Hi new PT Cruiser Base 2007 owner here, purchased the car for school 6 months ago 62k miles and besides having to replace the break pads has been working fine. For the last 4 months; I've been driving it daily to school and back. I recently had winter vacation and the car wasn't driven much. I would drive it once a week (5 to 10 minutes) to switch spots in NYC for street cleaning; the temperature also dropped in to the 20s (F) a couple days and 10 (F) a few times at night. A couple weeks ago when i went to start it; I heard a click and then the car started. I let it warm up and moved it; the next week the same thing happened by it was a little harder to start. The following week I heard multiple clicks with the dash lights turning off before the engine started. That weekend the temperature dropped below 5deg F with heavy snow and so on Monday (3 days later); I went and started the car, it took a couple clicks for the car to start but it eventually did (much longer then before with the dash turning off and on. I turned on the heat and defrosted the windshield; letting the car warm up for about 1/2 an hour.
The next Friday, I went to move my car for street cleaning and it wouldn't start; initially the same click followed by the dash lights turning off; but the engine wouldn't turn over. I tried 2-3 more times but the same thing happened; the power doors, headlights, radio, all turn on fine and the dash lights remain on if i put the key on the middle position where the engine isn't running however if i try to turn the key to start the car, the clicking is heard followed by the lights disappearing.
I called my mechanic and he told me to jump my car, a good samaritan offered to do it for me, she didn't connect the black wire to the ground and instead connected it to the battery; she tried multiple times to start the car and it didn't happen. That day was very cold with temps under 20F. The next couple of days we had a blizzard and so I couldn't do anything but I tried today after digging the car out and the same issue remains.
What I notice following the attempt at the jump is before i could hear the engine trying to start after the clicking sounds, it actually made an attempt to start whereas after her multiple tries to start 15-20; the car know just clicks and flickers.
I ordered this
Stanley 'FatMax' 700-Amp Peak Jump Starter with Compressor & *Bonus* Road-Side Service #J7CSR - Walmart.com
based on the advice of a co-worker who told me to try that. He mentioned that most likely it's the starter if that doesn't help.
This is my first car and I'm not really a car person; I'm planning on trying to get the car towed to a mechanic; but with school costs I would prefer to see if there is something I could do to fix it myself and save on the towing cost.
I appreciate any help and I'm glad to see a thriving community for this great car