Over the past several weeks I've been having intermittent problems with my car not starting. This all started one morning when I went to start my car, my finger slipped off the key before it completely turned over. I immediately tried starting the car again, but I got nothing. No clicks. No lights. No sounds. Just flat nothing. As if the battery had been completely removed from the equation, nothing.

Ever since then I have had problems on the frequency of about 2 to 3 times a week where I will get in my car, turn the key on, I get dash lights, dome light, the radio comes on, radar detector comes on - power as normal - but when I try to start the car, I get one click, then nothing. After that, there is nothing. No dash lights. No radio. No radar detector. It is again, as if the battery had been removed and there is no power at all.

Until last week I've had to have my wife's car to jump start my car after this happens. Which, by the way is effortless. Normally when you have a dead battery there is a bit of a charging period and even then you have to crank a bit. This is not like that. The power returns instantly and the engine fires effortless and immediately after the jumper cables are attached. Last week this happened at my in-laws house when I was all by myself. My father in law is, thankfully, a bit of a motor head and had a battery charger with an option for start power. When I attached the charger the first thing I noticed was that it said my battery was at 85%, which in my mind is pretty good. I couldn't figure out how to get it to tell me what altenator was producing. However I set the charger to provide start power and my car turned over effortlessly and I was on my way.

This morning, same problem. Only this time my wife is at work. I have no charger/starter. So while waiting for my wife to come home from work to jump my car I decide to check the battery. The cells were all full. I disconnected and reconnected the battery terminals. Little to no corrossion. I got back in my car and wouldn't you know that it turned right over without a stutter, as if nothing had ever even happened to begin with.

Now, after having said all of that. Does this sound familiar to anyone or does any one have any ideas what could be causing this porblem? It seems like it would be entirely electrical but I've had people tell me it's my battery. I've had people tell me it's my altenator. I've had people tell me it's my starter. Does anyone have any ideas and reasoning behind those ideas?

My guess is that when you unhooked the batttery you disturbed some corrosion. Once reconnected you got most of the current back. Try a good cleaning of you terminals and posts. But don't stop there, strip a little of the wire coating and look. If it's green get to cleaning until it's all shiny. Might want to check around your ground connection. Mine is on the inner fender well. When in doubt Autozone will test your battery, starter, or alternator.


Labrat

Based on the description given, I would say it is a connection issue. At least that is where I would start. Get some baking soda and water and scrub your battery terminals and posts. They sell special wire brushes for this kind of thing at car parts places. Do the same kind of cleaning job on the starter solenoid bolts. Get them sparkling! Hook everything back up and see what happens.

If that doesn't work then I would have to say it is the battery. Judging by the fact that once you get it started ( running off the alternator ) everything operates correctly. A way to check this theory is to unplug the alternator connector when the engine is running and see if the car dies shortly after taking off the connector. You are effectively letting the car run off the battery.

Your average-strong battery should have no problem for running for 20mins with out an alternator on a full charge. So, if it dies with in a minute or two, you know your problem...


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