Thread: HELP weird electrical problem

UPDATE: Car won't start again it just clicks repeatively for about 3-5 seconds, battery is at 12.6 though. does this mean i have a loose ground somewhere? any ideas? how should I go about checking this? i have a multimeter.

Also all electronics (lights, radio, etc..) are working. Checked voltage from pos to chassis and pos to engine block and both were 12.6 as well. I'm stumped. I really need some help haha. Don't want to spend any more money on this car, I've already invested a ton, especially with the new trans. Guarantee the stupid trans shop ****ed something up. They had to take it back out because they didn't set some module before and couldn't get the car started but I guess they fixed that and it's been working the past couple days. I don't know enough about cars unfortunately

I would check wires to the starter.

get under the front of the car, the starter is up by the front side of the oil pan, driver side. check the wires, if they are all tight. then hit the starter body, the fat round part with a hammer, 3 or 4 good shots then try to start it. if it tuns over, the starter is bad.

Have your battery load tested, you already know it's charging but how much of a charge capacity the battery is actually holding is another. Age of your battery doesn't matter a day a month a year they can just go bad especially if a shop for example left your key on and let the battery go completely dead it's really hard on a battery.

My guess is if you have to jump it to get it going probably a battery.. But your starter could be taking a dump if its cranking slow all the time.. if it is going bad it can use a considerable more ammount of amperage to do its normal function.

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Originally Posted by scottydoggs

get under the front of the car, the starter is up by the front side of the oil pan, driver side. check the wires, if they are all tight. then hit the starter body, the fat round part with a hammer, 3 or 4 good shots then try to start it. if it tuns over, the starter is bad.

The hammer trick usually works pretty well to determine a bad starter, helps if someone can crank it while you hit it with the hammer.


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did it start with jumper cables? if so it could be the battery cables itself. bad cables cause low voltage at the end of the cable. the jump could have gave it enough power to crank.


the rapid clicking has dead battery written all over it. but the battery is good, so we need to look at the battery cables then.

It could have a good battery and still click. If the starter motor is just too difficult to engage you'll get the same clicking. That's why I suggested a battery load test first before just swapping it out.

If the battery passes and of course the battery terminals are nice and tight the your starter is likely the bad peice of the puzzle

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There really isn't a whole lot they can screw up. The starter is mounted by 2 bolts. The wiring Consists of only 2 I believe as well, car wouldn't start at all if those wires were reversed. I can see maybe loose but I doubt that as well since they pulled it twice.

Good luck either way

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ive driven up curbs to get under the car for a quick fix or checking. one tire on the curb, the other in the street. drive up at a drive way apron.

future car ramp for ya.