taft016

Hi,

A couple of days ago I go out to start my car and it won't start- it doesn't even attempt to turn over. I had no issues to this point, car ran and started fine. I took my battery to Autozone yesterday and they tested it and it came back as good. They charged it for me, I reinstalled it, same thing. The car has about 135k miles on it, but since I've had (65k) I've driven it very soft and kept it well maintained (by this I mean I change the oil and fluids regularly).

Issue more in depth: When insert the key all the electronics are "sluggish." The dashboard lights up but it takes a second, my clock is dim and the radio doesn't turn on (I have a Kenwood after market radio/stereo, stock amps, has been installed for 1.5 years). If I leave the key in, the radio will eventually turn on but there isn't enough power to play any music through the speakers and it will shut back off.

Also, when I first insert the key and turn it nothing happens. However if I leave it in for a few seconds and then turn it I get the clicking sound (which I assume is the solenoid trying to engage- I'm not very technically proficient when it comes to cars).

Anyone have any clue what is going on here? I'm a student who is starting grad school in the Fall and I don't have the disposable income to take it to the stealership and get stuck with a $500 or so bill.

Thanks for any help you can offer,

Zach

1SVTLVR

You can't always trust a test for the battery. I would try having a friend jump your mustang off with jumper cables. This will absolutely tell you if it's a battery issue if your electronics start working noticeably better. I had a battery tested once at it came back as good, 2 days later it tested bad and I had to replace the battery.

Also make sure the wires are making good contact with the battery posts. Make sure they are completely corrosion free and you cannot wiggle them (one at a time of course lol) by hand.

As always try to be as safe as possible when working with the battery.

xxlcobra

I would look at the battery and clean the cables
________
Buy e cigs

taft016

I forgot to mention, before I took the battery in I did try jumping it and no dice.

OK, so I cleaned the terminals and connections very well and that did seem to "help" but did not fix the problem. The dashboard seems more "lively," the open-door beeping sounds like should (it was kinda weak and sluggish also, is now crisp and at its standard decibel level) and the stereo works and music will play through the speakers- in short the car acts like it should with the key in the ignition (like its getting adequate power).

However when I turn the key I just get the clicking sound of the solenoid trying to engage, though this happens immediately now with no delay and it sounds more "forcefull" (not to sound like a broken record but its sounds like its getting more power).

What do I try next?

BraMas

To me it sounds like a bad ground. There is a ground strap that is supposed to be attached to the Driver side motor mount see if that has come undone. It could also be that the ground wire to the battery wire is very corroded under the black plastic coating not allowing a good ground