What can make a car battery die then after it sits work?

I had my starter replaced last week. It started yesterday with the clicking again. I went to have the battery checked. When I got back home I tried to restart the car, it did the click click thing twice then the battery just died. I left it sit for almost 2 hours and now the battery works. Still get the click click but then eventually starts!|||Ok I thought since your starter was new then that wouldn't be the problem but based on the fact that hitting fixes the problem I can say with some certainty you have a bad solenoid. The solenoid does two things, pushes the pinion onto the flywheel and closes contacts that power the starter motor via the battery. It might be that the sound you're hearing is the solenoid pushing the pinion but not starting the starter motor or vice-versa. Good luck!|||You had the starter replaced because that's what you thought it was, and that's what you told the mechanic to change. It never was a problem with the starter.


You are showing signs of a dead battery, and after you let it sit it builds up what is called a surface charge.


Get your battery charged and then get the battery and the alternator checked. I think your problem is with the alternator.





Don't guess and tell the mechanic what you think because that is what they will do, what you want.|||It sounds like your battery may be the culprit here. Remove the battery cables and clean the interior surfaces of the terminals with a terminal brush.





Clean the posts on top of your battery with a battery post brush and re-install the cables.





This should fix the problem.|||What is the Condition of you Battery Cables (Clean, Tighten or Replace)? Check main Fuse (Next to the Battery) for bad Starter Relay, Check starter Solenoid for Bad/Loose Wires. How old is the Battery? May check "Good Voltage" but actually be going bad, Have it Fully Charged then "Load Tested" to make sure it's still good.|||Signs of a failed battery or charging system component.