99 Sable not wanting to start

[ecamc]

Hopped in my 99 Sable the day after Christmas, and turned the key, and hear nothing, but click, click, grind, grind. All dash lights, bells worked, but no juice to turn it over. Jumped it off with the wife's car and ran to Advance, where they said the battery was fine, charging system appeared to be working fine, too. No more troubles that day. Jumped in a couple of times on Saturday and it started fine. Jumped in today and it's dead again. Used the wife's car to jump it again, and drove it for a few minutes, and it started right up.

Any ideas? Is it the battery, or is the starter causing such a drain that the battery isn't capable of turning it over? This happened without any warning, as in no previous starting issues until the day after Christmas.

[ecamc]

Appears the battery wasn't holding a charge.... hopefully the new battery isn't masking some larger issue, but I deem the problem solved for now

[65comet]

FYI - I had the same problem in my 98. Wasn't the battery, alternator or anything in the charging system. It turned out to be the light in the trunk staying on. I only found out because I happen to have the back seats folded down one night and saw the light.
A short or heavy draw could be running down the battery if the problem comes back.

[bd2008]

Exactly! I had a cavalier that kept going dead and eventually found out the glove box light was staying on. It usually took about two days and nothing. Its always the simple things.