Did he charge it up before putting it in, if so it could be a bad battery from the store.
Need some help seriously
My husband has been looking at the new Tribeca and asked me yesterday to clean the 2005 Subaru Outback 2.5 non turbo. I accidently flipped the switch on the steering column and the lights were on all day. I didn't even notice they were on because it was a bright sunny day yesterday. Needless to say, my husband was upset because this is the 3rd battery that I have messed up this year. Now, after he went and got a new battery, it still won't start, it just clicks and he is now extrememly upset because he now thinks he is going to have to spend more money on this car before he trades it in for a new one. Any help will be gratefully appreciated.
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He charged the old one all night (less than 3 months old), then put it on the car this morning. He called me at work and told me that the battery has to be dead because all it does is click. When I came home from work, a new one was sitting on the charger and had the charged light on, that is when he took it outside and hooked it up to the car. He came back in and was furious because it isn't the battery.
With the battery in the car and hooked up. Have a voltmeter on it and start the car. If the voltage drops to below 11volts or so, the reserve capacity (available amperage) may be too low to start the car.
ok, my husbands friend is now here. He brought over a "Optimus Red Top" (I think that is what he called it) and a huge battery charger/starter on wheels and the thing is still not starting, not even turning over.
Does the vehicle have anti-theft?
Probably security system/theft thing? I've had Subaru's freak out before when swapping a battery...I just can't recall how I got it started again, but I had to go through some simple steps. Check the owners manual?
Is it only one click when the key is turned to Start, or a series of rapid clicks?. . . it just clicks . . .
Is the clicking coming from the engine compartment, specifically the starter area (lower back of the engine on the drivers side), or from elsewhere?
If the clicking is at the starter area, it means the starter solenoid is being energized by the starting circuit. This, I believe, eliminates the security system as a cause.
In line with what others have suggested about checking the voltage at the battery, also carefully check the cables at the battery. It's not unusual for corrosion to develop inside the wire insulation near the clamps. If there is, it might have been disturbed when the battery was first taken out, causing a bad connection inside the cable. (The positive clamp at the battery has several wires connected -- check that these are all good clean connections.)
Do the instrument panel warning lights come on when the key is at On (without trying to start the engine), and do the headlights work at close to normal brilliance?
Turn the dome light switch to ON. Is it as bright or nearly as bright as it was before? Then turn the key to Start. Does the dome light dim almost to off, or is it close to the full brightness? If it dims a lot, either the battery is weak or there's a bad connection at the battery cables. If it doesn't dim to any degree, it's probably the starter solenoid that's bad. (Not connecting the battery to the starter motor itself.)
Ok, he just tried to start it again, it is not a single click but a several clicks. I will listen and get back to you when I hear where they are from.
The headlights instantly come on and they are as bright as normal when you turn the car to on (auto on headlights)
The headlights instantly come on and they are as bright as normal when you turn the car to on (auto on headlights)
You need to rule out the battery first. Voltmeter on it while starting.
Ok, apparently one of the guys that built ?Travis??Pastranas? car is now on the phone with a neighbor and they are going through some steps to see what it is. I jave no clue who he is but hopefully he can help
and apparently he is stumped and doesn't know much about the electrical system. The clicking is not coming from the starter, it is coming from something with a few wires going to it on the top of the engine.
Still not starting, My husband says it is probably something stupid.
Does anybody know how to reset the alarm system? Nothing in the manual about it.
Still not starting, My husband says it is probably something stupid.
Does anybody know how to reset the alarm system? Nothing in the manual about it.
You need to rule out the battery first. Voltmeter on it while starting.
Not the battery, 13.8 volts normal and while attempting to start, the starter isn't even engaging
Factory or aftermarket alarm? Should be a kill switch under the driver's side dash...usually. Clicking may be the electronic throttle motor moving. Or coming from the relay box in the engine compartment.
ok, my husband friend was able to get it started simply by jumping the starter, but when he shut it off, it won't start again. It has to be a immobilizer or a starter relay, does anybody know where the starter relay is?
Engine compartment. You'll have to look in the owners manual for position.
In the manual, there isn't anything labeled starter relay. Is there a starter relay in a 2005 Subaru Outback with a 2.5 non turbo?
Don't focus on that, if it does have an immobilizer, you'll need to find the killswitch.
I agree with your husband that it might be something stupid. Could be a fuse or relay. I'm glad you were able to start the car by jumping the starter. I'm going to assume for a moment that this means you powered the starter with a wire bypassing the wiring in the car? If you have a volt meter it is worth checking the battery wire and the wiring to the starter. Could be a bad wire or a short in the system. Could be something as stupid as the posts are reversed on the battery. Personally I'd look at fuses if there is no immobilizer like other posters said. Check the simple stuff first. It also sounds like the two helpers you had should have done all that first depending on their automotive skill.ok, my husband friend was able to get it started simply by jumping the starter, but when he shut it off, it won't start again. It has to be a immobilizer or a starter relay, does anybody know where the starter relay is?
It also could be something to do with the security system. Is it the stock system or after market?
Did you try both keys?
Ok, I labeled each one of the questions or statements that could be answered.1. I'm going to assume for a moment that this means you powered the starter with a wire bypassing the wiring in the car?
2. If you have a volt meter it is worth checking the battery wire and the wiring to the starter. Could be a bad wire or a short in the system.
3.Could be something as stupid as the posts are reversed on the battery. 4. Personally I'd look at fuses if there is no immobilizer like other posters said.
5. Check the simple stuff first. It also sounds like the two helpers you had should have done all that first depending on their automotive skill.
6. It also could be something to do with the security system. Is it the stock system or after market?
7. Did you try both keys?
1. Yes, that is correct. They used a wire to go directly from the battery to the solenoid.
2. Checked the wire at the battery. It showed 12.8 volts.
Checked the wire at the starter. It showed 12.8 volts.
3. Battery checked, red to positive and black to negative.
4. All fuses were tested with my husbands Fluke 77III multimeter for resistance. He said all fuses were fine, including the big ones under the hood.
5. As far as I know, all simple stuff has been checked. I am exhausted and need some sleep. Husband is still up and looking over everything for something he might have missed, even is double checking the fuses right now.
6. It is the stock security system. We even tried this:
"Dead battery
After the battery is replaced, the transmitter must be synchronized with the keyless entry system. Press either the lock or unlock button six times to synchronize the unit"
which is located here: Subaru Keyless Entry, Security Alarm, Immobilizer Key, Remote Start Systems. Most years and models
7. yes, we tried both keys and still nothing.
Everybody that we have talked with, is at a loss and is dumbfounded.
My husband even went and bought a 12 volt lantern battery and checked all the relays to make sure they were ?clicking? right.
My husband even went as far as taking apart the shifter console and verifying if the switch in there was working properly (which it is).
Car is just not cranking.
Also, husband has said, all electrical works as normal (except starting issue), including lights on the dash and there isn't a check engine light.
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