Expert: Skip Bollinger - 7/28/2007

Question
Day before yesterday, my car stopped on the way to my dads and wouldn't start back up. I was able to push it into a near by parking lot till my dad go there and then we jumped it with cables. We decided that since it jumped that it might be the battery. But yesterday I was driving and it died again. But about ten minutes later I was able to drive it home. This time it clicked when I turned the ignition. What confuses my dad is that the alternator light does not come on. Before it went dead yesterday the whippers started moving slower and the lights dimmed a little. Today it wouldn't start when trying to leave the gas station. What do you think it might be?

Answer
Veronica,
  Sorry for the delay but I wasn't POSITIVE about an answer but I had a gut feeling. I wanted to take the question to work today and bounce it off a few of my customers. Please note that in my Profile, I'm a Parts Professional, NOT a Tech but here is the general consensus,
  Everyone feels it is just a dirty connection. It could be at the battery, alternator, starter or ground cable from the battery to the engine. One guy also said if the rear main seal is leaking, it could be throwing oil on the starter so check the contact between the starter and the engine to make sure it isn't oil soaked.
  Some suggested you go to your local parts store and have them test the alternator and battery. They will do that for nothing but the only problem is if you have a dirty connection, it will say that you have a defective part. It CAN'T detect a dirty connection... SOOO I'd check all the connections first. Once they are all clean, then have the Batt & Alt checked. I hope this helps and thank you for your question.
Skip