2006 Town and Country won't start. I turn the key and it makes clicking sound. The radio, windows and doors all work. Tried jump starting it, didn't do anything. Battery or starter?

Typically, when a starter goes bad, it wont make any sounds when you turn the key. The clicking your hearing is the relay for the starter opening and closing very rapidly because there is not enough amperage from your battery to actuate it properly. Your battery is probably bad.

I took to Autozone and said my battery and alternator both tested good. I had to do this again this morning because it wouldn't start. He said it could be ignition switch? Everything seems to run fine, it's just getting it to start.

I had it jumped and it started, but battery is good. I have 4 kids and don't want to be stranded with them in this Southern heat. I am trying to avoid a mechanic diagnosis because of the price just to look at it

Thank you so much for your help!

Check the negative battery cable at both ends for fraying or corrosion, then do the same thing on your starter wire. if you are using a vehicle to jump yours whos battery is more powerful than yours, it could be forcing enough current through a frayed or corroded wire to start the engine. sorry for all the replies. just brainstorming.

Mine does the same thing. It happened last week in a parking lot, wouldn't turn over, just a click. I got a ride to a store in a different vehicle. Bought a new battery. installed it, and it still wouldn't start. Not a battery problem.

My 2009 t&c just started doing this same thing. I would be driving it, stop somewhere for a little bit and it won't start. You hear it turning over but nothing happens. When it gets jump, it will be fine. Battery was tested and all is good. There is an ignition recall but the parts aren't available yet, but the dealership can't tell me for sure if that's the issue. Has anyone have any luck in finding out what the problem may be?

My 2006 does this. Try to start and click, click, click, click, ... not start. Try it two three times in a row and it may start. Try to jump start it and it has the exact same symptoms. Maybe it'll start, maybe it won't. Lights and doors and radio etc all work fine. Has anyone had this problem and fixed it?? If so, how did you fix it??

They said my battery wasn't big enough. So I bought a bigger battery and it never had a problem.

Thanks - I'll look into that.

we are having the same problem with our 2006 T&C, took it in, starter is good, battery is good (only 1yr old) the scan shows, ignition problem, wiring problem, intermittent starter problem-ANyone actually find the fix for this click, click, click problem?

I repaired mine. The small wire on the solenoid that engages the starter was loose.I put a new terminator on the wire.

What i have found from a few mechanic friends and searching multiple forums, is that the Neutral Safety Switch is bad. I have a 2009 T&C and its doing the same as everyone else has stated. i replaced the starter, did not fix. Had a recall on the ignition and keyfobs. replaced today and still acting up. Next im going to replace the Neutral Safety Switch. Its a $25 part. hope this helps!

My turn in dealing with this issue. My question is: Was the Neutral Safety Switch the solution here?

Dealing with this issue now as well on a 2005. did the Neutral Safety Switch fix work?

I had to buy a bigger battery and it worked. I no longer have the vehicle, but once I changed that out it fixed my problem

Thanks, 32001. I was wondering if that wasn't my issue too since it seems so intermittent. Going to try that today. Appreciate you coming back to respond.

Well, mine turned out to be the starter. It just seemed odd because it had been randomly not starting for a few months but then just got worse all fo the sudden. I didn't realized starters could go out this slowly so lesson learned. Just wanted to update in case someone else was googling. And if you do the starter repair yourself, it's pretty easy... there's just one bolt that is a bear on the backside, top. Be sure to use a ratchet with two extenders joined together. Spray some WD-40. You still won't have much room to turn that wrench but it's barely enough this way. All the best!

(and use the ratchet from the topside. I got the rest of the bolts out from the underside.)

Ok I have a 2006 and it had sine this twice and a jump start would help but last night it did it again and this time it did not help at all. It is making on click noise now. What is the neutral safety switch? Is this the problem or do I need a new battery? I'm a single mom and this is the only way I can get to work.

I took it to the transmission shop. They stated they adjusted the sensor and I had a bad ground strap. This also did not fix it. Come to find out it was the starter. That was my first thought and the first thing I replaced. It just so happened I got a bad starter as the replacement. Since replacing once more, we have had no issues.

It's simply the gear shifter cable. The grommets are worn out so the car isn't really in park and it's the reason when you turn the key and it just clicks. After a several tries it'll finally catch and start because its out of alignment. Either change the bushings at the ends of the cable or change the whole cable and that should fix your problem. Causes a major problem but an easy fix.

Ok I have a 2005 Lincoln town car and when i try to start the vehicle it just clicks....I took the battery out of a friends truck and tried to see if it would start (because jumping it wasn't getting it to start) and its still not starting. I replaced the starter and its still doing the same thing. Just a single click when i turn the key. Can anyone help

There is a small one prong wire on your starter. It is either loose or corroded. My 2009 did the same thing. I fixed the loose end and clipped off where it was corroded and installed a new terminal. No more issues.

