Recently, I had an issue of no click no start. After thorough testing, cleaning off all grounds, can bus testing, etc. We pinned it down to ECU, and when I replaced it, it fired right up. A day later, while driving home from a friend's house about 5 miles away, all of the lights on my dash started coming on one by one, first abs, then traction control, then power steering, etc. I pulled over and when I stopped and shut it off it was back to no click no start. I called a tow and of course, when he picked it up it started right up but I knew that wasn't going to be the end of my issue. He wrongly stated it was the negative battery terminal and told me that "I need to look after my s---" as "Just some friendly advice" LOL but I changed out the terminals anyway because they were old and needed to be replaced. The next day I tried starting it again with no problem, and let it idle in the driveway to see if the same thing would happen... All lights started appearing again after about 5 minutes. I had already grinded/cleaned the grounds/contacts thoroughly and tightened them all down perfectly, but not on the starter. So once I cleaned the 12v contact and the alternator contact that goes onto the starter, as well as both posts and the ground I thought my issues were gone. It started up great, running better than ever, getting great voltage, acceleration, a/c and everything was running like a dream... The next day I got a rapid click from my starter with no start. I checked every fuse again with the key in the on position and every fuse was working, I already had my battery load tested about 3 weeks before and fully charged, as I mentioned earlier the battery terminals are perfect, tried jumping, tried hitting the starter, bench tested the starter and it popped out and spun perfectly... I have heard that the starter can work on a bench test but when it is put against the pressure of the flywheel it still might be too weak to turn over, buying a new starter will be my last resort since I have had no issues with it before and since smacking it with a hammer didn't work, I think it's really unlikely but still possible, just gotta make sure I have everything covered before I got out and buy a new one. The only other thing I can think of to mention is that the check engine light is on but I am not reading any codes. It is just a $20 reader and I have a friend who has a proper top-end DTC reader/programmer that I will call over if these forum replies don't get me anywhere, but it makes me wonder how my car knows that it's not gonna start even before I turn the key??

Please no questions that I have already addressed such as battery and fuses. Hopefully, I provided enough information.
Thanks for reading and commenting

 

Sounds like the alternator is not charging properly. Please check voltage with it running.

 

It is not running "Rapid click No Start". I immediately thought of an alternator as well, and wanted to hear other suggestions before pulling and taking it to AutoZone to be tested... but when it was running a few days ago I was getting 13.5v+ while running and, 12.4v-12.6v when off, so it seems unlikely. Please read my entire initial message.

 

I suspect you likely have a bad diode in the alternator. Should be 14-4 volts ish. Unless the vehicle does load shedding which I do not know if it does or not. I don't think they were doing that in 2008.

If the diode breaks down, it creates a path that leaks current from the battery to ground. It may be 12.6 volts sitting there not running with no current draw. . Have a buddy try to crank it and read the battery voltage with the key in crank.

 

Have you checked for corrosion UNDER THE INSULATION on the battery cables? It doesn't take much of that green crud to keep one from starting? Just because you replaced the connectors doesn't mean there's not corrosion hiding in the cables. I've been fooling with cars for over 50 years and have seen that quite often. But I'm NOT a mechanic, so do what derf and Andy suggested first. I used to work for Autozone and won't purchase any electrical part or sensor from them because they sell junk. Same goes for Advance. I shop at NAPA if I can't find OEM. OEM costs more, but that's always your best bet.

 

Yes... I had to strip some of the insulation away when I installed new connectors. The wires look perfect.

 

The alternator passed the test at AutoZone...

 

Not to beat on an entirely not dead horse, but what did they give you as the output of your load test? Asking to see if there is information in that output that we might use for diagnostic purposes, and also asking because I've never actually had a load test done on any of my vehicles, so I'm wondering what they do check and what they don't.

 

Have you checked the lead from the positive battery terminal to the alternator as well as the lead from the positive battery terminal to the starter? The description of the starting points above isn't necessarily quite right because the positive battery cable usually branches so that is what I mean.

The positive cable from the alternator to the battery almost always has an inline fuse. You may have to unwrap it to see it but I would think it's there. It's possible that this fuse has intermittent com activity and may be upset by vibrations under the hood.

The way you describe the dashboard idiot lights lighting up, one by one, and not coming on all at once like a Christmas tree to me reeks of each module losing the current it needs to operate. Each one is slightly different before operation ceases, so the lights come on one by one after it's been running for 5 minutes if the battery happens to not be charging.

​​​​​​Off the top of my head I can't think of another reason that the lights would come on sequentially. Also, the load test passing on the alternator-- what is the pass criteria? I would ask the folks wherever you had it tested what does past mean? Does past mean above 12.6? Above 13-3? Everything is relative and I think in your case that actually matters.

The only other thing I can think of for sequential idiot lights for the dash is that the BCM is controlling a lot of the non-engine related functions, and that the BCM is starting to flake due to low operating current or it is defective.

But it's effective BCM will not turn on the service engine soon light

It's probably time to have the codes red, as we are down to educated guesses.

I also wonder whether or not the problem is somehow heat related such that when the vehicle runs for 5 minutes, something heats up and expands, causing a discontinuity in the wiring somewhere. Or the BCM or ECM goes open circuit somewhere once it is warm. You can possibly test that with a hair dryer. No styling mousse.


You seem like the kind of guy that would own a real heat gun. Don't use that, it is way too hot and will melt shayt

 

They check the battery to see what the CCAs are and then load test to see if they match.