Car Won't Start
 

During Covid, to keep the battery charged, I have been driving the car around the neighborhood for about 30 minutes at least once or twice a week. Low speed, etc. So this is not freeway driving. I read that it would charge some even when parked and at idle, so I figured neighborhood driving was better than doing nothing. Then I noticed the last three or so "drives" that the car took a little longer each time to start. Finally, two days ago, it would not start at all. It had been sitting 3 days since the last "drive". On the first try, I heard a noise as it tried to turn over but that lasted only a few seconds (like 2 or less), then ..nothing. Just single clicks on the other tries that followed.

Finally got someone out to jump it today. Said the tests showed the battery was low, but that it should start with a jump. It didn't start, so he hooked it up to a new/completely different battery. Car still would not start. Each time, I heard a 'ding' when the key was inserted, then on the first try, a slight noise ... then nothing on all the tries right after the first one (same as before). If I waited a few minutes in between tries, I would again hear the slight noise once, followed by other tries that were just single clicks,

So does this confirm that it's the starter (which would not surprise me since it is the original still in there), or is there any other possibility given what I've just described? What about the ignition switch?

Thanks for any replles in advance.

Is the interior electronics powered when you put the key in? The "ding" is getting power, but how about the dashboard\AC\etc. I know my VSC light came on and stayed on when my battery died.

What is the slight noise you hear? Is the engine turning over at all? Is the starter clicking at all? If you're just getting a single click, it trying to turn over, then doing nothing, that sounds like a low battery to me. Are you sure the replacement one you're trying is charged and good to go?

Starter motors are a pain in the ass so I'd exhaust the route of making sure the battery is good before going to it; though it is the next most likely culprit.

Thanks. Yes, the ding indicates power. Also, the dash lit up when I turned the key to check the odometer. No lights are staying on...when i turned the key off, the dash lights went off. Did not test the headlights but assume they would have turned on as well. The engine is not turning over. Even once. The "noise" that lasts about 2 seconds, is just the typical sound one hears when the the car is trying to start. Can confirm that the battery he was using was new/good. He had meters and tested voltage on the batteries. Single clicks, not rat-a-tat-tat, then nothing when I turn the key.

What is mileage/kilometers?

How old is battery?

Sounds like starter, battery, battery terminals, starter relay or perhaps a fusible link or fuse(s) or some combination.

Hi,
make sure to check absolutely everything else before the replacing the starter, since it's at least a 6 hour job even if you're handy with your wrenches.
As well as measuring the voltage from the battery terminals themselves, try and measure the voltage while starting a from the cables, to see if the battery is actually transferring some of that to the car. Check your grounds as well.

Ask me how I know... (At your own risk lol...)