What's wrong with it
Selling a car that doesn't run
Yes, you can sell a car that won't start or doesn't run. You sign the same title you would for a running car. The car just leaves on a tow truck, with free pickup anywhere in the US.
Updated · 2 sources
The short answer
- Paperwork to sell
- Same title as a running car
- Clicking or nothing, dim dash lights
- Often a dead battery (AAA)
- One click, dash lights still on
- Often the starter (AAA)
- Swollen battery
- Don't jump it; it can burst (AAA)
- No keys
- Still sells; the title proves ownership
- Car with no key
- Usually stuck in Park, so dollies or a flatbed
Check before you call it dead
If it stopped starting recently, a few minutes with AAA's no-start checklist can tell you whether it's something small. These are signs, not repair steps (AAA):
| What happens when you turn the key | What it often points to |
|---|---|
| Clicking, or nothing at all, with dim dash lights | A dead or dying battery |
| A single click, or nothing, while the dash lights still come on | The starter |
| The engine cranks slowly | Often the starter |
| The engine cranks normally but never fires | Fuel: an empty tank, a clogged filter or a failed fuel pump relay |
| The key won't turn and the wheel won't move | The steering lock. AAA suggests wiggling the wheel while you turn the key |
| A ticking or rattling noise, then nothing | Possibly the timing belt. AAA says to stop trying to start it, because repeated tries can do serious engine damage |
AAA also warns not to jump-start a battery that looks swollen, because it can burst and release acid.
If a jump start brings it back, a battery might be all it needs. If not, it's still a car we buy, as it sits.
How a car that doesn't run gets loaded
What you tell us decides which truck and which equipment come.
| The situation | What it changes at pickup |
|---|---|
| It rolls freely | It can be pulled or winched straight onto the truck |
| Flat tires or seized brakes | It has to be winched or lifted, not pushed |
| No keys, stuck in Park | The drive wheels can't turn, so it has to be lifted onto dollies or a flatbed |
| Wheels off, sitting on blocks | Hard to get onto a truck. Put the wheels back on if you have them |
| In a tight garage or back yard | More planning, and sometimes winching from where it sits |
| Blocked in by another car | Say so, so the other car can be moved first |
No keys
Keys aren't ownership papers; the title is. A car with no keys at all still sells.
No key mostly changes how the car is loaded. A keyless car usually can't be shifted out of Park, and the steering may be locked, so nobody can roll it. Kia's owner's manual is typical: it recommends wheel dollies or a flatbed, and for an emergency tow without dollies it says to shift into Neutral first (Kia). That's why we ask about keys.
Should you get a new key cut first? Only if you'd keep the car. For a car you're selling as it sits, a replacement key rarely changes much. Just tell us there's no key.
Starts, but won't drive
If the engine runs but the car won't move, or moves only one way, the problem is usually the transmission. See the bad-transmission guide.
If it overheats, knocks, smokes or seized while you were driving, see the blown-engine guide. If it simply hasn't moved in years, see the guide for cars that have sat for years.
What to tell us
- Year, make, model and rough mileage
- What happens when you turn the key, in your own words
- Whether it rolls, and whether the wheels are on
- Where it's parked, and whether anything blocks it in
- Keys or no keys
- Where the title is
Give those details online or at (877) 421-6008. The offer is based on your description, so leave nothing out.
The paperwork is the same
A car that doesn't run changes hands the same way as one that does: you sign the title over at pickup. If the title is lost, start with selling without a title. After the car is gone, deal with the plates and any notice of sale your state has; see after you sell.
Questions people ask
- Will anyone buy a car that doesn't run?
- Yes. The title transfer is the same as for a car that runs; it just leaves on a tow truck, at no charge.
- Can I sell a car with no keys?
- Yes. Keys aren't ownership papers; the title is. Tell us there are no keys so the driver brings the right equipment, because a car with no key often can't be shifted out of Park.
- Should I fix it before I sell it?
- Only if the fix is cheap and you're sure that's the problem, like a dead battery. Otherwise tell us what happens when you turn the key, and sell it as it sits.
- Does a car that won't start get a lower offer?
- Running or not is one factor. Mileage, the title, pickup distance and demand for its parts matter too, and non-running cars still sell.
- Do I need to be there when it's picked up?
- Plan on it. The title is signed over when the car is picked up, so the person named on it should be there.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 10, 2026.