1994 Ford Explorer Limited Logo
Posted on Sep 17, 2008
Answered by a Fixya Expert

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Won't start I get a single loud click when I turn the key. I replaced the starter and it worked for a day, intermitantly. I replaced the relay but no change, I just get a single loud click. What do I do next?

  • 1 more comment 
  • dfurr808 Sep 20, 2008

    i PUT A NEW BATTERY IN AND IT JUST MAKES A CLICK NOISE BUT ALL THE LIGHTS ETC. WORK. iT AT LEAST TURNED OVER A LITTLE WITH A WEAK BATTERY.

  • MD_Tsar Oct 03, 2008

    Same prob.. often… I will turn the key and get one click and it won’t start was told I needed a new battery, replaced the old one (yes cleaned cable ends). Three days later same problem. Little round Black box next to battery with 2 bolts sticking out of it with one connecting to battery,( I thought this was a solenoid but I was told its actually attached to the starter? so I dont know what to call it) Jump across them with a insulated screwdriver with key in on position and starts right up (at least I am not getting stranded any more.) Any ideas?

  • Anonymous Mar 27, 2014

    loud clicking fom starter

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1 Answer

six-of-ten

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  • Posted on Sep 18, 2008
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The first thing I would do is what my dad always told me. I can still hear him say, " Did you clean the battery cables?" I had a 93 explorer and it had some goofy connector that allowed the cable to be removed with a wing nut. If you have something like that, take it off. The fewer connections that have to be tight, the better. Get a wire brush and make both the cable and the battery posts shine. Sometimes you have to take the bolt out of the cable and clean it to remove the corrosion. The junk on there will keep you from being able to get the cable tight. You may have to change the bolt. After that, get a volt tester and check the voltage on the battery. It should have almost 13 volts. Definitely more than 12. If the battery is more than 5 years old, I would just get a new one. Let me know how it works out.

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92 Lincoln town car won't start, I replaced the starter, alternator, key ignition cylinder, ignition switch, battery and all I get when turning the key is one click and that's it.

Is this a loud click or a quiet click? Is it a single click or lots of fast repeating clicks? A quiet single click is most likely the starter relay in the fuse box failing. A louder single click is related to the starter motor, the starter solenoid or related parts. A repeating, rapid clicking is usually a power supply issue. Is there any warning lights on the dashboard? Were you having any other issues before this happened?
Try going back to basics. You may have already tried some of these.
Check the battery is the correct one for your vehicle and is fully charged. A V8 engine takes a lot of effort to physically turn over and a weak or wrong battery will struggle to turn the engine over. Check all the connections on the battery are clean and secure. Check the other end of each battery cable is also clean and secure. A bad electrical connection can drain the battery so it doesn't have enough power for the starter.
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if you disconnect the main wire from the starter and turn the key you will kear the relay clicking, find it and replace it... should solve your problem.
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A little clarification: the starter relay and starter solenoid are the same piece of equipment -- just different names for the same device.

Charlie
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