Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting not starting, just clicking

Alright, I go out of town and I'm gone for a month. My 2000 CSVT sat without being driven the entire time. It started fine before I left but when I went to start it today all it did was make a clicking noise. Not even turning over. What could have happened just sitting there? Tried to jump it but it didn't help. All lights work so I don't think it's the battery. Help

First thing your lights will work even if your battery is dead. At least it was that was on my neijhbors Escort.

Secondly I dont know what could cause it to jsut click.
Starter?

Dead Battery (good song btw)

If the weather was sustained below freezing and the battery voltage dropped it may even have frozen. (I.E. permanently dead battery)

You can try charging it if the battery has not frozen.

I would trickle charge it at 2-6amps. Do not try to quick charge it being the voltage is so low.

Sounds like your battery is dead (as in done for good). That clicking sound is the teeth on the starter barely touching the teeth on the flywheel. That means it isn't getting enough current to fully engage the starter to the flywheel.
Best advice I can give is to try a jump, or get a new battery (and don't let the car sit that long, especially in the cold). Hope this helps.
Sean

If you haven't done it yet, unhook the battery terminals and clean the connections with a wire brush or sandpaper. Lights and stuff like that don't draw as much current as the starter. If the batt. connections are corroded a little they will still pass enough current for lights but not enough to turn over the starter, hence the starter will just click but not spin. When you unhook the battery, always unhook the ground side (negative) first and hook it up last. That way if your wrench hits ground while hooking the positive side you don't do any unnecessary arc welding. If the batt. connections are good its probably the batt.

May not be bad... My neighbor's Chevrolet minivan had that problem, I tried to jump it but it just clicked, could be the Starter Solenoid, that was what was wrong with that thing

i have had similar experiences with other cars and it too was the starter solenoid.

Ok, this sounds like my exact problem. But when I try to turn the engine over my windshiled wiper blades do a cycle.

How hard is it to replace this starter silenoid*?

ok, when the wipers turn on, its generally a low battery, stare at your airbag light, that should flash 1-2... when or after trying to start.
(whoever made the design of the wipers going on when low battery needs a )