# Trouble cranking

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/trouble-cranking/59656>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** starting, mazda6\
**Created:** [January 7, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trouble-cranking/59656 "2011-01-07T15:25:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![starter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@starter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/starter)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trouble-cranking/59656/1 "2011-01-07T15:25:49Z")

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On two occasions this week after driving & parking the car,when I tried to start up again I turned the ignition key on & nothing happened.  
  
 The dash board dials swung wildly when I tried to crank. Both times I waited a few minutes , turned the key again & it cranked right over. It was not a weak crank like the battery was dead.Could it be a bad cell in the battery ?

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trouble-cranking/59656/2 "2011-01-07T15:35:41Z")

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The first thing to do is just pull and clean your battery terminals. Then put them back on and make sure they’re tight.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trouble-cranking/59656/3 "2011-01-07T15:44:57Z")

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And make sure BOTH ends of the cables are also clean (well I guess you should already have the battery ends cleaned.)

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**Author:** ![starter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@starter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/starter)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trouble-cranking/59656/4 "2011-01-07T23:52:21Z")

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Thanks…everything is wire brushed…

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**Author:** ![SteveRB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@SteveRB](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveRB)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 1:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trouble-cranking/59656/5 "2011-01-08T13:27:33Z")

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Did you clean the surface only or remove the cables and clean the contact surface?

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**Author:** ![starter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@starter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/starter)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trouble-cranking/59656/6 "2011-01-08T18:37:56Z")

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Thankyou… posts were wire brushed & cleaned…cables were removed & wire brushed inside & out & wiped clean…so far no starting problems…