Car stopped suddenly and won’t start again, makes the noise to start but won’t fire up

Car has been runningbeados crystal designer studio fine until this morning when it stopped and won't start again, makes the right noise to start but won't fire up. Tried jump starting the battery but nothing. The guy from the breakdown cover said it could be the timing chain, also he noticed the engine oil was leaking into his truck. Been told it's most probably a big job, maybe needs a new engine? Only bought the car one month ago, don't know what to do.

My car has 67000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello. If the engine will not even crank over then I usually start by trying to crank the engine over by hand. If it cannot be turned then there is a serious engine problem and the engine has failed. It is common for the timing chains to fail on this engine. At one point Mini was even changing them for free. It can also be a bad sensor or a failure in the fuel pump so further testing will need to be done with a compression test also. The fact that the engine does not turn will be the first spot to diagnose as that can even be caused by a bad battery. If you need help having this repaired, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose the stalling issue and have it corrected properly.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

The most common three reasons being that your Mini Cooper is suffering from some type of alternator problem, your battery is dead, or the starter has gone bad. Of the three main reasons for your Mini Cooper not starting, a dead battery is the most common, followed by a bad alternator and then a bad starter.
The car cranks over but doesn`t start

You could have a problem with the fuel pump, or a blocked fuel filter. Another cause could be a lack of electrical power to the spark plugs. Check leads, coil packs and plugs for any obvious signs of anything out of the ordinary or loose. If in doubt have a mechanic take a look.

If the torque converter is broken, or if there is a low fluid level in the transmission, the converter will not do its job, and the car will be unable to maintain power at low speeds, which causes the engine to shut off. A defective TCS or torque converter solenoid can also cause this issue.
Why won`t my car start but the battery is good? If your car won`t start but the battery is good, the most common cause is a faulty starter – though it could also be to do with your fuel. You may have insufficient fuel to get the car going.
If your vehicle won`t start, it`s usually caused by a dying or dead battery, loose or corroded connection cables, a bad alternator or an issue with the starter. It can be hard to determine if you`re dealing with a battery or an alternator problem.
The most common reasons a Mini Cooper won`t start are a dead battery, an alternator problem, or failed starter.
The alternator helps to manage the supply of electricity by recharging the battery. When there is a bad alternator, your car will shut off while driving. This primarily happens as it affects the power supply. Alternator issues will make the engine lose power.
The most common reasons a Mini Cooper engine stalling are the fuel system, the air intake system, or the ignition system. Search our network of RepairPal Certified shops near you to speak with a technician about your issue.
Cars shouldn`t shut off while driving, but when they do, the most common culprits are: A bad crankshaft position sensor. Other sensor issues in the engine. A faulty fuel system.
When you attempt to start the vehicle, is there a clicking sound, but it won`t turn over? That may be a good sign. If a jump gets the car running, but won`t turn over again once it`s shut off, a dead battery is likely the cause.
If you`re unable to start your vehicle, check and see if the headlights and dash lights come on. If they shine bright and clear, that means that the battery and alternator are likely not the cause of the problem. If they were, there wouldn`t be enough power to run the lights.
Whirring sound: This might mean that the solenoid is worn out and unable to engage the flywheel. The sound you hear is the armature in the starter spining on its own but unable to crank the engine to start.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Car stopped suddenly and won’t start again, makes the noise to start but won’t fire up
ANSWER : Hello. If the engine will not even crank over then I usually start by trying to crank the engine over by hand. If it cannot be turned then there is a serious engine problem and the engine has failed. It is common for the timing chains to fail on this engine. At one point Mini was even changing them for free. It can also be a bad sensor or a failure in the fuel pump so further testing will need to be done with a compression test also. The fact that the engine does not turn will be the first spot to diagnose as that can even be caused by a bad battery. If you need help having this repaired, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose the stalling issue and have it corrected properly.

My car will not start Intermittently. I purchased a new battery 2 weeks ago and yesterday the car wouldn’t start. Got a jump and
ANSWER : The issue you are having is probably due to an intermittent fault in the starter motor itself or a deficiency in the starter electrical circuit, for example a large voltage drop due to a poor ground or a high resistance connection. These issues can be readily diagnosed and resolved on a mobile basis if you request a hard starting diagnostic. If you request that diagnostic, the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you promptly. Based on Toyota’s Factory Service Manual, the battery should not be disconnected if the vehicle engine is running. The battery acts as a large resistive voltage sink and consequently taking the battery out of the circuit, while the alternator is still running, can create a voltage spike on the car’s electrical system which is not good for voltage sensitive components such as the engine computer. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

Car won’t start. When trying to start, starter makes a clicking noise and then closed back hatch recloses.
ANSWER : It sounds like there is some type of drain on the battery. When there is low voltage in a battery, it can cause several symptoms. The electrical systems can act very strangely when they don’t have the correct voltage being supplied. When a battery won’t hold a charge, it can be caused by a wiring issue, a bad battery, or some type of parasitic draw that can slowly pull voltage from the battery. Some electrical diagnosis done by a professional, such as one from YourMechanic, will be necessary to pinpoint the cause.

Whenever I drive 1.5 miles, the s3 light starts blinking and then when I stop my car and come back to it, the car won’t start.
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. It is difficult to determine the issue without some more information. To start, when the check engine light illuminates, you want to scan the vehicle for diagnostic codes. These are what set the check engine light off, and are meant to tell the driver what the computer has detected is wrong. Codes can be pulled at most automotive parts stores, and by most technicians. Once you have that information you can focus in on one component or system. If the engine is truly overheating, then you want to start by checking your coolant and fluid levels. For more help with diagnosing and resolving the issue, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.

Map sensor car won’t start up good ?
ANSWER : Your MAP sensor is an important input for your computer. It helps determine the load on the engine to calculate the correct amount of fuel to inject. It sometimes takes a few seconds for the vehicle to realize that the sensor is not producing a good signal.

At that point, it will use other methods to determine the fuel rate, such as pre-programmed fuel maps, throttle position, etc. I would suggest replacing the MAP sensor and retesting. If you would like to have it checked first, a certified technician from YourMechanic will be able to scan your vehicle and test components to determine the root cause of your starting issue before making a repair.

The car crank but won’t start
ANSWER : Hi there. This does sound like an issue with the wiring. If the check engine light is coming on every now and then this means that when it does not come on there is no power to the computer. This can be the wiring harness issue or an ignition switch problem. I would have to test for voltage to the computer when the problem is occurring to be able to find where the issue lies. If you need assistance, a certified YourMechanic technician can be dispatched to your location to inspect your vehicle’s non-start issue and suggest any necessary repairs.

Car won’t start. The check engine light, battery light, and oil change light are coming on. I tried jumping the car and nothing happened. Why won’t my car start?
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.

air conditioner started making loud screeching noise and started only blowing hot air, then the noise stopped but still only blows
ANSWER : The noise is possibly from a failed compressor clutch or the compressor itself is faulty. Another possibility is the pulley bearing on the front of the compressor has failed. The issue should be fairly evident to the inspecting mechanic after some simple tests. To resolve this, the recommended diagnostic is an a/c system inspection. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.