My engine wouldn't start just now and did something weird I'd never experienced before. Any help diagnosing the problem or suggestions on how to fix it would be extremely appreciated.

I first tried to start it and it did what a normal car does when it won't start. It turned, sounded weaker than usual, then diminished in pitch and strength until it died out.

Then after that when I turned the key, the engine clicked over and over again, really fast. Faster than you can do a drum roll with your fingers. I tried it a few times and this same thing kept happening.

The clicking sound came from the driver's side, close to where the front windshield meets the hood, toward the bottom side of the car. The electrical system stills runs great and the car is my daily driver. I just haven't driven it in 2-3 days. Also, it's parked in a business-like garage along the edge. We've had heavy rain the past few days so that might have something to do with it.

Any ideas would be great. Thank you so much.

bad battery.
needs recharge or replaced.

Lol battery.

It takes a whole lot of juice to get a car started. New battery or recharge would be my first course of action. Or if it's a manual, you can try push starting it (once it's running, the car will recharge the battery - if it's any good).

Dang, so many battery responses.

I don't think the battery's the problem. That was replaced less than 2 months ago and everything electrical works 100%. I didn't leave lights on or anything else like that either.

I thought about roll starting it, but the clicking makes it seem like that wouldn't do the trick. Is that clicking typical?

UofTCadet wrote:Dang, so many battery responses.

I don't think the battery's the problem. That was replaced less than 2 months ago and everything electrical works 100%. I didn't leave lights on or anything else like that either.

I thought about roll starting it, but the clicking makes it seem like that wouldn't do the trick. Is that clicking typical?

I've seen brand new batteries fail within a week because they just lack the power to start the VG

REDWINTERZ wrote:It takes a whole lot of juice to get a car started. New battery or recharge would be my first course of action. Or if it's a manual, you can try push starting it (once it's running, the car will recharge the battery - if it's any good).

An alternator won't recharge a dead battery, it will maintain the charge of a healthy battery. Even after a jump, you should place the battery on a plug-in charger to bring it back up to full power.

UofT, could be your starter relay, which is located in the driverside fender well.

Starter Relay Replacement

But, IMO, it sounds like your battery. If it doesn't have at least 13.2 VDC across the terminals, it's definitely the battery.

And this should be in technical anyway

BigTDogg (MA) wrote:An alternator won't recharge a dead battery, it will maintain the charge of a healthy battery. Even after a jump, you should place the battery on a plug-in charger to bring it back up to full power.

Thanks for the fix

And I had a HORRIBLE clicking/grinding problem that turned out to be a bad starter motor. The bindex (if that's how you spell it) to be specific. Might try that?

The other day my Z made the really fast clicking sound when I went to start it. After a while of trying to figure out the problem I noticed there was a little bit of corrosion on the battery terminals. I removed the cables and cleaned the terminals and cables really well with a wire brush put them back on and it started right up. Try cleaning your cables and battery terminals and see if that works.