Car Won’t Start at Home? 3 Crucial Steps to Take Immediately

While there are worse places for a vehicle breakdown than your own driveway, a car that won’t start can quickly disrupt your day and leave you wondering what to do next.

According to industry estimates, there are around 7,000 vehicle breakdowns in the UK every day, making unexpected car problems a common occurrence for motorists.

The good news is that if your car breaks down at home, there are a few simple steps you can take to help identify the issue and speed up the recovery process.

What to Do If Your Car Won’t Start at Home

Whether you drive an older vehicle or a brand-new car, home breakdowns can happen at any time of year.

Follow these three important steps to help get the situation resolved as quickly as possible.

1. Try to Understand What the Problem Is

Unless you’re a qualified mechanic, you may not know exactly what’s causing the issue. However, using your senses can often provide valuable clues.

Look for Warning Lights

If dashboard warning lights appear when you turn on the ignition:

• Take a photo of any warning messages.
• Make a note of any symbols displayed.
• Record any text shown on the dashboard.

This information can be extremely useful when speaking to a recovery provider or mechanic.

Listen Carefully

When you attempt to start the car, pay attention to any sounds.

Ask yourself:

• Is there a clicking noise?
• Is there a grinding sound?
• Can you hear the engine trying to turn over?
• Is there a rattling noise?

Many vehicle faults can be identified from the sounds they produce, helping recovery specialists diagnose the issue faster.

Use Your Sense of Smell

Strange smells can also provide clues about what’s wrong.

Examples include:

• Petrol or diesel smells may indicate a fuel system issue.
• Rotten egg smells can be a sign of a failing catalytic converter.
• Burning paper or burning clutch smells may point to clutch-related problems.

The more information you can gather by looking, listening, and smelling, the easier it may be to identify the fault and ensure the correct recovery assistance is sent.

This also helps Granite Breakdown determine the most suitable recovery solution for your needs.

2. Prepare for Breakdown Recovery

If you’re confident your vehicle will require professional assistance, it’s worth preparing in advance before the recovery vehicle arrives.

Have Your Garage Details Ready

Do you regularly use a local mechanic or garage?

If so:

• Find their address.
• Locate their contact details.
• Have their information ready to share.

This helps ensure your vehicle can be transported directly to your preferred repairer.

If your breakdown occurs outside normal business hours, it’s courteous to contact your garage and let them know your vehicle may be arriving.

Separate Your Keys

Many drivers keep house keys and vehicle keys on the same keyring.

Before recovery:

• Remove house keys from the keyring where possible.
• Keep only the vehicle key with the car.

This ensures you can still access your property and other belongings while your vehicle is being repaired.

Remove Important Valuables

If your vehicle is heading to a garage, remember to remove any items you’ll need.

Examples include:

• Mobile phone
• Wallet or handbag
• Work equipment
• Medication
• Important documents

You don’t want essential belongings locked inside your vehicle if it’s being stored or repaired for several days.

Preparing for recovery ahead of time can make the entire process smoother and more efficient.

3. Call Granite Breakdown on 028 9002 9457

If your vehicle won’t start and you’ve completed the steps above, it’s time to arrange professional assistance.

Granite Breakdown, a division of CRASH Services, provides breakdown recovery and roadside assistance throughout Northern Ireland.

What Granite Breakdown Will Ask You

When you contact the team, they’ll typically ask:

• What you think may be wrong with the vehicle
• Whether the vehicle can be unlocked
• Whether any dashboard lights are illuminated
• Whether there is fuel in the vehicle
• Which garage you would prefer the vehicle to be taken to

Because you’ve already gathered information during steps one and two, you’ll be able to provide useful details that can help determine the most appropriate recovery vehicle to send.

Then Leave the Rest to the Experts

Once you’ve made the call, you can return to the comfort of your home while the team makes their way to you.

Granite Breakdown aims to respond as quickly as possible and, in many cases, recovery assistance arrives within approximately one hour.