Hyundai Elantra Won’t Start (Causes And Solutions)

Your Hyundai Elantra slapping you with starting problems can be a bad experience, especially when you’re in a hurry to leave. In this guide, we’ll help you troubleshoot your car starting problem and offer you tips on how to fix the issue

Hyundai Elantra won’t start can be a result of a dead battery, faulty starter, failing alternator, ignition system issues, fuel system issues, electrical system issues, or a malfunctioning security system.

This article covers everything you need to know about your Hyundai refusing to start. We’ll discuss each of the potential causes behind this problem. Plus, we’ll offer you troubleshooting tips to help fix these issues and make your car reliably start again.

Why Hyundai Elantra Won’t Start

There are many potential reasons behind your Hyundai Elantra not starting. Below are the most common causes:

Dead battery

If your Hyundai Elantra is having starting troubles, the most common culprit to consider is a dead battery.

When the battery is dead or low on voltage, it won’t supply the necessary power to activate the starter motor and your car won’t start.

A dead battery can be caused by a faulty charging system leaving the lights on throughout the night, or the battery becoming defective due to old age.

Solution: You’ll need to check if your battery is dead. One way to do so is to try and jumpstart your car. If the car starts, you probably have a dead battery.

You can also try to turn on the headlights; if they appear dim or don’t come on, you may have a dead battery.

But the most accurate way to tell if you have a dead battery is to test it with a multimeter.

If it registers a voltage below 12V, your battery could be dead. A dead battery should be replaced with a new one.

Corroded battery terminals

Sometimes corrosion tends to attack your battery terminals and cables. This can prevent a good electrical connection between the rest of your electrical system and the battery. Consequently, there will be no power to start your engine.

Solution: Inspect your battery terminals and cables for corrosion. It usually appears as a whitish or greenish substance attached to the metal parts.

In case of any corrosion, try removing it with a wire brush and then use a water-baking soda mixture to clean off the remaining residue.

Failing alternator

If the battery is in good health, then the issue making your car fail to start could be a bad alternator.

As you already know, your car alternator plays an important role in charging your battery when the engine is in operation.

If it starts falling, it won’t be able to charge your battery. A drained battery will then be unable to start your car.

Solution: Have your alternator and charging system inspected by a mechanic to ensure they’re functioning correctly.

In case of any faults, the mechanic will recommend the best repairs/replacement to fix the problem.

Starter motor problems

Another common cause for Hyundai Elantra starting problems is a defective motor.

The easiest way to tell if you have a bad starter is when you hear a clicking sound and the engine doesn’t crank when you turn the key in ignition.

A faulty starter won’t be able to turn over your engine, causing a no-start situation.

Solution: Get a reliable mechanic to inspect your starter motor and repair it as necessary. A bad starter should be replaced.

This fix is best left to professionals who can properly repair any electrical connections or replace the motor.

Faulty ignition switch

A failing ignition switch is another common culprit that causes Hyundai Elantra cars not to start.

The ignition switch initiates your car’s starting process by facilitating power transfer to various components. If this switch becomes faulty, it may keep your engine from running.

Solution: Get a professional auto technician to inspect and replace your ignition switch if it’s faulty. Attempting to replace the ignition switch on your own without proper knowledge can lead to further damage to your electrical system.

Fuel system issues

Your Hyundai Elantra may also fail to come on if the fuel delivery system develops issues. For instance, insufficient fuel in the gas tank is a common cause of starting problems.

Other issues with the fuel system that lead to starting problems include a clogged fuel filter, defective fuel pump, faulty fuel injector, blocked fuel line, or even contaminated fuel.

Solution: Check the level of fuel in the tank and top it up if necessary. Inspect the fuel system for leaks and repair them ASAP.

Inspect the fuel lines for signs of damage and replace the damaged sections as soon as possible.

Check fuel injectors for clogging and replace them if necessary. Inspect the fuel and engine air filter as well and replace them as necessary.

Ignition system issues

It’s also likely that your vehicle has ignition system problems that are causing starting troubles.

As you may already, the ignition system produces the spark required to ignite the air/fuel mixture in your engine. If this system develops an issue, it can keep your engine from starting.

The most common issue with the ignition is worn-out or damaged spark plugs. A faulty ignition control module (ICM) can also cause starting problems.

This module controls how often the sparks are sent to the spark plugs, so it can affect the starting process if it malfunctions.

Solution: Inspect your spark plugs for signs of damage or wear, and replace them if necessary. If any spark plugs are loose, be sure to fix their connections.

Electrical system issues

Your Hyundai Elantra will also show starting problems if there’s an issue with its electrical system. This is especially true for the fuses or circuit breakers related to the starting system.

