This is my first post and I know very little about cars so here goes.

I have a 1996 Dodge neon 2 door coupe.
Last night after work I went to start my car and all I get is a click, click, click, click, click.
I noticed that all my lights where very dim and so I assumed that maybe my battery was dead.
I got a friend to attempt to jump start me but all it did was make the clicking noise louder and the internal lights brighter etc.
I am torn between a possible battery problem or would you think this is a starter problem
The reason I ask is because I would have to have the car towed if it is a starter problem.
I guess I figure its not the batter because the car still would not start even with a jump start
Any help would be much much appreciated!!!! What should I do or check or whatever!!!

I did check all the batter connectors and re-seated them all incase there was some kind of connectivty issue. Could this be an electrical problem?

 

Seems like it most definatly is an electrical problem.

Couple things to try. Check your alternator and its connections that there clean and tight. Also all connections on the starter, and even that little wire thats about a centimeter long, it has a nut tightening it, make sure thats clean.

Start there and see what happens.

Sean

 

Thank you very much for the fast response. Is there somewhere I can go that has a diagram of a 96 neon's engine? I would not even know what the starter looks like much less where to find it. No clue where the alternater is also.

Thank you very very much for the help!!

 

Honestly not sure where on the web for free? But, pick up a Clymer manual from an auto parts store and the diagrams you so desire will be in there.

Looking at the engine from the front of the car, to the left, and down the side of the engine will be the alternator. To access it, you'll have to go under the car. It's quite difficult from the top.

Looking again from the front of the engine. The starter is straight down and directly behind the radiator. I guess it has some red plastic on it, brown? wire coming from it, mine does,(95).

G/L

 

Gotcha!! I know where the starter is then I have seen it. Yuck that sucks you have to access the alternator from the bottom of the car. Its a very very tight fit to climb under the damn thing ROFL. I assume a wire brush would be good to have to clean these connections? I just hope its not one of the wires itself because it would be pretty much impossible to test that. So if you had a dirty connection or a lose connection I assume that would cause your starter to not get enough juice hence the click, click noise? Also if the starter itself goes bad I bet you would only get one click when attempting to start the car. The click, click noise seems to be comming from somewhere near the battery but I could be wrong. Its hard to tell, but it is forsure on the right side of the engine. Anyway thank you again for the advice. I will see if for once I can actualy solve my own car problem and post my results.


Lowell

 

from what you're saying this is a classic example of a starter going out. the clicking you are hearing is the starter solenoid. the lights dimming is norm even with a good batt (but gets worse with a bad starter), but check the battery with a multi-meter just incase. while cranking if your batt drops below 10v it's about at the end of it's life, try LIGHT tapping on the starter. check the ohms from + and - . should not be open (reading should be below 3 but not "0L")

if you got a stick pop the clutch get it running and check the batt volts, should be between 12-14 volt RIGHT after starting. this will tell you if your ALT is working right, good luck.

 

keep the car that is boosting it running for about 2 minutes or so with the booster cables on your battery, then try starting it. If that doesnt work, but the car in 5th gear put your foot on the clutch, find about 3 or 4 guys that can run real fast and get em pushing. pop the clutch (just make sure you warn the guys behind the car when you are going to, cause it will stop)

 

Ok so I got out to my car and I find the starter and the alterntor. I did not reseat any of the connections I just kind of jiggle them a little and make sure they are on right. I find all the grounds comming from the battery and they seem to all be solid. I have a wire brush and I am about to go to work on all of the connections and make sure they are clean. I decided I want to see if jiggling the wires has any effect at all. I turn the key and I still get a click, click, click (almost more like a soft tick, tick, tick) noise. Its really weird because it almost sounds as if it is comming from inside the dash or steering column. I know nothing about cars but the clicking noise almost sounds like it is comming from the fuse box error on the side of the dash. I open it up and just press on all of the fuses to make sure they are connected. I then turn the key and all of a sudden my car starts. WTF???? I had my friends car so I could not drive it home. I shut the car down about 10-12 times and everytime it fires right up. WTF. I also tried the blink code thing by turning the car on and off and I get a code of 1 2 5 5 I think. Is there somewhere I can see what this code means?

Also I have an automatic transmission so I cannot do the "pop the clutch" technique that some have suggested.

Ok now I think that the 12 = the error code and the 55 = End of error messages

It states that 12 = Direct battery input to PCM was disconnected within the last 50 key-on cycles
I am not really sure what that means though. Oh well back to reading =(

Much Much appreciated for everyone that has taken the time to post about my problem!!!

 

code 12 is: batt discon in last 50 starts + wires to/from. code 55: end of codes. pull all the fuses you have in your car to see if your have either a white or brownish build up on the fuses and in the fuse sockets (the car i have now was sitting for a year so i just replaced ALL the fuses, cost $20) check to make sure ALL the batt cons are TIGHT. good luck.

 

I had that problem with my dynasty, and it was the battary being dead enough to not start the car, but not dead enough to prevent it from trying.