I have an 97 Lumina, comming back from a club I hit a curb going about 60 (like an idiot I wasnt payin attention..) Well the car starts up fine but it wont kick over. It makes the ticking sound that a dead battery does, but when I tried to start it it wouldnt. And when I tried to jump start it, it wont start. I dont know if its the starter, altenator, or battery but what could be the problem. I had to get a new tire and rim as well. Anything critial under the driver side-front tire? Please write back soon. Thanks.

im not entirely familiar with the 97's, but check in the trunk for a fuel kill switch. in some of the cars theres a small sensor usually located in the trunk that when tripped(as in by a collision or accident) kills the fuel pump(to prevent fueling a fire)... try pulling the carpet and spare both out and see if you can see a small box(prbly has a small red button on it) and if so reset the mechanism(by pressing the button)... hope it helps.

I have an 97 Lumina, comming back from a club I hit a curb going about 60 (like an idiot I wasnt payin attention..) Well the car starts up fine but it wont kick over. It makes the ticking sound that a dead battery does, but when I tried to start it it wouldnt. And when I tried to jump start it, it wont start. I dont know if its the starter, altenator, or battery but what could be the problem. I had to get a new tire and rim as well. Anything critial under the driver side-front tire? Please write back soon. Thanks.

Well, your battery is over there, plus the power distribution center is right above that wheel, your wiring to the starter runs from that side to the starter on the front of the engine.

There is no inertia switch on Chevys that I'm aware of, and when those trip they disable the fuel pump, so that's not it.

I'm guessing you just jarred your battery connections loose. Take a 5/16" or 8 mm wrench and tighten the battery connections. Check the primary wiring at the starter for tightness, and make sure that distribution center didn't get damaged.

Thank you guys for your input. How much would these things run for? I seen the power distributor and it seems to work ok. My horn, locks, radio and lights work until I turn the car from "on" to "start". Then when I try to start the car they flicker untill I put it back to "on". Could this be a big problem? How much are we looking at to repair it? I was thinking I knocked a hole in the battery or knocked it/or a cell loose. But Im unsure. Thanks for your input.

How much would it cost if the ditribution center was damaged?

It sounds like just a bad ground at the battery. Tighten the cables.

True, I just figured it was somthing with the battery. But Jeff , how much would a new power distribution center run for? I don't think thats the problem because all the other aux. work. But just being safe, the power distribution unit is over on the side where I hit the curb, but everything seems to work fine. Also after the accident, I went to my friends house and then started the car to go home and it worked fine. Could it be that I put a hole in the battery and it leaked out?

True, I just figured it was somthing with the battery. But Jeff , how much would a new power distribution center run for? I don't think thats the problem because all the other aux. work. But just being safe, the power distribution unit is over on the side where I hit the curb, but everything seems to work fine. Also after the accident, I went to my friends house and then started the car to go home and it worked fine. Could it be that I put a hole in the battery and it leaked out?

Could be. I've seen battery cases crack from a hard knock like that. I don't know about the dist box, that'd be a dealer or salvage item. But if there isn't a proper ground to the battery, low amperage items like radio, lights, etc will work, but fall on their face when you put a big load like a starter on it. It's possible the grid in the bottom of the battery may have broken from the jolt. In fact, that might be it, that would behave exactly like that.

haha jeff your a savior man, thank God you have a 97 Lumina

so should I just get a new battery?