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Hello. I have a Lexus. I drove the car local came home & parked. There were no signs of a problem. The next day I was going out and I went to warm up the car and the engine started but the car did not. I maintain the car. I make sure I give it the oil change every 3000 miles.
What do you think might be the problem? By the way it has a full tank of gas. I don’t know if I am allowed to ask you this question but I am a female & don’t know much about cars. I don’t mind taking it to the mechanic. I just dont want them to tell me is something that might not be it and they try to jerk me & charge me an arm & a leg. I would like your advice. I don’t know a mechanic that I can trust. This is new for me.
Thank You,
Jessica
Hello Jessica,
Thank you for trusting ME with your car repair question. I am confused though, you said the “engine started, but the car did not� I don’t understand that. When you turned the key to start the engine it……..made a noise, the engine turned over and over and over and tried to start but did not start? If the battery is strong, (turn on the headlights and make sure they are good and bright) then you are going to need to call a tow truck.
If you don’t really have any mechanical experience or tools to diagnose the problem…..you are better off paying the tow fee and find someone who is experienced. If the engine turns over but won’t ignite and start, you are missing one of the key ingredients to start a gasoline engine, fuel or spark or compression. When you turn the key to the ON position, you should hear a 2 second hum coming from the fuel tank. That is the electric fuel pump priming itself. If you don’t hear the hum, you could have a bad fuel pump or the pump is not getting power to it for some reason.
There is a possibility that the timing belt has broken. When the large rubber belt that is inside the engine breaks, the engine quits running. When you crank the engine over and over with a broken timing belt it sounds funny…..like the engine is spinning over faster and easier than before. Since the belt is broken there is nothing moving inside the engine….so it sounds different. Timing belts are usually replaced every 60K miles or so.
Or
You turned the key to start the engine and the engine………did nothing, the interior came on, the radio and other electrical items came on but the engine did not TURN OVER AND OVER AND OVER. Turn on the headlights and see if they are dim or not working at all.  If this was the case, I would first look at the battery and try to recharge the battery or if all else get a jump start from another vehicle and see what happens. If you still have the original battery…..its time for a replacement.
Keep me posted will ya!
Blessings,
Austin Davis