Will not start, I can hear a rapid click noise?

KOUBEAR

MEMBER
2018 TOYOTA CAMRY
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
27,534 MILES

The car listed above is an SE model. Won't start but hear a rapid clicking noise when trying to turn on the ignition. Battery voltage is at 11.96 when checked. If I let the car sit still for a while all the lights and headlights seem to work but once I put the key into the ignition, they become dim.

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,754 POSTS

The battery is totally discharged. Start by charging it at a slow rate for a few hours, then check it again. If it still reads that low, it has a shorted cell and must be replaced.

A good, fully charged battery will read 12.6 volts. If it's good but fully discharged, it will be closer to 12.2 volts. If you find it's considerably higher than 12.6 volts after charging, that's due to "surface charge" and is not accurate. Turn on a load, such as the head lights, for five or ten seconds, then recheck the voltage. Expect it to be near 12.6 volts now.

If this solves the problem for now, let me know, then we'll want to test the charging system to see if it will keep the battery charged. With a dead charging system, a good battery can only run the engine and electrical system for roughly 15 to 60 minutes.

Here's links to some related articles you might find informative:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-charge-your-car-battery

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-car-battery

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-a-bad-car-battery

Let me know what you find up to this point.