Hello,
I have a '92 Honda Accord LX and has 200,000 mi. When I tried to start the car it will not start. The engine will not turn over and a rapid clicking will follow a few seconds later. I do not think its the battery b/c the radio still works as well as the lights. I’m suspecting it might be the starter motor or the solenoid? Thank you very much for you HELP…
How Old Is That Old Battery ?
A defective battery can be capable of illuminating lights and running the radio and yet not provide the current necessary to crank the car over.
Dirty or corroded battery cables and engine / transmission ground straps can also cause the condition you are describing.
Disconnect cables and clean them and the terminals. Next, try a jump start. If it jump starts then your starter and solenoid are good.
If that battery is older than 5 years then a new battery won’t hurt, anyhow.
CSA
Lights and radio use very little power to run. The starter on the other hand uses lots of juice from the battery. The clicking is very likely the solenoid which indicates a weak battery.
The best option is to put a charger on the battery for a couple of hours and see if the car will start. Or, jump start the car with a jumper box, or a donor car and jumper cables, Then get the battery tested at an auto parts store. If the car hasn’t been run for a couple of weeks it could be a good battery that simply needs a charge.
Your problem is a weak battery. The question is; do you need to replace the battery or simply charge it up?