98 corolla clicks then no power, looses charge

[ziggy]

hi all! 1998 Toyota corolla. Past 2 weeks, when going out to start my car, having parked it overnight, thiers an audible 'click' then car dies. I have shaked the battery a few times, wait a few minutes, then it starts.
Its an valuecraft battery bought brand new from autozone 8 months ago..a maintenance free one. in other words, it was built without the top 2 pieces to heck water level. I do have a an voltage checker I bought, plugs into cig lihter, showing voltage..itseems to fluctuate between 13.2 vlts and on startup, 14.5olts, but has gone down too 12.5 volts time to time...has a battery or alternator problem light, noneofwhich lit up.
new belt I put on back in September. Also, the power seemsto be completelygone overnight...coming out, theclock willsay, 1 am, despite its 9am...
is the alternator going?the battyer needs replacement?is it the starter or starter solenoid? or anair temp sensor?
any factual help appreciated!

 

[ziggy]

I was also thinking the battery cables? the ground wires, leads, too trany and engine lock,exposed ends are near black* hadthishappen on myold 95 neo, and roommate, a makeshiftmechanic said thata no good..
perhaps the wires (leads and cables)are near shot?

 

[Warstud]

Clean the battery cables first. Then go from there.

 

[ziggy]

cables are pretty much clean, except for a barely visible amount of whitish powder at on of the cables too post..rest is metal.
gotta find my ohm meter...
what charge should the battery be at?for a 98 corolla? volts*

 

[OtisBlkR1]

the fact that you "shake the battery and then it starts" leads me to believe two things..#1 you have a loose connection somewhere #2 your battery is not propery strapped down in the first place.

this is where id be looking first...

 

[edwardh1]

click and clack say the corolla starters give a lot of no start problems

 

[Nukeman7]

Take the battery back to Autozone and have it tested. Sounds like it might have an internal short or cracked plates.

 

[Skid]

What do you mean by "an audible 'click' then car dies." Does the engine start and then die? Does it not turn over at all?

If it is just a click, then you need a new starter.

 

[Merkava_4]

I once had a battery that would drain itself without being connected to anything.

It would drain itself while out of the car sitting on the garage floor.

 

[Skid]

Next time this happens, try banging on the starter instead of shaking the battery. If it starts right up... it's the starter.

 

[toneydoc]

Get a good battery terminal and post cleaning tool and clean those parts and make sure you have a good and clean connection there. Then try to start it again. If you get a click or multiple clicks, it is probably your starter.

 

[Warstud]

Did you take the battery cables off? If not...do so and clean them on the inside with a wire brush and scrape out the build up acid so there clean down to the metal. Do the same to the battery terminals.