car won't turn over

[Stredwick]

I have a 97 grand prix gt 3800. It started fine in the morning, drove to the grocery store, came out and it wouldn't turn over, just clicking sounds. Radio went to flashing 1:00. Got a jump and it started. Drove home (10miles) and shut it off. Went to start again, just clicked. Hooked up battery charger and within five minutes it indicated that the battery was charged. Tested battery 12.5 volts. Turned key on, 5.3 volts. Jump started car and battery tested 14.5 volts. Shut car off and tried starting car. Car started fine every time (about 10 times). Then tested battery with key in on position, 11.8 volts (not 5.3 like a couple minutes before).

When this happened at the grocery store, I turned the key to on and tried shifting the transmission into neutral and back to park, which didn't help. When i got it home and tried the same procedure again, i could not shift out of park.

whats up????

[Ripn12s]

my car has been doing something similar. i wiggle the battery cables and it starts up fine.

it will just click, ill pop the hood wiggle the cables and then the door chime sounds and car starts. tested battery and its good. car gets 14v while driving according to my guage

[Stredwick]

The cables on the battery are clean and tight. I also tried wiggling the wires on the solenoid and they were also tight. The car has 86,000 miles on it.

[Ripn12s]

U check postive connection on the engine fuse box??

[Stredwick]

yes, that is tight also and the volt reading from that is similar to what i get from the battery.

[Ripn12s]

has it happened anymore since posting this??

[richtazz]

your battery has a short in the grid. It is capable of delivering low amp voltage, but not the amperage needed to turn the starter over. If all your cables are clean and tight, you need a battery.

[Stredwick]

No, it hasn't happened since. Is it possible for the battery to have a short, and then work normally???

[JDUKE]

I don't know if you have tried to remove the positive cable from the battery and then put it back on. It has been my personel experience that when you go to remove the positve cable it will disinigrate in your hand. What has happend to me is the positive cable eroded and was not making good connection to the battery. In my case I had to replace the cable to fix the problem.

[richtazz]

yes it is possible that you have an intermittent problem in the battery