Hi-my 2002 xtype won't start. I took it in 5 months ago when this happened before. They replaced a relay wire & it worked until this last week. It is a new battery. It starts when jumped. Everything comes on but it just clicks. Could it be the key? I am taking it in tomorrow morning, but don't want to do this every few months. Any ideas?

 

Try hitting the starter with a hammer while cranking it. If it starts, replace the starter. How many miles or on the car?

 

look at this video: Starters & Solenoids - Explanation of How They Work (Inertia & Pre-Engaged Style) - YouTube

What is happening is if it is only clicking and not starting, your solenoid is dirty and has corrosion on it. If you are able to start it after getting jumped it is because you have more power to fight through the corrosion on your solenoid. This is a very easy repair and can be diagnosed with a simple multi-meter. I will tell you one thing however, this is a simple problem and does not need to be fixed at a dealership. Please just take it to a small shop if you are not comfortable in testing and taking out a solenoid because every small shop will understand how to test/replace a dead solenoid.

 

If you don't hear the motor spinning, then I doubt its just the starter solenoid. The motor itself can also become corroded and the magnets inside the motor can break. I see this a lot in Ford starters. I've taken many apart and seen the dust and corrosion build up. Once you get a little piece of magnet flying arounf inside the motor it begins to chew up the rest of the internal parts.
Either way, if its the solenoid or the motor, If either is bad, just replace the whole starter since it's all pretty old. You don't want to change the solenoid then replace the motor a month later.

 

this happened to me, i put it in gear turned the key and let the starter moter move the car a few yards. stopped turned the key and it started, sounds like the starter moter may be stiff

 

opps motor* not moter fingers have gone dyslexic

 

I would think it to be the solenoid based on the idea that it is simply clicking. The clicking sound is coming from the copper washer trying to make a connection and hitting the battery and starter leads. Because the copper is corroded there is no power put towards the starter. I guess it could be a starter if the starter got corroded before the solenoid, but solenoids tend to fail earlier because they are more prone to corrosion. The easy way to tell this apart is to get out your multimeter and see if you are getting current on the starter. If you are, then your solenoid is fine... if not, then it's just your solenoid.