Dodge Durango wont start..is it the starter or battery???

Question

I drove to the store and went in the store for maybe 20minutes came out and when I tried to start the car I hear a click click click we tried to jump start it and the clicks trippled like the car wanted to start but couldnt. The tow truck guy tried to start it by hitting the starter but it didnt work, my alarm, my lights, my cd player and my car locks all seem to go crazy when I try to start and the car alarm even seems to off, and when I press my keyless entry to set the alarm my horn sounds weak. Does anyone know what it could be??

Answer 1

if it starts to turn over faster when you jump it, then it sounds like the battery, it also could be the alternator isn,t charging the battery or the battery has a weak cell.

Answer 2

I think it might be the starter, if it clicks and clicks more when you try to jump start it, there is something in the starter called a Bendix and that comes out of the starter when you turn the ignition - sometimes it comes out and gets stuck and won't return back into the starter. You can easily take your starter off and bring it to one of the auto parts store and they can test it for free.  Make sure you remove the battery cables when doing this.

Answer 3

that's the battery that's causing that too happen,i have seen that happen lot ,have it checked,chances are a cell went dead in it ,they will go dead in one second without warning,when they do though, they always cause the same problem,good luck.that could be the solenoid on the starter went out also,it will cause one to act like that,i just remembered one a while back doing this that i had in the shop and it turned out to be a bad solenoid on the starter.

Answer 4

Sounds like the battery to me.

Weak batteries and loose terminal connections on computerized cars can make them go totally insane.

Answer 5

If it wouldn't start with jumper leads from another battery, it would more likely be your starter. The clicks are the starter trying to engage. The other effects are partly because your attempts to start are drawing too much power, and partly that continuous attempts are rapidly draining the battery.

Answer 6

Automotive Technician.  I would diagnose your problem as a low voltage on the battery.  The electronics, will flicker and act strange when they are barely able to power up.

If you were barely able to jump it with the tow truck guy, than perhaps yours battery is toast.  Is the car a couple years old?  Might want to check it out at a battery check place, a.k.a. a auto parts store usually...

If you have installed any aftermarket electronics, or added electric parts, than they can cause a parasitic drain on your battery causing a slow drain all day/night.  

Sounds like a low charge OR a bad battery.

***as a side note, if you check your battery while engine is off, it should read something like 12.5-12.8v range, or if the alternator is working nice, than around 14v at idle....