I get a click when I try to start the car.

[RB280SX]

I'm desperately trying to find the solution to my problem but don't have the slightest idea of what it can be. I disconnected the wireharness without disconnecting the battery (shoot me...) and now the car won't start. I mean if I put the key to the start position, I only get a single click and nothing more. The lights and interior stuff work fine, which kind of stumps me. Based on the SAFC, my voltage reads 12.1 volts from the battery.

Since this is really getting to me, I will pay for help. This isn't the only thing that I'm going to need help on so I'm willing to pay hourly.

[Joe]

was a 2nd thread really necessary?

and for the 4th time, try a new battery. hell, try a different battery.

12.1v is not fully charged and your loaded reading is a bit low. your interior lights working is a very bad representation on your battery condition. it takes 1 100th the load to run the lights as it does to start the car.

[RB280SX]

I'm just trying to get the car ASAP, hence the reason for the second thread (I should have just changed the title, sorry about that). Anywhos, I'll swap out batteries and give it a try, but I recall having 12.1 volts before and starting the car just fine.

[Joe]

right, normally that should start the car

unless the battery is bad. wich as weve all been trying to tell you is probably the problem.

[RB280SX]

Well, I'll pull the battery out of my daily and give it a try. Btw, is it possible for a battery to go bad all of a sudden? I mean I started the car before pulling the harness apart and put it back together the next day.

Also, I searched but how do I test the PTU and fuses?

[RB280SX]

I removed the main relay (the huge fuse under the fender) and the clicking stopped (but the car didn't do anything either). Is it possible that the fuse is bad?

I pulled codes from the ECU and it said.

12 MAF sensor circuit

Wtf...
Modified by RB280SX at 2:32 PM 6/17/2006

[Joe]

lol dude

the clicking stopped because nothing is getting power because you removed the main fuse. no the fuse isnt bad

try a different battery before you waste any more time on other stuff! yes its totally possible for a battery to just go "bad." happens all the time.

[Joe]

DUDE i dont know how to make this any clearer

PUT A DIFFERENT BATTERY IN BEFORE YOU TEST ANYTHING ELSE

jeesh its like talking to a brick wall!! haha your MAF has nothing to do with the car not cranking.

[eh?]

I don't know but to me 12v is more than enought to start a car. I've had no problems starting with 11v. I don't think you have a battery problem. (After all most car batteries are 12v)Have you tried push starting the car? Have you tried jumping the starter?

[Joe]

12.45 is the "fully charged" line on a battery, he is undercharged all be it not by much, it dosent mean anything

a battery can show 12.45 and still be bad. its all about load.

its very possible this isnt his problem, but its something that needs to be eliminated before further troubleshooting

[eh?]

I agree, a poor ground or corroded battery contacts can show good voltage but will show the same symptoms.

[RB280SX]

I'll swap the battery but I'm lazy . I'll jump on that and then report back.

I forgot to add, when I charged the battery at Autozone 2 days ago, they did a load test and it was reading around 10.6 volts (no clue if this is good or bad).

Just for the hell of it, when I was messing around with the relay, I hit the starter gently with the bar for my floor jack and nothing happened. What I did notice is that my starter isn't grounded (but it hasn't been a problem for me when the car started up fine).

[Joe]

the starter is grounded via the engine

(metal starter, connected with bolts, to a metal engine, wich is grounded with a big fat wire )

[RB280SX]

Ooohh. Thanks for the info. I had to go run an errand so back to working on my car.

[bobob729]

my 240 does the same thing just try a new battery thats what the problem is

[gomer23]

Ya just because the voltage reads 12volts doesnt mean anything, If the battery has a bad cell it wont start the car which like Kamin said, is not uncommon.

[Darius]

I had the same thing happen to me when I reinstalled my head. I don't know how it happened, but the ground terminal on my starter came a little loose. Retorqued it and it fired right up. Also, check the clenliness of the battery terminals and wires. If they are not tight or corroded, it makes a big difference during startup. If you think your battery is dead, just charge it with some jumper cables on your other car. Then, throw it back in there and try to start it again.

[gawdzilla]

I had the same thing happen to me when I reinstalled my head. I don't know how it happened, but the ground terminal on my starter came a little loose. Retorqued it and it fired right up. Also, check the clenliness of the battery terminals and wires. If they are not tight or corroded, it makes a big difference during startup. If you think your battery is dead, just charge it with some jumper cables on your other car. Then, throw it back in there and try to start it again.

just an fyi and it was mentioned above, that there is no such thing as a ground terminal on the starter. the ground terminals are the casing and the start bolts, through the block. the terminal is a + terminal and its always live when your battery is connected. when messing with it always have the battery disconnected. the starter can easily snap your arm

[Nameless EJ6]

Sounds like a few people need to know the differences between AMPERAGE and VOLTAGE..

[RB280SX]

Care to explain? Btw, I noticed that you are in Seattle. Any way that I could pay you to take a look at my car?

[Joe]

voltage is a measure of poweramperage is a measure of FLOW

i.e. your interior lights run on a 12 volt system at a low amperage, meaning there is little load on the battery and electrical system. your starter runs on a 12v system but uses a TON of amperage. meaning it sucks alot more stored power, faster.

[eh?]

Don't pay someone to do anything. Doing it yourself only benefits you and your wallet.

