help 97 sl won't start

[lynchsgirl]

My daughter has an 1997 saturn sl 4 door that wont start. We replaced the starter motor and the battery but once again it died on her.
She says while driving every electrical goes crazy then shorts out then car dies.
It won't turn over but makes a clicking noise any sugestions?

[peppermrj]

Welcome to the forum.
Can you jump start it?
Sounds as if the alternator has seen better days. How many miles? Autozone , advance auto parts, and others will check it and the battery for free. There is a fusible link between the alt and the starter that goes sometimes also. It will prevent the alt from charging the battery if it is bad. If your miles are over 100,000 I'd check the alt, serp belt and tensioner.
Good luck and let us know.

[Cat Fuzz]

Sounds like a bad alternator and that you replaced the starter and battery for no reason.

[saturnspeed_12]

THE BELT TENSIONER IS FIRST! the belt tensioner could be bad making the alternator seem bad. the tensioners are known, over there life, to have the spring weaken not keeping tension on the belt, therefore the alternator cant power everything. first look at the belt tensioner then to the alternator.

alternator if not the belt tensioner. if she can drive it, then it starts to go crazy then shut down, and once you go to try and start and the starter clicks, means there is not enough power to get the starter to turn.