It’s 8:00 AM. You get loaded up in the SUV, turn the key in the ignition and… nothing. Your ready to take on the day, but your car isn’t. It won’t start and is making a clicking noise.
Why? What can you do to get back on the road quickly? We will look at the possible causes of an engine that won’t start, but just makes a clicking noise and what you might be able to do about it.
Rapid Clicking When Trying to Start Car vs. Single Click
When starting your vehicle, the tapping sound you hear is an indication of where to start diagnosing your vehicle problem. Do you hear rapid clicking or one click?
Rapid Clicking: Potential Electrical Problem
A rapid clicking noise when trying to start your car can mean there’s something wrong with the electrical system. You may have a bad battery or a bad alternator (the unit that charges the battery).
If the clicking noise is electrical in nature, the starter (the electric motor that turns your engine over) cannot get enough juice from the battery to fully engage the starter. It will turn on and off quickly, without actually spinning the engine, creating a clicking sound.
Single Click: Potential Starter Problem
Unlike an electrical issue, an issue with your starter or starter relay (a switch to send power to the starter), will create a single loud click noise, not rapid clicking sounds. A completely dead battery can cause one very faint click.
If your vehicle can be jumpstarted, going straight to your closest repair shop to diagnose the issue. If your engine still does not turn over after being jumpstarted, you will need a tow to arrange for a qualified technician to diagnose the issue.
Summary
- The fast clicking sound when attempting to start your vehicle is usually an electrical related issue, most often caused by a dead or dying battery.
- A single click may be a lack of power a faulty starter or starter relay, and is mostly just a safety, contamination of corrosion, or other similar type issue.
- Corroded or loose battery terminals are the normal culprits for not allowing your vehicle operate properly, and usually a cleaning, and tightening your terminals will easily remedy the issue.
- Some other possibilities include, bad alternator which does not keep your battery charged, or, there might be a blown fuse or relay.
Four Common Reasons Your Car Clicks But Won’t Start
- Dead or Dying Battery
- Corroded or Loose Battery Terminals
- Malfunctioning Alternator
- Faulty Starter
Several different issues can cause your car to click but not start. We’ll discuss four of the most common issues in hopes to help you identify the problem and get your car back on the road.
#1. Dead or Dying Battery.
The battery is one of the first issues to check with a car that won’t start but clicks rapidly. If your car battery is dead, damaged or aged it may not turn the starter motor, but may have enough power left for the solenoid to produce the clicking sound you hear.
Next Steps: If you think a dead battery is the issue, try jumpstarting it. Once it’s running, drive to a local auto store for a battery test. They can check the battery’s condition or possibly complete additional diagnostics to get to the root of the issue.
#2. Corroded or Loose Battery Terminals.
Although your battery may have enough charge, a poor connection can prevent the electrical current from reaching the starter and firing the engine. Road vibrations can cause your battery cables to become loose over time, disrupting the connection and preventing the current from energizing your starter.
If your battery terminals corrode (white, powdery buildup), they can also disrupt the connection to the battery. Visually inspect the battery for a loose cable connection and white buildup around the terminals.
Next Steps: Carefully clean around the battery terminals that have corrosion or loose clamps. If you still have trouble starting your vehicle, have a professional inspect it to identify the problem.
#3. Faulty Alternator.
After you see your battery was clean checked and it has a low charge, the next thing to check is the alternator. The alternator charges the battery and powers all the electrical elements of the vehicle.
When the alternator is faulty, the alternator will not effectively charge the battery, and if the battery only has enough power to create ridiculous clicking, it may not charge now, or it might only be able to charge the battery for a little while.
Next steps: Bad starters will present similar symptoms to bad batteries, so you will want to know what you are dealing with. Try jump starting it to provide a comparison on a bad battery verses running vehicle with typically a bad alternator.
You will remove the jump starter cables after you start the engine. If the engine runs and continues to run when you remove the cables, then you can conclude that the battery is faulty and needs to be replaced.
However, if the vehicle stalls, then you likely have a faulty alternator, and you will want to schedule a service appointment as well as the important task of ordering the alternator.
#4. Bad Starter.
Sometimes you do not have an electrical centered problem but rather a starter issue. Starters can last for 100,000 miles or more, but harsh weather conditions and the condition of the engine can affect the longevity of starter performance.
One of those signs is only receiving 1click when you ask the engine to start either because you turn the key or push the start button. If this happens, often gently tapping on the starter will get it engaged and hopefully start again. However, in some scenarios it won’t work.
Next Steps: While trying to start the car, a single click from the vehicle is an for sure sign of bad starter, and your next course is typically to properly repair or replace the starter.
However, if the engine does not turn over with a jump from another vehicle, or with tap from a hammer or hard object and a nice grown, after you try the jump, you will probably need a tow and have a proper diagnosis from a qualified mechanic.