2002 Aztec w/ 250K plus miles and no problems until recently.

Asked by Maskman01 Jun 28, 2015 at 02:33 PM about the 2002 Pontiac Aztek STD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

2002 Aztec w/ 250K plus miles and no problems until recently. Couple of months ago I
had to replace generator/alternator, and at same time replaced battery in preparation
for 110 plus degree AZ. summer. In the past week or so, I have noticed an occasional
slow turn before firing as though the battery were low. But when shut down and
restarted, it sometimes fired normally. Yesterday it would not turn over. I put a 15 amp
plus jump starter on and still only herd the click but no turn. Car is  at another location,
but when I tried to jump start the ground seemed to be bolted tight. However, the
ground bolt is so difficult to try reach to clamp that I just clamped on the frame, as the
jump starter directions suggested. Any suggestions?

4 Answers

64,350

Battery may be to low to jump with a jump box use another vehicle connect cable positive to positive and negative to negative start vehicle that is doing the jumping let cables stay on for a few minutes this will charge the battery in vehicle that will not start then after a few minutes try starting the vehicle. Vehicle that is doing the jumping has to be running.

1 people found this helpful.
Best Answer Mark helpful

I'm relatively sure it is not the battery since it is top of the line and just a couple months old. The only reason I put the jump box on was to verify that the symptoms remained the same, which they did. As I indicated in my description of the problem, in the few weeks leading up to not starting, it was erratic. Sometimes it started normally, and the next start would sound labored or slow turning. I sometimes shut it down and restarted, and it seemed normal, or continued to labor. I'm thinking it may be the starter, but in the past it's been my experience that when a starter failed, it did so suddenly and did not start in an erratic fashion before it quit. Has anyone experienced a starter going bad in this manner?

64,350

I see you replaced your alternator a year ago have it tested again to see if it is charging at 14 volts. I have seen some brand new parts not work when you put them on and also some not last that long even though they were new.

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