if the starter goes bad will there be a loud click noise when you try to start the car. the noise is coming from under the hood in the general area of the starter. also when i try to start the car all the dash lights dim down until i let out the clutch or let go of the key.....please help!!

 

I'm going to go with battery.

 

Yea...i just went through the same problem....check your battery...its dead....id suggest getting a jump and taking it over to vatozone and have them test it for free...also have them test your altenator

 

^^^ i agree w/ jae jae

 

the battery is the first thing i checked and it holds a charge and then some. the alternator is good i just replaced it about a month ago and when i disconnected the positive batt cable after i push started the car it stayed running. the wire that goes to the started not the one from the batt but the other one either blk/wht or blk/red is only reading 0.5 volts. this wire ends up on the back of the ignition and i cannot get any volt reading there. i tested where it comes out of the fuse box on the back side and it reads 0.5volts. but where it comes out in the front of the fuse box to go up to the ignition it doesnt have any reading.
thanks
travis

 

Usually a weak battery you will get several clicks in a row. Almost sounds like a machine gun. A stuck starter solenoid just gives off one louder click.

 

i think that might be my problem because sometimes its just one real loud click like something got shocked real bad and some times its several clicks like the machine gun sound.....should i replace the solenoid then???thanks for the info

 

Yes, but how can you attibute the dimming lights to the starter?

 

voltage ≠ amperage. You need cranking amps to start the car. It's possible that your battery will read 12.5 volts but not produce the amperage necessary to start the car. If it jump starts easily when jumped from another car, I'd suspect that's the problem.

 

does that noise sound like a bolt dropping to a metal pan or something? a friend of mines had that noise for quite a wile iand its the starters problem. well it a toyota paseo tho... maybe its different