I listened to the radio with my car off yesterday for about 2o min. It died. When i tried to start it there was no sound at all, or attempt made by my car to ‘turn over’. I jumped my car twice. The first time nothing. Then I swithced jumper cables and it started right up. Within the hour, i had stopped and started my car a couple times with no problems.
After sitting for aprx 3 hrs, i tried to start it again and nothing happened, even after i tried jumping it. When i turned my key there is no sound or anything. However, after i took my key out of the ignintion, I heard a clicking noise ‘click click click click…’ over and over for a few minutes. When i would put my key back in the clicking would stop, and then start again when i took it out. I just got this battery about 3 months ago. I live in TX and the weather has been perfect (not hot or cold). Car has 98,000 miles been running great.
Do you think this is related to my battery, ignition, solonoid, or starter?
anything helps, I just graduated college and any money saved on a mechanic is greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks.
Can you please explain the sentence “Then I switched the jumper cables and it started right up?”
Did you have the cables reversed the first time?
This information is vital.
Initially I tried using my older jumper cables, which have some cracks in the outside rubber. They were applied to the battery correctly (positive and negatives). I took the cables off and used a brand new pair and the car started without hesitation. That was the first time that my car was jumped.
A few hours later, I used a seperate set of jumper cables but they were also in really good condition. My battery is only a few months old and I would say that the terminals are pretty clean without much corrosion or stuff on the terminals.
Classic signs of a bad battery. If it’s that new, your alternator might be bad and failing to charge it properly, or you could have just gotten lucky and picked up a bad battery. Have 'em both tested.
BTW never use jumper cables with cracked insulation. You can hurt yourself or start a fire if a spark jumps to the wrong place.
Thank you for your responses, I sure hope it is just the battery but i will definitely have that tested and the alternator.
The clicking noise that i heard sounded like it was originating from inside of my car and not the engine (it sounded like it was coming from where you insert your key). From that, I found it hard to believe it was my battery if my key was not inserted when it was making the clicking noise. However, I do see how it is just the battery because the jumper cables were still conected to the battery.
Is anybody familiar with this noise occuring without the key in the ignition? And still relate this occurence to battery failure?
The clicking noise that i heard sounded like it was originating from inside of my car and not the engine (it sounded like it was coming from where you insert your key). From that, I found it hard to believe it was my battery
Low battery voltage will cause the electronics to go crazy and do all sorts of things. This clicking sound adds no proof for or against the bad battery theory.
thank you to everybody who has helped me.
If anybody wants to add any thoughts I would defintely welcome them, however CAR TALK HAS TRULY HELPED ME come to an understanding.
Thanks everybody!!!
I’m having the same issue & was wondering if you found out what it was?
Suggest to post this as a new topic @bryonna.sanders_142737 , you’ll get more answers. Click “maintenance/repairs” upper left, then “new topic”, upper right.