My car power is on, but not turning anything when I started the motor. Its just dead quiet, not even click?

Question

ing sound of a fail starter. Could it be starter, starter solenoid or something else ?. Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

Sounds like the neutral safety switch is bad...if you have an automatic transmission car, try wiggling the shifter while you try to start it....if it starts, it's a bad or misaligned neutral safety switch. If you have a manual transmission car, the switch is probably linked to the clutch pedal---unplug the wires from the switch and jump the terminals together temporarily to test...if it starts, replace the switch DO NOT leave the wires jumped as you or someone else could start the car in gear and possibly have an accident..........Paul

Answer 2

Have a second person there out in front of the car. Turn on the headlights. Do they shine? Yes. Try starting the car. Did the lights stay on bright or did they go out?
If they went out.....the battery is toast.
If they stayed bright, battery connection to the starter is dirty or the solenoid is gone.

Answer 3

All of the above suggestions are very valid but no one has mentioned the Neutral safety switch on an automatic transmission car or the clutch pedal switch for more modern manual transmission cars.

The neutral safety switch keeps the unwashed masses from starting a car in gear like Reverse or Drive. The clutch pedal switch on a manual transmission car does basically the same thing in a different way. It won't let the engine start unless the clutch pedal is depressed.

Answer 4

if nothing else electrical works, don't buy a starter yet. it could just be as simple as a loose connection or a corroded connection. if it was mine, i would smack the starter with a hammer or big wrench, then try again... when starter parts start wearing sometimes you can limp along for a while just by smakin them up when they give you problems



AND... is it possible that it clicked JUST ONCE the first time? and never again after? solenoids will do that sometimes, just smack it with a wrench.

Answer 5

it could be your starter or simply a bad ground, your lights and accs. need less power than the starter so it's important to have full power, check your ground cable where it attaches to the block, remove it, clean it with sand paper and tighten it then try again.

Answer 6

does the car have power to other circuits? ( headlights radio etc.) if not check the battery and connections. if so depending on the year make and model it could be anything from a starter relay to the starter itself. hope this helps

Answer 7

First try tightening/cleaning the battery cables and posts... but it sounds like a solenoid gone bad.

Answer 8

Sounds like a dead battery to me. Did you leave the lights on?

Answer 9

It could be as simple as the battery cables being too loose. Tighten them up and see what happens.

Answer 10

See if your headlights work. If not it's a dead battery or bad cable connection.