# Car makes clicking sound and won't start

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-makes-clicking-sound-and-wont-start/1632>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [July 12, 2007, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-makes-clicking-sound-and-wont-start/1632 "2007-07-12T22:26:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Davidss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Davidss](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Davidss)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-makes-clicking-sound-and-wont-start/1632/1 "2007-07-12T22:26:15Z")

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I just came back from being away for a month, and my car will not start. It was stored in a garage the whole time I was away. The car makes a fast clicking sound when I try to start it. I tried using the jumper cables in case it was the battery, but the car continued to make the same noise. My hunch is that there is probably something wrong with the starter. The problem also seems to have affected the alarm system and the automatic locks. This also makes me think that something is wrong with the starter because the doors usually lock automatically as soon as the car is started. I really don’t know though, so I would appreciate any other ideas or advice. Thanks!

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 11:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-makes-clicking-sound-and-wont-start/1632/2 "2007-07-12T23:17:51Z")

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Your battery has gone completely dead.

- mountainbike

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-makes-clicking-sound-and-wont-start/1632/3 "2007-07-12T23:28:53Z")

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It sure sounds like a battery problem. A bad battery can keep a jump from working. Also cheap jumper cables or a bad connection of a jumper cable or a bad or poor connection of a battery cable.

```
 Try removing both ends of the battery cables (both of them) and cleaning both the cable and where it goes very well and reattaching making sure they are secure. 

 I think you are going to end up with a new battery. How old is the current one?
```

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-makes-clicking-sound-and-wont-start/1632/4 "2007-07-13T03:09:45Z")

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Thanks for sharing your knowledge! We got a new battery, and now it’s working just fine.