Wont Start
Hi there, the truck in question has 207,000 miles. The engine hadn’t been started in two or three weeks because we haven’t gone anywhere. Here’s what happened when I tried to start it Thursday…
Sounded like the engine
1) It sounded like the engine was trying to turn over but couldn’t. All the interior and dash lights were on, so I didn’t think it was the battery. But I hooked up a small battery charger to it anyway, and according to the battery charger, the battery is fully charged. I also didn’t see any obvious corrosion around the terminals or anything like that. I also checked that there is oil, and gas.
2) When I turned the ignition, there was a loud rapid clicking noise in/near the ignition. Then after a few tries, I was only getting the clicking noises (no more sounds of the engine trying to turn over).
3) While sitting in the car with the key only turned halfway, several other strange things happened. First, the stereo went through some sort of factory shut down process, which made me think something electrical was going on. Then I heard a quiet sound near the floor, underneath where the stereo/AC/heat controls/etc are — sort of like the sound of a phone vibrating. It occurred off and on every couple minutes.
4) Then the dash light came on that says “SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM”, which I have never seen before.
5) Then I started hearing a slow steady clicking sound underneath the driver seat. When I looked underneath the vehicle in that area, it appeared to (maybe) be coming from one of the two lines that are running (from front to back) just underneath the driver seat area. This sound persisted until I turned the ignition completely off.
I have left it alone since then! Thanks!
This is a exactly what happens when a battery needs to be replaced. Replace the battery and all should be fine once more. It is 4 years old by now so odds are you got all the life you were going to get out of it anyway.
The most common cause of a car not starting is a dead battery. We have all been guilty of leaving our lights on even if its just for a few minutes while we run in the store. But when the time comes that the battery runs down to where you get the dreaded ” click, click, click” .. read more