[Selleck]

My Santa Fe has a dead battery. I connected my jump box (external battery) and had normal dashboard lights, but the vehicle wouldn't turn over, and the dashboard lights started flashing.

Under the hood, I heard a fast clicking sound that seemed to come from the fuse box.

When I disconnected the jump box, the clicking continued for a while then stopped.

I checked the battery cables and they seemed tight, I couldn't see any corrosion.

Does anyone know what might be causing this and if there's anything I can do before having it towed to garage?

 

[Bj Murrey]

The very first thing I did just now was to unhook battery, remove battery tray (4 bolts, 10mm) and then remove the ground wire that goes from the negative battery cable to the fender well just under the battery tray. I ground the paint off of the area around the bolt with some coarse sandpaper, sanded the washer end of the negative battery cable that attaches to the fender, and the bolt threads that attach it all together, and then wiped it clean with acetone. Now apply dielectric grease to all the areas you sanded, and reassemble it all. This is vital to do on old / high mileage vehicles. Bad grounds can cause fires, blown fuses and relays and sensor / instrument failures.

Sounds like you aren't getting the negative battery cable to the frame connection. They corrode over time. No ground, no start. It will look and act like battery, starter and alternator problems. Do this first. Then check battery. Then check alternator. Takes 30 mins., basic tools and no experience.