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[miyuru]

The car was working fine last night as I drove home from work. Anyway this morning, when I turn the key the fans/radio all start up like usual. Then when you crank it further the engine just makes that clicking noise but nothing actually starts.

The car is an Oldsmobile Eighty Eight. I forget what year, I'd guess '95-'96.

Any ideas? I'm on the phone with AMA (on hold). My neighbours aren't home so they can't give me a boost if that'd be the problem, who knows.

 

[sprsk]

battery

 

[Particle Physicist]

--------------------------------cut thread here

 

[miyuru]

I'm just wondering how it'd be the battery if the fans/radio turn on fine?

 

[border]

Why would the radio and fans come on if the battery was dead?

 

[Desperado]

Yeah??? Why???

 

[Ninja Scooter]

could be the starter? i think mine did a "clicking" noise when the starter was dead.

 

[Ironclad]

or faulty spark plugs.....

 

[miyuru]

Fucking AMA's been keeping me on hold for like 30 minutes, for fuck's sake!

If it's not the battery, I wonder what the AMA dude will do. I guess tow me somewhere, argh. This is a fucking bitch, I have class in 3 hours and work in 5 :S

 

[Hitman]

my car had a problem with the battery and little electronics in the car still worked. So it COULD be the battery.

 

[Escape Goat]

HELP! Car will not start!!

 

[SteveMeister]

Why would the radio and fans come on if the battery was dead?

Because it takes a lot more power to turn over the starter than to run the accessories. First step is definitely to check the battery. If you can successfully jump-start the car, it's almost certain that you need a new battery.

How old is the battery? Are you sure it's a no-maintenance battery? And if not, when's the last time you checked the level? Car batteries are designed to last only around 5 years or so.

 

[Tritroid]

A lot of times the radio and fans WILL work even though the battery won't turn the engine over.

Probably the battery.

 

[jobber]

Sounds like your starter is dead. Same thing happened to me when I drove to Houston. I got all the way there. Stopped to buy a map. Turned the key and it wouldn't turn over. The repair shop though it was my battery, put a new cable in and it turned over. Before I got on the highway back, I stopped for gas and it wouldn't turn over when I tried to start it. I either needed to tap the starter with something (which in my car was buried under my engine) or get a new one.

 

[DarienA]

I'm not trying to be funny... but what data would someone give you over this particular forum that you could use to turn around and get your car started... that getting it towed and looked at by a mechanic would not give you?

BTW it's either your battery, starter or alternator.

 

[miyuru]

All right AMA is on their way!

Excuse me for my poor knowledge of cars, but when you say "starter" what exactly are you referring to?

Anyway what really sucks is that I have no knowledge of the history of this car. It was my uncle's old car who moved away a while ago, and my dad bought the car off of him. Anyway I always drove our Corolla, my dad the Olds.

BUT my parents went on a roadtrip (yeah and I'm all partied out ) with the Corolla because it has A/C, so I've been driving the Olds for the first time for the past couple days. So yeah, no idea regarding it's history, other than my uncle bought it used.

Assuming the problem *is* the battery, after getting it jump-started and driving around to let it recharge, should that be enough, or how would I know if I need to get a new battery?

I'm not trying to be funny... but what data would someone give you over this particular forum that you could use to turn around and get your car started... that getting it towed and looked at by a mechanic would not give you?

It's more a peace of mind issue.

 

[Hitman]

Excuse me for my poor knowledge of cars, but when you say "starter" what exactly are you referring to?

Anyway what really sucks is that I have no knowledge of the history of this car. It was my uncle's old car who moved away a while ago, and my dad bought the car off of him. Anyway I always drove our Corolla, my dad the Olds.

BUT my parents went on a roadtrip (yeah and I'm all partied out ) with the Corolla because it has A/C, so I've been driving the Olds for the first time for the past couple days. So yeah, no idea regarding it's history, other than my uncle bought it used.

Assuming the problem *is* the battery, after getting it jump-started and driving around to let it recharge, should that be enough, or how would I know if I need to get a new battery?

My car would start after a jumpstart.. but after a while it'd go dead agin. The problem was the abttery would not hold a charge. So if u jump it and it fails agian I'm guessing u need a new battery.

 

[DarienA]

All right AMA is on their way!

Excuse me for my poor knowledge of cars, but when you say "starter" what exactly are you referring to?

Anyway what really sucks is that I have no knowledge of the history of this car. It was my uncle's old car who moved away a while ago, and my dad bought the car off of him. Anyway I always drove our Corolla, my dad the Olds.

BUT my parents went on a roadtrip (yeah and I'm all partied out ) with the Corolla because it has A/C, so I've been driving the Olds for the first time for the past couple days. So yeah, no idea regarding it's history, other than my uncle bought it used.

Assuming the problem *is* the battery, after getting it jump-started and driving around to let it recharge, should that be enough, or how would I know if I need to get a new battery?

It's more a peace of mind issue.

The starter actually the starter and it's solenioid are actually a small motor that spins the engine a few times to start the combustion process, a huge amount of electricity flows in to the starter motor just enough juice to get the engine to spin a few times to start the combustion process, cylinders move, insert gas, spark lights, explosion, then process can continue on it's own...

