sbuswell

I know this is not related to a TL, but you guys have helped me out so much.

My wife's 98 corrolla has had a crappy starter for a few months now. It takes usually 3-5 tries to get it to start. Tonight I had her car and was going to pick up my daughter and I tried to start it a few times and I heard the starter clicking like always then it almost started and then gave out. I tried again and the starter wasn't even clicking. Then I turn key to off and pull it out of ignition and gauge cluster back lights start flashing and so do the headlights. I turn the headlights on and then the gauge cluster and headlights go off. I wait a few seconds and turn headlights on again and they are very dim. I turn the key again and nothing but the same over and over. I got a jump from my neighbor and she started up only after I turned the headlights on. It would even try tom turnover until headlights were on. This is confusing the hell out of me. My thoughts were a variety of problems.

1. ignition switch
2. alternator
3. battery
4. something shorting out
5. starter is a known problem

Sorry for the long post, but any help will be greatly appreciated.

fsttyms1

well id assume either starter or battery, as for why you had to have the lights on? possibly something in the ignition? do you have any means to test teh battery and alt output?

sbuswell

I don't but I know someone who does. I will try that first. I am sure battery is not at full strength, so likely culprit would be alternator, but why would the lights be acting up?

fsttyms1

It may be due to the drop in voltage. there may not be much left in it and as the car/starter ask for it it drops quickly causing weird issues. Ive also seen the alternator cause teh car to do strange things when running

sbuswell

i cleaned the battery terminals about a week ago, do you think reversing the terminals could have done this? I am going to check it out right now.

sbuswell

I just checked and everything looks fine. looks that is. Battery terminals are connected correctly. I did just have a thought though. My wife has two amps hooked up. one to her sub and the other to her front speakers. Maybe it is just a dead abttery after all, but strange things happening, doesn't make sense.

Pure Adrenaline

iTrader: (2)

I would say the alternator or the battery, too. Check the ground wire on the alternator. My friend's car had a loose ground cable on his alternator and it kept acting up. We couldn't see it because it was the other end of the cable that had come loose.

Also the ground wire on the battery, as well, on both ends.

If you're getting the clicking sound, then the starter solenoid seems to be okay. But the reason it didn't click anymore after a few tries was probably because it was draining the battery quickly. You said it started when you got it jumped... if it's starting on 24v (two batteries) but can't start on 12v, then my best guess would be the battery. Auto parts stores offer free battery and alternator testing.

sbuswell

^^^^^ thanks a lot for the advice I will get both checked after I check the grounds closely. I really appreciate it!

@cUr@-TL

yep alternator or/and battery... my friend's car had the same symptoms and it was a loose wire on the alternator. have it checked! and why not check the starter while you're at it, and get a new battery! The car will start like a new one, cant be bad

sbuswell

i am going to check all the grounding points today to see if anything is loose or heavily corroded. possibly a loose wire going to the negative battery terminal could be the culprit, but I bet the battery is dead. Hopefully alternator is not dead because I believe that would void the warranty on the Diehard Gold battery in there. BTW battery is 2yrs old has 3yr full replacement warranty from Sears, but warranty also says exclusion's include problem with starting/charging systems so I hope that is not the case and I can get a new battery for free and problem solved. let me know your thoughts on battery warranties and any of you that have dealt with Sears regarding them.

pzero23

Hey my younger brother had this problem with hi 99 corrolla. We check the battery, then changed it ot from the stock battery and he stilll had the problem. Then we changed the starter itself after a while. It 's not to bad to do but there are a couple of hard bolts to get off. Lots of extenions to get at the bolts.

sbuswell

I fixed it. One of the negative battery cables was apparently loose. Didn't appear to be but after checking all grounds I tightened negative battery terminals really tight and then car started no problem. Man I am stupid!

pzero23

Keep on checking it. it like to losen up by itself