1997 Subaru Legacy Won't Start

sophiep

All lights/radio etc. come on but my car won't start at all. There's a leak in the engine (see photo) and I'm wondering if this is the problem...or an additional problem and if it's something I could fix on my own. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Mr_Shiftright

No, that's a split CV joint boot---another problem that needs attention. The usual repair is to replace the entire assembly with an "axle kit". Once the grease leaks out of the CV boot, then the CV joint is at risk for failure.

No-starts can be from a number of causes. What you have is a "no-crank" condition. That is, the starter motor won't turn over.

I would suggest some elementary tests. Clean and tighten your battery cables. (corrosion, looseness, bad ground)

Try to jump start the vehicle. (weak battery)

Move the gear shift to neutral and see if it starts. (neutral safety switch out of position, or fried).

Check to see if you have brake lights. If the brake light switch is bad, the car won't start (safety feature on most cars, depending on the year).

Try using a spare key. (security issue)