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98 intrigue...clicking under hood


roonie
06-24-2009, 10:58 PM
Just out of the blue without prior warning our car will not start. When i turn the key..the guages/needles bounce back and forth also. There is a clicking sound under the hood which is coming from straight ahead of the driver position (but under the hood). Battery terminals seem fine as far as corrosion, they are tight. The car has 213kilometers on it. I have never replaced the starter since i got the car with 140k on it. Does this sound like a typical starter replacement issue? Why are my guage needles bouncing around....or have they always and ive not noticed? Thanks

roonie
06-25-2009, 12:28 AM
ok..ive found a loose power cable and tightened it going to the starter It was not too terribly loose. I was able to boost the car and get it running. I took the car for a drive ...came back and noticed my ABS and park light are now on. The car did not start after also. I have put the trickle charge on over night and filled the battery with distilled water.

Tobey
06-25-2009, 02:17 AM
Bouncing needles and random lights coming on are typically caused by low voltage. So, sounds like your battery is on its last legs.... When is the last time you replaced it?

roonie
06-25-2009, 09:25 AM
the battery is only one yr. old. I tested it ....its at 12.75v.
And now...this morning...i go out there to try the car again.....after charging all night...and my &^%&^ key gets stuck in the ignition and will not come out. The key has come all the way almost back to off position but will not turn all the way back!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tobey
06-25-2009, 10:01 AM
Your shift lock mechanism might be sticky. Turn it to RUN and cycle between park and drive a few times, then try. Remember, the key only comes out in park...

Back to the battery, is it giving 12.75 while under some kind of load (ie, headlights on, ac blower on high) or was that just a float voltage (no load).

roonie
06-25-2009, 04:44 PM
It ended up being the battery. One low cell only. Five year warranty on battery (prorated) so I ended up getting $34 back toward a new one. The battery was 3 years old..exide brand.
What I do not understand is how a low battery can cause a persons key to not move to off position on the ignition switch. Oh well...chalk it up to a lesson learned. Thanks for the quick responses.

Tobey
06-25-2009, 10:13 PM
The two were purely coincidental. Glad you're up and running again!

roonie
06-26-2009, 04:27 PM
as soon as the new battery was installed, the key was able to be removed:screwy:

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