# Symptoms of a bad starter? **URL:** \ **Category:** PittSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [December 25, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371 "2007-12-25T15:17:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blazin\_Si](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Blazin\_Si](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blazin_Si)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/1 "2007-12-25T15:17:40Z")
This is for a '95 Toyota Avalon XLS. I’m pretty sure it’s the starter since I had one go bad on my own car a few months back. This time it’s a little different. His car started showing symptoms a couple months ago, about the time that mine went bad. When you turn the key, you’ll hear a fast repetative clicking noise. It’s not the single distinct ‘click’ of the solenoid engaging. I think the starter might not be getting power or there’s something wrong with the electrical contacts that’s keeping the solenoid from engaging. My brother said it’s gotten progressively worse, up until last night when it finally failed and he needed to be towed home. I tried tapping the starter with a wrench and saw no difference. The terminals on the battery weren’t terribly corroded. All the normal lights in the dash come on and the ‘open door chime’ sounds normal when you turn the key to the first position. When you turn it to the second position, the door chime gets weaker and the lights dim. I’m thinking maybe this happens because the fuel pump is priming in this position and that the battery could be the problem. I’m also thinking that the dead battery could be because my brother made several dozen attempts at starting the car last night and this drained the power. Any help would be appreciated. I pulled the starter and battery out today and I’ll be taking both to Advance Auto Parts tomorrow to be tested. ---
**Author:** ![imported\_Jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/edb3f5/32.png) [@imported\_Jon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_Jon)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 6:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/2 "2007-12-25T18:37:47Z")
Did you…try to jump it? Sounds like your battery is low/dead… ---
**Author:** ![xlogic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/59ef9b/32.png) [@xlogic](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xlogic)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2007, 9:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/3 "2007-12-25T21:13:24Z")
> [@some pics/vid of my bimmer w/updates(56k no way)](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/some-pics-vid-of-my-bimmer-w-updates-56k-no-way/33030/35): > > Any help would be appreciated. I pulled the starter and battery out today and I’ll be taking both to Advance Auto Parts tomorrow to be tested. Uh…your supposed to leave the battery in for a complete test, it has to be tested while under load/reving and what not. But i would say the battery…or a bad connection…i had a bad connection on my battery and sometimes the car would SEEM dead but it really wasn’t…cleaned the posts…put new top-to-side adapters on and no more problems except for my lights having minimal seizures that you really can’t see…which itself is probably a bad ground ---
**Author:** ![Blazin\_Si](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Blazin\_Si](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blazin_Si)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 4:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/4 "2007-12-26T04:27:30Z")
> [@Torrent sites](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/torrent-sites/34063/10): > > Uh…your supposed to leave the battery in for a complete test, it has to be tested while under load/reving and what not. The car was undrivable, so I can’t take it anywhere to be tested with the battery still in the car. Do auto parts stores allow you to rent one and test it yourself? I didn’t think it would take that much power from the battery to atleast engage the starter. It’s already apart, so I’ll get the starter tested anyways. If that’s not it, I’ll check all the connections and work backwards from there. Thanks for the help. ---
**Author:** ![SoLow](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/solow/32/6001_2.png) [@SoLow](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SoLow)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 5:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/5 "2007-12-26T05:22:58Z")
the battery CAN be tested at advance without the vehicle ---
**Author:** ![flyinglow57](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/flyinglow57/32/5978_2.png) [@flyinglow57](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/flyinglow57)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 5:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/6 "2007-12-26T05:53:39Z")
usually alot of short clicks out of a foreign car is a bad battery. but im really surprised the AAA driver didnt try jumping first before he towed it. i hope your bro tipped the driver on x-mas eve. thing i always check on these types of cars. turn the interior lights on… turn the key if the lights dim its 99% chance that its a battery… but it could be the altinator not charging the battery and thats why it would progressively get worse. and then not work at night because he may have been driving with the lights on before he shut it off and drained the battery enough to not allow it to start… thats what im going with. (bad altinator) and the battery and starter are going to test good. ---
**Author:** ![BlackZ28](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/blackz28/32/5932_2.png) [@BlackZ28](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BlackZ28)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 12:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/7 "2007-12-26T12:57:44Z")
i agree with mac… low charged/bad battery and/or alternator. ---
