My 1997 Pontiac grand am makes a clicking noise when trying to be started, what do I do?

Asked by Jonathan Dec 18, 2019 at 02:04 AM about the 1997 Pontiac Grand Am 4 Dr SE Sedan

Question type: General

I recently have taken my car to
oreillys and had my battery, alternator
and even the starter to get tested to
see if I could find a solution. The tests
performed appeared to say that all
three parts were in good condition
and working properly. I seem to think
that the anti theft system is draining
the battery, after the theft system
comes on and blinks, you have to
leave the car on for 10 minutes or
until the theft system light doesn’t
blink and after that, I tried starting my
car and that’s when the rapid clicking
happened, I know this is usually a
sign of a dead battery, but it seems
that this battery won’t hold charge
long at all. Any help?

1 Answer

26,865

The clicking you hear is a sure sign that the starter is not getting a sufficient shot from the battery to allow it to crank the engine. Other systems may appear fine but the drain needed to start the car is significant by comparison. Double check the cable connections to insure they are free of any corrosion and are tight. If they are OK try starting the car with a jump from another vehicle. If that works, the battery should be load tested.

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