Car will not start?

ROASTABOTCH

MEMBER
2007 MITSUBISHI GALANT
2.4L
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
120,000 MILES

About 2 weeks ago, I drove my car to a friend's house, and everything was fine. When I came out later on to go to the store, I turned the key and all it did was click. One single click. I tried it again and again, same click. I had to have it towed home, the tow truck driver hit the battery with a jumper box, didn't do anything. The battery tested good. He hit the starter a few times, didn't work. So, I went ahead and ordered a new starter, put it in today and the same thing! It just clicks once. I took a voltage tester and hooked it to the positive and negative terminals on the battery and tried to start it and didn't notice any real noticeable drop in voltage. So, I was going to try to locate the starter relay in the fuse box and could not find it. I saw a few articles pointing out different ones but was getting different answers due to one being automatic and the other manual. I guess they're in different spots. But once I do find it and let's say its good, would my next thing to check be the neutral safety switch or maybe the ignition switch itself? So, sum it up, I want to find the starter relay first.

1 Reply

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,709 POSTS

Hi,

Is it the starter motor that is making the click? If it is, first check and make sure the battery terminals are clean and tight. If they are, follow the ground wire from the battery to the engine block to make sure it has a good ground. Don't laugh, but when it's dark out, open the hood and turn the key to see if there is anything sparking due to a weak connection.

As far as a starter relay, it doesn't have one. Power is supplied via a fusible link to the ignition switch which travels through the neutral safety switch and to the starter. If possible, have a helper turn the key to the start position while you check the black wire with a red tracer for power. It should only have 12v with the key in the start position. Additionally, make sure there is battery voltage to the black wire with a blue tracer on the starter motor.

Also, here is a link you may find helpful:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

I attached the wiring schematic below, so you have a reference. I had to cut the pic in half to make it readable for you, but I did overlap the two.

Let me know what you find,

Take care,

joe

See pics below.

Images (Click to make bigger)