I have a 2006 t&c had it two month and I have to jump it and it will be fine then next time I go to start it every light is on and radio playing and go turn the switch and click noise....Is it my starter switch cause batt and alternator tested good

I have 2007 Chrysler T&C. I have been having a little problem or so. I was dropping my kids off at daycare. When I came back and start the van it made no noise but everything else work lights, dash board, radio, DVD player, and Windows. I was starting to freak, my son had a appt to be at. While I was starting my van, yet, again my son was rolling up the window and the van started as tho their was no problem but the gauges jumped twice going all the way forward and back to normal. Got him to his appt and turn the van off and on to make sure it started again. It did the same thing but try my 4 yr olds trick - pressed the passenger window button up and turned the key - it started. Came out from the appt and everything worked just fine. Yesterday day I drove 70 miles to pick up my daughters and bring them home. Stopped at the store & came out,the same thing happened again but pushing the passenger window button and starting the van at the same time worked. And it did it twice just like the week before. My husband was never with me when this problem occurred, but both my husband and my dad (who is a great working on any car and has fixed any problems I had) said I must be losing my head. My dad said he is going to look into it and see what he finds out. My dads boss thinks it's a starter problem and his wife said I have a magic button.

Try putting the van in neutral, if it starts then you probably need to replace your neutral Safety Switch..

The turning of the key and passenger window just worked for me

My god, I've been sitting here in the parking lot trying to start with nothing but rapid clicks and reading this thread and said what the hell I'll try the window trick and I couldn't believe it but it worked. Also my car just got back from the transmission shop where they installed a used transmission so I think the note above about the gear shift wire might be on the mark for me.

I have a 2004 mercury sable gs that is doing this and also the Gage's on the dash all flicker rapidly when I try to start it.... I do hear the click sound aswell I just changed the alternator but I'm thinking about changing the battery 1st and then the starter any suggestions on what I should and shouldn't do

So this a.m. I have the same issue. Radio and lights work fine, car won't turn over. Added more gas, pushed off hill, jumped battery after the clicking, no start. Noticed the loose wire at ther starter terminal. Also have issues with window, etc. I will try the window thing, but hopefully the driver window will suffice. Passenger window went out. Hate this van

'06 Chrys T&C. All well, drove home, turned off, next morning no crank/no clik but all lights, p/w good, inst panel, etc., good. Tried jumping but same no crank/no sound. Help! Thanks. Lloyd

Check your battery terminals they don't sound like they are getting a good connection or get the terminal caps to go over the post then tighten up the terminals

We bought a 2008 T&C limited edition last Dec, less than 100,000 miles at the time, but have had nothing but issues, wiring, and starting issues, bought a very good battery also, and then also the drivers side head light turned pink, then eventually it went to an LED color then blew out, the bulbs are any where between 80, to 100$ and up, a mechanic ran codes on it yesterday and said it was the ballast, 400 bucks, he said he could convert the headlights to LED with a kit, the starting issues were intermittent, then to no starting at all, had the starter replaced in July, then began grinding, but it started, however later that night it began to not start again, my husband, and friend were told to readjust the starter, they did, the grinding stopped, but the van was intermittently starting again, oddly it would start in neutral, but not all the time, my husband began to start it under the hood, by moving the red, and blue wires that connect to the starter, the blue looks green to me however, it would start, we went through this for months, but at times it didn't work, but rarely, he could also put the key in the start position, and then jiggle the same wires, it would start that way also, we finally took it to, a mechanic yesterday he said that he tightened the starter bracket, he said it should have fixed it, but he said all wires look fine, but when my husband returned home, the van wouldn't start again, called the mechanic, he said it has to be the starter, so we had to buy a 22 millimeter wrench in order to take the starter out today, due to the oxygen sensor bolt, we brought the starter back to NAPA, it was still under warranty from July 2nd, they tested it, and they said it was fine, so back home again, a friend was trying to help figure it out, there is the black plug that screws off and on the starter where the wire goes, the inside of the metal was black, like it was burnt maybe, they cleaned it, we are going to see if it was that part that was causing it, but my husband had to leave for work, so he will pick up where he left off tomorrow, has anyone here had any luck with replacing the neutral safety switch, or can you relay anything that did fix the issue? Also the mechanic said there was a third bolt missing that goes from the starter to the engine block.. Thanks so much..

In addition, I meant to add that when we turn the key, there's No clicking..

Lloyd, We ended up buying a new battery and it worked for awhile. It recently did the same thing and we swapped the battery again and it was good. It's almost like something is loose and killing the battery over time.

OK>>>Had the same problem, clicking many times then finally starts. Changed the starter, same thing. Here was the solution...THE IGNITION STARTER SWITCH...located in the steering column. Fairly easy job taking the plastic shroud off behind the steering wheel. Several phillips head screws and several torx head screws. Part was about $30 at Advance Auto..Problem solved.

My van did this for the first time last week. Stopped at the post office, came back out, no start. Accessories all work, including the window, but no start, no dimming of lights, nothing. I can hear the relay in the engine bay clicking when I turn the key, but no starter. Took it to the shop, they said bad computer. Swap computer, then today, again no start. The interior fuse box has a relay, far bottom right, sounds like the ignition relay maybe? Tries to continuously click. I took it out so it would stop and same problem, no start. Tapped it a few times, put it back in, van cranked right up. Going to swap it with a new relay tomorrow. If that's not it, it'll be either the ground or the power wire to that relay behind the block is bad and starting to short out. Just FYI for those trying to find the same problem.