car died

[AlexTheBum]

so yeah as the topic says, my car wont start and it only clicks. I did jump start the car and it worked fine then it died as i was driving off. Tried different batteries and it does the same thing, sometimes it starts and sometimes it doesn't. all you hear is a click click trying to start it up, i think its a dead alternator. oh wells, the dealership is going to pick up the car in 30 minutes to an hour. so what do you guys think?

 

[Spooled]

I think it's time to change your signature to just "Slow"

j/k. I don't know enough about that, but it sounds like it's either the alternator or the starter. Of course it wouldn't die while the engine was running if it was the starter.

 

[solid_snake]

sounds like the alternator as Spooled said

 

[chaosProtege]

alternator

 

[mazdaspeedpower]

well the click would be the starter(maybe). Check spark plugs and connections, then if those check out check fuel

 

[orphman]

so yeah as the topic says, my car wont start and it only clicks. I did jump start the car and it worked fine then it died as i was driving off. Tried different batteries and it does the same thing, sometimes it starts and sometimes it doesn't. all you hear is a click click trying to start it up, i think its a dead alternator. oh wells, the dealership is going to pick up the car in 30 minutes to an hour. so what do you guys think?

had similar thing happen 4 days ago... cuz my alarm is f'd up and left the side markers lit...
compesion started and has been fine since...
my starter also made the clicking sound but it wasnt that.. dont think thats your issue either.. i would venture with the majority and say alternator.. ours are week!.... imo... let us know

-orph

 

[chaosProtege]

if the starter is clicking, its not normally bad. bump start your car, if it starts the starter is good. check the wiring to the alternator, too.

 

[Nomad255]

interesting my car has not started twice now ... it was running fine i parked it for a few hours. when i came back and turned the key , i got nothin. no click. no sound from the engine. however all the power came on (radio, lights, etc).... i jumped it and it worked.

 

[orphman]

interesting my car has not started twice now ... it was running fine i parked it for a few hours. when i came back and turned the key , i got nothin. no click. no sound from the engine. however all the power came on (radio, lights, etc).... i jumped it and it worked.

same for me .. however starteer slciking started after a few key turns ... it wasnt imediate.... why dont all of you compession start .... much better than jumping... imho

 

[mspdfreak]

It's a bad alternator.

 

[orphman]

It's a bad alternator.

would that cause dimming of my head lights while driving if i use say the power windows.?? i thought my alt. was weak... but im fairly certain its because i had my marker lights on....

 

[Rawyzf]

Almost all cars do that, it just power draining from one source to another.

If it dims a lot though, it could mean your battery is starting to die down.

would that cause dimming of my head lights while driving if i use say the power windows.?? i thought my alt. was weak... but im fairly certain its because i had my marker lights on....

 

[Titanium]

it could be a bad battery. The alt/charging system needs the load of a good battery. If it doesnt have the load balance from the battery it could cause the car to dye while driving and explain why it wouldnt start. What people dont think about is how an alt/battery work on cars. Like the theory of taking out the battery after starting the car. This is not good and in most case will cause the car to shut off. But either way is not good for the life of the alt. Back in the day when cars used generators you could do that. Get your battery replaced and go from there.

 

[ZenProtege]

heres a great way to check and see if your battery is bad or worn out. get a DVOM or voltmeter. put the leads on your battery + and - terminals. Hop in and crank it up, if the voltage on your battery drops below 9v while cranking, its on it way out and you might as well go on and replace your battery.


on another note, anybody who does work on their car needs to get a DVOM and keep it in their car somewhere. This is a great example of why they are so handy to have. Its obvious the issue is either w/ your battery or Alt. but say your starter fuse blew or the ground to your starter soleniod mysteriously came loose. Instead of getting your car towed off you might be able to fix a small problem on your own and save yourself plenty of time and trouble by being able to check things out yourself

"chaosProtege--- if the starter is clicking, its not normally bad. bump start your car, if it starts the starter is good. check the wiring to the alternator, too"
If you hear the clicking that means the solenoid is good, not the starter, they're 2 different things;
Your car will roll start without a starter being bolted on, being able to roll start a car does not indicate whether or not your starter is good or not

Titanium- your very right about that one, it is horrible to remove a battery while the car is running. On a good bit of new cars the alternator is controlled by the PCM, well the pcm sees if the alternator is doing its job through the battery, if the battery isn't their the ECU freaks and tells the alt. to run at full capacity = trouble
I had a person who brought in a 01 galant that had removed the battery too see if his alt was good. his alternator was good, but his 1000$ ecu wasn't after that

 

[AlexTheBum]

Ok, updated.

I know i'm kinda let, been busy with 2 jobs and all. But the dealership told me that it was a bad battery and that it hard some sort of short in it which was causing everything. Everything works fine now. But now i get something new, when I'm at the light breaking the car dips in low rpm's and starts then the rpm needle jumps over 1k and down like if its jumping. I wonder what is causing this.

 

[sublyminull]

Did you notice your light dimming slightly at all while driving before this? It's does sound like an alternator (deadhorse)

Had mine replaced two weeks ago. Caught it before it went dead. Last time an alternator geeked on me I spent 7 hours on the side of a highway waiting for a towtruck.

 

[eheff128]

Problems with start up

Hi--So this is very strange...I just went to our new IKEA in MA, finished shopping, went out to my cute P5 and it wouldn't start. I get a little click (not a clicking, just a click), but nothing else. I have lights, radio, etc. I call my dad (resident car expert) who walks me through a few things, but I get no result. I call AAA for a tow and while I'm waiting in the car (and giving it a pep talk while trying to start it), lights on the dash flash and then the little red alarm button starts flashing. Doors are UNLOCKED, but the alarm seems to be on...so I press the unlock botton on the key fob thing and then magically, the car starts fine.

Something similar has happened once before--but that was last March or April (wouldn't start, I call AAA and wait and then it started...I didn't stay in the car that time, so I don't know what happened with the alarm).

I'm wondering if this sounds familiar to any of you...the dealer's going to think I have lost my mind.

 

[03orgspd]

that has happened to me before when i installed my turbo timer and restarted the battery...but that is the only time i experienced it