My car won’t start, the lights and horn work, but the starter (I think) just makes a clicking sound?

Alan C: My car won’t start, the lights and horn work, but the starter (I think) just makes a clicking sound?
I drive a 92 protege. I was giving a standard driving lesson, when, after a stall, the car wouldn’t start again. The battery was not holding a full charge, so I replaced it and the posts. I now get a much louder clicking sound, but the car still won’t start. I have successfully push-started the car, and checked the fuses. The car is old, but was running fine before the lesson, and gave no indication of trouble to come. Is the starter the only possibility, or does anyone know of another possible explanation?

Answers and Views:

Answer by chris c
If you can push start it then the issue is still betweent the battery, cables or starter.

If you turn on the headlights ant try to start. Do the headlights dim? then the starter is kaput. if they don’t clean the cable ends. ground and positive at the battery and at the starter and frame.

Answer by mustanger
Did you scrape or wire brush the cable connectors when you installed the new battery? Battery posts and connectors will oxidize with use and the oxide coating will limit act like a resistor and drop the available voltage when the starter pulls a lot of current. The lights may look normal but there isn’t enough left for the high current the starter needs. The posts and connectors need to be wire brushed or scraped with a knife blade until they’re shiny bright. I’ve found oxidation to be the biggest cause of poor starting.

Answer by kwakers
Yes sounds like your starter motor. Give this a try while you are turning the engine over (trying to start the car) get someone to give the starter motor a clout with a heavy object and if it turns the motor over then we have narrowed it down to the starter.

Answer by JACKIEJACKIE
its your starter solnoide or starter relay

Answer by Sam
Hello, this sounds like a bad starter solenoid and you may need to replace the starter. First, check to be sure that ALL connections are clean and tight. Good Luck.

Answer by Old Man Dirt
The clicking sound is often caused by a electro magnet trying to close a set of points that actually activates the starter (starter solenoid). Now this part can be replaced by itself. However the price that I find for this part is 109 dollars (napa), but a rebuild starter can be bought for 76 dollars (napa).
Now true the 72 dollar stater does include a new solenoid, but the part is included and has been cleaned. Also the new solenoid says it is for an automatic, but that might not matter. Well in truth, it would just be easier to replace the starter then to mess with replacing the solenoid only to find out that the bendix is shot too.

Answer by S J
It could also be the alternator. Even with a new battery, the car will often not start if the alternator is bad. A new battery can hold a charge just fine, but after using up that charge it needs to be recharged by a properly functioning alternator. Otherwise, after several starts a perfectly good battery could be dead. Most auto parts stores can test the alternator while it’s still in the car if you can drive it there. You could also take it out and have them test it if you cannot get the car to them. Good luck.

Answer by J M
New starter motor required.Things don`t last forever.You car is 18 yrs old and if it still
has the original starter motor then that`s the same age as the car so it has done well.

Answer by James
You starter is bad. Replace it to fix your problem.