I m having problems with my starter i believe i turn my key and i clicks just once iknow its not my battery because my subs still work is there anyone here on Schofield that can help

 

just real quick try rolling the car back a few inches WITHOUT the key in ignition. Maybe Just Maybe the teeth are hitting the unsweet spot against flywheel and not engaging.

Hit it with a wrench. Worked on my 91 blazer.

Push start and go to oreilly and get battery checked.

Make sure its not something in the clutch area stopping it i.e pump clutch. Safety switch might be going outta wack.(although if it were out it shouldnt click) Buddies 96 impreza has a this problem.

 

Na man thats what was happening to me. I totally support the wrench idea, but if thats not working, push start and then wire up a push button ignition lol. Thats what i did after, a new starter, battery, ignition switch, and still gave me issues.

 

Clean your ground cables.

 

this and if you still can't get it to crank then try another battery. just because your subs can still annoy your neighbors doesn't mean it can crank your car over.

 

what kind of alarm do you have? do you have a DEI responder type alarm?

If you do then it's a combination of your alarm and your battery.

I've had experience with this situation. This also has happened to a fellow 05 STI owner as well. We both had Optima batteries (Red, Yellow or Blue - doesn't matter).

The alarm is taking AMPERAGE from your battery NOT voltage. Voltage means nothing to a starter since batteries are rated in CCA or Cold Cranking Amps. You CAN have voltage present and still power your radio...etc. but if your amperage is low your car won't start. It'll just click everytime you turn the key over to the start position. Your subs still work because it requires voltage not amperage. Do you have a capacitor connected to your sound system? If so the stored energy will help that work as well to power your subs/amps...etc. Disconnect all non-essentials.

My old clifford responder alarm was actually shorting causing it to drain excess amperage from my optima batteries. I've drained a few red tops, a yellow before. Yes the yellow is a deep cycle whereas the reds are not.

I changed my alarm and immediately there was an improvement and I could start the car with a replaced optima. Here's the thing If you don't put load on your battery when driving (i.e. running the radio and AC...etc.) for a long period of time. any time the car sits and the alarm is on more amperage is being taken away.

I bet if you change to a brand new battery the car will start up no problems. this is of course if you've verified that your clutch starter switch is good (most cases it is)

If you have a jumper pack you can start the car and keep it running for a while. I'd run the radio and ac for a little while and drive around at least an hour (rush hour traffic should be good). The next time you stop you should be able to start the car right up.

Bottom line... you'll need to replace the battery to get the amperage level back up OR you can try charging the battery (depending on the type you have) and that'll hold you over for a while. If you do have an older DEI clifford responder system like I did that will contribute.

If it was the starter... you wouldn't hear the solenoid clicking.

I have fully drained a blue top optima (yes marine battery) in my car because it sat too long and guess what... after I charge packed it to start the car started but I started having the clicking issue after that... THIS is with a brand new alarm system.

When I had the first alarm system... it was so bad that if I accidentally killed the car while driving I wouldn't start the car for a while randomly. The symptoms would come and go and there was no pattern. somedays it'll start straight up and other times it wouldn't for at least 15 minutes.

cleaning your ground cabling won't do anything since ground is present before the additional ground cabling. path of least resistance.

Can't be the starter since mine still works. I did however while trouble shooting the madness over the years... yes I said years... replace cabling such as battery cabling including the positive battery terminal connector that goes from the battery to the starter, starter, alarm, removed grounds and all the unnecessary items while troubleshooting. replacing my battery resolved the issue with my old alarm system for about a month then it would return again. Even the alarm installer had to replace a module or two for that original system twice over. He also bypassed wiring and didn't do anything additional. The main unit for the alarm was shorting out and all the looping he had when it was installed caused additional problems.

All testing done when replacing my batteries under warranty said that these batteries are drained .