When the ignition switch is turned to the start position, you hear a single click and the engine does not turn over. What is the most likely cause?

When the ignition switch is turned to the start position, you hear a single click and the engine does not turn over. What is the most likely cause?

• A. Battery voltage is low
• B. Starter motor seized
• C. Ignition switch failure
• D. Neutral safety switch misadjusted

Answer: (A)

When you hear a single click and the engine doesn’t turn over, the starter solenoid is getting some power but the starter isn’t drawing enough current to spin the engine. The most likely cause is low battery voltage. A weak or discharged battery (or loose/corroded cables) can’t supply the high current the starter needs, so the solenoid might click once but the motor stays idle. Other possibilities exist, but they don’t fit this symptom as well. If the starter motor were seized, you’d usually notice more than just a single click or you'll feel the engine trying to move or hear grinding. If the ignition switch were failing, you might not hear any solenoid click at all. If the neutral safety switch were misadjusted, the engine typically won’t crank unless the transmission is in the correct position, producing a different set of symptoms.

When you hear a single click and the engine doesn’t turn over, the starter solenoid is getting some power but the starter isn’t drawing enough current to spin the engine. The most likely cause is low battery voltage. A weak or discharged battery (or loose/corroded cables) can’t supply the high current the starter needs, so the solenoid might click once but the motor stays idle.

Other possibilities exist, but they don’t fit this symptom as well. If the starter motor were seized, you’d usually notice more than just a single click or you'll feel the engine trying to move or hear grinding. If the ignition switch were failing, you might not hear any solenoid click at all. If the neutral safety switch were misadjusted, the engine typically won’t crank unless the transmission is in the correct position, producing a different set of symptoms.