The majority of vehicle owners have clicking problems when they try to start their vehicle’s engine. It is caused by several things. You should never ignore clicking noise because it can be a sign of some serious issues in your car’s electric system.
Rapid clicking vs. single click noise:
- If “rapid clicking noise” is coming from your car when you try to start it, it indicates that your car’s battery or alternator is not working properly.
- If your makes a “single click noise,” then there is a problem in your car’s starter.
In this article, we’ll give you complete guidance to diagnose the cause of clicking and ways to fix it.
Five main causes of car clicking:
Dead or dying battery
One of the basic reasons for clicking sound is dead battery when you try to ignite the engine. It is also known as cold cranking; it means your car’s engine does not have any potential to start the motor to get your engine going, but it has some power to start the solenoid that creates this clicking noise.
Determine the dying battery with the multimeter:
You can easily determine this issue with the help of a multimeter. Connect the multimeter’s one side to the battery terminals and touch the other side to the nuts and bolts in your car’s engine section.
If the multimeter shows a reading less than nine, your battery has a serious problem with its internal components.
Solution: You should consider instant car battery replacement to prevent any leading damages.
Loose wiring connection:
Another cause of the clicking noise can be a bad wiring connection, so the current could not reach the starter to ignite the car’s engine even though a battery is fully charged.
Sometimes your battery cables lose their connection because of driving vibrations, which causes difficulty in starting your vehicle.
Solution: It is difficult to spot the exact loose connection, but you can locate it by checking all the connections properly to see if all wires are strongly attached and there is any apparent problem or broken insulation. If you get the damaged wire, then replace it immediately because it restricts the power to reach the other electrical components.
Corroded battery terminals:
Another factor that causes the problem while starting your vehicle and creating clicking noise is corroded battery terminals. Corrosion forms between the wires and battery terminals, so the required power could not pass to the car’s starter motor.
It manifests in several ways, such as the dirt accumulation, green and black buildup because of the oxidation from weathering, and white powdery form when sulfuric acid reacts with metal.
Solution: It is necessary to regularly inspect the corrosion and clean the wires and battery terminals for accurate current flow; otherwise, it lowers the power capacity of your car’s starter motor.
Bad Alternator:
If the wiring connections and battery seem to be in good condition, then an alternator may be the source of a clicking sound whenever you try to start the engine. The alternator supplies power to the engine’s electrical system and keeps the battery charged.
If your car has a weak or bad alternator, then it is unable to give the additional power to your battery that is necessary to start it properly. If you do not have this examined or fixed earlier, then your car’s battery can run out of power.
Solution: Give your car a jump-start; if it starts but won’t stay running, then you need to replace the alternator because it drains your car’s battery constantly and can affect your car’s other electric components.
Faulty starter motor:
If your battery, its terminals, and wiring connection are all perfect, then a starter motor can be a reason for creating clicking sounds while starting your vehicle.
Causes of a faulty starter motor:
There are two main causes of faulty starters: either defective relays or engine oil leaks.
Defective relay: A defective relay never passes the electric signals from battery to starter motor, and your car’s engine won’t start at any cost.
Engine oil leaks: Sometimes leakage of engine oil affects your car’s starter performance due to the oil deposition over its internal parts. If you notice any engine oil droplets after parking for a moment, then there are the chances that oil has been developed inside the system. You should go for car leak repair instantly to avoid future damage.
Solution: You need to repair or replace the starter motor or its parts to improve its performance.
Conclusion:
If your vehicle continues to make clicking noise while trying to start it, it can be frustrating. You need to test all the components to determine the main causes of car clicking. After looking into all things, if your car is still making clicking noise, then it’s time to hire a professional to check it out. You can consider hiring Al Zaabi Autocare experts for car electric repair to dismiss the cause of clicking noise without risking your car’s electric components.
