My car was clicking, then it stopped running and the battery and check engine lights came on.
I was driving home last night and my car stopped running While I was driving it. The car wouldn't move and the check engine and battery lights came on. I tried to turn the car off and then on again, but there was just a strange noise from under the hood and then nothing happened. When I was getting in the car before my trip, I noticed a clicking noise from under the hood. I noticed this shortly after jerking my car into a sudden turn, and I'm not sure if there is a relation. When the car stopped, my hazard lights were working, but after about 20 minutes, the hazard lights stopped worki
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. It sounds like it may be a timing belt concern, but there are definitely other possibilities that may not be as involved as the timing belt. There could be an alternator concern, drive belt failing concern, or an electrical concern that is creating the concern. I suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection to avoid replacing unnecessary parts. Your Mechanic has several available technicians that can assist you with a car does not start inspection or a car stalled inspection
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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If you hear rapid clicking…
Perhaps your battery`s dead, or your alternator, which charges the battery, isn`t working correctly. If the source of the clicking is electrical, the starter (a small motor energized by the battery that gets the engine running) doesn`t have enough juice to stay powered.
Usually a rapid clicking noise is a good indication that your starter motor isn`t getting enough electrical current to engage – basically your solenoid is trying to engage but can`t make the connection.
It requires a good deal of energy to crank the car`s motor, and if a battery is not replenishing its power properly due to a faulty alternator, it will become drained and ineffective. You will hear a clicking noise while attempting to start the car, and the engine will have difficulty turning over.
A clicking sound when you start your car could suggest a problem with your car`s electrical system. A rapid clicking sound might hint at a battery- or alternator-related issue. A single loud click might mean problems with your starter motor.
If the engine starts but dies immediately, your alternator probably isn`t keeping your battery charged. If a jump starts and keeps your car running, but the car can`t start again off of its own power, a dead battery is probably your answer.
If you hear a whine or the sound goes fuzzy when you hit the gas, your alternator is probably failing. If the vehicle won`t crank or start but the headlights are still working, look to problems with the starter or other parts of the engine.
Can you jump-start a car with a bad starter? Most of the time, NO, you can`t jumpstart a car with a bad starter unless you repair it. When the battery is dead, jumper wires or boosters are employed. You use a second battery to provide the necessary electricity to start the car.
If you ever hear growling or whining noises coming from under the hood, you could have alternator problems, which should be checked out by a professional ASAP. This growling or whining sound happens when the belt that turns the alternator`s pulley becomes misaligned or rubs against the side of the pulley.
One possibility is the solenoid. A single “click” sound comes from the engine compartment or from under the car. This could mean that the solenoid is trying to engage but that the internal components are stuck and unable to work properly. Repeated “clicking” sounds usually indicate a dead battery.
A failing fuel pump is one of the faults that can cause this. Other likely problems would be the battery, alternator, battery cable, wiring harness fault, crank or camshaft position sensor. The fuel pump may have been replaced because it was not turning on.
A brand new starter could cost you around $50 – $350, while labor costs from a qualified mechanic could range between $150 – $1,100. In total, replacing a bad starter motor could amount to between $200 – $1450.
If your starter relay has gone bad, the electrical signal will never make it from the battery to the starter motor. As a result, your engine won`t turn over – no matter how many times you turn the key. A faulty relay often produces an audible clicking sound when you turn your car.
A bad battery won`t usually harm your starter or alternator, however, since both of those components get their voltage directly from the battery, if the battery is underperforming, both the alternator`s and starter`s performance will be affected as well.
When you attempt to start the vehicle, is there a clicking sound, but it won`t turn over? That may be a good sign. If a jump gets the car running, but won`t turn over again once it`s shut off, a dead battery is likely the cause.
Can a Bad Starter Drain Your Battery? So can a bad starter drain your battery? The short answer is: Yes, it can. It could also drain the battery even faster if you repeatedly try to start your car with a faulty starter.
A brand-new starter can range from $80 to over $350. For a qualified mechanic to replace or rebuild your starter, you can expect to pay between $150 and over $1,100. These estimates vary dramatically depending on the particular issue and the make, model, and year of your vehicle.
If you don`t hear clicking when you start the engine, the problem may be a dead battery. If you hear clicking, but the engine doesn`t crank, the starter might not be getting enough electricity. Using your owner`s manual and a voltmeter, you should be able to test functionality.
