Starter clicking, new battery, starts sometimes?!
#1
03-10-2014, 04:28 PM
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Starter clicking, new battery, starts sometimes?!
Okay so I have a few ideas of whats wrong with my car but I would love to get a second opinion before I put anymore time or money into it. I have a 1997 Dodge Stratus v6. Recently it has been having trouble holding a charge. 2-3 weeks ago, my fiance started the car just fine, drove to work and by lunchtime, the car would not turn over, just repeated clicking from the starter. He got a jump and it started just fine. Came home, turned the car off for less than an hour and it started clicking again and had to get another jump.
This happened a few times throughout the week, so we thought maybe the battery had just had enough so we replaced it last Monday, worked fine all week, no problems whatsoever. Well on Sunday we were driving and the battery light came on, got home, turned the car off, tried to restart it immediately and the starter began clicking again. So, I am thinking it is a parasitic load. The only things we have messed with since we got it was replacing the heater fan and putting in an aftermarket stereo but we did that last summer and we just recently started having this problem. Could it be loose or corroded cables? I would think if it starts fine with a jump or a charge pack that this would not be the issue.
Another thing was that before we replaced the battery, the lights would dim and the stereo would turn on and off, and the fan would get louder and quieter as we would drive and apply pressure to the brake, but it hasn't happened since we replaced the battery, not sure if that means anything.
Any insight would be helpful, and please don't just make a guess. I have already put way to much time into this car as it is. Thanks in advance!
This happened a few times throughout the week, so we thought maybe the battery had just had enough so we replaced it last Monday, worked fine all week, no problems whatsoever. Well on Sunday we were driving and the battery light came on, got home, turned the car off, tried to restart it immediately and the starter began clicking again. So, I am thinking it is a parasitic load. The only things we have messed with since we got it was replacing the heater fan and putting in an aftermarket stereo but we did that last summer and we just recently started having this problem. Could it be loose or corroded cables? I would think if it starts fine with a jump or a charge pack that this would not be the issue.
Another thing was that before we replaced the battery, the lights would dim and the stereo would turn on and off, and the fan would get louder and quieter as we would drive and apply pressure to the brake, but it hasn't happened since we replaced the battery, not sure if that means anything.
Any insight would be helpful, and please don't just make a guess. I have already put way to much time into this car as it is. Thanks in advance!
#2
03-10-2014, 09:00 PM
unfortunately have to guess ,1st thing i would check would be cables,make sure there all clean and tight not just on battery, check ground cable from battery to frame, check alternator belt ,make sure in good condition and tight ,then find out how many volts your getting at battery with engine running should be around 13.5+ to 14.5 volts approximately, if you don't have a meter, advance or auto zone or other big chain should be able to check for free; could be alternator not putting out enough to maintain charge(why it ran fine for a week on new battery)
