# Ticking noise when trying to start....and its not the battery!

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/ticking-noise-when-trying-to-start-and-its-not-the-battery/41803>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** batteries, start, toyota, camry, alternators\
**Created:** [January 3, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ticking-noise-when-trying-to-start-and-its-not-the-battery/41803 "2010-01-03T20:52:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mstasha28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@mstasha28](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mstasha28)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ticking-noise-when-trying-to-start-and-its-not-the-battery/41803/1 "2010-01-03T20:52:19Z")

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Help… My Camry is a 98. Tried to start today and when the ignition is fulling turned it makes a horrible repeating ticking noise. I cleaned the connectors and got a jump but it still will not start. I had the started changed about 1.5 years ago. Any advice???

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**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ticking-noise-when-trying-to-start-and-its-not-the-battery/41803/2 "2010-01-03T21:35:59Z")

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Check all your connections ie at starter motor and ground, Check the cables to make sure there are no swollen spots indicating corrosion in a cable in need of replacement get, a free battery and starter check at the autoparts store, and see if your car has a separate starter solenoid that may need connections cleaned or replacement.

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**Author:** ![mstasha28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@mstasha28](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mstasha28)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ticking-noise-when-trying-to-start-and-its-not-the-battery/41803/3 "2010-01-03T21:44:00Z")

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Ok thanks… Im going to have to take it in somewhere. Im new to my location in California but my neighbor told me that pepboys is a good place to get repairs at a decent price. Do you recommend them? Im weary of taking it to a “chain”…

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**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ticking-noise-when-trying-to-start-and-its-not-the-battery/41803/4 "2010-01-03T21:56:03Z")

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I have never used a chain for repair preferring local independently owned shops for quality not necessarily price. Going once to have it fixed right beats the alternative. I am not saying chains are worse, just stating my preference, and I like to get the scoop on repairs and asking a cashier questions about this and that is a waste of air. Car Talk has a mechanic database if you care to look, but it sounds like a fairly simple problem that even the pep boys could fix.