If any of these fuses blows, the affected electrical component won’t be able to function properly, and your car may fail to start.

Problems with the wiring in your electrical system may also prevent your car from starting. The wiring may be loosely connected, damaged, or corroded, thus interrupting proper flow of electric current.

Solution: Start by checking all the fuses in your car’s fuse box. If you find any blown fuse, replace it with a new one. Next, inspect your wiring.

Look out for frayed wires, loose connections, corrosion, etc. If you find any issues, find them as necessary.

If the issue persists, consider taking your car to a qualified mechanic or auto electrician for further inspection.

Why Hyundai Elantra Won’t Start And Makes A Clicking Noise

If your car won’t start and you hear a clicking noise, this is your part. To understand what is happening to your car, you’ll first need to determine if the clicking sound is just a single click or a series of clicks.

If you hear fast-paced series of clicks when you turn on the key, the key culprit to consider is a dead battery.

Low battery means there isn’t enough power to activate the starter motor, resulting in a clicking noise when you turn on your car. Try to jumpstart your car to see if it helps.

Corrosion on your battery terminals can also prevent your starter motor from getting sufficient power supply from the battery. This is another reason you may her fast-packed cling sounds. Inspect your battery terminals and clean them if necessary.

Likewise, corroded or loose battery cables may be the culprit, so you should check them as well.

If the starter motor itself is faulty, it won’t be able to turn your engine over during the starting process. And this will lead to a clicking sound being produced.

A bad starter solenoid will also be unable to engage your starter motor, resulting in a clicking sound. Have it checked by a qualified auto technician and repaired or replaced as necessary.

Why Hyundai Elantra Won’t Start And There’s No Clicking Noise

Sometimes your Hyundai Elantra may fail to start but make no clicking noise. This could be caused by a variety of issues.

The key culprit to consider is a dead battery. If your battery is completely dead, there won’t be sufficient power for engaging the starter motor.

This leads to total silence when you try to turn the key. You can try jump-starting your car to see if it fixes the starting problem.

If your starter motor has failed completely, it also won’t produce any clicking sound when you attempt to start your car.

A faulty ignition switch will also be unable to send power to the starter motor, and this may be another reason you’ll hear no clicking sound.

Other likely causes behind this problem include wiring issues in your car’s electrical system, e.g. corroded or loose connections, damaged, broken wires, and a faulty neutral switch.

Why Hyundai Elantra Won’t Start Sometimes

Your Hyundai Elantra may also fail to start sometimes (i.e. start intermittently) due to a variety of issues. One common cause is a faulty starter.

If this component is failing, it won’t be able to engage your engine sometimes, leading to your car failing to start.

If your battery is failing or weak, it will also be unable to produce enough power to start your car intermittently. It may work fine today but fail the next day, depending on the amount of power left in it.

Other potential causes of this intermittent starting behavior include loose or corroded battery terminals, problems with the ignition switch, electrical issues, and fuel delivery system issues.

Why Hyundai Elantra Won’t Start In Cold

It’s also common for Hyundai Elantra cars to fail to start in cold. When this happens, you’d want to first check if your battery has enough power.

Battery power capacity tends to decrease in cold weather, making it unable to start the engine.

If you have an old battery or one that’s already weak, it’s even more likely to be affected by cold weather.

Decreased temperatures may also cause engine oil to thicken. This can make it harder to flow through the engine, causing the engine unable to turn over or start.

If you have old engine oil or used thicker engine oils, it’s more likely to get affected.

Other reasons you may encounter a no-start situation in cold weather include a malfunctioning starter motor, faulty spark plugs, or a clogged oil filter.

Starting issues aren’t exclusive to the Hyundai Elantra. Another model in the Hyundai lineup, the Hyundai Sonata, has its unique challenges when it comes to ignition. Some Sonata owners have reported a particular clicking noise when attempting to start their cars. To delve into this issue further, consider reading our detailed article on why the Hyundai Sonata won’t start and produces a clicking noise. On a related note, GMC Sierra drivers sometimes face the opposite scenario: their vehicles won’t start and there’s no clicking noise at all. Our guide on the reasons a GMC Sierra won’t start without a click can help shed light on this perplexing situation.

Conclusion

Dealing with your Hyundai Elantra no-start situation for the first time can be mind-boggling, as you don’t know where to start. This article has just highlighted the most likely causes behind this issue, including a dead battery, failing alternator, bad starter motor, fuel system issues, failing ignition switch, bad spark plugs, and electrical system problems.

We have provided you with troubleshooting tips for each of these potential causes, so you should be able to know the next steps to take depending on the problem you’re dealing with. Make sure you first find out the exact issue causing your car to fail to start before jumping into any repairs. And be sure to consult a certified auto mechanic where necessary.