Saab 9-3 Won't Start
 

Hi All,

Please HELP!! So, the other night I was driving home from work. Got 95% of way home, and stopped at store for 3 mins. When I came out, car clicked (one click, not a rapid click) and wouldn't start. Anytime I try to start, the car just gives me a click and nothing else. So, a friend came and jumped me. Car started right up! He followed me home (about 2 miles) and everything was fine. Once I got home, parked the car, turned off, tried to start, and got a 'click' and no start. Let me also add the car had been cranking slow over the past week as I live in the northeast and it is pretty cold! Anyway, I'm thinking it's the battery as I drove home the night the battery died and I got home fine so to me, that means the alternator was giving the battery enough juice to get me home but the battery wasn't holding the juice. Well, I take the battery to AutoZone where I bought the battery 2 years and 1 month ago. They hook up the battery and tell me the battery is 67% charged. They then offered to put on charger for me. So after 20 minutes they take it off their charger, and tell me the battery says it's 100% charged. I am completely perplexed so I take the battery home, put it in the car, and 'click'. :( Could it be when they "charged the battery", when they tested it, it wasn't under a load like starting an engine!

I still think it sounds like a battery but who knows. Does anyone have any thoughts? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks so much.

Jon

Might be a bad ground. Make usre the contacts are clean and make sure the ground cable isn't rusted off.

Hi and thanks for response. So, the ground cable going to the battery? I disconnected both pos and neg and cleaned both really well. They seem to be intact and in good condition.

Trace the negative cable to where it grounds. See if it's clean there.

Update...
 

Ok. So, I put in a new batt last night and still just a click. I am now thinking it's the starter. Well, I go beat the hell out of the starter with a hammer while someone else was cranking and I still get just a click at the starter solenoid. Any other thoughts? Is the 'beat the starter' method a guarantee? Like i mentioned before, on the drive home that night, I jumped the car and drove home absolutely fine so the motor isn't seized or anything. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Just a rundown...
Car didn't start-got just a click at starter
Jumped car and drove home
Got home, tried to start, and got a 'click'
Replaced battery and checked all grounds/connections-still just a click
Banged starter with a hammer while cranking-still just a click

Thanks for all your help!

It's your alternator.

Check fuses. I believe there is a fuse that tells the sparks and fuel pump to start working. This happened with my car also, i bought a brand new battery and brand new spark plugs, but the car kept having the same problem. In my case, the car would turn over, but wouldn't have something to catch onto (for example....a spark) One time it was so bad, that it wouldn't start for a couple of days. I had a diagnostics test done on it, and came to find out that it was a fuse. I can't remember which one it exactly was, i just know that it had something to do with the sparks and fuel pump. I changed the spark, and bam! it works perfectly. Btw...i have a 2000 Saab 9-3 SE Convertible.

Is it possible to recollect the fuse # and fuse name(fuse name preferably) that was replaced to correct your problem.

I read on another forum that this guy did all that was done above. Battery, cables, solenoid and starter, still just clicked. Took it to the dealer and had the ignition switch replaced. FIXED! Just sayin...

Like i mentioned before, on the drive home that night, I jumped the car and drove home absolutely fine so the motor isn't seized or anything. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.???