Q: Car won’t start, it cranks the first time I try and after that just rapid clicking, also shuts down a car trying to jumpstart it

asked by on February 04, 2018

Car won’t start even hooked up to another car trying to jump start also sometimes shuts off the running car, a couple weeks ago my reverse lights just stopped working was wondering if there could be a short circuit or something draining battery but why won’t it even start with a jump start then

My car has 190000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Jump starting a modern car can get risky. Unless you have the training, It’s best not to try. It’s a simple procedure, but since it almost always involves two people, it’s very easy to get mixed up and make a mistake that can do thousands of dollars in damage to your car and the "donor " car in the blink of an eye. That said, the problem you’re describing may be a "shorted" battery, in which the battery itself becomes nothing but a shunt between the Positive and Negative. Hooking another car to a battery in this condition can damage the charging system on the other car. Other possibilities could be damaged cable connections in the power distribution box, at the starter, or at the ground connections. You can have the battery tested and the electrical system of the car checked out conveniently by contacting YourMechanic. They can send a technician to your home or office to check out your Camry electrical system and replace your battery right there on the spot if necessary.

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