Hey, guys. New here so if this is the wrong place please forgive me.

I have a 1997 Ford Ranger regular cab, 2.3L 4 cylinder, 2 wheel drive, 107,000 miles.

I have been some problems lately. First my windshield wipers just stopped working. Was told by a buddy to hold the battery ends together for 30 seconds and it should work. And well it did work. She drove fine for a few days and now she won't start. Drove home from work and next morning she didn't start at all. I assumed it was the negative battery terminal because it has broke in half. Replaced it and still nothing. When I go to start it she clicks once and the lights on the dash are dim and flickering. However, radio and lights still work. I can hear some clicking in the PDB but can't track it to which fuse or if it's even that.

Walmart tested the battery and it was good. She's also had three alternators.

Any information or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

Until someone who knows more gives a better answer could Google starter solenoid

 

Welcome to the forum

Yes, your starter motor has either froze or your battery cable connections are failing.

The starter motor needs FULL battery AMPs to turn the engine, 75+ AMPS
Your lights/radio need about 6 amps, so no comparison, if they work then you are getting "some power"

The "click" you hear is the starter relay/solenoid closing to pass that 75+ AMPS to the starter motor
If the battery cable ends, BOTH + and -, can not pass 75+ AMPS then starter can not turn the engine.

Electric motors use "brushes" to pass voltage to the rotor that turns the gear, the brushes can wear out or get stuck, tap on the outside of the starter motor with a hammer or ??, then try to start again, if it works then you should shop for a new starter because it WILL quit again, brushes are worn out.

Also get a set of Jumper cables
Put trans in NEUTRAL or PARK, BLOCK THE TIRES
Put jumper cables on battery
Carefully!!! touch the Red(positive) jumper cable end to the larger Stud/nut on the back of the starter Motor
Motor should turn
If it does replace Positive battery cable, or clean BOTH ends really well and try it, these larger cables corrode UNDER the insulation, so can look OK but be bad

If not hook up the Black jumper cable end to the engine, a bare metal part of engine
Then try Positive cable to starter motor again
If it turns now your Negative battery cable is still bad, get a new cable.


Starter Motors do just quit one day, no warning no "acting funny" just one day they don't work any more.
The fact you disconnected the battery cables recently would lead me to suspect BOTH of those cable ends were failing you could just see the negative end problem