You try to start your car and nothing

happens. Compare your car's symptoms to

Auto our troubleshooting list to see what's wrong.
Monthly When you turn the key:
January Edition
Symptom: The lights don't work and the engine is
silent.
Diagnosis: The battery could be dead. Check the
cables and ground connections.
Symptom: The lights work. The engine makes a
clicking noise but it doesn't turn over.
Diagnosis: There could be a loose connection
involving the starter or starter relay.
Symptom: The lights work but the engine is silent.
Diagnosis: The starter could be bad, or you have a
failing ignition switch.
A mechanic can replace your ignition switch, battery
cables, or starter. If your battery is dead, you can
replace or charge it yourself after a jump start. Your
car should start normally once it's charged. However,
if the battery doesn't hold the charge, there could be
problems in the charging system. Have a mechanic
check the alternator, voltage regulator, and battery.

Get ready!
o Before you read the passage,
talk about these questions.
1 How do you start a car?
2 How can you start a car that has a dead battery?
e Fill in the blanks with the
correct words and phrases
from the word bank.
Reading -- {~'-fd
\W,O!f' ,p;:...u'u.u...._ _ _ _- - '
f) Read the troubleshooting guide. Mark the following -
\.. .. -----,-- .._--';:;-------
-

statements as true (T) or false (F). alternator turn over

jump start ground
1 _ If an ignition switch is bad, a car's lights won't work.
starter relay clicking
2 _ The article recommends that professionals handle all
work with batteries. 1 Attach these cables to your
3 _ A malfunctioning alternator could lead to a dead battery. battery before the

2 When I turned the key, I heard

Vocabulary a(n) sound.
8 Read the sentence pair. Then, choose where the 3 Electric current is sent by the
words best fit the blanks.
4 A bad _ __ _ _ can lead
1 turn over I charge
a dead battery.
A Because of a bad starter, the engine won't
5 ', ef'] th e engine doesn't
_ _ __ _ , the car
B A dead battery has no _ _ _ _ __
coesn't start.
2 charging system I key 6 "'\ _ _ __ _ is attached
A Every car has a unique _ _ _ _ __ : a battery's negative terminal
&nd completes the circuit.
B If the battery is dead, check the _ _ _ _ __
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o" Listen and read the troubleshooting Speaking
guide again. How can you tell that a car
battery is dead?
«1) With a partner, act out the roles below
based on Task 7. Then switch roles.
USE LANGUAGE SUCH AS:
istening
Let's see if we can find out ...
• " Listen to a conversation between a
What happens when you ...
customer and mechanic. Choose the
correct answers. It's probably the ...

What is likely the problem?

A The battery is dead. Student A: You are a mechanic. Talk to
B The car is out of gasoline. Student B about:

C The spark plugs are not firing. • a car that won't start
o The ignition switch isn't working. • what works in the car
• what the problem may be
2 What does the woman tell the man to do?
A Replace the battery.
Student B: You are a car owner. Talk to
B Turn off all electronic devices. Student A about your car not starting.
C Have the car towed to the shop.
o Get someone to jump start the car.

o " Listen again and complete the Writing

conversation. o Use the conversation from Task 8 to fill
out the check-in sheet.
· echanic: Let's see if we can find out what's
wrong.
Customer: Oh, great. Thank you.
il echanic: First, I know this sounds silly, 1 _ __
_ __ ___ ___ gas in the tank?
Customer: Yes, I filled the tank last night.
· echanic: Okay. When the key is turned, can you
switch the radio on?
Customer: Yes, the radio works, 2 ___ ___
_ __ the lights.
• echanic: .Good, that means the battery has
some charge. What happens when you
3 ?
",ustomer: Nothing.
1 echanic: Does the engine 4 _ ____ ? Customer: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Customer: No, not at all. Problem with car: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
· echanic: Does the engine make a 5 _ __ Describe symptoms: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
--?
Customer: No, there's no sound 6 _ _ _ __
.1 echanic: 7 the ignition switch or Likely cause of problem: _ _ _ _ _ __
the starter. You'd better have the car
towed in so we can have it properly
checked.

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