Car refusing to switch on

[Icy raindrops]

My 08 Calais has been a headache of late. Car had been struggling to switch on of late and today it flat out won't start at all. Had the battery replaced recently and did nothing (needed to be replaced anyway) and alnico get when turning the ignition is a click sound. Any suggestions in what causes this?

 

[Sean880]

1. The first thing you should do is try and jump start the vehicle from another car or using a good power pack. Follow the instructions in the owner's manual for jump starting. If the car starts normally then the reason for the hard starting is likely a low charge in the battery which is what it sounds like you have. But you also need to ensure the battery terminals and the cable clamps are very clean and free from any corrosion etc and tight so you have a good connection to the battery.

2. If the battery is low then you may have a parasitic current draw which is running the battery down when the car is sitting. This can be identified by your local mechanic and then it is a matter of identifying the circuit that is draining power from the battery which can be done by pulling the fuses one by one and checking the meter to see when the voltage drops back to normal.

3. If there is no abnormal current draw you should test the alternator output.

 

[edals]

If you're hearing a click and you have a new battery most likely the starter motor. Give it a few love taps with a hammer and try again.