For the second time since Friday my car didn't want to start this evening. I'll turn the key and it'll give that single click, and then nothing. Last time I got out and checked the battery cables, one was loose so I tightened it and then it worked. This time the cables were tight, but when I got back in it started.

Battery is less than one month old. Car has 135k miles on it, 2002 WRX. Any ideas?

 

I'm guessing you might have a bad starter. Hit it a couple times with a ratchet and try again.

 

blame it on the accident

 

That was going to be my follow-up question to Jody's post

 

Just realized I should have put this in technical, not BAIC.

 

take off the battery cables and clean your terminals and the inside of the cable connections. Make sure you've got a nice clean surface on both sides of the equation.

 

A terminal cleaner is cheap. I keep one in my car. Do you have a multimeter? Just to rule out a charging problem. Running should be >13v sitting should be around 12v and cranking should be no lower than about 10v.


Hope you get it sorted out.

 

Check for corrosion on your terminals, usually the culprit, then move on to starter.

 

Intermittent like that is almost always the starter (solenoid). Check it first.

 

But it is easier to check the batt. terminals first, so why not that?

 

bah. no one ever does.

Take it back to the body shop dude.

My guess is that the whack you took transferred up to your starter. Hopefully it's the starter and not a chunk out of your flywheel or a bend somewhere.

If you're getting that click it's not the battery. It's the starter. So take it back in and let them pull the starter out and take a look. It could just be that the wire down on the starter is loose, frayed or just off. It only takes a slight contact to fire the starter so if it's dangling it can start occasionally.

 

i have a similar problem on my 05. i get no click at all when i turn the key though. then after a 3rd or 4th try it will start right up. it's really intermittent, like once or twice a week. i suspected the starter but wanted to rule out the battery first. bought a cleaning kit and it seemed to go away, but now it seems to be back. guess there will be a starter install in my near future.

 

Yours sounds more like a battery on it's way out. You can have it tested.

 

Yeah, that should be checked too, but he said he had previously checked the cables. No, it doesn't hurt to check that, but when it doesn't click and then does, there's about a 90% chance it is the starter. Cleaning and maintaining your battery and cables is something that should be done regularly (at least once a year, more often if you live somewhere where corrosion is an issue) whether your car has starting issues or not.

My truck had almost the exact same thing. I bought a new battery and when I went to swap them, I found the main positive cable corroded and loose. Cleaned it all up and problem solved. But when it wouldn't start, there was no click at all.

 

Check the clutch safety switch before you go crazy with all the other stuff.