# Loose negative, and starter eventually quit **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** toyota, camry\ **Created:** [January 11, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/loose-negative-and-starter-eventually-quit/42289 "2010-01-11T16:44:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mipackback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/54ee81/32.png) [@mipackback](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mipackback)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/loose-negative-and-starter-eventually-quit/42289/1 "2010-01-11T16:44:15Z")
Got a new battery from a big box store that provided free installation. Came home one night and turned the car off, but the engine kept turning. Discovered the negative terminal was loose, and now the starter is getting progressively more resistant to starting the car. I’m now in the click and hum phase. So is my car starter the sole problem, a non-problem, or one of several problems now 2000 Toyota Camry ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/loose-negative-and-starter-eventually-quit/42289/2 "2010-01-11T16:50:52Z")
It sounds like the battery is discharged. I recommend you put a charger on it and charge it up for at least a few hours using a 10 amp charger. Have the charging system tested at a shop by doing a load test. This will tell you what is going on and needs to be done to correct any problem with the charging system. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/loose-negative-and-starter-eventually-quit/42289/3 "2010-01-11T17:22:38Z")
How long ago did you get the battery, and how long ago did the “car off, engine still turning” happen? ---
**Author:** ![mipackback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/54ee81/32.png) [@mipackback](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mipackback)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/loose-negative-and-starter-eventually-quit/42289/4 "2010-01-11T19:37:02Z")
got the battery in the beginning December or just before Tday. Then came home and the car kept turning over (not running but I think the starter was turning it) around end of Dec or very beginning of January. ---
**Author:** ![mipackback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/54ee81/32.png) [@mipackback](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mipackback)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/loose-negative-and-starter-eventually-quit/42289/5 "2010-01-11T19:47:25Z")
I feel like I should rewrite this: Got the battery before Thanksgiving. Drove the car and felt like the lights weren’t as bright as could be on occasion. Then one night in late December came home and the car kept turning. I looked at the problem and notice the negative terminal was loose. Bought new terminals, noticed that the car didn’t always start right away, but it was okay. Then the car got into the click and hum mode. Changed the terminals in late December and then just the past 2 days I’m in the click and hum mode.