be the solenoid to the battery. He said it sounded like it. Today he called: I was wrong. It was the battery and it had a bad cell. So, $300+ later I have my truck back and it works. I wish to thank all of you for your time and patience… and to wish you all Happy Holidays. ~ The End ~ ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-engine-wont-start-two-hours-later-does/1011652/26 "2024-12-21T03:35:34Z")
It’s always X, except when it’s Y. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-engine-wont-start-two-hours-later-does/1011652/27 "2024-12-21T20:08:25Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > once had a car that did that. It had an inertia switch that would turn off the fuel pump if you were in a collision. Sometimes while the car was parked, that switch would trigger and shut off the pump. After some time it would reset. It took me ages to figure out why the car wouldn’t start sometimes. > > There was a button in the trunk that you could press to reset that switch. You might want to check the owner’s manual to see if your car has a similar feature. I had a Honda civic once that had notorious malfunction of the relay next to the pedals in winter. After getting out of the heated cabin cold air would come in e.g. when you’re buying gas. And the relay would shut off the fuel pump. After a few minutes the relay would warm up again and everything would work as intended. Problem was a cold solder joint. Left me quite a number of times stranded at the gas station until I figured this out through the Internet - redid the solder and never had problems again. Tldr: it might be completely different from what you might think. Check on the internet-fora for your make and model. ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2024, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-engine-wont-start-two-hours-later-does/1011652/28 "2024-12-21T21:49:17Z")
If it breaks down again, I’ll let you know. But Thanks! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-engine-wont-start-two-hours-later-does/1011652.md?page=1)