Contour 1998 Won't Start

Do you mean that the engine will not crank over (turn over)? Or that it will not start and run?

If it clicks and does not turn over, then you have some issue with the starter system. It could be a bad starter, a bad cable, a low battery, a bad solenoid, for example.

Turn on the lights and have somebody watch them. Then try to start the car. If it clicks and the light dim badly, the battery may be low.

Just because the electronics inside the car appear to be working, this does not mean that you don't have a battery, cable, or starter problem.

I don't know if the starter is engaging. All I hear is a clicking which I assume is the starter. The engine does not fire up at all. I will do the headlight check while trying to start.

Thanks, SD

Sounds like you have a problem with your starter. You probably need to replace it but you may be able to get it work if you give it a wack or two with a hammer. It may be jammed on itself or the flywheel. Whacking it once or twice may free it up. Tow truck drivers sometimes use this technique when they called out to situations similar to yours. I've used it myself and had success several times. Some times it didn't work but it was always worth a shot.

If it's sort of chattery clicking, you probably don't have enough current to engage the bendix. Sounds like a low battery and/or bad power lead to the starter. A bad ground would do it as well. Maybe a ground cable from the engine to the frame is corroded or missing.

The starter is probably spinning, but not engaging the flywheel to actually do anything useful.

JW

do not be fooled by some circuts powering up such as radio-5 to 15amps of power required depending upon function or some lights illuminating depending again upon circut may only need 15-50amps while most starters require anywhere from 150-250amps to start the noise you are hearing maybe the starter solenoid attempting to engage the starter drive/motor but not enough to get it to go,this being the telltale sign that the battery maybe low poor connections to starter or even the corroded cables possibly even an alternator not producing enough energy to replenish the battery properly,,another possibility is that starter is working but some engines in that car had a problem with the flywheel machineing the flywheel being the large gear the starter engages to spin the engine to achieve engine windup for compression-internal combustion,some 2.5l v-6 engines had flywheels that failed to properly mesh with the starter drives and causes drive to miss the gear and never rotate the engine to get compression.but with any internal combustion engine it is necessary to have fuel delivered to the cylinder and is fact there is fuel in this case being pumped by a pump submerged in the fuel within the gas tank what works for me is to open the gas cap and put my ear near it while a friend cycles the ignition key from off to on a momentary buzz/whirr low pitch for about 10-20 seconds indicates the fuel pump is operational,while this maybe true the next question is does it deliver the required pressure to the fuel injector rail which requires a pressure guage connected to the fuel rail if i remember correctly psi should read around 30-40 if you find you have fuel do you have spark -the electrical energy required to ignite the explosive mixture and is it being delivered when it is required. so many possibilties for malfunction the cause of your no start condition can be so many different things the correct diagnosis requires more information good luck

Try jump starting it. If it's the battery, a jump will get you going.