Please help, my car won't start.

[dothawkes31]

It seemed like the battery must be flat, but we've ust tried jump leads and it still won't start, it just makes a clicking noise. Could this be the starter motor cable? I have phoned a garage 2 miles away and the mechanic is out on a job now and can't get here til later this afternoon, but if he comes and it's just that the jump leads we used weren't working it's a waste of money. Any thoughts?

[Teddio]

It could be:
1. your earth strap may have come adrift (cheap and easy to fix)
2. starter solenoid is faulty (that's the "click" you can hear)
3. starter motor may be faulty (it may have jammed on the flywheel )
An old trick is to put the car into second gear, handbrake off, and rock it to and fro to free the starter motor

[dothawkes31]

Thanks for the advice, that sounds an interesting option!!! Can i do that even though it is an automatic?

[sara3]

Dot.. I'm no mechanic as you know but car batteries don't last forever, so it may just be as dead as a dodo.

but don't let that stop you rocking the car ;o)

[dothawkes31]

it's only a year or so old, and 2 weeks ago it did this when we fiorst had that heavy snow and the ump leads worked ok, I'm waiting for support before I start rocking the car though, as I migth not manage that on my own lol

[dothawkes31]

I'm not too worried for the next couple of days as i am off work til saturday, but i'll need the car sorted by then as i start work at 8am saturday and 9am sunday, when there are no buses running and it's 2 buses each way to work!!
I'll try the garage again in a while anyway, see if he's finished his call out.

[craft1948]

if my car wouldn't start in winter all I used to do was lift the bonnet and spray everything in sight with WD40.......very technical I know but after a few minutes it always worked......

[dustypuss]

Try spanking it .

[Iggle Piggle]

Teddio has good advice.
Was engine running in the car you were using ? that often helps.
Clicking is the solenoid so the starter may have failed or simply not getting enough power to turn.
check the jump leads are on nice and firm, try wiggling them to make a good connection.

[dothawkes31]

Hello Iggle Piggle lol (sold loads of you last week lol)
I'm giving it s rest on the car til tomorrow as everyone is busy or can't be arsed helping and I am not 100% sure which is the starter motor, even with the car manual on hand! There is a lot of yellow gungy stuff on top of the battery too btw, what do you think that is?

[dothawkes31]

oh right thanks darren, my son keeps asking me why i am not getting the car sorted out, he needs to go to work later and expects me to pick him up as midnightish, I've told him that he'll have to find alternative transport cos noone is fixing the car today by all accounts, he's worse than me for expecting everyone to jump up and work miracles!

[eltelioni]

It is most likely the battery is flat. The jump leads may be making a poor connection and so cannot provide sufficient current to start your car. Clean the battery terminals as Darren said, then connect the jump leads and start the good engine. Keep it running for 5 minutes at fast idle to get some charge into your battery, then try starting your engine. That way your battery is providing the starting current, not the jump leads. Good luck!

[dothawkes31]

Thanks, right, I know i have a wire brush so i am going to give this a go before it gets dark or that 6 inches of snow we are forecast falls!!! thanks for that.

[S_C]

if you have tried jump leads to still only hear the clicking from the solenoid
then i would double check the earth connections .
as it is an automatic then placing in gear will not help as an automatic will not engage the gearbox to the engine until the engine is running so rocking it will not help .
With the WD40 suggestion , although it is a good plan for reducing the moisture around the engine bay and therefore helping the situation , it must be suggested that all residue of WD40 spray be removed after as when the inicial effects wear of it can indeed attract moisture to affected parts.
with a car of that age the cables should be in good working order however ice can cause bad connections. im not sure what time of day you tried to start your car but trying again later in the day " afternoon onwards not mornings " with the help of a jump lead and running car " after you have done the needed checks " should work better , as any " frozen " cables " if any are frozen " will with higher tempratures be a little less frozen.
if all that fails it would point towards the solenoid which would mean a new starter motor.

i know its basicly repeated from whats already been said , but figured rewording may help

[TWR]

Hi Doth, first, A merry xmas to you and all & all the best for 2010, when in the car turn on your lights are the very dim? as said regards the Jump Leads but to add use a heavy set of leads as the cheap ones do not do the job, also make sure that the connections are tight & the serving car has the engine on.

[dothawkes31]

yayyyy all sorted, thanks everyone!!! The mechanic came and used his portable battery thingy and it started up instantly!!! I've been to asdas and got petrol and supplies in now and it re-strted at asdas and at the garage with no problem....and, the mechanic noticed that when the ignition came on the radio/cd player was lit up and he's disconected it cos he thinks it was the cause of the battery discharging, and i must say, it certainly fired up better than it usually does, and so maybe i should have a word with Halfords as they fitted that radio/cd player (in 2006 but even so lol). Thanks anyway, it must have been the old jump leads this morning so you were right about that.

[stanbesida]

If you remove the leads, clean them and put vaseline on them before putting them back on the battery, if this doesn't work try loosening and re-tightening the lead on your starter motor as this sometimes causes this problem,.

[dothawkes31]

stan, I've had the same problem since this but thanks for your help, I've bought a battery charger and now i've charged the battery up overnight it seems to be fine!!!