Car will not start....

[dorkiedoode]

I went downstairs to clean the corrosion off the battery terminals because I thought it was preventing my hid kit to stay on but now my car won't start! I am able to turn on my interior lights, radio, foglight and everything. When I switch it over to ignition (3) it makes a very loud chatter. I cleaned off the terminals with baking powder and tighten the the cables tightly but no avail. Earlier I went to autozone to test my battery and the machine said I had a bad battery but when I looked it seems as if my battery is pumping out 12.60 volts and can retain 98% of its charge so how is that bad? I ask HER and she was clueless. There weren't any guys there too weird. So what can it be? starter? lol was working fine earlier today.

Another thing i notice, when i arm my car alarm it doesn't sound like it used to. Before it was loud and sharp but now its just low and .. i can't explain but it's not the same.
Solution: Change battery and negative cable wire

 

[dcmystery21]

-battery could be dying. did you test it under load?
-maybe you have a bad connection, that could cause the chatter.
-if you used water in the cleaning process, some standing water could cause a short
-auto stores can test starters if you are willing to take it out.

 

[Max]

You could have blown your alternator. My friend jumped her car wrong and blew her friend's car's alternator because it shorted. Either way, the car with the busted alternator had the interior electronics working fine but once the ignition was turned the car didn't start. So check the alternator.

The interior electronics work because they're running off the battery.

 

[dorkiedoode]

-battery could be dying. did you test it under load?
-maybe you have a bad connection, that could cause the chatter.
-if you used water in the cleaning process, some standing water could cause a short
-auto stores can test starters if you are willing to take it out.

1. I don't think she tested it under load. she connected two clamps to this handheld machine and the result appeared on the screen.
2. i tried doing it over 3x. taking it out and re-tighten the battery post clamps but didn't help. maybe i can get new ones and see..
3. the car wouldn't start before I even cleaned it with water and baking powder.
4. is it hard for the v6?

 

[dcmystery21]

You could have blown your alternator. My friend jumped her car wrong and blew her friend's car's alternator because it shorted. Either way, the car with the busted alternator had the interior electronics working fine but once the ignition was turned the car didn't start. So check the alternator.

The interior electronics work because they're running off the battery.

i dont believe a bad alternator would cause the car not to start. the alternator doesnt kick in until after the car is started. but then again, you never know. check all of your connections.

 

[dcmystery21]

1. I don't think she tested it under load. she connected two clamps to this handheld machine and the result appeared on the screen.
2. i tried doing it over 3x. taking it out and re-tighten the battery post clamps but didn't help. maybe i can get new ones and see..
3. the car wouldn't start before I even cleaned it with water and baking powder.
4. is it hard for the v6?

i would say it is the battery then. see if you can take it back up to the parts store and ask them to load test it. batteries act differently when they actually have to work. have you had the battery a long time?

as for the clicking, that almost definately has to be a bad connection. try a different battery first.

edit- have you tried jumping it?

 

[dorkiedoode]

You could have blown your alternator. My friend jumped her car wrong and blew her friend's car's alternator because it shorted. Either way, the car with the busted alternator had the interior electronics working fine but once the ignition was turned the car didn't start. So check the alternator.

The interior electronics work because they're running off the battery.

how do we check the alternator? dang i don't recall doing anything that would've shorted the alternator. i took off the positive cable and scape some corrosion off and plugged it back in afterwards.

 

[dorkiedoode]

i would say it is the battery then. see if you can take it back up to the parts store and ask them to load test it. batteries act differently when they actually have to work. have you had the battery a long time?

as for the clicking, that almost definately has to be a bad connection. try a different battery first.

edit- have you tried jumping it?

I haven't jumped it yet because none of my friends have the cable lol. I'm still using the battery when i bought the car back in 07 (there's a sticker on it with the date 12/05) . definitely, i'll try and check the connections again tomorrow.

 

[pyaarawala]

By chattering, do you mean the car is turning but it's not firing up? Like you're getting the fuel and everything but it just won't start up. When you put the key in and turn it twice, the one where all the dash lights light up, right before ignition, does your check engine light turn on? Or is it just the Maint req'd light and the rest, without the check engine light on?

 

[LCPLPunk]

Borrow someone's battery and hook it up..