UnsanePyro

I'll get into the car, put the key in the II position, have power to everything, and turn it to start the car, click click click click. The battery voltage is fine. Hook up some jumper cables, and the car starts fine.

Is it the starter, or something else?

I had this problem before, new battery fixed the problem. Could it be another bad battery?

ITL

yep...that's what it sounds like.

Voltage could be fine, but may not have required amperage.

Cornflake

possible but could be the starter too. when it starts to die it will only not star sporatically, so you were just lucky that the battery boost started it.

Ken1997TL

If it clicks and no go, its the starter. The contacts have copper that wears off, it just needs to be taken apart and the contacts redone.

KelloggTL

In my experience, everytime a starter has gone bad on my other cars...

Mine simply would not do anything. Turn the key over, nothing.

What you are describing sounds like a weak/dead battery. It is doing fine when you jump it off, thus recharging the battery.

If you have recently replaced the battery, then this could be signs of the alternator going bad.

If i were you, I'd take the car to an enterstate battery store and let them run a full test, which is free.

Good luck

Ysidro

Yeah,
I once had this problem with my Honda Civic.
It is very embarrassing when you jsut finished fill up at a gas station.
Then try to start the car and all it does is click, click, click whle everyone looks at ya.

Ken1997TL

Its not the power/battery. Its GETTING the power it needs, hence the click. The click is the starter hammer which has copper that wears off. So the hammer is banging away and not sending that electricity there.

I had the starter shop show me the whole setup, they claim that our starters are very well made, the hammer's copper simply wear off and need to be redone.

ITL

This sounds logical; however, I've seen weak batteries that would click the starter repeatedly, but still not start the car.

Bluish

My money is on the starter, but I wouldn't take the bet if I were you - you can't afford to loose because the starter replacement will cost $600-$800 if you go to a dealership!

I had the same experience. At first I thought it was dirty battery contacts. Then I thought it was the battery. I replaced both and thought I fixed the problem, but it kept coming back - always when I could not afford to be stuck! After about 3 months of unreliable start performance, replacement of the starter fixed the problem completely and reliably.

WolfpackBill

Yes, you're right. My friend's '99 Integra had the same problem. She called and said she was stuck at home and needed a jump so I went there and tried starting the car, it only clicked. I immediately thought it was the starter. So she took it to the shop that evening and they told her it was a dying battery so she replaced it at Sam's and she was on her way. If you can get your car started, take it to the shop and let them test it out. If it turns out the battery, you got lucky this time. If not, then get it fixed while at it.

xer0base

I'm having the insert-and-turn-key-then-no-start problem, too, but I'm not having the click-click-click of a starter gone bad. I turn the key to the start position and I get nothing at all, or maybe the very beginning of a half-hearted turn from the engine. But more often than not, just nothing. The lights on the instrument panel come on, but there's nothing coming from the engine compartment.

A buddy of mine with a Volvo said he had a similar problem and it turned out to be the electronics in the steering column. I've found that if I take the key back out, ram it back home, and then turn it, the car will start. Makes me think maybe there is a connection gone bad in there somewhere.

Anyone have a similar experience?

VulgarDisplayOfPower

today I was at a car show and it must have been 90 degress out, hot!
so when i turned on my car. My car would start but it sputtered down and turned off. I had to turn on the car and rev the engine to 3-4 rpm to regulate it.
this previously happened to me but i just got a new battery like 3 weeks ago so I don't know why it just happened again.

WolfpackBill

If your engine turns over, then it's not your starter. It's probably something from the fuel system. I think there was a thread about changing the fuel relay may help.

UnsanePyro

It actually turned out to not be the starter, but a bad ground. The cable coming off the negative post of the battery didn't fit snug, and I don't believe it was too clean either, and wouldn't always make a good enough connection. Thats why jumping it fixed it, I found out if it didn't start, I could just wiggle the cable and it would be all set.

ITL

get a tune up...sounds like you've let it go

I didn't even think about that, though I've had it happen before. Definitely a cheap fix

Bluish

UnsanePyro - I had the exact same experience you are reporting - i.e. wiggling the battery clamp allowed the next start to be successful on about a dozen occasions. When this stopped working, I replaced the battery clamp with a new (high performance) part. When that stopped working I replaced the battery. When the problem returned I gave up and brought it to the dealer, who replaced the starter. No problems since . A more detailed scenario is provided below. I hope your experience is different .

April 6 2002 (100,500): Replaced battery clamp
May 2 2002 (101,600): Tighted battery clamp
May 29, 2002 (103,000): Replaced battery
June 5, 2002 (103,500): Replaced starter