Catera wont start

[crzyldy35]

Hi
My catera has been driving fine and starting fine. I drove it home yesterday from work, no problems but when I went to go to the store, it was dead. The lights, radio, etc work fine. It just wont start. All I hear when I turn the key is one very faint click. I replaced the alternator last year. Could it be the starter? There were no warning signs anything was wrong.
Thanks

[eastsidercaddy]

I had this happen to me a while back. Check to make sure that your battery connectors aren't corroded, and also that they are tight. My negative terminal was loose and came disconnected and caused this problem. Either that or your battery is going to die. If you can get a jump from another car and let it run for a good hour after you make the above checks. This usually gives your battery a good charge to start on it's own. Hope that helps.

[Cadi Cat]

Does anyone know or have an estimate of how long the starter should last? Mines still factory and I have 137k on it now. I'm definatly buying a new one in the summer but I'm begining to get very nervous as if it will last that long. I typically run with 3 or 4 starts 5 days a week. I really hope it lasts through the rest of the winter.

[tmartellc]

My car is doing the same thing, The light just come on when I try to start the car, I thouhgt it was my starter or I could be my neutral safety on the trans. Did you have any luck, going to go play with car tomorrow?

[Army_MP_From_MO]

Sounds like a solenoid

[tmartellc]

Goint to buy a new starter tomorrow, hope it works. Thanks

[Army_MP_From_MO]

Hope that takes care of it. Good Luck!

[tmartellc]

Its was the starter changed it last night and it started right up.

[RetardedGenius]

my catera is doing the exact same thing, at completely random times and the voltage is always between 11.5V and 12V, but voltage doesn't drop at all when I turn the key.

tmartellc,
Have you had this problem at all since you changed your starter?
Did you replace only the starter or both the starter & solenoid?

[stupidcar]

how hard was the starter change? my car is dead in the driveway and i know its the starter

i picked one up today, now i just need a hand pushing the car into the garage finishing the job

any special tools required, howd you support the engine with the pass eng mounts off?

a small step by step would help a ton