# 1994 Chevrolet Prizm - Won't start **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** chevrolet\ **Created:** [March 5, 2020, 5:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-chevrolet-prizm-wont-start/160375 "2020-03-05T05:55:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Vel](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Vel)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 5:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-chevrolet-prizm-wont-start/160375/1 "2020-03-05T05:55:31Z")
Jump started my car 3 times on March 2nd. Called triple A on March 3rd and diagnostics revealed bad battery but good alternator. They put a new battery in the car. March 4th car would not start… not a click, not a sound. What could it be? I don’t want to get ripped off financially by a mechanic. This car is a 1994 Geo Prism that has less than 80,000 miles so I’d like to keep it and drive if I can. It was my mother’s car and she passed in May 2019. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 1:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-chevrolet-prizm-wont-start/160375/2 "2020-03-05T13:00:52Z")
Majority of mechanics are honest. You may need to pay for a diagnosis. Having said that, you May have parasitic draw on your battery. You could check that yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Vel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Vel](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Vel)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-chevrolet-prizm-wont-start/160375/3 "2020-03-05T15:04:55Z")
Thank you for your response. I’ll check into the possibility of a parasitic draw in the battery. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-chevrolet-prizm-wont-start/160375/4 "2020-03-05T17:30:59Z")
> [@Vel](#): > > March 4th car would not start… not a click, not a sound. Do the lights work? Is the battery dead? If there is power then it sounds like the starter has failed. ---
**Author:** ![Vel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Vel](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Vel)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 6:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-chevrolet-prizm-wont-start/160375/5 "2020-03-05T18:42:22Z")
Thank you for your response. Brand new battery as of 2 days ago. Lights work. Will get starter checked. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-chevrolet-prizm-wont-start/160375/6 "2020-03-06T02:18:40Z")
You might hear a muffled thunk sound from the area of the starter when someone turns the key to Start. If you hear that but the car doesn’t start and you’re sure the battery is charged, the copper contacts in the starter solenoid (built into the side of the starter motor) are probably worn/pitted/dirty. A DIYer can take out the starter, take apart the solenoid and clean up or replace those contacts - or take the starter to an auto electric shop for repairs and testing. If you have the car towed to a repair facility, the usual is to put in a rebuilt starter, which is quick and simple. ---
**Author:** ![Vel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Vel](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Vel)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-chevrolet-prizm-wont-start/160375/7 "2020-03-06T02:21:50Z")
Thank you for your helpful feedback.