senzbar

I am stationed in Europe at the moment and my wife has been driving my car.

She last drove it a week ago and when she got in to drive last night it would not start - Not even a "click". Interior lights worked, radio etc.

Could be the battery of course with not enough voltage threshold to even engage starter solenoid.

But I was looking for other things she could check before I come back in 3 weeks. I will deal with a battery replacement then if required.

She confirmed car is in "park".

Any suggestions another override or how to determine the battery is not up to th etask?

Thanks

JohnnyCake

Are the headlights at full brightness? When she turns the key, do they dim?

It could be lots of things, but starting on the cheap, I'd clean the battery terminals.

ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

Turning all the "Extras" (radio, nav screen, etc) and headlights off could help push the threshold to allow a start too. Jumping the car might also prove to be helpful.

R052822

Maybe the immobiliser. Just lock and unlock the drivers door (while sitting in the car) with the switch in the door.
It happens sometimes waiting to long between unlock the door with the remote and start....

mandyfig

Headlights on is the 1st step, if they are fully lit, it is not the battery. Then maybe it could be your key, lost the battery and therefore acts like no key present.

SC43052

Good recommendations from previous posters. Nine times out of ten non-starting is due to battery.

1. Make sure the gear shift lever is solidly in park. Try a second key if you have.
2. Turn everything else off, turn on headlights and check brightness.
3. Open hood and have a second person listen carefully for solenoid click when key is turned.
3. Try jumping the car. Attach the second car and let it sit for at least two to three minutes before trying to crank the engine. Again, listen for the solenoid click. If there is no click and the engine doesn't crank then likely the starting voltage is not being received by the solenoid and you need to figure out why the ECM is not releasing the solenoid voltage.

JohnnyCake

I'm pretty sure that the car will crank when there is an immobilizer issue. I think the immobilizer controls the fuel injection/ignition via the ECU, not power to the starter. You should be able to crank, even if there is an immobilizer issue

JohnnyCake

I am diagnosing a very similar problem (no crank at all, lights full brightness, do not dim when key turned to start) that happens very rarely.

I, too, figured that if the lights are fully lit, then it is not the battery. But a number of sources are saying that the starter will not activate if there is a good battery, but insufficient amps through a bad battery connection.

And that just doesn't make sense to me because it would seem like in that situation, the starter would take all it could get, dimming the lights, even if it wasn't enough to actually turn over the engine. But I'm really confused on this and wondering what others think.

OBP

I had a similar situation two months back. 4 year old battery, started cranking slow, then one day would not crank at all. Total nothing. But lights would come on fine and dash would light up. AAA rescued me with jumper cables, said my battery checked out real weak and advised replacement. Next day, I went to the local Tires Plus store, took out my warranty receipt for my 4 year old Interstate battery and got about $50 credit towards a new Interstate battery. All is well now.

senzbar

Just to close this out. When I looked at the battery it was the OEM battery 2004.

Replaced and all is good.

FLYCT

10 year old battery is a record.

JR

FLYCT

welcome home!

senzbar

But it is summer and she is happy driving the car again...