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Car won't start

A

AznMaverick

Platinum Member
My car will not start. Here is the problem. When i put in my key the door open light comes on, then when i flick it to the next slot the light stays on, however, on the next flick right before i start the ignition everything dies...no lights come on. I just changed my battery about a month ago. What do you all suspect it is? Alternator? Circuitry? it's a toyota corolla 1993. and i'm pretty sure i didn't leave the lights on, since it does an auto shut off when i open the door. i tried wiggling the contacts...maybe i should try to reseat them too.
 
Could be a bad fuse, relay, corroded battery terminal (wires as well), solenoid, ignition switch, or a bad wire.
 
First of all, the car will have a circuit that kills power to all auxiliary electrical accessories while you are cranking the engine. So all the extra lights are supposed to be off when you're trying to start the car.

Or are you saying that everything dies when the switch is in the "run" position and not the "start" position? If so, then the problem is most likely a faulty ignition switch.

ZV
 
Don't assume the battery is not at fault just because it's new. The new battery could have run down also due to the real problem with the charging system (alternator, diode, regulator, etc). If you replaced the battery a month ago and the problem went away then, that's probably it. You need a load test on the battery, a simple volt meter will not show anything. But either way, you'll just keep draining batteries until you get the real problem fixed.

The starter draws immense current when connected, which would pretty much kill anything else in the car while you are attempting to start the engine. If the battery is weak, it could power lights and radio until you go to start it, which diverts what little the battery has from everything else, but it's not sufficient for the starter to budge.

Is there a light clicking sound like a relay or solenoid or something when you try to start it?
 
There was a little click. i traced it to a loose contact with one of the wires connected to a terminal. Thanks for your input everyone!
 
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