My 98 Dodge Neon doesn't start. It makes a clicking sound and it doesnt start when you jump the battery. The selenoid has been replaced because we thought thats what the problem was. We are now thinking it's the starter but we ran an OBD scan and the code read ambien/battery sensor voltage high. Anyone I ask has never heard of this. Can anyone help me? Do I need a new battery? My battery terminals are very old and corroded. Could it be as simple as replacing them?

 

first thing you have to do is wire brush your turminals. if that dosent work check your connections. if that dosent do it your batterys dead. if it was your starter it would be silent.

 

You need to check your battery, terminals, and cables.

Clean your terminals with baking soda and water. Wire brush the insides of the terminal ends of the cables and the battery posts and reinstall.
Then check your battery voltage. If should be 12.75 Volts. At least 12.45 V. THen try starting and see what voltage falls too. Should stay over 11 V. If not change battery. If that is OK then Check from battery + post to the starter and see what the Voltage difference from the battery to the starter is. Should be less than .5V preferably .3V or less. If not change your cable. Then check from negative battery post to starter case using same readings. If those check out change your starter.

 

thanks for the help. I actually just read on a forum someone with the exact same problem. They claim it to be the starter. I will clean the terminals and see what happens. If nothing works...I guess it's the starter.

 

How old's your battery? Have you had alternator problems in the past, which could wear the battery down like crazy?

Recharge the battery by jumper or whatnot, then get a loadtest done on the battery. If it passes, it could be a blahed out battery or the starter. I think the starter makes lots of clicky noises when your battery is dead...and when your starter is dead you won't start, even with a jumper. [Edit: Read your post again, so yeah, it could be the starter then, or the battery was incompletely charged. If you have a spare battery on you in better condition, try that one and if it doesn't work, then definitely starter.]

Next question: You refer to a "solenoid" being replaced. Are you referring to the starter, which contains a solenoid? Because you refer to the starter right after that...

 

No...the selenoid was replaced and it still just clicks when i try to start it. It's not like a constant clicking when i hold the key...it's just once. The lights and stereo come on like normal, but it won't turn over. It does nothing. We jumped it by connecting screw drivers together on the selenoid because it wouldn't jump with another car hooked to it. We think the selenoid is connected to the starter so thats why it started when we jumped the selenoid. I'm just confused because the OBD scan read ambient/battery voltage high. We have no idea where to go with that cause no one has ever heard of it.

 

do u have anytinghooked to ur +cable in ur fuse box under the hood i have seen be lose or not have a good connection u might be able u jiggly the wire it worth a try

 

we checked all the fuses and they were all fine. there was a wire he found today under the battery that was unhooked but we still don't think that would stop my car from starting. or it would at least try to turn over.