Scotty, thx for doing this stuff. We really appreciate it! I've watched a ton of your videos. Anyways, I have a 2000 Automatic Toyota Avalon with a 3.0 engine. 209,000 miles. Tonight while working the following happened. I deliver for a food delivery service and make a million stops a night. Tonight I picked up a pizza at a place, put it in my car and started my car. Then I remembered that I actually had two orders at the same restaurant so I turned the car off and went in and got the second order.
When I came back and started the car, it started kind of weakly like it had a weak battery though it did start. I hadn't had any indication of a weak battery before. So I decided to turn it off and restart it again. I waited for about 5 seconds and then attempted to restart it. It would not restart. It didn't really even crank or turn over the engine at all. There was power to the dash indicators but all that happened was a weird fast clicking type sound that came from the back of the engine compartment to the left of the steering column, seemingly approximately behind the dash. The battery is in the front left of engine compartment. I tried to restart it 3 or 4 times, waiting about 5 minutes between attempts. Then I called a tow truck. After about 25 more minutes, on a lark, I decided to try it again and it started right up like it had never had a problem at all, the coy little bugger! No weak battery. No clicking sound at all.
What do you think this could be?
The clicking is the starter, its the noise it makes when its not getting enough power from the battery. Every time you start your car it will use a percentage of the cars battery power and it will take about 15 to 20 minutes of the car being on for the alternator to really recharge the battery to full.
So when you turn the car off and on like that rapidly you are just draining the battery.
@cjbman
So I definitely need a new battery? It's had a hard life for a battery I'm sure because in my business, we often turn our cars on and off a lot. "Oops. Wrong building. Got to drive 150 feet down the road" and so on! I can't have a weak battery for sure.
And thanks for the quick reply and letting me know what the clicking sound was. You guys are awesome.
I defend Scotty on youtube all the time. People don't realize what great work he does and the help he's willing to give ordinary, non-mechanics! (Scotty and his team!)
Yes. Change the battery and check the connection to the alternator and starter and the grounds and make sure they are clean and tight. The constant starting and stopping is likely shortening the life span of your battery.