What are the reasons for the car making a clicking sound and failing to start?
2 Answers
The reasons for the car making a clicking sound and failing to start are: 1. The starter motor has malfunctioned and cannot drive the flywheel to rotate. Check whether the starter motor is working when starting the vehicle; 2. The battery has malfunctioned and cannot store power. If you can only hear the sound of the starter when starting the car, it may be due to insufficient battery power; 3. The fuel supply system of the vehicle has malfunctioned. Disconnect the oil pipe joint on the engine, turn on the ignition switch, and observe whether there is oil flow when the starter does not operate while the dashboard lights are on. If there is oil flow, the fuel supply system is fine; if not, continue checking; 4. The ignition system of the vehicle has malfunctioned. Pull out one of the high-voltage ignition wires on the engine, insert an old spark plug or other pen-shaped metal rod into the spark plug cap, and bring the spark plug body or metal rod close to the metal part of the engine. Start the engine and observe whether there is a high-voltage spark. If not, check the ignition system for problems.
I've seen this situation too many times. The clicking sound is usually a sign of severely low car battery power, where the starter motor is attempting to work but fails due to insufficient electricity. The most common causes are an aging battery or accidentally leaving lights or other electrical devices on, which drains the battery. The battery might be four or five years old and due for replacement, or extremely cold weather could be reducing its performance. Additionally, battery cables might be rusty, loose, or corroded, leading to unstable current flow; less commonly, internal starter motor issues could also cause this sound. For handling, first check the battery voltage—if it's below 12 volts, try charging it or calling for a jump start. Preventive measures include regular battery maintenance, testing its health annually, avoiding leaving electrical devices on during long periods of parking, and replacing the battery when necessary to prevent issues.
