Hey all,
So lately i'm having trouble starting my car. Went outside to warm the car up and started up fine. Took the keys out and let the turbo timer run for 10 minutes. The turbo timer ran out and the car stopped.....nothing unusual, i do this all the time. Went to restart the car up and nothing. When the key is on ACC, everything electical works fine. i have a voltage gauge and it reads 12 volts. but once i turn the key to ON, i get zero voltage and all of the lights are either very dim or not on at all.

What i did notice is that when i press the alarm to lock/unlock, i get a barely audible honk of the horn and the locking mechanism barely lock and unlock the car. Would it have something to do with the alarm system? perhaps it's interfering with the kill switch that's why the car wont' start? The first time this happen, i waited for about 30 seconds or so and the car started up again fine. the second day it doesn't want to start at all.

The battery is fairly new and it reads 12 volts so im ruling that out. checked the fuse and nothing is blown. i'm lost.

any thoughts or idea is appreciated.

 

Check you battery terminals. Could be loose or corroded. Generally 12 volts means cells in the battery are fine, but there still could be a chance of weak cells, try another battery or if you are comfortable with it give it a boost. How cold is it where the car is located?

And lastly alarm or starter solenoid, and bad grounds. usual culprits.

After re-reading your symptoms I am sure battery issues or battery cable issues. And alternator possibilities.

See to me the alarm is having trouble actuating the door locks, and the dim lights suggest lowered battery voltage, even though the gauge may read 12v. It could be low on cca, which means cells are dead or weak.
Again first check and clean the battery cables connectors and terminals. If that doesn't help try to boost the car at own risk, then unhook negative battery terminal, while car is running, this will prove if your alternator is working, if the car dies it needs an alternator, if it runs replace battery. Cold and hot weather and idling are hard on batteries, as they are continuously tortured by loads of starter cranking and low amps at idle, when the alternator is barely putting out any. Add that to frozen cells or boiled and you may have a useless battery. If the battery has a ballooned shape or lots of corrosion you may want to replace it. Don't bring a battery into your living space, as they vent and the gasses are quite poisonous. sans dry cell and optima red blue and yellow tops and most maintenance free batteries.

 

How long did you wait to restart and how cold is it? The bitter cold really takes a toll on batteries. But like what Dale said, check your terminals. Anything to help keep your crank amps up

 

I dont think its the alternator because it read 14 volts or so while the car was running. The terminal is a bit dirty, some acid buildups. Ill give it a cleaning. The temp here ( Boston area) has been fairly cold, around the high teens and twenties. Ill warm the battery up again and see if that helps.

 

Once the battery is at room temperature most auto stores can test it, but while your warming it hopefully not in your home as it gives off toxic gas, should run a trickle charge aka 1-3amps to slowly top it up. I have replenished battery life a few different batteries by doing this. The connectors should be neutralized and scuffed with emery cloth or med grit sand paper. Wear gloves and a crappy shirt as the acid will destroy skin and clothes. good luck

 

so the culprit is a bad ignition switch. apparently the connecting was failing from time to time so it wasn't sending any power to the starter.

I did fail to mention that the car stalled while i was in reverse and i guess that's one of the sign that your ignition switch could be on the way out.

thank to everyone for their input.

 

Oh, yeah I read somewhere they have issues sometimes.
Glad you found the solution to your problem.
Cheers!