Car makes clicking noise while parked then drained battery and can't start

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Likiud
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:39 am
Car: 2013 Nissan Sentra

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I have a 2013 nissan sentra. I was sitting in the car waiting for my wife's medical appointment. About 3 hours in, I started hearing these clicking noise that was coming from the car. Lasts about 7 seconds and then stops for 2 seconds then continues again. It sounds like the car was trying to start or something. My car has push button ignition and I didn't have any electronics on. Headlights were off (they were auto). Interior lights were off. I was watching a movie on my phone. This clicking went on for an hour. I didn't think much of it. I thought it had something to do with the brakes or something as I may have accidentally pressed my brakes down. When I tried to start my car couldn't start. Brake lights worked. Cannot turn headlights on. Interior lights and dashboard lights were flickering a bit. Got someone to jump start but it took a while to charge up. After the first 5 mins, I managed to get the interior lights back to bright and steady and the radio can go on but still couldn't start. It took another 5 mins until I can start. Seemed like the clicking noise completely drained the battery.

This battery is just over 4 years old. But showed no signs that the battery was dying. Starts still sounded strong. The one before this one was oem and about 3.5 years before I changed it.

Next morning I tried to start up again and didn't have any issues. Still sounded strong.

I don't have a battery tester so I can't check battery. I live in the Pacific northwest. Mild winters. It gets cold but rarely goes below freezing temps. Car is kept in an insulated unheated garage.

Does it seem like I need a new battery? What caused this clicking noise while parked in the first place? Is it the fact that I'm in the vehicle with my key fob may have signalled the starter to draw power from the battery and allowing me to press the button? I called the service department of the dealership. They don't know what caused the problem but would be willing to help me check and diagnose for a cost of course. Would appreciate any advice. Thanks.


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VStar650CL
Technical Expert
Posts: 8290
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 1:25 pm
Car: 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL
2004 Nissan Altima 2.5 S

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Generally the only time things start clicking randomly is when the battery hits "never-never land" between 8 and 9 volts. The CANbus quits working reliably and everything in the car starts throwing "U" communication codes. Most parts stores will test your battery for free and you should do so. There are also such things as collapsed plates and detached posts that can happen inside the battery and cause intermittent loss of power. If the battery tests good but the car misbehaves again, put a voltmeter on it while it's "in the act". If you find it's had a precipitous voltage drop, chances are there's an internal failure.

sk47
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2020 5:33 pm
Car: 2001 Nissan Sentra SE

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Hello; This may be very much off base. Most circuits in a car are protected by some sort of fuse, fuseable link or such that will fail if too much current is being drawn. There is at least one circuit which is protected by a circuit breaker which will reset. The headlights. These use to be, in the older vehicle, a heat triggered device. If the circuit drew too much current the breaker would get hot and open the connection. When the device cooled down enough the device would close and restore the current. Again quickly the heat builds up and shuts things off. The cycle repeats. I guess this was so you might have lights at night.
Again I am not saying it is the headlights or even that my idea is correct. I did see this sort of thing many years ago. The headlights would flick on and then off. Was a short in the headlight wiring.
The first few things I would try include looking over the wiring harness for fraying or being chewed. Seems in the zeal to be rid of fossil fuel products some wires have been covered with a plastic made from soy beans. Rodents like to eat the "soy plastic".
Next thing would be to locate the click itself. Relays click so that might be a place to look. Another possible item might be an electronic device with some internal component. For some reason I cannot go back to read the initial post right now so may be missing something. Is the clicking noise present all the time even with the key turned off or is it present only with an acessessory turned on such as the video the OP was watching?

sk47
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2020 5:33 pm
Car: 2001 Nissan Sentra SE

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I was watching a movie on my phone. This clicking went on for an hour.
Hello; Did you have your foot on the brake at the time? Another thought. I have a device in my Nissan which times various functions. Say I leave to trunk open for a long time or a door open. After a time this device will turn off such things. On my car it is called the SEC (security Entrance Control) I think. My Nissan is much older, a 2001. so likely is some different than yours.
Keep in mind these are wild a** guesses (WAG's) on my part and are not to be considered with much confidence.

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VStar650CL
Technical Expert
Posts: 8290
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 1:25 pm
Car: 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL
2004 Nissan Altima 2.5 S

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sk47 wrote:
Fri Jan 29, 2021 8:30 am
There is at least one circuit which is protected by a circuit breaker which will reset. The headlights.
There is no headlight breaker on a '13 Sentra or any other late model Nissan. Just fuses. Generally the only thermal breaker in the car is on the power seat circuit.
sk47 wrote:
Fri Jan 29, 2021 8:39 am
I have a device in my Nissan which times various functions. Say I leave to trunk open for a long time or a door open. After a time this device will turn off such things. On my car it is called the SEC (security Entrance Control) I think. My Nissan is much older, a 2001. so likely is some different than yours.
The SEC was the prehistoric ancestor of the modern BCM. On the OP's '13, the BCM has a "power saver" circuit that will kill the interior lamps after about 20 minutes with no "door" activity. In most models it will also instruct the IPDM to kill the head and parking lamps if left on. Those functions are usually overridden if the key is in the ignition or accessory position on models up to around '15, later models will usually pop up a warning message that they're about to kill the ignition to save the battery. The only thing that overrides all these functions is if the hazard lamps are on, that tells the BCM to just "leave everything alone".


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