Starter just clicks,will not turn over engine

battery flat or low amps. starter motor brushes worn out, or engine locked up. try jump starting engine off a known working battery or another engine. if not turn over see if you can turn over the engine by hand. ( socket on crankshaft and turn clockwise) if these are all good replace the starter motor. or bump start engine.

If you can hear the starter click or engage when you try to start . Either the battery has low voltage or the engine has seized. You can check the engine by putting a wrench on the crank pulley bolt and try to turn by hand.Make sure to disconnect the battery first. If the engine turns it's good. If the starter is making a loud grinding noise but does'nt turn the engine. It's your flywheel/flexplate. Also make sure your battery connections are clean and tight for proper voltage delivery. I'm not sure if your car would have a fuse or power relay for the starter,but it might be worth checking out. If you do not hear a click from the starter when you turn the key it could be a short in the ignition switch.Not the key tumbler,the electrical switch is behind the ignition key tumbler. Hope this helps. Other than this you may need a repair manual to trace the wiring of the starting system and fusable links.

COMMON CAUSES OF NO-CRANK NO-START

Low battery (Check battery voltage, recharge if low, or jump start with another vehicle or battery charger).
Loose or corroded battery cables (Inspect, clean and tighten BOTH ends of BOTH battery cables).
Bad starter relay wiring connections or ground connection (Inspect, clean, tighten wiring connections).
Bad starter relay/solenoid (Check for voltage at relay, if relay has voltage but there is no "click" when key is turned to start, replace relay).
Bad starter (Jump battery voltage direct to starter to see if it spins, or remove starter and have it bench tested at auto parts store).
Damaged starter drive or teeth on flywheel (Remove starter and inspect drive gear and flywheel teeth, replace damaged parts if necessary).
Bad ignition switch (Check to see if voltage reaches starter relay/solenoid when turn to start. If not, check for open P/N switch and brake or clutch pedal switch. Replace ignition switch if defective).
Open P/N safety switch, or open Brake Pedal Safety Switch (automatic transmission) or open Clutch Pedal Switch (manual transmission). Bypass switch with jumper wire to see if engine cranks, or use test light or voltmeter to check for voltage passing through switch when ignition is turned to start.
Engine seized due to bearing failure or internal damage (Use socket and long handle to see if engine can be turned by hand, if not engine is locked up).
Engine hydrolocked due to coolant leak from leaky head gasket (Use socket and wrench to see if engine rotates, remove spark plugs and see if coolant comes out or engine can not be cranked with plugs out).

The rapid clicking sound is a low battery, or a starter motor that has a bad selenoid or is drawing to much current.

Check the voltage of your battery/ if you have a voltmeter, if not turn on the headlights and see if they get real dim when you turn the key to try and start the engine.

If you take the starter to Autozone they can test it for you.

You may also have some battery terminals that need cleaned and tightened.

Good Luck.

You're describing a no rotation issue and not a no start issue correct? If you dont hear/feel the starter relay clicking, it eliminates everything in the circuit to that point meaning the ignition switch, Transmission Range Sensor (TRS) (you don't have a neutral start switch unless you have a rare manual transmission), ground input from the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) to the starter relay coil, and starter relay are good. Based on what you've said that leaves the primary battery cable from the battery to the starter, and the wire from the starter relay to the starter solenoid contact on the starter. Have you checked their continuity? One more voltage to check at contact 30 (input volts from battery to starter relay contacts) on the starter relay socket. Should see 12vdc all the time.

You should check the battery. The true test is a load test. Does jumping the battery using jumper cables make any difference? If it starts, change the battery. I take it to check the starter you jumpered the solenoid contact on the starter to the battery correct? Have you tried wiggling the battery cables as you turn the key? They can corrode and fail internally. Are the engine and chassy ground connections clean and tight?

first check battery voltage. should be 12 volts or a little over. IF the battery is low then charge battery and then load test battery. If you remove you battery and take it to local parts store most will check for you. if battery load test good but was low on voltage then I would check to see that alternator is charging while engine is running. should be charging aprox 13.9 volts. if battery had full voltage and load tested good then most likely the starter is bad.

Bryan, 1st check that the battery connections are clean and tight, and also the same for starter connections (starter is positioned between the engine and transmission, probably has 2-3 bolts and wiring connections. Have you had the battery tested? Don't buy a starter until you do. The lights and radio can work, but the battery could be undercharged enough to not be able to crank the engine over (you are correct that the 'clicking' sound is classic bad or low charge battery, but check the above 1st). A parts store can do a free check if you pull it out and bring it down. After checking the connections, try to jump start the car. Good luck. Hope this helps.

In order to have the starter work, the solenoid has to close the positive connection to the starter. The solenoid now is corroded inside, when it click to engage the contact inside, but the contact is not good to conduct the current to the starter. Therefore your starter is not turning. Need to replace the solenoid. it is on top of your starter. Here is the image.

The starter solenoid will click when the battery is to low to start the car. Have the battery charged and load tested to make sure it's good. Check the charging system to make sure the alternator is good. Check the wire connections at the starter. If either is loose, the starter won't work.
With a full, known good battery, turn on the headlamps and try starting the engine. If the headlamps stay bright, the contacts in the solenoid are bad. If the headlamps dim greatly or go out, the starter is shorted out and must be replaced.
Also try turning the crankshaft manually with a breaker bar and socket if you suspect that the engine may have seized up.
Charlie

Check battery voltage (should be at least 12v at battery and starter terminal) If 12v, check to see if you can turn the engine by hand (ign off) If you can't then it's locked up. (internal problem) Also, starter may be defective...just because its in a box, dosen't mean it's good (sad fact)
Hope it's a bad unit...better than a doa engine!!!
Good luck with it!