# I cant start my car! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [December 6, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326 "2018-12-06T17:01:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![naquel22\_145496](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@naquel22\_145496](https://community.cartalk.com/u/naquel22_145496)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/1 "2018-12-06T17:01:47Z")
I have a Mercedes-Vebz E-Class 2008 car. One day I drove to work and when i vegin to park it, it shut off. I changed the batteries in the smart key thinking that may be the problem, it didnt start. I checked the battery, still didnt start. Checked fuses, all good. There is power to the car from the key but it will not start up. What should I do? ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/2 "2018-12-06T17:09:32Z")
> [@naquel22\_145496](#): > > What should I do? First a better description would help. Does it crank at all. Does it crank and not fire. Any dash lights on. do the headlights work. ---
**Author:** ![naquel22\_145496](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@naquel22\_145496](https://community.cartalk.com/u/naquel22_145496)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/3 "2018-12-06T17:11:39Z")
Better Description? Everything works. But it does not crank or fire. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/4 "2018-12-06T17:23:54Z")
changed battery in smart key. checked battery. car wont crank. car is 10yrs old. how old is battery? ---
**Author:** ![naquel22\_145496](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@naquel22\_145496](https://community.cartalk.com/u/naquel22_145496)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/5 "2018-12-06T17:27:09Z")
Its old but it has 9 amps. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/6 "2018-12-06T17:32:34Z")
You need a lot more amps than that! ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/7 "2018-12-06T17:37:40Z")
And just in case you really meant volts, you need a lot more of those too! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![naquel22\_145496](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@naquel22\_145496](https://community.cartalk.com/u/naquel22_145496)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/8 "2018-12-06T17:41:31Z")
It takes 9 amps to start the car is what i meant. My point was, the battery is not the car. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/9 "2018-12-06T17:42:06Z")
It takes a lot more than 9 amps to start a car. ---
**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/10 "2018-12-06T17:44:23Z")
If it won’t do anything wiggle the shifter around, or if you can, turn on the key and move the shifter from P to N. Then try to start the engine. ---
**Author:** ![naquel22\_145496](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@naquel22\_145496](https://community.cartalk.com/u/naquel22_145496)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 5:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/11 "2018-12-06T17:46:15Z")
I tried the first part already. Ill try the second now. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/i-cant-start-my-car/130326/12 "2018-12-06T18:29:02Z")
anything in the 9 range while talking cars is not good since car uses 12v system. joe bob can put meter on battery. what is voltage? easy enough what is/are amps? not easy for casual user to measure that as most dont have that type of equipment clean battery terminals. use jump pack or jumper or charger does car crank? yes-no? than you go on to next step