My sister has a 1998 626 automatic with 138,000 miles. Her car randomly does not start and when you turn the key you hear a click under the hood. Mechanic replaced two starters and solenoids, ignition switch and something in the shifter to make sure the car knew it was not in gear. Nothing helped and the problem continues. What should we do any advise is appreciated and our mechanic is frustrated. Please help.

Thanks
Derek

 

Did you check your battery? Sometimes a cell will go dead and cause some strange problems. Just a thought.

 

The Battery is new and she is still having problems if anyone could help.

 

We have a 95 626 with 130k on it and just had a simular problem. Battery was good. Tested voltage to starter, good. Ohmed out all the wires and ground points, all good. Had meter on starter and watched as car was attempted to start. Voltage went to 0 after the click. Unhooked the power into the starter and retested with just the solinoid hooked up. Voltage never dropped. Figured there had to be a short in the starter. Removed starter and took it to parts store to get tested. Much to my suprise starter tested out fine. Now I was baffled and at a loss because I now knew for a fact everything I tested was fine. Went back and reinstalled started. There was some buildup on the battery terminals so I diecided to clean them. To really dig the junk out i used a baking soda and vinegar to boil it out. Worked great cables now clean. Well after all that the car would start sometimes but not always. While having someone else try to start the car (after that cleaning) I just happen to notice something. The water on the negitive terminal post and clamp started to boil for a second. After a closer look I found my problem. If you look on the stock battery wire clamps (if it is the same as mine) you will notice the clamp has a gap between the top and bottom clamping ring. Well the bottom ring part on mine had broken. There for not allowing a return loop for the high current needed when starting the car. I unscrewed the clamp and went and grabbed a small bolt to shove inbetween the post and back side of the clamp (near screw) for a ghetto fix to test it. Low and behold fired right up 10 times in a row. Bolt is still there too. Never got around to replacing the clamp. And at this point I never will. lol


I hope this turns out to be your issue also.


Hows that for a first post?

 

Pretty durn good there, Bassntruck!! These things are usually caused by a current drop because of a bad/corroded connection somewhere. The voltage may never drop, but as you say, it takes quite a bit of current to operate the starter. That's where problems like this usually rear their ugly heads.
Make sure that in addition to checking out the cable end connections (on BOTH ends) that the MAIN or master fuse is clean and free of corrosion too. If it is not and the electrical devices call for a high current draw, it can burn out this fuse/link due to the higher than normal resistance causing a complete loss of power.

 

Would the main fuse be the 80Amp one ( 1989 626). I realize this is an old post, but I have an old car , having a similar problem , but think it is heat related.