A brand-new starter can range from $80 to over $350. For a qualified mechanic to replace or rebuild your starter, you can expect to pay between $150 and over $1,100. These estimates vary dramatically depending on the particular issue and the make, model, and year of your vehicle.
A brand new starter could cost you around $50 – $350, while labor costs from a qualified mechanic could range between $150 – $1,100. In total, replacing a bad starter motor could amount to between $200 – $1450.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My car was clicking, then it stopped running and the battery and check engine lights came on.
ANSWER : Hi there. It sounds like it may be a timing belt concern, but there are definitely other possibilities that may not be as involved as the timing belt. There could be an alternator concern, drive belt failing concern, or an electrical concern that is creating the concern. I suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection to avoid replacing unnecessary parts. Your Mechanic has several available technicians that can assist you with a car does not start inspection or a car stalled inspection
Car started to slow down and then the check engine light, battery, and engine oil light came on. What could cause this?
ANSWER : Hi there. It is possible that the battery cable came loose or the wires to the oil pressure sensor has came loose or failed. Check the battery cables and make sure that the terminals are tight and clean. Check the wires to the oil pressure sensor and make sure that they are connected and not broken. If everything looks good, then the oil pressure sensor may have failed. Plus, check the computer for codes and see what is stored. This will lead you to the part that could have failed. I recommend replacing the oil pressure sensor then checking to see if the lights will go out. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your vehicle, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you with the warning lights that came on.
in my car battery warning light appearing while driving.so I have replaced both battery and alternater still light is on
ANSWER : As you may yourself have seen, there are many reports of this fault with the Civic, that is a battery or alternator is replaced only to have the warning light fail to extinguish despite checking every conceivable electrical possibility. Your only recourse is to have a certified mechanic go through that exercise with your car and that involves first attempting to "re-set" the light. If the warning light returns, the alternator output has to be carefully measured both loaded and unloaded. All terminal connections have to be verified including all grounds. Fuses have to be checked for integrity (continuity) and the possibility of shorts, in for example dash wiring, has to be checked. To request this repair, simply request an electrical components diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will seek a resolution to this.
Car won’t start. The check engine light, battery light, and oil change light are coming on. I tried jumping the car and nothing happened. Why won’t my car start?
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.
My Hyudai elantra 2014 stalled and stopped after the battery light, engine light and oil light came on
ANSWER : Hello, thank you for writing in. With check engine lights on, the first step is always scanning the vehicle for codes. These help direct your attention and ease diagnostics. The main concern is that the engine is making a loud noise. We need to determine if the noise and the battery or oil light are related. A major issue with the engine would effect the alternator charging the battery, the oil pressure, and several other components. However issues with the drive belt and other components can play a factor as well. Electrical and charging issues can cause various sensors to fail, and cause other warning lights to turn on. Only further inspection will tell, and you may need to get a second opinion. For help from our technicians, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.
Check engine light refuses to go off after engine replaced
ANSWER : Hello there, you have a long series of issues going on with your 2013 Hyundai Sonata. If you keep getting a repeating oil light on than there is likely a fault in that system.
Since this fault has lasted after the engine was replaced it could be a oil pressure sensor, wiring harness fault, ECU fault, oil pump, oil strainer clogged, or low oil pressure.
To diagnose this issue properly you need a complete vehicle inspection to start from square one and identify the root cause of all this.
My car won’t crank and the check engine light, battery light and oil change light came on all at the same time.
ANSWER : Hi there. Quite often when a mechanical problem is discovered in the transmission or other critical parts of the vehicle, an error code will be created and stored in the ECU of the vehicle. This in turn illuminates your check engine light and in some case will activate a fail safe or "limp mode". This will restrict the speed to below 40 mph in most cases and is designed to allow car owners to safely drive to a dealership or auto repair center to have the code downloaded by a professional mechanic; which allows them to determine what caused the fault in the first place. It’s possible that what ever it was that caused the initial problem has broken and caused the car to not start now. The best way to start the diagnostic process is to have one of our mobile mechanics come to your location and complete a check engine light inspection. This will permit them to download the code that initially triggered the check engine light and determine why your car is not starting now.
My 2003 ford explorer wont start up just get click click click click click click click click
ANSWER : If the battery is weak and the voltage is dropping to below 9 volts you will get the clicking without the starter turning the motor. Have the battery voltage checked and if battery cannot hold a load then replace it and clean the battery terminals and recheck system to see if it starts.
