Is my starter going bad, or possibly something else?

Three weeks ago, my wife drove my car to New Orleans. Everything fine. Got there and on day 2, the car wouldn't start. It wouldn't try to start, instead, they said it was a tic-tic-tic kind of noise. Tried several times. My wife called me, and I sort of explained that a) I know nothing about cars, b) I was 360 miles away and whatever little thing I could do under a hood, I couldn't do from that many miles away. So she called AAA.

AAA came out and started to tow the car to a repair shop my father-in-law uses. She asked them to try to start it. Tic-tic-tic. She then asked them to try to jump it with their jumper. Started right up.

AAA left. They advised her to drive it in case the battery needed charging. (Battery is an Interstate battery that is only 2 months old). They didn't think it was the alternator that was the problem. She drove it for about 5 minutes, came back, and parked. Later that day, she used the car, started right up. Day 3, car was used several times in the city going to and from places, started right up each time. Day 4 she drives back to Birmingham, car starts right up each and every time it is stopped and started.

In Birmingham, I've used it most days, usually several times a day. Starts right up each time. I keep waiting each time for the "tic-tic-tic" but instead it starts immediately every time.

I wanted to just get the starter replaced, but I feel foolish if the starter isn't the issue, and I guess there's no way to know?

Any thoughts?

I'd guess alternator or starter.

A lot of auto parts stores will check both, plus the battery, for free:

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https://www.autozone.com/lp/free-parts-testing

BEvans is spot on. Drive it to a local Advance, AutoZone and tell them what happened and ask them to check the system.

Thanks, guys! I had no idea you could check to see if the starter was bad. Duh.

Sounds like the battery to me, or possibly loose or corroded terminals. At least that’s what it sounds like whenever my wife leaves an interior light on somewhere and drains the battery.

My Edge did this on vacation. Replaced the battery and it has never happened again. These new batteries can be all or nothing. I'd at least have them exchange the battery no matter it how it test.

I concur, either starter or battery. A dying starter can present a significantly higher load to the battery, mimicking a dead battery. I had pretty much exactly that happen for our CR-V. It would work most of the time but every now and then just wouldn't start. A more powerful vehicle (like a colleagues F350) would jump it no problem. I replaced the battery because it was marginal but the issue persisted, albeit less often. Replaced the starter and the issues went away 100%.

This should be something you can fix yourself. Do you have a screw extractor kit? ;)

Some of the old Chevy starters would get "stuck" and do that. You could literally go under the vehicle and bang on it with a hammer while starting it and it would let it start. Watched people do it. I'm sure now you'd just break one of the 45 computers in the car.

Say it with me, “Costco interstate batteries are garbage now.”

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Originally Posted by bigsky

Say it with me, “Costco interstate batteries are garbage now.”

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Wasn't Costco. This one was Lexus repair shop. Maybe same, though.

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Originally Posted by CitizenBBN

You could literally go under the vehicle and bang on it with a hammer while starting it and it would let it start. Watched people do it. .

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I've done it. My buddy had a 72 chevy, a real clunker. But we painted it, put on many starters, rebuilt the transmission, just about everything. He passed away at 20 in car wreck. I'd give anything to have been able to get that truck.