Clicking Sound Only When
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First, turn your ignition key until you reach the point just before the jeep starts. This will be the point just before you heard the clicking sound.
Now, turn on your windshield wipers and watch them operate back and forth for a short time (about 30 sec or so).
You want to do this because your wipers run directly off of your battery when your jeep isn’t running and we want to see if your wipers are operating normally.
Did your wipers go back and forth slower than they usually do or not at all?
| Yes | No |
Yes, my wipers are slower than normal or they didn’t work at all.
This tells us that the problem most likely is with your battery. Let’s first take a look at your battery and see if you are having a problem with corrosion.
First open the hood of your jeep. Find your battery and take a close look at the battery cables.
Do you see a white cruddy type of junk on your battery cables and battery posts?
| Yes | No |
Yes, I so see a white cruddy type of junk on my battery cables.
This is the most common cause of having a clicking sound only when trying to start your jeep
Having corrosion on your battery cables will cause your battery to loose its connection with your battery cables and is the likely cause of your problem. I have this same problem from time to time with my 97 Wrangler.
You can go HERE to find out how to clean your battery posts along with a little TIP on how to prevent it form happening again.
No, my wipers were operating normally.
If your wipers are operating normally then it sounds like you have a problem with your starter. In this case we now need to look at two things. First we need to see if your battery connections are good.
Locate the starter on your jeep. You may need to refer to a repair manual to help you do this. Check all of the cables and wires leading to your battery and make sure that they are all on tight and secure.
If you have any loose wires, use the proper tools and tighten them and see if that fixes the problem. If everything seems to be OK, them the problem is more than likely a bad starter.
If your jeep is still under warranty, then you can have the starter replaced at no cost to your. If your jeep is not still under warranty then you will need to have a mechanic replace if for you or replace it yourself.
Replacing your starter with a rebuilt one is cheaper and the rebuilt starters are just as reliable as the new ones.
No, I don’t see a white cruddy type of junk on my battery cables.
If your battery cables aren’t corroded, then this indicates that your battery is very weak. If the battery doesn’t have enough power, you will hear a clicking sound only when trying to start your jeep. The clicking sound you hear is coming from your solenoid.
If you have a battery that is not sealed then you can remove the top caps and check to see if the fluid level is good. The fluid level in the battery should cover the tops of the battery plates inside the battery.
If the level is below the plates then you can add some distilled water found at any auto parts store. Recharge your battery and see if this solves your starting problem.
If the battery will still not take a charge then you will need to replace your battery.
I hope that this article has helped you with having a clicking sound only when trying to start your jeep.