It's possible that you will not need a new battery, but you may... once you get the car jumped, take it somewhere and have them check the charge for you. You shouldn't be charge for something like that.

 

[miyuru]

Ugh fuck! I don't have time to risk jumping it again, goddamit.

The starter actually the starter and it's solenioid are actually a small motor that spins the engine a few times to start the combustion process.

It's possible that you will not need a new battery, but you may... once you get the car jumped, take it somewhere and have them check the charge for you. You shouldn't be charge for something like that.

Thanks!

 

[Sapiens]

The battery has enough juice to run the radio, but not start the car? And it was working well the last night? Sounds like you blew your alternator.

Jumping it will only let it run for so long if this is the case. If it is the alternator, try getting a used, refurbuished one. You will save a lot of money. And if you are car savvy (which I guess you are not), its a part you can replace with ease.

This is likely either from age, or improper maintenance. Things like cleaning the residue around the battery connectors and whatnot can be a good thing.

 

[xsarien]

This is likely either from age, or improper maintenance. Things like cleaning the residue around the battery connectors and whatnot can be a good thing.

It's also an Oldsmobile. Chalk this up to a purely anecdotal footnote, but no one - NO ONE - in my family has ever had any kind of luck with GM cars. The only reason one particular Olds lasted as long as it did was because it was being dragged to the shop about once a year.

Bitching about GM's 20-30 years of "kwality" aside, it's the battery. Pretty basic knowledge that even the newest of car newbies should know (and now you do.) Basically, at some point the car stopped charging the damned thing (or it stopped holding a charge), and although there's enough power in the battery to run the fans and radio, there isn't enough to start the engine. Do what others are saying: Get a jump and make your next stop a garage to have the battery replaced and the alternator checked out.

If a jump doesn't work, that's when you can start to sweat.

(Also, consider yourself lucky. Do you know what happens when a battery in a newer car drops below a certain power level due to either a bad/loose connection or a busted alternator? Or if the battery cables become disconnected completely? EVERYTHING shuts down. It's like some god damned EMP goes off inside the car. The reason for this is that even though the engine itself doesn't need battery power to keep going, the computers that control it do. So when those systems lose power, the engine shuts down.

I learned that the (very) hard way.)

 

[GONZO]

check in this order....


plug wires

starter

and worst case scenerio.....fuel pump.

It' likely not your battery because you would have felt it dying. And if it was your alternator it would have died while you where driving it. I'm thinking either fuel pump or starter.

 

[HokieJoe]

Once upon a time I worked at Advance Auto Parts. Pseudo-qualifications aside, my guess is that it's your battery, alternator, (maybe even both); or your ignition module/control module. If you have some chain auto parts store around like Advance, Auto Zone, or O'Reilly's they should be able to test your alternator and battery.

The starter isn't the first place I'd look, but it could the problem. Some stores, like Advance can test your ignition/control module or your starter. But you have to remove them from the car to enable them to test them.

Either way, good luck dude. It sucks when your wheels won't roll.

 

[miyuru]

Ah so it turns out it was the battery. I think maybe one of the lights on the interior was left on overnight. And I hate the "conveniences" of this car, I always suspected them. Like when you leave your car, the lights stay on for about 5 minutes and turn off by themselves, it's fucking annoying.

Last night I turned on the "interior" lighting to max (as in the dash, etc.). I noticed though when I started the car today that some overhead lights were on though and wouldn't turn off by clicking them until I turned down that interior lighting to medium/minimum. I think that's why they stayed on overnight, who knows.

I'm reading the manual right now.

I miss the Corolla

 

[HokieJoe]

miyuru, have your alternator checked just to make sure it's producing sufficient amperage to keep the battery topped off.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

get a long wrench or screwdriver, pop and hood, and tap the starter with it 4 or 5 times. I shit you not that used to work wonders on the piece of shit i drove in high school when the starter was giving me problems and wouldn't turn.

 

[HokieJoe]

get a long wrench or screwdriver, pop and hood, and tap the starter with it 4 or 5 times. I shit you not that used to work wonders on the piece of shit i drove in high school when the starter was giving me problems and wouldn't turn.

It's probably because your solenoid was sticking. When you tapped, it may have loosened it up enough to engage the starter.

 

[Loki]

:lol

 

[xsarien]

It's probably because your solenoid was sticking.

I hear there's a balm for that.

 

[Tarazet]

Ah so it turns out it was the battery. I think maybe one of the lights on the interior was left on overnight. And I hate the "conveniences" of this car, I always suspected them. Like when you leave your car, the lights stay on for about 5 minutes and turn off by themselves, it's fucking annoying.

Last night I turned on the "interior" lighting to max (as in the dash, etc.). I noticed though when I started the car today that some overhead lights were on though and wouldn't turn off by clicking them until I turned down that interior lighting to medium/minimum. I think that's why they stayed on overnight, who knows.

I'm reading the manual right now.

I miss the Corolla

Your car broke because of user fault and you're pining for your old Toyota? Any car that is paid off and runs is a good car.

 

[HokieJoe]

I hear there's a balm for that.

:lol