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BIG PROBLEM! Car won't start...need help!

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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 02:43 PM
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Default BIG PROBLEM! Car won't start...need help!

Okay guys, I've got a big problem on my hands and have no idea what to do. My car won't start, and these are the symptoms:

1. When the key is in the ignition, the courtesy lights come on and everything seems fine.

2. When the key is turned to ACC, the door dinger starts to ding rapidly and the 'service engine soon' light flashes really, really fast.

3. If I try to start the car I can hear the starter clicking really fast, but nothing happens.

At first, when the key was turned to ACC, the service engine soon light and the security light both came on and everything seemed normal. Then when I tried to start the car, the started clicked really fast but the car didn't start.

I tried this a few times, and eventually when the key was turned to ACC, problems explained in number 2 on my list started occuring.

I recently wired up an aftermarket radio and everything was fine until today. I went in the garage to finish everything up: tape up all the connections, stuff the wires inside the dash, bolt up the radio, etc. After I did this, that's when I started having problems!

I assumed that since I was stuffing a bunch more wires in the dash that something came loose, but all the stock connectors seem fine.

Can somebody help me? I scared out of mind right now, because the last thing I wanted to ruin in my car was the wiring. If something mechanical breaks, at least I know I can fix it.

Please help

thanks
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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 03:39 PM
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Have you tried to jump start it yet, I'd start there.
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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 04:03 PM
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clicking noise from the starter means battery to me.

Last edited by 01TAFlyer; Dec 27, 2004 at 04:24 PM.
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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 04:14 PM
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put it on a slow charge on battery charger and try it.
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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 05:54 PM
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definetely battery. give her a jump, or a slow charge. I ran a power inverter off my battery this one time for a class demonstration, and killed it. same thing happened. g/f had to jump me. then it was jsut fine, same battery since then, which was prolly like 6 months ago.
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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 07:17 PM
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Another vote for a battery problem. Maybe you messed up a ground?
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Old Dec 27, 2004 | 08:30 PM
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I don't remember the exact symptoms, but I blew a fuse for the dash and my car wouldn't start. Took about an hour of trying things before I realized the dash was not coming on. It's worth a look.
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Old Dec 28, 2004 | 01:39 AM
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Thanks for the input guys. I checked all the fuses, under the hood and in the dash panel. They are all fine. I've got a slow charger, since the car is in the garage and I can't start it, it's almost impossible to have someone give me a jump. I'll find out tomorrow if it is the battery. I hope it is.

The new HU has been working fine for the past 4 or 5 days, so I'm pretty sure that's wired up correctly. The car is sitting in my garage and hasn't been started since early last week. I'm guessing that playing with the new HU and showing it off to just every one of my family members killed the battery.

Thanks again.
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Old Dec 28, 2004 | 08:07 AM
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Post what you find out, it may help others in the future.
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