Hi all -

I went to start my '02 Disco this morning and was met with only a "clicking" noise when I turned the ignition. The first couple of times I attempted to start it, the radio was on as it normally would be and hazard lights (3 amigos) were lit up on the dashboard. However, after a couple of tries the radio stopped coming on, hazard lights stopped lighting up (except SRS), and the clicking noise stopped. Now when I turn the key, I hear and see nothing other than the SRS light coming on. Even attempting to lock the truck using my key has no effect.

Unfortunately, I have zero expertise when it comes to working on cars, so I have no idea what to make of this. Is the battery dead? Did I blow some kind of fuse as I was trying to start it? And most of all, what can I do to get the truck going, so that I can get it to a mechanic without needing to have it towed?

From reading some other posts on the forum, I gather that the clicking noise may indicate a bad starter and that one option to get it going is to hit the starter with a hammer. But since I'm no longer hearing the clicking noise, do I need to give it a jump in addition to the hammer trick?

Any help will be greatly, greatly appreciated.

 

There are two relays, it could have been either one you heard clicking.
A clicking is often the starter solenoid as that's the loudest.
It can mean a bad solenoid, bad starter motor, bad starter ground, bad battery to starter cable, bad battery or bad battery to ground cable.
If it's cold where you are odds are pretty good it's a weak battery, if it's been doing ok up until now.
If you can get it started by jumping it, then it's most likely the battery. Do that and take it somewhere to get tested.