Hey,

My car wont start, heres the symptoms

Theres power (dome light works, ignition lights up and beeps when I put key in)
Power locks make a clicking noise when I try to use them.
Car will not make a clicking noise like normal no starts. I get nothing when I turn the key, no noise, no lights.

Anyone have any idea whats going on here?!?!?!

I am supposed to have my stereo installed today

 

check your battery terminals and replace those before anything else. It is a $3 part at autozone and you can ask them to install them for you. That will save the headache i went through of changing the battery, alternator and starter when its not necessary. If that doesnt work, it may be those things. Change the terminals and if it doesnt start and your power goes dead, have someone jump start you. Drive around a little, kill the car and try starting it again. It should work fine. The evils of corrosion tend to come out in the extremes of weather (hottest and coldest parts of the year)

 

sorry i forgot to mention i have tried jump starting the car, so im assuming that rules out your solution?

 

If there was no click at all then yes. Wont hurt to replace them if they do show any signs of corrosion though. I must have read it wrong and thought that it just didnt sound like a normal start. With my car i got one click and everything went dead. Your starter may have gone out on you. if possible, check all leads and contacts to it.

 

Sorry, didnt realize it because I was trying to jump start car, but when i turn the key it DOES make a small clicking sound -- update, have headlights, no stereo, car dings when you put key in ignition, and lights work also.

Do you think its the battery connections still? or..?

Thanx

 

If you attached the jumper cables to the outsides of the terminals, and the car still didn't start, then your battery may be so shot it is creating a load on the jumper battery and there is enough voltage drop to keep it from starting.

If the battery is more than 2 years old, get a new one. Be sure the battery posts and the terminals on the ends of the wires are shiny-bright-clean. Good luck!

 

Ok,

Battery termials look clean (Im assuming the terminals are the things on top of the battery you connect the jumper cables to, i am 0% mechanically inclined)

I would take it to autozone, but I cant get there without towing it

And I really dont want to have to tow it to the dealership, i hate those bastards, and do not want them working on my car.

Anything im missing about the connections, or any other ideas out there?

thanx

 

might be a good idea to just get a new battery. By terminals i meant the clamps that connect the wire to the terminal posts. You should replace those too.
if the battery/wire terminals doesnt work, check the contacts on the starter for corrosion.

 

follow both wires ground and hot, to the point where they impact another point, such as the ground will dead end on the frame or block. those are the connections at the most risk of corrosion. also remove and reinstall all the relays and fuses you can find unser the hood one at a time so you dont get them mixed up, you may just have a loose contact.

also remember, if you have had ANY cold weather, tis the season for cells inside the batteries to die from excess cold.

if the jump is allowing your lights to STAY ON when you turn the key, it is probably the starter, IF NOT and they GO OUT you have a wiring problem, check and change the connectors needed.

 

the battery is holding power even after jumpers gone -- where is the starter located?, i read in another post some guy smacked his started with a hammer and it started working, im gonna try that, but like i said i know 0 about mechanics and need guidance to find starter

thanx for advice everyone btw

 

ez rhino did you ever get your car running?
was it the starter?
how much does a new starter cost? around 250?

would anything else happen to my car because of cold weather besides battery OLT?
yes it was cold, and cold is the only factor that isn't making my car start, but my battery works fine in terms of lights radio etc..

 

Hey man,

if you are driving a 400 then the starter is a pain in the *** to get to. Under the manifold! Good luck getting a hammer in there!! Hope that is not the culprit!

Peace,
Jonny

 

Based on the symptoms you've described, I'd have to say that your starter is going. Unless you're really handy, it will cost you several hundred to get it replaced with a rebuilt assuming your car is a V-8. Fixes like new ground straps, new battery/alternator, starter relay, etc. are only temporary.

 

Hey man,

ON the 400 you are looking at 600-800 for the starter to be re-done - real PITA.

Jonny