I have had my 97 Toyota Camry for about 2.5 years now, and I seem to have replaced everything related to its starting possible. Tonight, the car wouldn’t start. No turning over. No clicking. Silence. My brother jumped it. We checked the battery and replaced and cleaned the battery terminals. Car started fine, then we took it to the store to get groceries. I came out and it wouldn’t start. The difference between the two times was that I didn’t turn my lights off earlier when it didn’t start and turned them off and it did. My car automatically turns the lights off, and I usually leave them on all the time. Should I not be? Are they making my battery/starter/alternator die? I keep thinking that my car is one high maintence girl.
Your battery was apparently discharged for some reason. How old is it now? The jump got it started once, but the short drive to the store was not enough to completely recharge it. If you have access to a battery charger, you might want to hook it up. Autozone will charge one for free, but you have to carry it in. They will also be able to tell you if it’s good. If the battery is up and in good condition, leaving the “autolight” feature on should be fine. Since it’s weak, I’d shut it off for now.
I had the battery tested and it is fine. In addition, tonight, I had to jump the car twice. It seems that the simple act of trying to start is too much…could it still be the battery, or do I just have a strange electrical problem or something?
Take the battery and preferably your whole car to one of the auto parts stores that will check the battery and charging system for free. I suspect they will find and you need to replace the battery. It is also possible that it might just need a good charge.