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Car won't start; when I attempt to turn the key, there's no turning over or clicking of any kind. No accessories come on (A/C, radio, etc.), but the interior lights will turn on. They seem slightly dim, but it is day time.

I used a Black & Decker 15 amp charger to check the battery and after probably 20 minutes it said FLO, or float, which I think means that the charger thinks the battery is completely charged and in float mode. The car still won't turn over or start at all, no radio or A/C. Please help. I know some possibly culprits are the starter and alternator, or possibly the ignition switch, barring my battery itself going bad.

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  • Have you checked the fuses? If they're all fine, check for corroded earth connections.
    – user60481
    Jan 4, 2021 at 13:01

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If the battery is fully charged and can power the interior lights there's little reason to doubt it.

I would rule out a bad alternator/charging system because the battery did not require much time to reach full charge.

You have already mentioned most of the common reasons for a no-crank condition. Here are a few more:

  • Poor connection between the battery and starter
    This includes corroded terminals, bad ground and bad wires
  • A failing starter
    In which case whacking the starter with a heavy implement might help
  • Lack of ignition command
    Reasons include a failing ignition switch and bad ignition relay
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  • I just took the battery to O'Reilly and they said it was reading around 10 volts, which isn't enough to start the car. Obviously it wasn't fully charged, so I don't know if that means that the battery has a bad cell or what. They've got it charging now and I'm going back for it in a couple of hours to see what the results are.
    – Ryan
    Jan 3, 2021 at 23:22
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    How old is the battery? A lead storage battery is reliable for only five years.
    – Carguy
    Jan 4, 2021 at 4:29
  • @Ryan as the carguy said if your battery is too old, it's time to change the battery. In my country, the battery only lasts up to 2yrs :) the cells are identical to a battery made in India :D
    – Cubic273.15
    Jan 4, 2021 at 6:02
  • Both the battery charger and the voltage regulator measure how many volts are sensed while charging, i.e. if they were connected to a dry block of wood they'd think it was charged because 15 volts didn't cause appreciable amps flowing. Likewise, the battery being only 10 volts could be a result of not being charged enough because of the above reasons due to corrosion somewhere, likely close to the battery because of the vented fumes.
    – Arthur Kalliokoski
    Jan 4, 2021 at 13:13

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