Hello everyone, i have a problem with my 2000 buick Century not starting. Being that I am mechanically inclined and having this problem, im abit stunned on what the issue is.

Ok so maybe unrelated but I noticed my battery getting weak and being it was about 4 to 5 yrs old and finally died out on me I replaced it about a month ago with a used/rebuilt battery I got from a battery shop. Before I purchased the other battery I started the car and disconnected the current battery while runnung to make sure my charging system was good and it seemed perfect. It stayed running even while turning the headlights on, brights on, a/c on etc...

I have a "Monster" bluetooth that plugs into my accessory plug in my car so I can listen to the music off of my phone. This blutooth accessory also flashes the volts of the car once when 1st plugged in the accessory port.

Afew days ago I started the car to go to work and as i plugged in the blutooth accessory I noticed the volts showing about 10 volts even while car was running.
My 1st thought was this battery is going bad already, I shut the car off being I was still at home and restarted it. Car started but battery seemed alittle weak. I drove to work, acouple hrs later started the car to go to lunch and again seemed abit weak. I plugged the bluetooth accessory in and noticed the volts even lower somewere in the 8 volt range. Went to the drive thru, came back to work and parked. Shut car off and immediately restarted it. Barely started this time very weak start. I figured no biggie my battery must be bad, ill jump it after work if I have too.
After work I went to the car and it wouldnt turn over what soever. Grabbed a jumper box (work at a car dealer), hooked it up but it did nothing to help. I figured the jumper was bad and tried to jump it with cables to another car. Still nothing when trying to start. I got a ride home then went back with my truck to see if I can fig it out but am unable to get it started. I also pulled the blutooth accessory and plugged it in my truck and the volt were where they are suppose to be at about 12.5.

So what I have done so far is tap the starter and solenoid with a hammer thinking possibly that being the problem even though neither of those ever gave me a problem. Of course tried to jumped the car. *BTW Even with a charged jumper connected to the battery or not connected to the battery, it does not change the volts that are showing low from the accessory plug.*
I tried switching my fuses around and checked them all in the engine compartment thinking it would be a crank fuse or pcm or whatever else, and checked all the fuses on the passenger side of the dashboard and they are all fine.
Also when i do try to crank the ignition in the dark with the lights on, they do not flicker or get fazzed at all by it. I can hear what is probably the relay lightly clicking when i try to start it and thats it.
I have also looked around the battery terminals hoping to find a loose ground wire but had no luck.
Any help would really be appreciated.
Thank you and Happy Holidays.

 

Happy Holidays to you too !

My first concern is removing the battery cable with the engine running. On ANY vehicle with an alternator removing a battery cable when the engine is running is a NO-NO.
Because the alternator can and will self destruct since it now has no voltage control ! That was OK with a DC generator , but not with an alternator.
What you need to do is , confirm the alt is still working. It sounds like it quit working.
Then you need to get to the starter motor which sounds like it went into retirement also. There could be a poor connection with one of the battery cables. With side terminal battery connections the positive cable looks good , but can have corrosion behind it where it mounts to the battery. Common problem.
Although a poor connection would not provide good lighting and show no change when attempting to start, = starting system problem.
I believe we can help you if you stay in touch.

 

Thanks Hanky! Could the alternator be the prob on it not cranking? No corrosion anywhere near the battery terminals. Cleaned them anyways after installing the new battery and even pulled them off and checked them afew days ago when this problem started.
Also no security light on and even tried my other original spare key.
The thing that has me puzzled is the limited volts showing on the accessory port and makes me think its a bad ground. Does that make sense to you? Im going to try and loosen, clean then mount all the grounds I can find back on when I can get some time. I really need to get this fixed asap while my kids are out of school and I can use the wifes car.
Thank you much

 

What is usually done is to confirm alternator output is correct when under load. (HI beam and blower motor on hi speed) Alt should put out full output for 5-10 seconds then come down gradually to around 10-15 amps. If that is not happening then further checking is required. Connections are always the best place to start. Circuits require power to the load and ground return path to be complete. Voltmeter will provide "State of charge" , but output has to be checked with an ammeter either in series with alternator output wire to battery or with the use of a clamp on meter or amp meter that you can lay on the positive battery cable. Some places will run those tests for you. Depending on what is found will determine what you need to do to repair.
Anytime you get an insufficient voltage reading inside the vehicle, it usually involves poor connections and I would say you are on the right path checking all the grounds.
You DO have to have the right voltage reading starting at the battery !

 

Im gonna have to get to fig. it out monday hopefully sometime. Ill give a update then.

 

Hello, i spent some time yesterday trying to get the Buick started but had no luck. I didnt have much room in my garage to really lift the car up and get under there so I was sorta limited. I cleaned any corrossion there might have been on the ground just under the fuse box in the engine compartment, cleaned the 3 harnesses in the fuse box i loosened the little bolt under ea harness, wiggled harmesses around and retightened bolt. Also the positive jumping post just in case since.it was right there.
Does anyone have any ideas they can help me with?

 

Maybe I missed it , but it would help if you were a little more specific

Won't start could be a whole lot of things.
What need to know is;
Does it drank over slow /.regular ? Or doesn't crank over at all?
Does it make any attempt to start at all.?
When you first turn the key on , do you hear the in tank fuel pump run for the usual 2 seconds? Yes/no ?

 

Hey thanks again. Yea like I was saying no crank. I can barely hear the relay click when i have the hood open and trying to crank it. Plenty of light etc... battery power. Volts at battery at 13+. Volts at accessory plug still between 8 to 10 volts depending on its mood I guess.
Gotta try to fig this out.

 

The accessory plug has to get its power through a fuse. . In your owner's manual it will list what each fuse protects and it' location. You need to start at that fuse and confirm full power is getting through the fuse so it can pass that full power to the items it protects.