Wasted $150 on a new battery and that wasn’t the problem. Car battery was dead but the engine wouldn’t crank. Could this be the starter or alternator? Any educated guesses? As a side note the dashboard lights come on. I don’t want to waste more money as I’m disabled because of MS and disability doesn’t afford you many options.
You have to test the alternator and the starter. Parts stores do this for free but you’ll have to get the car there.
Which is why I was leaning towards a mobile mechanic.
If you put a new charged battery in and it still didn’t crank at all, might be the starter. Did it make any sound at all when you turned the key.
Just to clarify. How did you know the battery was dead or did you just assume it was? If the battery was dead, then the issue was why? Alternator not working or parasitic drain on the battery. Still if you put a new battery in and the starter does not work, that would lead to a bad starter or the wiring. Still suggests the original battery was not dead. The coincidence of two problems at the same time? Not likely.
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I would be looking at cables and ground connection.
I presume this is a no-crank – you don’t hear the normal rrr rr rrr sound with the key in “start” — and you have no major engine mechanical problems. That’s probably the most common question we get here, so you are not alone. If a quick check for the obvious comes up blank, the best way to get to the bottom of a no-crank is to ask your shop to measure the voltage at the starter motor’s two terminals with the key in “start”, probing between the terminal and the starter case. If both measure 10.5 volts or greater, replace the starter motor. If either is below 10.5 volts, begin at the starter and work towards the battery to find out why. Common causes for the latter are fuses, anti-theft system, neutral safety switch, ignition switch, battery, battery connections, battery cable, grounds.
No noise at all. Not even a struggle to start the vehicle.
The Triple A dude told me the battery was dead.
No. No crank. Measuring the voltage would be something a mobile mechanic would most likely do. Correct? i don’t want to be a pain in anyone’s ass but, I’m disabled with MS so since I can’t work I can’t afford to waste money like I did yesterday on a new battery. My roommate tried jumping my vehicle with his truck and nothing. The best I can get is the dashboard lights coming on and the ding-ding-ding when I open the car door and the keys are in the ignition.
In addition, my roommate tried starting my vehicle with his truck and nothing. This was before I got the new battery.
No click? If not, it may be the starter. If the alternator failed, that would stop charging the battery, but it should still start if the starter is functional. Is your roommate going to do the work, or are you hiring someone? If your roomie does it, pull the starter and take it to a parts chain. They can check the starter. If it fails, you can buy one while the two of you are there.
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Got a mobile mechanic coming out tomorrow to give it a check-out.
Roommate is gone and only knows a little more about autos than I do. And I know next to nothing. So I have a mobile mechanic coming out tomorrow to diagnose the problem.
Let’s cross our fingers that he can fix the problem.
Good news, then. The replacement battery was probably in need of replacement, but was only part of the problem.
I look forward to hearing what the traveling mech finds.
Crisis averted. The arm shifter is so loose that I was trying to start it in gear. I usually start it in neutral. I tried several times but kept missing neutral. I had this happen before but I’ve always found neutral. I never put it in park because it is very difficult to get out of and it feels like the arm shifter is gonna break. I don’t want to deal with that headache and the cost associated. Besides feeling like an incompetent ass. A lot of money was saved. I was able to put gas in the car and get a haircut. Hallelujah!
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So what did you do . . .?
Replace the shifter assembly . . . ?
Replace shift lever bushing(s) . . . ?
Tighten a loose connection . . . ?
What is this mystery vehicle, anyways?
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Congrats. Another neutral safety switch problem solved. Good for you.
I read the “hidden” comments
All I can say is . . . I’m glad the crisis is averted, to use your words 