PLEASE HELP. Car won't start.

Frisky Arab · Aug 5, 2011

It's most likely what redmeans faster said. Probably a problem with your starter. Among many other problems that my coupe has had this was one of them. Would start fine with a jump, but once left to sit for long periods of time it wouldn't start again and would make a really bad noise upon turning the key. Got a new starter and now my car starts every time.

ilovemycoupe · Aug 5, 2011

ryan s said:
since it starts after a jump and a drive, but then won't start much later, the alternator is still making juice.

Can you please explain more as to why it wouldn't be the alternator?

ryan s · Aug 5, 2011

its not the alternator for two main reasons:

1. it has nothing to do with starting the car
2. cars can run for a few minutes off the battery before dying if the alternator goes bad

and a bonus third reason, just for this situation:

3. that you jumped it, drove it, parked it, and restarted it right away shows that its charging--just that the battery can't hold the charge for very long

since the battery is definitely still under warranty, start there. the starter is a wayyyy distant second place because the car is asking for the radio code, meaning that theres inadequate backup voltage (from the battery). if theres a literal grinding noise, like ERRRRRRRRRRRRRR when you try to start it, sure, could be the starter. there will be no mistaking a grinding starter for anything else. if you hear relays making a really fast clicking noise and the gauge cluster has lights and the radio turns on, its the battery.

ilovemycoupe · Aug 5, 2011

^^ Thank you!

So, um... I think I messed it up even more.

I went and tried to start it again and same result. So i put it in my radio code to unlock the radio thinking maybe it was an anti theft system. So it unlocked the radio but this time when I tried to start it, it made a different noise. Like a groaning coming from the dashboard? And then after that my remote wouldn't work. I can only lock/unlock with the key now.

What did I do?

ilovemycoupe · Aug 6, 2011

I have an update. So I put the battery on a charger and charged it up today and tried to start it once it was charged with the charger still on. It does the same thing. Well sort of. It starts, then stalls immedialty. After that, it WILL crank now, but it won't start. I have a brand new fuel pump in there and it was like 77° so I don't know why it would be the main relay. Any help?