Lost electrical while driving. Nothing works.

Check charging system. Possible alternator not working & Battery deprains than recharges

what happened when you tried jumping the car? sounds like it could be a bad ignition switch since only non-switched things work.

The clicking sound is the starter motor trying to engage, but does not engage because of low electrical current. Knowing that you started your motor with jump leads this morning indicates that your car's battery needs charging/replacement.
Hope this helps.

Have you tried disconnecting the hot wire from the battery to the starter and cleaning both the connection from battery and on the starter. A toothbrush and water/baking soda?

Hi Jenny,

I'm assuming the battery was new before the alternator went out.

If the car was running off the battery until both died, the battery may no longer be able to hold a charge or hopefully it it taking the lions share of the jump amperage to charge itself.

When you jump the car, try the headlights. If they are dim (or off) you have a bad jump connection. Try reseating the cables.

If they are bright, let the battery have some time to charge. (With the other vehicle running).

If after a few minutes, you get nothing from the starter,comment back. We'll look into other areas.

Best of luck

Mike

yes it makes sense but doesnt always work.definitely sounds like starter is bad.

Hard to say.
Sometimes there can be a dead spot, and just rotating the engine by hand a little will fix it. (engine could also be seizing)
But you could also simultaneously have multiple problems.
I would always suggest cleaning battery terminals, greasing them, and checking engine ground strap, for example.
If you hear the starter solenoid click, then at least it is not the ignition switch or neutral safety switch.
But it could still be the starter or the battery, even though lights look good.
The best way to be sure is with a voltmeter ($3 at Harbor Freight).
Battery should read 12.5 with engine off.
When you try to crank it, should drop to about 10.
If drops below, then starter or battery bad.
If stays above 12, either bad connection or starter solenoid bad.
When you stop trying to crank, if comes back to 12, then it was starter drawing too much.
If does not come back up, then battery was too low.

i would start by checking the connections on the battery and having the battery tested, also why where you taking it to the shop?, if the connection are dirty a jump start wont work, they may look clean but loosen them and twist them on battery terminals to make good connection then tighten them ,and make sure battery is fully charged,

Sounds as if the Alternator is not charging, alltough it could be a bad battery. Check the connections on the battery and make sure the cables are tight. Jump the car again, and if it starts check the alternator for output, it should be putting out close to 17 volts if the battery is dead. If the alternator charges then you probably have a battery problem, and need to replace the battery.

First, have the battery charged and load tested. If it does not pass load test, replace it. An alternator is not made to charge a battery. it's job is to maintain the current state of charge. By driving and attempting to charge it that way you over-worked the alternator and may have damaged it or the regulator. Once the battery is fully charged and in good condition, you will need to check the charging system for proper operation. If the gauge system does not return to normal, it will need further diagnosis to correct it.This isn't a "cure" but rather, what you need to do in order to get back to "square one". With the alternator running "flat out" trying to charge a dead battery it can put out over 15volts, possibly damaging the dash/body control module or computer.