Have you looked at your battery posts yet? Is it corroded? If not change your battery.

Stop being lazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy

Ya just because the voltage reads 12volts doesnt mean anything, If the battery has a bad cell it wont start the car which like Kamin said, is not uncommon.

Consider that most auto batteries are 6 cells in series (6 cells * ~2V = 12V). If you have a bad cell you are not going to read 12v like he is. OF course it could still be he has a bad battery.
Modified by eh? at 10:45 PM 6/19/2006

[RB280SX]

I swapped batteries, checked the connection points with the battery and battery wires, and checked all of the fuses, and still the same symptom. How do I check the relay?

[Nameless EJ6]

voltage is a measure of poweramperage is a measure of FLOW

i.e. your interior lights run on a 12 volt system at a low amperage, meaning there is little load on the battery and electrical system. your starter runs on a 12v system but uses a TON of amperage. meaning it sucks alot more stored power, faster.

Dude keep probing around, you'll find the problem sooner or later.. it's your hybrid!

When you originally heard the clicking... that was a good thing. The starter solenoid was making that noise, but the battery wasn't sufficient enough to keep it clicked down to crank the starter.

So, that should tell you something. Probably need to replace the battery. If you want a quick way to see if it's the battery problem or not, try jump starting with another vehicle. If it cranks and runs while it's connected to the other vehicle.. that's good, it's utilizing that car's charging system. When you disconnect and turn your car off (after running for a while), try to restart again.. if it starts up then your problem is probably solved.. you'll find out for sure though after you do a few shut off and restarts.

Heh. If the battery's been ruled out (maybe you've replaced it?!) and you're still having issues starting, maybe you're not getting a crank or a click out of it, then check to make sure the motor is grounded. There's a few different grounding points from the block to the chassis. Those are extremely critical to your starter circuit..

If you're still having issues and you've ruled out the battery and grounds and all connection points (not half ***'d ruling out).. you're still not getting the starter to crank, then take the starter off and have it tested.

If the starter isn't the problem either.. then ****, you're going to need to go back over it again.. but even more carefully. Get a multimeter if you don't already have one.. back to my original intro when I said "keep probing around"... cuz that's sometimes what it takes to find the answer to stupid problems like this.

I also suggest learning to use the multimeter's functions if you happen to start working with one. Fluke meter's come with some nice literature (well mine did..)..

[RB280SX]

Dude keep probing around, you'll find the problem sooner or later.. it's your hybrid!

When you originally heard the clicking... that was a good thing. The starter solenoid was making that noise, but the battery wasn't sufficient enough to keep it clicked down to crank the starter.

So, that should tell you something. Probably need to replace the battery. If you want a quick way to see if it's the battery problem or not, try jump starting with another vehicle. If it cranks and runs while it's connected to the other vehicle.. that's good, it's utilizing that car's charging system. When you disconnect and turn your car off (after running for a while), try to restart again.. if it starts up then your problem is probably solved.. you'll find out for sure though after you do a few shut off and restarts.

Heh. If the battery's been ruled out (maybe you've replaced it?!) and you're still having issues starting, maybe you're not getting a crank or a click out of it, then check to make sure the motor is grounded. There's a few different grounding points from the block to the chassis. Those are extremely critical to your starter circuit..

If you're still having issues and you've ruled out the battery and grounds and all connection points (not half ***'d ruling out).. you're still not getting the starter to crank, then take the starter off and have it tested.

If the starter isn't the problem either.. then ****, you're going to need to go back over it again.. but even more carefully. Get a multimeter if you don't already have one.. back to my original intro when I said "keep probing around"... cuz that's sometimes what it takes to find the answer to stupid problems like this.

I also suggest learning to use the multimeter's functions if you happen to start working with one. Fluke meter's come with some nice literature (well mine did..)..

The battery has been ruled out. I'll jack up the car today and check the grounds and make sure that nothing came undone. If everything is in order, I'll pull the starter and take it to autozone (I don't want to take the chance of getting shocked... ).

Btw, has it dawned on anyone that it could be my ecu? I've been reading around and some people have had problems and got the car to work again by replacing the ecu.

[Darius]

The starter has nothing to do with the ECU. If you hear the starter solenoid clicking, that means that it's getting the ignition signal from the key turning. It is just not getting enough juice to turn the motor over. The starter could be seized up inside so I'd pull that and check it out.

[Nameless EJ6]

The battery has been ruled out. I'll jack up the car today and check the grounds and make sure that nothing came undone. If everything is in order, I'll pull the starter and take it to autozone (I don't want to take the chance of getting shocked... ).

Btw, has it dawned on anyone that it could be my ecu? I've been reading around and some people have had problems and got the car to work again by replacing the ecu.

you won't get shocked.ECU may be an issue as well.. but don't mess w/that till you make sure the starter is good.

[Fenvy]

have you tried to check the starter?

remove it and connect it directly to a battery, if it doesn't crank then it's seized

time for a new one

[RB280SX]

Just so everyone gets this straight. The car does not emit clicking sounds. It makes a single click after the initial click of where the electronics turn off. Hence the reason why I didn't think that it was the starter.

[eh?]

Just so everyone gets this straight. The car does not emit clicking sounds. It makes a single click after the initial click of where the electronics turn off. Hence the reason why I didn't think that it was the starter.

A bad starter/starter solenoid will do that too. AS will poor electrical contacts.