Car won't start/crank. Battery tests good.?

Question

I have a 96 Merc. Sable. The battery is only 18 months old. I try to start it and nothing happens except for a small click click. Will start immediately with a jump. Volt meter shows battery at about 12.6V, lights work etc. I cleaned the mild corrosion on the posts. Seems like an electrical problem, but not sure how to trace it. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the answers so far, but for all those that suggested either the starter or fuel pump is bad, why then would it start immediately with a jump?

Answer 1

14+ is good for the batt......but 12.6 could be a loose conn. give all the wires a tug, from the batt. to the starter......nothing loose....get it started and go have a load test done.. still could be the batt..............

Answer 2

Now that's interesting to me.

So your car will crank with a boost, but not without it.

Just a theory, if possible, do you have another battery. If so try it. If it does work with another battery, see if the old one is still under warranty, maybe you can get it replaced.

Your battery shows 12 Volts, great, but does it still have the cranking power to start the vehicle. (Watts). Just because there is enough volts doesn't always mean there is enough watts.

Try cleaning the connection at the starter. There might be corrosion there you can't see.

Doubt a fuse is blown cause you can jump start it.

Answer 3

It sounds like you didn't actually remove the battery cables from the battery posts and clean them enough. You really need to score the metal surfaces of the battery posts and inner battery cable connectors sometimes to get a good connection. I know, because I've been there and done that dozens of times! Of course both the positive red and negative black battery cables must have a low resistance connection. What you "see" here is not what you get. You can't "see" a bad, high resistance electrical connection with your eyes. You have to measure the voltage drops across the connections. If you don't have over 9.0 volts DC at the starter solenoid's battery connection while cranking the engine, you don't have good a good battery and/or battery cable connections. Buy a battery charger and charge your battery (disconnect one battery cable on the car) for at least 4 hours at 10 Amps.

Answer 4

Does now not start up or dose not crank? If it cranks over whether wont start up I quite have some issues so as which you will examine a million be sure the imobilizer gentle on the sprint is going out after approximately 5-10 seconds once you swap the ignition on if now not your key should not be programed or there's a dilemma with the attitude. 2 see once you have have been given spark on the spark plugs(additionally examine the plugs to look in the event that they're moist with gasoline) i cant do not overlook if that style has coil on plug yet i don't have faith so which you ought to have cap and rotor and a distributor if there is not any spark then this is probable that the coil has long previous undesirable the ignition module infrequently is an downside different than on older style's. you probable have an extremely vulnerable spark your cap and rotor are on the entire worn, pull it off and look at the contacts and make certain the cap for small cracks and moisture. you probable have aftermarket ignition wires or cap and rotor which you ought to very virtually wager the coil has burnt out and additionally you will ought to replace any aftermarket aspects with honda broking aspects. 3 once you have spark then your in all probability now not getting gasoline and the biggest relay(controls the gasoline pump) must be undesirable this is below the drivers area of the sprint and sounds like a brown plastic field attempt tapping on it on an identical time as you crank even yet it would ought to get replaced hitting it dosent invariably get it working. additionally if nonetheless not establishing preserve the gasoline pedal to the floor on an identical time as cranking it must be flooded Air, gasoline, spark you prefer those 3 for the motor vehicle to run. so some distance as now not cranking in any respect if your battery is dazzling then the starter may well be risky have somebody faucet on it on an identical time as you attempt to crank the engine, additionally examine the draw close activate the grasp pedal it ought to have long long previous risky and with the purpose to reason a no crank venture(carry the ignition exchange in the commencing up place and persistently press the draw close pedal to the floor). in basic terms suited stable fortune to ya

Answer 5

MEASURE THE BATTERY VOLTAGE WHILE YOU ARE CRANKING [GET HELP]
OFF LOAD, BATTERY SHOULD BE 12.6 CRANKING SHOULD DROP THE VOLTAGE TO ABOUT 10 VOLTS IF THE VOLTAGE DOES NOT DROP THE BATTERY IS GOO AND THERE IS A LOOSE CONNECTION SOMEWHERE IF THE VOLTAGE FALLS TO 7OR9 VOLTS, THE BATTERY HAS HIGH RESISTANCE AND NEEDS REPLACING - I SUGGEST A DIFFERENT BRAND IF THIS ONE ONLY LASTED 18 MONTHS.

CHECK THAT THE EARTH CABLES FROM THE ENGINE TO THE CHASSIS IS GOOD ALSO THE HIGH CURRENT CABLES TO THE BACK OF THE STARTER ARE TIGHT

AGAIN WITH HELP, TRY SHORTING [WITH A SPANNER] THE THICK CABLES ON THE BACK OF THE SOLENOID [YOU NEED TO DO THIS AFTER SOMEONE STARTS CRANKING WITH THE IGNITION KEY OR THE STARTER WILL JUST ROTATE WITHOUT ENGAGING. IF THIS WORKS, THE SOLENOID IS SHOT
GOOD LUCK
Andy

Answer 6

the fact that the battery is only 18 months old means nothing it could have gone bad already you should have it tested. also have your alternator tested to see of it is working properly. the clicking noise that you hear is the starter solenoid. since this is a ford it should be on the left or right side of the car near the fender , you can cross the points on the solenoid and see if it starts then (make sure the key is on and if the car is a standard transmission make sure it is in neutral) if it starts then the solenoid is bad since you have just by passed it

Answer 7

I have had this problem before. have a mechanic check the wires at the starter. A loose wire on the positive or negative side of the starter terminals will create this problem. When your car is jumped, the extra volts may be enough to bridge the gap in connections. Not sure if that is your problem but that was my exact problem

Answer 8

Either you didn't get all the corrosion off the battery terminal and cable ends, the cables themselves are bad, or the battery isn't fully charged.

My guess would be bad contact at cables/ post, reclean and make sure they are tight...

Answer 9

Maybe the starter, or the fuel pump finally went down.

Answer 10

the starter is bad