Truck Won't Turn Over But Has Power - What's Wrong?

Dealing with non-start issues is probably one of the most annoying things that we have to deal with in some instances. There is nothing more frustrating than the situation when your truck won't turn over but has power.

No-start problems highlights

• Level of urgency:High
• Can you drive?Obviously, no
• DIY inspection:Possible but complicated
• DIY repair:Mostly,impossible
• Price for repair:$250 - $850
• Common Reasons:Fuel or air supply, compression, spark, electronics
• Ways to fix:Check each system that may cause no-start, check electronics

Causes For Truck Won't Turn Over But Has Power

Now let's begin the article and learn more about the causes of this annoying problem. We are going to list all of the possibilities of why your truck won't want to start but still has power.

Remember, in this segment we cover only the situation when you indeed have a good battery and there is power going from the battery to the cables, not the other way around when the battery is completely dead.

1) Defective Starter Motor

The first thing that would come to your mind is a bad starter motor. So, what is a starter motor, and why is it so important?

The starter motor is an electric motor that is activated when you turn the ignition. This starter motor rotates the crankshaft and allows the engine to start.

This is a really important component when it comes to the ability of your car to run. What is worth noting is that it is very less likely that this would be the culprit for the issue.

We are saying this because these starter motors are very heavy-duty and do not fail all of a sudden.

That's why this should be the last thing that you want to check. Starter motors are also very expensive and can cost a lot of money to get them replaced.

2) Defective Starter Solenoid

A more common failure point that can cause the car not to start even though you have power from the battery is the starter solenoid.

The starter solenoid is an electric coil mounted on top of the starter motor. You can easily notice it since it is smaller and attached to the starter motor.

This solenoid plays a crucial role when it comes to turning the electric motor because it creates a very high current from the 12v supply from the battery.

So, whenever the starter motor solenoid fails, there will be three possible outcomes. The first will be a situation when you turn the key and nothing happens.

The second situation will be the situation when you hear a single click and then nothing happens and the third situation will be a rapid clicking.

This rapid clicking sound usually indicates that you have a dead battery. This is why even if you think that your battery is full and you notice rapid clicking, the chance that the battery is dead is pretty high. 

Luckily, the replacement of this solenoid is not very expensive.

Whenever you have a problem such as this, when the truck won't turn over but has power, the solenoid is probably the most likely cause.

You can even replace this solenoid by yourself if you have a little mechanical knowledge in only an hour or two.

3) Bad Starter Relay

A bad starter relay can also be one of the culprits for the problem when the truck won't turn over but has power. So, what is a starter relay?

A starter relay is a small electronic device that is installed in the fuse box in the engine bay. This relay is plugged into the board. Visually it resembles a square and is bigger than your regular fuses.

What this relay does is that it acts as an electrical circuit completer or circuit breaker. This component just like the solenoid helps increase the battery current.

The relay is found in between the starter solenoid and the starter motor. So, if the starter relay is broken, the solenoid and the starter motor will not work.

This relay is essential because the ignition switch cannot manage to handle this amount of current that is sent to the starter solenoid.

So, when the starter relay fails, the vehicle will not be able to start. In this case, you will have a no-start issue. Luckily, these relays are pretty cheap and affordable.

4) Bad Ignition Switch

Another high probability when it comes to the problem when the truck won't turn over but has power is the case when you have a bad ignition switch. So, what is an ignition switch?

The ignition switch is a component that is specifically designed to start your engine and also turn on the accessories.

Whenever this component malfunctions, you will have a problem starting the truck. This component is located right on the cluster and in this switch, you basically insert the key. By turning the key you are activating the switch.

So, the switch comes first, then the relay, then the solenoid, and lastly the starter motor. This is the order in which you should troubleshoot the problem. But more on that, we are going to discuss it later on.

5) Rusted Terminals

Rusted-out battery terminals can also be a problem and cause an issue such as this. Why is this the case?

This is the case because the battery terminal and the clamp that connects the battery cable need to have clean contact.

If there is no good contact, for example, if the clamp is loose or there is rust development, you will have a difficult time starting the car or truck.

So, it is really important that you check the terminals and clean them with a steel brush in order to make sure that the terminals are nice and clean.

6) Bad Ground Connection

Another possibility when it comes to this problem is the case when you have a bad ground connection.

Proper ground contact is essential when it comes to allowing the battery to work normally. For this purpose, you have the negative cable that goes from the battery to the chassis of the car.

This battery cable has a connection to the chassis of the vehicle. In some cases, the connection can rust out and the cable can come loose.

In this case, you will need to reattach the cable to a place where there is no rust development and where there is proper contact between the negative wire and the chassis.

7) Bad Distributor Or Ignition Coil (Older Cars)

A bad distributor can also cause this problem to develop on your car. Some cars, especially older ones, are using distributors.

These distributors are basic components that send the electricity from the ignition coil to the spark plug at the correct ignition timing.

If the distributor is bad, you will have a difficult time starting the vehicle. This distributor also works with a single electric coil that can also fail and cause the same symptoms.

We listed both items in this chapter since this problem primarily happens on older cars. Modern vehicles do not have a distributor and have multiple ignition coils. So, the chances of getting a no-start problem are really slim because of a single bad coil.

8) Engine Is Completely Seized

And last but not least is the situation when the engine is completely seized. And this can happen, especially if the car is old and the engine was sitting for long periods of time.

Or possibly the engine ran through deep water and hydro locked. This is why if you are dealing with these types of engines, this could be the main cause for the situation when the truck won't turn over but has power.

How To Troubleshoot The Problem?

Troubleshooting this issue for a beginner can be very difficult. Mainly because you never know what can be causing this problem and the components have to be diagnosed with a multimeter.

The most logical places where you should start are the battery and the terminals. You need to make sure that there is no rust on the terminals and the battery is full. Also, make sure that the ground wire is connected properly to the chassis.

The next thing you want to check are the starter relay and the starter solenoid. These two options are probably the most common causes of this issue.

Checking the ignition switch is also a smart idea if the relay and starter solenoid are good. And if everything is good, there is a high chance that the starter motor is bad and has to be replaced.

Cost To Fix The Problem

The cost to fix this problem is relatively low. It will not cost you more than $200 to sort the problem out.

The only case when you can end up paying a lot of money is if the starter motor is bad. A new starter motor can cost $600 or a lot more depending on the model of the car. These rarely break down but they can fail at some point, especially on heavy-duty machines such as trucks.