c**p my car won't start!?

Question

when i turn the ignition it doesn't make any noise whatsoever. does it need a new starter? if so how much would that be for a 96 lumina.

Answer 1

if you have power in the vehicle when you put the key in but the starter wont start then you can eliminate the alternator.  Check the battery terminal and if it still wont start it could be the starter.  One little trick is sometimes you may get a flat spot on the winding of the starter and it will not start you can try tapping on the starter with a hammer and try and start the car again if it does start then the starter is going bad if it doesn't start it could be the starter or the starter relay switch  hope this helps.

Answer 2

Turn your headlights on and see how bright they are. If they are dim or unlit then check battery and alternator. Maybe you have a loose or broken v-belt so battery is just discharged.

Answer 3

clean battery cables try again if no start then try jump starting drive to any shop or autozone ask the check charging system.... starter last thing battery  and cable then alternator belt then alternator then starter

Answer 4

First question: Will the headlights come on at normal or near normal brightness?

If they are bright the problem is in the ignition / starting circuit and it will require a person with good electrical diagnostic skills to locate the problem.  Starters are expensive and difficult to replace and we only want to do that if it is confirmed that it is the problem.

Or are the headlights dim and yellow? If dim and yellow or not lighting at all, the battery is dead and will need to be charged - a charger that delivers 30 amps or more will require 4-6 hours to restore the battery to around 80% of charge, at which point the car should start.

   If you choose to try Jump Starting the car Please observe the following cautions:    

Wear Safety Glasses!     Do not allow the 2 vehicles to touch.

Connect the red cable to the Positive (+) terminal of the dead battery or to the red jump starting terminal if available. Connect the other end of the red cable to the Positive (+) terminal or red jump starting terminal of the car providing the jump.  Connect the black cable to the Negative battery terminal or engine block or other solid metal attached to the engine of the car providing the jump.

Make the final connection of the black cable to the engine block or other solid metal attached to the engine - do NOT make the last connection at the battery!  (Explosion Danger!)  Watch for sparks as you make the last connection - you should see sparks! if there are no sparks when making the last connection remove the cable from the block and wiggle the other three connections then make the last connection at the block again watching for sparks.  The sparks confirm that you have a good electrical connection. Start the engine of the car providing the jump if it is not running already. Turn on the headlights - they should be bright, if they are not, there are additional bad connections between the battery and the chassis which need to be repaired. If the headlights are bright, shut them back off and wait 10 minutes to put a partial charge into the dead battery. After 10 minutes the car should start normally. If the battery was / is dead there are 2 likely causes - lights left on or battery dying of old age. If not lights left on and battery is over 3 years old you should head for a parts store and have it tested / replaced. Most parts stores will test a battery at no charge and many will also perform the replacement also at no charge when you purchase a battery.  

Answer 5

start with battery and bad bat cable connections