Neon won't start even after jumping

GLIRK DIENT

MEMBER
DODGE NEON

I have a 1995 Dodge Neon with 55,000 miles on it and while seeing a movie last night I was a genius and left my lights on. When I ended up leaving I went to start my car and nothing happened. I realized I left my lights on and turned them off and began to call people. I tried the car again and was able to get some dashboard lights to light up but nothing more.

When my friends showed up we attempted to jump my car. We tried and tried and we couldn't get anything past the lights coming on. The engine wasn't trying to turn or anything.

Once we were able to get lights to come on and the engine tried to turn. It just sat there clicking and didn't do anything. We weren't able to get it to do this again after that.

A friend said it may be the alternator that is bad. I am going to find a way to get it up to a local shop and hae them take a look at it but any suggestions would be very welcomed, especially if it would help fix it before I have to spend more than I want to.

5 Replies

SERVICE WRITER

MECHANIC
9,123 POSTS

Sounds like it needs a battery.

Hopeflly you didn't cross the negative and positve cables or you might need a computer too.

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Saturday, July 29th, 2006 AT 2:18 PM

MIKEYBDMAN

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623 POSTS

Im really frstrated with the cheap jumper cables they are allowed to sell these days. Most likely the jumper cables you had were too small to carry enough current to start the car. I would have your battery charged, and then try it. If the battery does not take a charge, then it may have fried itself from being completely drained by the lights.
But none the less, a new battery is going to fix this problem. There was not a problem with the charging system before, and there shouldnt be one now. Just need the juice to start it.
Industrial cables should jump the car, and let the altenator charge it. But it may be best to just find a battery charger and charge the battery.
Good luck

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Saturday, July 29th, 2006 AT 2:30 PM

GLIRK DIENT

MEMBER
3 POSTS

I tried the car again and when I turn the keys the dashboard lights come on and it makes rapid clicking noises and doesn't get anywhere. I have been told the alternator is bad. Is it still the battery or the alternator?

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Sunday, July 30th, 2006 AT 5:53 PM

MIKEYBDMAN

MECHANIC
623 POSTS

Have you charged the battery? That is the first step, or borrow a battery from somone and take the car to autozone and have the altenator checked. It is not going to start unless you have a strong enough battery. If the altenator is bad, then it allowed the battery to get weak. If the battery is going bad, then the altenator cant keep a bad battery charged. But you must try it with a good battery to find out.

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Sunday, July 30th, 2006 AT 6:03 PM

GLIRK DIENT

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Good news, I got the car runing. My dad came back from camp and he decided to jump it. It started right up. I don't think we were making a good connection.

Anyways now that we got the car going, my turn signals don't work. My emergency flasher works fine and everything else I have tried works as well. My dad is going to check the fuse out soon so hopefully that will be that. Thanks for the help and suggestions.

EDIT - Just drove home, blinkers work fine and as far as I can tell so does everything else. Thanks again for the suggestions!