wtf weird battery problem

[Beatin' 10+ year member]

yesterday while trying to leave from work, I try starting the car and all I hear is a rapid clicking. The starter wouldn't even work.

This morning me and my dad go to my place of work where I left the car and manage to jump start it and drove it home.

How the FFFFF? The battery voltage reads 12+ volts. All the lights work and everything. Nothing is sluggish like the power windows or door locking. Yet, the starter wouldn't work unless given a jump.

Took it home and cleaned the terminals. Tried to start the car, clicking sounds again.

WTF is going on? How is the battery dead when fully charged?

I know this has nothing to do with car audio but I'm really trying hard to figure this non sense out and google wont help.

Click to read more...

 

[bbeljefe]

Check the connection at the starter. Current has to have a clean path both at the battery and at the starter.

If that connection is good, then your starter is likely on its way out. But it could just be the connection at the starter.

 

[Nutdawg651]

What kind of car is it i just had to tow mine to the shop for this

 

[bmk6795 10+ year member]

your starter is going out

 

[Braindead]

Had the same problem. It's probably your starter, new one for me was like $160 plus a $40 core charge. Mine was a ***** to replace too

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

Had the same problem. It's probably your starter, new one for me was like $160 plus a $40 core charge. Mine was a ***** to replace too

Had to replace the starter solenoid on my old car, a 1997 Cadillac Deville. It was over $600 in labor alone... PITA factor was through the roof

 

[Beatin' 10+ year member]

Starter going bad doesn't explain how jumping the car got it to work.

My dad insisting on charging the battery, even though I told him that the alternator would've been doing that on the way home. So I've been charging the battery with one of those big battery chargers you plug into the wall and about an hour later, still rapid clicking. If I hook the car up to another battery it will start.

I just checked the battery voltage with a DMM and it read 13V at both the posts and the terminals. I was thinking maybe the terminals were corroded so bad that they weren't getting power but apparently not, they're fine.

After more googling, apparently even a fried battery can show that's it's fully charged. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif I did not know that.

wikipedia says if the starter solenoid doesn't receive enough power, a rapid clicking sound may be heard. I think that might be it, a fully charged dead battery. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crazy.gif.c13912c32de98515d3142759a824dae7.gif FML

 

[Braindead]

Had to replace the starter solenoid on my old car, a 1997 Cadillac Deville. It was over $600 in labor alone... PITA factor was through the roof

Did it myself, you got ripped off man

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

This is odd, but here's a suggestion..

If the battery has developed internal resistance it could show correct voltage with no load. Put the DMM on the battery while trying to crank the engine over. If it drops to less than 10.5 v you need a new one.

 

[sthib 10+ year member]

I know this probably is completely different but my fourwheeler does this when the cylinoid is about to go out.

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

Did it myself, you got ripped off man

I, as a 16 y/o with no knowledge how cars work at the time, was not about to take the intake manifold off my (brand new to me) Cadillac in my garage. Especially that **** Northstar V8.

 

[Beatin' 10+ year member]

Replaced the battery and it works now.

One lesson learned in all this is, a dead battery can show that it's fully charged. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crazy.gif.c13912c32de98515d3142759a824dae7.gif

 

[robert420 10+ year member]

its the battery. my friends truck along with my car would barely turn over because of the battery being dead... this also happened with a friend of mines explorer. it made a rapid clicking sound like you said, it ended up being the battery. so just get a new battery, n you will be good //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif