Your Hyundai Elantra is a pretty reliable vehicle but one bad day you are trying to start it and it’s just dead. You can see lights on the dash, you can even turn on the music, but the engine doesn’t crank and there is even no clicking when you turn the key or push the engine start button.
In short, the no-start and no-click issue in your Hyundai Elantra may happen because of a completely dead battery, stuck or broken starter motor, faulty ignition switch, loose connections, or bad wiring. There are other less common issues that I will also tell you about in this article.
So, today, I want to look exactly at the Elantra. I’ll be talking about the vehicles that were produced within the nearest decade but most of what I tell you about will also be applicable to older Elantras.
This no-start and no-click issue is not really common for the Elantra but several people asked me about it and I decided to write what I know in this article.
What are the reasons for Elantra not starting and not clicking?
First of all, let’s discuss the reasons why this may happen. You need to calm down a bit and register what you see and hear when this happens.
For example, if there are no lights when you turn on the ignition, the most obvious reason for the problem is the dead battery. If everything works fine but the starter seems completely dead, there may be an issue with connections or wiring.
But let’s discuss all those possible reasons in detail to let you diagnose the car right there and then and get a clear view of what’s happening with your Elantra.
Here are the most common reasons:
1. The battery is dead
When there is no clicking and no cranking once you turn the key in the ignition to its final position or press the push-start button, in most cases, the culprit for this is the dead 12V battery. This may have happened after your Elantra has been sitting for a long time without driving or even starting its engine.
Also, 12V batteries are prone to parasitic drains and other issues. If this happened in winter, the battery may have been weak, and under the night’s freezing temperatures, it lost its last juice.
So, the dead battery symptoms are as follows:
- no cranking and no clicking (although some noises from the starter may still be heard sometimes);
- no lights or very dim lights;
- the infotainment doesn’t want to turn on;
- some kinds of error messages may appear due to low voltage.
It’s not that hard to check this. You can use a booster, battery charger, or just another car with the normal battery. Boost, charge, or jump-start the battery and then try to turn on the engine. If it starts, you may be sure that you most likely need the new 12V battery.
2. Connections and wires
No cranking and no clicking in your Elantra may be the consequence of a lost connection or broken wire. Several wires take part in the process of starting your car. The most obvious one is the wire that connects the starter to the 12V battery.
Also, the wires in your ignition cylinder or push-start button may have gone bad. ECU connections and wiring are one more possible reason for this issue. Unfortunately, locating the lost connection is not as easy as checking up on the dead battery.
If you think this is the case with your Elantra, you should plan a visit to a car mechanic. Using a proper scanner tool, they can quickly locate the lost connection and then find the reason for the no-start and no-click issue.
Most often, Elantras aren’t prone to electrical problems. But they may develop these issues after experiencing water damage. It’s not only about floods and heavy rains but also about spilled coffee onto the push-start button or careless refilling of antifreeze and pouring it right over some wires and connections.
3. Starter failure or bendix issues
One more possible problem is that the starter itself is broken or stuck. In this case, you will notice that the lights on your dash go a little dimmer when you try to start the engine. There may or may not be some clicks from the starter depending on what exactly failed.
In most cases, the culprit for this issue is the starter solenoid. It may have gone bad and now doesn’t send the needed signals or current to the starter itself. As a result, the starter is dead.
But one more possible issue is that the bendix may have gotten stuck over the flywheel. The bendix is the unit with the gear that comes in contact with the flywheel and cranks the engine. When the engine is started, the bendix is moved away from the flywheel with the starter relay. If it’s not done, the bendix will keep rotating and may get stuck. Now, the starter tried to crank the engine but can’t because of the stuck bendix.
Whatever happened with your starter, you will need professional help. One possible way to solve the issue is to hit the starter solenoid lightly with something like a small hammer. It may unstick some contacts or move the bendix from its stuck position.
4. The ignition cylinder or the push-start button
To start the engine, you will need to send some signals from your dash directly to the starter. Also, other parts of your engine should start doing their job like sending fuel to the combustion chamber. This all starts with turning the key in the ignition cylinder or pushing the engine-start button in your Elantra.
But if something goes wrong in the ignition cylinder or in the button, the signal doesn’t get through and the starter just doesn’t know you want it to rotate and crank the engine.
This is a pretty common situation for Hyundai cars with high mileage on them. To replace the ignition cylinder, first, make sure it’s the culprit for your problems. You will anyway need a professional inspection before making up your mind about buying some expensive parts.
In most cases, the button or the ignition cylinder is not repairable and needs to be replaced. But still, they don’t commonly fail on the majority of vehicles.
5. Anti-theft system in your Elantra
Although, in most cases, your OEM anti-theft system in the Hyundai Elantra doesn’t block the cranking and only blocks the fuel supply, some aftermarket anti-theft may cut off the electricity supply to the starter to avoid even cranking.
The Elantra will most likely tell you something like it can’t identify the key. But again, aftermarket anti-theft systems will stay silent and just do their job. It doesn’t mean that you actually lost your key but it may mean that the system is malfunctioning and activating the immobilizer for a false reason.
Unfortunately, deactivating any anti-theft system is not that easy. When it starts glitching, you are likely to need some professional help. Also, you need to know that your car is not likely to be able to move without a tow truck.
But you may try one thing. Disconnect the battery and take off both cables from the terminals for more than 5-10 minutes and then connect them back. Try starting the engine. This may restart the system and let you start the car because the newly launched anti-theft equipment won’t find any problems.
Can you push start your Elantra if there is no cranking and no clicking?
The majority of Elantras in the US came with automatic transmissions, so no, you can’t push-start these cars. The only way to deal with the problem is to find the reason and repair the vehicle.
You may still try jump-starting the Elantra and this will help if your 12V battery is the main culprit. But in all other cases, you will need a proper repair before you will be able to start the car successfully.
What should you do in your Elantra if it doesn’t crank and click?
So, let’s try to finalize what we discussed today and make a certain conclusion that would help people who are right now in this unpleasant situation with their cars.
Here’s what you should do:
- Stay calm and try to identify the problem using the information in this article.
- You may check the battery, hit the starter with something gently, check the wires that you can see and reach, and reset the car by disconnecting the battery.
- If nothing helps, you shouldn’t try starting the car anymore – you can only make things worse.
- Look for help. You may ask a mechanic from a local shop to come and diagnose your vehicle or call a tow truck which is more natural, in my opinion.
- Get your vehicle towed directly to the trusted repair shop or to the dealership.
- Describe the situation with all the details to the mechanic or shop manager.
- Take your vehicle in several hours and don’t forget to pay the bill.
Although this is an unpleasant situation, it won’t cost you a lot to solve, in most cases. The most expensive problems are starter failure and complicated wiring issues. If you are lucky enough, you will pay just about a hundred dollars for the inspection and repair. But not all Elantra owners will be that lucky!
If you have experienced no-start no-click issues in your Elantra, comment below and help readers find proper solutions!