**Author:** ![xlogic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/59ef9b/32.png) [@xlogic](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xlogic)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/8 "2007-12-26T18:13:13Z")
> [@FS: Part-out 99.5 a4 1.8t modded...](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-part-out-99-5-a4-1-8t-modded/34071/6): > > the battery CAN be tested at advance without the vehicle what sense does that make? it’s supposed to hold peak amps while THE VEHICLE is running, he isn’t going to get a complete test ---
**Author:** ![imported\_Jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/edb3f5/32.png) [@imported\_Jon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_Jon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/9 "2007-12-26T21:38:48Z")
> [@xlogic"](#): > > what sense does that make? it’s supposed to hold peak amps while THE VEHICLE is running, he isn’t going to get a complete test You can put load on the battery outside of a vehicle, depends on what kind of equipment they use to test it. I’m still saying it’s a bad battery though. ---
**Author:** ![Blazin\_Si](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Blazin\_Si](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blazin_Si)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 4:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/10 "2007-12-27T04:18:04Z")
You guys were right, bad battery. They tested the starter and it worked fine. Then they tested the battery and it said on the screen, “Good, Low Charge”. We hooked it up to a trickle charger and the battery wouldn’t take a charge. Thanks for the help! [QUOTE=flyinglow57;643801] i hope your bro tipped the driver on x-mas eve. [QUOTE] I tipped the guy. I always tip the people AAA sends out. ---
**Author:** ![SoLow](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/solow/32/6001_2.png) [@SoLow](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SoLow)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 11:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/11 "2007-12-27T11:54:26Z")
> [@xlogic"](#): > > what sense does that make? it’s supposed to hold peak amps while THE VEHICLE is running, he isn’t going to get a complete test UMM CUZ THE EQUIPMENT THEY USE TO TEST IT PUTS A LOAD ON FUCK TARD ---
**Author:** ![flyinglow57](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/flyinglow57/32/5978_2.png) [@flyinglow57](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/flyinglow57)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/12 "2007-12-27T18:07:46Z")
> [@Rant!!](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/rant/34076/16): > > I tipped the guy. I always tip the people AAA sends out. cool thanks :bigthumb: ---
**Author:** ![fmfkid250](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fmfkid250/32/5973_2.png) [@fmfkid250](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fmfkid250)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/13 "2007-12-27T18:26:24Z")
> [@psphinx81 = oroc](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/psphinx81-oroc/34084/8): > > UMM CUZ THE EQUIPMENT THEY USE TO TEST IT PUTS A LOAD ON FUCK TARD lol > **[Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977](https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90636)** > > Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you! ---
**Author:** ![SoLow](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/solow/32/6001_2.png) [@SoLow](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SoLow)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/14 "2007-12-27T18:33:46Z")
> [@10/29 UPDATE: So I went to the gym...](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/10-29-update-so-i-went-to-the-gym/34079/34): > > lol > > [Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977](http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90636) 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![danhr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@danhr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/danhr)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 12:43pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/15 "2007-12-28T12:43:16Z")
> [@10/29 UPDATE: So I went to the gym...](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/10-29-update-so-i-went-to-the-gym/34079/34): > > lol > > [Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977](http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90636) ppfftttt i got a load you can put on the battery. free of charge too! ---
**Author:** ![xlogic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/59ef9b/32.png) [@xlogic](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xlogic)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2007, 1:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/16 "2007-12-28T13:29:58Z")
> [@psphinx81 = oroc](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/psphinx81-oroc/34084/8): > > UMM CUZ THE EQUIPMENT THEY USE TO TEST IT PUTS A LOAD ON FUCK TARD and if there is a problem with the wiring in the car…this test won’t find it, the battery may test fine when out of the car with a load being put on it but if there is a poor connection in the engine bay it won’t be detected like this. Go back to dreaming about an lsx being put in your s10 ---
**Author:** ![04Mustang232](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/0/df788c/32.png) [@04Mustang232](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/04Mustang232)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/symptoms-of-a-bad-starter/194371/17 "2008-01-09T21:29:44Z")
take it to advanced, they test batteries, alternators, and starters for free