Stranded WJ wont start. She just clicks. Help?

[Digian]

Hi guys,

My 02 WJ overland has had intermittent starting issues for a while now.

Most of the time it starts alright but sometimes just a "Click" noise, a few key turns later it would eventually work.

Today she has left me stranded unfortunately. She lives on a battery trickle charger and im quite sure the battery is 100% charged today.

The top right dash engine light symbol is lit up when I try to start it .... could this be related to the starter, or something else ?

With keys in ignition and turned to on, I tried bypassing the ignition by shorting the Starter Motor relay in the fuse box area with a spare bit of wire, same Click noise, but no joy.

From under the car - I tried shorting the Starter motor solenoid terminals, it sparked but no joy either, no click sound that I noticed.

Any other ideas what the problem or solution could be ? Is my starter motor toast ?

I thought whacking the starter or solenoid might have done the trick, but nope that didnt work either Stranded car sucks.

PS. If it is starter, any recommendations where to buy a good quality one ?

[indiedog]

The "click" sounds like a classic dead battery. Possibly a cracked plate or similar where sometimes it will be fine and other times it won't. You will at times have battery failure but it will show full charge. I'd try a jump start or just swap it out to make sure it is not the battery before ripping other things apart.

Good luck with it.

[Clarky]

Bad earth. Check all earth straps from the motor to the chassis.

[Anthony_Stuart]

I think dead battery

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[Jimmyb]

I vote dead battery also, enough to illuminate things. Try a jump start and if that works replace the battery

[steelo25]

Immobiliser maybe, just had a very similar prob

[v8val]

Sounds like classic battery, but. Had a starter die on my wj, and thats exactly how it happened. Especially retrying and working after a few goes......