Okay, I drive a 2004 Toyota Camry, and it's been starting slowly over the past couple of weeks. Not super slowly, but it'll crank maybe 7 or 8 times (if that makes sense--it makes that sound) instead of the usual 2 or 3 before starting. Today, I was out shopping, and the car wouldn't start at all.

At first it sounded like it was going to start--making the cranking noise--but for a couple of seconds. It didn't start and it started clicking. After that, it would just make the cranking noise once or twice and then start clicking again. At this point the check engine light came on.

The battery's not dead (the lights, radio, windows, fan, etc all still work). There's gas in the tank. What could be the problem? How fucked am I? Thanks for any help.

7/21/2008 9:28:00 PM

Your battery is junk. May not be dead, but the level of sulfation that has built up on the plates over time has gotten to the point that the battery no longer has enough available capacity to crank the engine. Might operate everything else, but not crank.

BTW, your battery could be low and still power everything but the starter. Why don't you try jump starting the car?

7/21/2008 9:34:03 PM

^ yep, it can have enough power to barely crank the car, but the voltage drops too low for the injectors and ignition to work

7/21/2008 9:58:35 PM

Just curious - why do you conclude it's the battery over the starter? i.e., what would you expect a starter failure to look like?

7/21/2008 10:06:59 PM

^ the engine wont crank if the starter is dead

7/21/2008 10:09:20 PM

Ah, ok. Good to know - thanks.

7/21/2008 10:20:47 PM

Thanks a lot, guys. I'll check it out in the morning.

7/21/2008 10:22:44 PM

its def. a dead battery

my MR2 is doing the same thing

make sure your connections are tight, that is one problem you probably have, the connections to the battery i mean

but go to Autozone, let them test it and you'll see that its a "fail"

bet you cant leave the car on for more than a minute or so without the radio and all not even working

7/21/2008 11:02:04 PM