Hi Everyone,

I wasn't sure which forum to post this into, so I'm going to try here first and see if it gets moved someplace else.

Car in question is a 2002 WRX

Today when I was attempting to start my car, turning the ignition gives me a rapid clicking sound. All of the dash warning lights that normally turn on (battery, CEL, seatbelt light, etc) all flash in rapid succession while the clicking occurs. The car will not start.

The car battery feels as if it's fully charged and ready to go. No lights are dim and window roll up/down speeds are normal. Attempting to jump start the car has no effect as well as leaving the cables in place and revving the "jumping" car's motor.

My alarm's battery backup siren would sort of give a low warble when this clicking sound was taking place, as if there wasn't enough juice in the primary electrical system and it wanted to trigger (the battery backup alarm triggers when the primary electrical power is cut)

I turned off all secondary power drawing devices as a first step (lights, radio, climate control fans, A/C and turned off the battery backup alarm).

I did get the car to go again by performing the old fashioned "push start, pop the clutch in second" trick at the request of the roadside assistance person that I needed to call. (I thought this might not be a good idea with all wheel drive, but I figured since it was his suggestion...it was okay)

So I got it running again and got home, grabbed the video camera fully prepared to take a quick vid so that everyone could see what I'm talking about. Guess what? It started like a charm.

So now I'm wary about my car stranding me someplace and I figured I'd draw from everyone's experience here to see what suggestions you all might have. Thanks in advance!

-Josh :confused: :confused:

Sounds like a dead starter to me.

Glad to hear you can roll start a manual WRX (I didn't think you could - have never needed to try on my present car - have done it in the past, though) - you aren't rolling enough to damage the drivetrain, so don't even worry about it.

As an aside, you can't push/roll start a modern BMW - we couldn't get my friends 318ti to go... though she had never push started a car, and might have not done the right thing (turn key to run position, drop clutch)... I had assumed an electric fuel pump sort of prevented roll starting.

i actually think it was a dead battery. was my initial reaction to your description of the first symptoms - especially the clicking.

i remember running into the clicking all the time with dead subies at the dealership. as for not jump starting - i dunno, maybe not getting solid contact? were you putting the negative on a painted section? don't know what to say there.

Originally posted by bjlee
i actually think it was a dead battery.

That's what it sounds like to me as well.

I was actually thinking a dead battery too. All signs sort of point to it. I used to have another (older) car that would do something a bit similar. The solution was to reseat the battery terminal connection and clean up the terminal corrosion a bit. I eventually replaced the terminal connectors and the problem went away.

I was wondering a bit on the not jump starting. I didn't hook up the cables...the tow truck guy did (I had to call roadside assistance). I wasn't sure how good the connection looked, but I figured since that's what he did for a living then I should probably trust him.

On the other hand, it could be the starter too. The clicking sound was coming from near the starter. The clicking sounded like a solenoid type clicking.

Maybe tomorrow I'll take her down to Sears and have them hook her up on that machine that tests the charge rate and how well the battery is holding up.

Thanks so much for the insight, everyone. Of course, if anyone has any other ideas as well, I'm more than happy to hear about it :)

Can we assume you checked that the battery connectors are tight?

Originally posted by brunetmj
Can we assume you checked that the battery connectors are tight?

:lol: yup yup ;)

Car started just fine this morning too...

ugh. :( It was rock solid reliable to this point and now my trust has been broken. I feel violated.

If you have a voltmeter, hook it up to the battery terminals and watch it while attempting to start the car (or have someone help you). While cranking it should read no less than about 10V.
With no significant load on the battery (engine off, nothing turned on) the battery should read 12.5V. Lower readings indicate a weak battery.

Necromancer, thanks for the PM and I'm sorry for not updating this thread way back when this happened.

Problem was 100% the battery. It probably shouldn't have been considering how long I'd had the car, but it certainly was. Dropped it in there and it's been starting 100% reliably to this date.

...hope you get unstranded soon. It should jumpstart and run just fine off the alternator if you have the means...

-*

Thanks for following up and the advice, StarDude! My problem was the battery, too. Luckily found another i-clubber to give me a jump, and everything was fine.

Time to look for a new batt. :) Isn't it weird that the starter doesn't die gradually, rather just dies completely and the car goes into clicking fits when the battery is low. It doesn't make any sense.

Thanks for following up and the advice, StarDude! My problem was the battery, too. Luckily found another i-clubber to give me a jump, and everything was fine.

Time to look for a new batt. :) Isn't it weird that the starter doesn't die gradually, rather just dies completely and the car goes into clicking fits when the battery is low. It doesn't make any sense.

The starter only fails when the battery dies.
The clicking is the stater solenoid. The solenoid pulls in, CLICK, that connects the starter. The starter draws a lot of current (100+ amps) so the battery voltage falls to a point where there isn't enough to hold the solenoid engaged. The solenoid drops out, CLICK, that disconnects the starter motor so the battery volts rise. The solenoid then pulls in again, CLICK, and so we go on.

John

Wow, that totally makes sense. :)

Threw me off too :) I was expecting the old school

rrrRRRr...rrrRRRr...rrrRRRr...rRRrRRrRRrR...rRRRRr rRrRRRrrrRRR..

instead of
clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick clickclick

I thought it was more serious than a battery when it first happened to me.

:)

-*

Glad to hear you nailed the problem. :) A weak battery certainly should be changed before you are stranded in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night.
Just wanted to chime in with a different approach to this "starter problem". I had a similar problem with my Legacy's starter not turning over. As I had the factory battery for 7 years, I assumed that was the problem. It wasn't.
Somewhere on this forum I had read about starter contacts wearing out. A trip to an alternator repair shop and $7 later, I had a brand new pair of contacts in my hands. Yanked out the starter and changed out the shards of copper that used to be contacts. Starter was like new (even more satisfying taking a brand new $85 starter back to the store) :)
Now I wonder if that battery would have made it to 8 years. :rolleyes:
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/618000-618999/618555_44_full.jpg

Batteries work too hard to be ignored. I replaced my lame stock subaru battery before 10k miles. Low voltage can lead to a lot of headaches with failures in onther parts of the car. Arcing made from bad contacts, electric motors, mechanical switches running hotter and failing prematurely.

If possible, never skimp on the quality of the battery. I only use Interstate Megatron batteries (not an add I swear). And FYI the megatron 'Plus' is not better than the regular Megatron unless you run a large current draw like inverters or a high wattage stereo system. The standard megatron will actually last longer and perform better in a car with an un-taxed electrical system.

If I can't get an interstate, choice 2 is a Sears Diehard. No wal-mart or autoparts store batteries unless it's an emergency, and if Delco is the only choice, I'll walk instead.

all i have to say is "optima", that's the only way to go.