So for the past ~two weeks I’ve dealt with the clamp that goes around my negative post had been slipping off of the post. Today before work(seems to be only when you have somewhere to be) I went to crank my car, to hear a single click but no start.
Now, the lights come on, AC goes full blast, and the headlights and radio work. I jumped the battery from my wife’s car with no luck.
Based on this, could you give me some ideas/options/advice on how or what to fix/check? I have minimal tools and virtually no mechanical knowledge.
Any and all help is appreciated. Even if it’s just a “damn. That sucks.”
Video update. Yes I knowy car is dirty.
Didn’t know this community existed but in case someone else needs it later: https://lemmy.world/c/mechanicadvice
While jumping in left it for around five minutes and revved the wife’s car twice during that. The same symptoms persisted.
I’m not sure about the actual age of the battery but I don’t believe it’s more than 5 years yet.
I’m almost positive the contact is loose. My solution after it had been slipping off was to push it back down the post with a hard rubber keychain I have. I’m hoping that’s it and I just need to tighten it as that’s the cheapest fix.
The battery needs to be able to deliver 100+ amps in an instant.
A battery can fail in a manner where it’s not longer jumpable, cannot deliver the necessary amperage to start the motor, but still run accessory systems.
I would check the battery’s voltage with a multimeter.
I doubt this is a loose terminal connection. If the click you’ve described is coming from the engine compartment, that’s the starter relay switching. Wouldn’t be able to do that if there weren’t a complete battery circuit.
In some cars ( don’t know if it applies to all with modern systems) you can have enough amps in the battery to move the starter relay, making the clicking sound, but not enough to fully engage or turn the starter. Also in my past experience I had one car (VW Beetle) where over long driving the heat would cause the replay to get “gummy”, so it would stick enough to prevent it from moving. An old trick there was to short the terminals to free it. I wouldn’t recommend that on a new car though, too many electronics that can get damaged.
I would investigate the battery and its connections first. Make sure it’s a good battery still, that everything from the terminals to the starter AND alternator are good. An alternator charging problem can lead to a battery that is slowly not getting a full charge and eventually dying, even if it’s not old. But until you get it to turn over, it’s one of these parts of the starting system, it’s not too complex.
Take both the battery terminals off, if there are crusty white or blue gunk on them you can use a little vinegar to clean it off. Clean the contacting parts of both terminals and where they connect to the battery with a wire brush till the metal looks at least vaguely shiny. Put the terminals back on and tighten them down with a wrench, if its an american car its usually a 1/2" if its an import its almost certainly a 10mm. If it doesn’t work after that try jumping it again, if it still doesn’t work its probably the starter or starter solenoid. You can try tapping on the starter solenoid with a hammer to unstick it as a temporary fix to get you going, but if you have to do that then it needs replaced sooner rather than later anyways.
looks at username …sure…
Video update.