Gutted... Car won't start (making a 'click click click' noise when key turned)

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paz

Active Member
Gutted... Car won't start ***Update 13.06***

Hi everyone,

Hoping you can help me - I'm gutted at the minute, I might be being a drama queen, but I'm well pissed off :(

Went to get the car out of the garage yesterday, connected the battery back up, alarm and immobiler lights started flashing again. I turn the alarm off, the alarm light stops flashing, the central locking opens and I get in the car. The immobiliser is a dash mount keyfob type device, I insert the fob, and immobiler stops flashing.

I then put the key in the ignition and turn to prime. All dash check lights come on ok, everything looks ready to go.

I turn the key and the car won't start. Now this isn't like a normal flat battery won't start, I've had a few of them over the years, instead the car makes a wierd noise which I can only describe as a machine gun type 'click click click click' in really quick succession as the key is being turned. As the car is making the clicking noise, the lights on the dash dim, as you stop turning the key they come back on bright again.

I've checked the battery in case it was that, I got a set of leads and tried to jump it off another car - that didn't work. Someone mentioned to me that the starter might be stuck, and to put it in gear and rock back and forwards to release - this didn't work either.

I'm really gutted about this, am going to call out the RAC tonight to take a look, but was wondering someone else might have had this before?

Cheers for your help

Paz
 
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justin666

Guest
You need a new battery mate. The starter motor will do the click click click noise when there isnt enough juice in the battery to turn it over. Nothing to worry about dude :-D :roll: :lol:

J.

edit to add, yes you are a drama queen but thats why we love you :lol: :lol:
 
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paz

Active Member
Are you sure? Last time I had a flat battery it just did a single click and wouldn't do anything else? This time its a repetitive click that doesn't stop until I stop turning the key.

Also if its the battery, would jumping the car using leads not resolve this?

Paz

p.s. love you too :lol:
 
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geoff pine

Well-Known Member
yes it should if the imobiliser was of, would be worth bump starting it. when my starter motor when it did nothing it made no noise at all.
 
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justin666

Guest
Ive had flat batteries where nothing happens when ya put the key in fooked batteries when ya turn the key and ya get rapid fire click click click. Really does sound like its fooked. Does the battery have any fluid in it???

Defo worth sticking a new one in it dude :thumbsup:

J.

ps. Love you more :lol: :lol:
 
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paz

Active Member
geoff pine said:
yes it should if the imobiliser was of, would be worth bump starting it. when my starter motor when it did nothing it made no noise at all.
Click to expand...
Thats what Jim said (used to have a white R on here) he said that when his starter was fooked it just did nothing, but the few times before it eventually went it sounded completely different, like it was fighting to start the car.

J - didn't check for fluid no, didn't think about it - I was so gutted I actually ended up down the road in the pub trying to drown my sorrows :roll: I'll have a look tonight, or at least the RAC can take a look.

Someone mentioned a dodgy earth could be to blame as well, seeing as the car has been stood for a while, any ideas on which could be the most likely candidate?

Paz
 
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geoff pine

Well-Known Member
cheapist option is start with the battery as the cars been of the road for some time . runing the engine for short periods of time will not fully charge a battery .
 
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justin666

Guest
I am absolutely 100% completely convinced that if you stick a new battery in her she will fire up straight away :thumbsup:

If not, I will eat Robs Socks :shock: :shock:

J.
 
campbellju

campbellju

Moderators
Staff member
Do you have a battery charger? Did you charge it before trying to put it back on the road after many months?

I'm forever killing batteries as my car is often off the road and losing charge. The symptoms when they die are often different depedning on whether it is 0V, 6V or 11V.

However, IF you jump started the car properly (Your mate was revving his engine to force charge) it shouldn't matter.

I'd double check and tighten your battery connections next as lose they can cause similar wierdness. It could be earths but where is the clicking coming from? Is it defo the starter motor?
 
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paz

Active Member
I think the jump leads were knackered to be honest, I had to borrow some leads and they looked a bit shagged and rusty.

I don't have a battery charger no.

I'm a bit reluctant to replace the battery to be honest, because if it is that I think its just flat rather than shagged - I've not had any issues with it before, including when I've started the car every month for the last six months or so, its just this time its not had it.

The clicking I can't tell you, I've been in the car at the time trying to start it so haven't been able to tell.

Just had a thought though, the car isn't taxed, so if I was to get the RAC out tonight and it was the battery, I'm not going to be able to take it out for a decent spin to recharge the battery. Jesus this is a pain :( :roll: :lol:

paz
 
antgtir

antgtir

New Member
It is the battery mate, the problem with leaving the car for a long length of time is that the battery does actually lose some of the charge even whilst its not hooked up.

If all you have been doing is letting the car run for ten minutes every week that will have taken its toll on the battery. You can actually over discharge a battery which is basically what you will have been doing over the last six months.

The alternator itself will never charge a battery enough for it to hold enough charge for another start, you always need a trickle charge (24hrs) on it before you start the car after a long length of time standing.

You can do a quick check to see what voltage is being held in the battery, it should be around the 12.3 volts mark, however doing this wont tell you whether the car will start as the battery is designed to give a large voltage to the starter and just charging via the alternator would not be sufficient to enable constant starting and only running for ten minutes.

Justin is correct, it will be the battery, the only unknown is whether you need to charge it on a 24 hr trickle charge or get a new battery due to it being over discharged.

You can pick up a battery charger for less than £20 i think from Makro or places like, well worth the money if you are planning on doing the same next year.

Let those moths loose from your wallet and get the R back on the road where it should be:roll: :p :lol:

Good luck.

Ant.
 
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paz

Active Member
:lol: Why buy a new one if it just needs charging :p

I'll see if I can get hold of a trickle charger.

Paz
 
Aimee

Aimee

Moderators
Staff member
paz said:
:lol: Why buy a new one if it just needs charging :p

I'll see if I can get hold of a trickle charger.

Paz
Click to expand...

If you try & charge it when its dead anyway you wont benefit from it - you'll end up jump starting it & then filling up with fuel or whatever & you wont be able to start it again...just buy a new one - get one from halfrauds for bout £30 you have a 5 year guarantee on them so if it dies you get another one for free!
 
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paz

Active Member
Dooie Pop Pop said:
i paid £24 for my micra battery...

forgot to mention: Paz, your a dumbass:lol:
Click to expand...
:lol: Yeah yeah, you cockjuggler :roll: ;-)

I'll give the leads another go tonight, then if that doesn't work I'll go for either a new battery or decent jump start type battery pack.

Paz
 
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