Intermittent clicks, beeps, and flashes & car wont start

lilnicky068 · 05-31-2010, 02:57 PM

When i turn the key to start the car, all i can hear is a relay clicking (not the starter clicking). also, with the key in different positions, i hear random clicks from different relays (both under the hood and under the dash) and the dome light flickers with clicks sometimes. when i turn on the wipers, a relay clicks and the wipers move in tiny increments along with the clicks. everything is very intermittent though. sometimes things work, sometimes they dont, but the car will not start at all. wtf is going on? i know low voltage on a battery can cause some strange things, but i put a volt meter and it and its reading 12.5 volts right now. i also had jumper cables hooked up to the battery for about 10 minutes and that didnt help either. i am so lost.

leo2hot4tv · 05-31-2010, 07:44 PM

It's most likely the battery. A volt meter won't tell you if the battery is dead or not. If the battery is completely gone, jumper cables won't work. Go to an auto parts and get the battery tested. Check your terminals for corrosion and check it they're tight too.

Deathdeisel · 05-31-2010, 07:50 PM

Agreed, sounds like your battery is hardly putting out any power, and the random clicks is your cars computer restarting trying to run the normal startup, just about 5 times because of re-boot.

NorthWest3.8 · 05-31-2010, 09:14 PM

I had a very similar problem, turned out to be corroded terminals. Take some sandpaper to it and the see if it works.

sircrashalot · 05-31-2010, 10:03 PM

agree with everything, i run a huge power hungry sound system,

massive drainage of the battery will cause that(your car still feeding off the battery even after car is off(split wiring somewhere ground it self)

corroding will cause that

dead battery will definitely cause relay to click but no action

it like plugging a 12 volt battery to a 24 volt item, just enough to actuate but not function

MMR · 06-01-2010, 01:52 AM

lilnicky068lilnicky068lilnicky068: I also had the same problem, and it also turned out to be the battery and the connectors/terminals..To be honest I dont know what they are called in english, but the poles that you connect to the battery and the battery had gone bad.

But both they are pretty easy to replace.

lilnicky068 · 06-01-2010, 07:41 AM

hell yea, that makes me feel better about the situation. i just figured jumping the battery for a while would have taken care of it if that was the issue. i guess ill make a trip to autozone and have it tested.

NorthWest3.8 · 06-01-2010, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilnicky068

hell yea, that makes me feel better about the situation. i just figured jumping the battery for a while would have taken care of it if that was the issue. i guess ill make a trip to autozone and have it tested.

Did you check the terminals for corrosion?

lilnicky068 · 06-01-2010, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorthWest3.8

Did you check the terminals for corrosion?

yes the posts and rings are squeaky clean. used one of those nifty brush tools to clean them up.

NorthWest3.8 · 06-01-2010, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilnicky068

yes the posts and rings are squeaky clean. used one of those nifty brush tools to clean them up.

Yeah those work really well.

lilnicky068 · 06-01-2010, 02:51 PM

just got back from autozone. the battery tested good...

since earlier i have checked both fuse/relay boxes and they both seem to be in good order. i REALLY have no idea where to go from here. its just acting so weird... if i turn the key back, the radio comes on as it should, but if i hit the lock switch or the window switch the radio goes off (as well as everything else). im lost. any more ideas guys?

leo2hot4tv · 06-01-2010, 03:19 PM

Do you have access to a similar crank battery? I had a ****ty battery once and those bastards at Discount kept trying to pull it off as good. Some of them are also genuinely clueless. It all points to the batt though.

(SilentMember) · 06-01-2010, 03:23 PM

Take a multimeter and make sure all your battery connections and the CABLES are good. I use the continuity mode (makes a beep if theres good connection) My lightning did the same thing and it was a bad positive battery cable.

lilnicky068 · 06-01-2010, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leo2hot4tv

Do you have access to a similar crank battery? I had a ****ty battery once and those bastards at Discount kept trying to pull it off as good. Some of them are also genuinely clueless. It all points to the batt though.

No i dont have another battery i can try

and i'd really hate to buy another one just to try it

lilnicky068 · 06-01-2010, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by (SilentMember)

Take a multimeter and make sure all your battery connections and the CABLES are good. I use the continuity mode (makes a beep if theres good connection) My lightning did the same thing and it was a bad positive battery cable.

smart man

i did as u suggested and found that there was no continuity between the negative terminal and where it grounds to the chassis. disconnected the terminal from the cables, cleaned them up a bit, reconnected the terminal and now everything is working fine. crazy how that made everything go haywire. i figure if it had to do with the ground connection it would either work or not work (not be somewhere in between) but i guess not. thanks a lot guys!

(SilentMember) · 06-01-2010, 05:38 PM

Glad you got it fixed

A multimeter is my best friend!