I allowed my daughter to start the engine on my 96 civic. She held the iginition a little too long - 1-2 seconds longer than she should have. The car started up. However, when I tried to start it back up, I heard a loud clicking noise from the glove compartment box. I opened the hood and tried to start it again to hear where the clicking was coming from. Obviously, it's near the passenger side but it was not as loud as the sounds from the glove compartment box.

During a later attempt to start it again, I noticed the clicking noise was not as loud like a power drain or something??? Any ideas on what it could be?

 

Charge up the battery, you might have run the battery down. The click is the starter solenoid engaging. Is the sound from the glove comparment or the engine? The starter is on the passanger side of the car by the trans.

 

The sound was/is loudest from the glove compartment. The car's interior light and panel lights come on and with the clicking noise, a buzzing sound can be heard from the dash.

 

need the battery checked at an auto parts store (or where ever).
if that is not easy, then need to jump it.
cannot tell if it is the battery or the solenoid.

if the jump doesn't work or the battery is Ok, then need to take the starter off to an
auto parts store and have it checked.

before all of this, though, need to clean the cable ends and the battery post and make sure they are tight when reinstalling.

 

Holding the key longer on the on position makes the starter do a nasty grinding noise, but two seconds wont do too much to it. Like they said check the battery or the starter.

 

do the caveman test...........

have someone try to start the car when it clicks, get a big screwdriver or a metal pipe and bang on the starter, if it starts,, replace the starter

 

Turns out the grinding of the ignition was just a coincidence. I was able to jump it. When I drove it around for a bit and stopped, it wouldn't start back up. It was the battery and I purchased a new one for around $50. Odd thing is I don't remember that click click sound when the battery died the last time.

 

either the battery had enough power to barely turn it over, or it did not have enough to even click the solenoid