It's probably the same problem as before, not enough contact in the positive battery terminal. I spent about an hour cleaning terminals today to no avail. I poured a mixture of baking soda and water on the positive lead several times.

The accessories work well, unlike before cranking the car doesn't knock them out entirely. They keep working. The starter kicks for a millisecond, then stops and there's a clicking inside the steering column. If I hold it I get scary wheezy sounds from inside the passenger side of the dash and the back seat area

I'm not happy with this side terminal battery design. I've never had problems like this from clamp on terminals.

Have you replaced the battery cables? Or get the starter tested? Are you able to start it in neutral?

I can try starting it in neutral tomorrow. How is that different then starting it in park?

I haven't replaced the cables or tested the starter.

I think the reason why I'm having this problem is because I pulled the battery out to recharge it. The prior two times I started it everything seemed to be o.k. other than the battery being weak.

You might try tapping on the starter with a hammer and see if that makes a difference. I know it sounds ignorant but if the starter is trying to lock up it could possibly cause some weird stuff.

Just jack the car up and have some one try to start the car, when they hit the switch give the starter a good rap.


Bert

Man, I hope it's not the starter. It'd be an odd coincidence for the starter to die at the same time I'm monkeying around with the battery. It's got to be that damn connector not being clean enough. The baking soda didn't take the grime off that screw bit as well as I would have liked. But it flowed enough electricity before I disconnected the battery.

You might have to break down and buy a new battery from the sound of it... I take it from your comment "I pulled the battery out to recharge it. The prior two times I started it everything seemed to be o.k. other than the battery being weak." it;s an older battery? Best to do it now rather than being stuck on the side of the road in winter. That and the clicking sound happens when not enough juice is left to crank the motor... accessories will still come on in this situation.

How old is your battery? Is there any corrosion on the terminals? Was there? I've never seen any corrosion on the back-seat batteries. Protection from the elements is a good thing...

My battery was factory and finally gave it up last fall on me.

It's an Optima, and only a couple years old. It ran down because I only drive a couple times a month.

Corrosion on the battery terminals was minimal. The positive cable attached to the car is where the gunk was, and to a lesser extent now, is.

Well, I'd tear out the starter and battery and take them both to your local auto parts store and get them tested. Just to answer your question about starting in neutral is the neutral saftey switch. The baking soda isn't meant to dissolve the corrosion, it's meant to neutralize the sulfuric acid that causes the corrosion. Give the terminals a good scrubbing, try starting in N, and get the battery and starter tested.

did you put the Optima in or did your car come with it?

Albertj

I put the Optima in.

I pulled the battery and stuck it in my Dodge - plenty of cranking power.

Next up, cleaning that dang positive terminal again.

Anywhere on top of the battery, or does it have to be touching a terminal?

Not near a terminal, just anywhere on top of the battery (referring to the penny I assume)

Alright, I'm going to find me a shiny new penny and tape it on top of the battery.

The problem turned out to be the tarnish or patina that had built up on the terminals. I hit 'em all with a wire brush attachment on the dremel and then the Riv fired up strong.

I was surprised at how much even the terminals on the Optima had tarnished over 2 years.

BTW I've never seen a sign of moisture in the battery area - this is all the work of the O2 molecule.