As the title states -- 2009 V8 Vantage; when you try to start the car the ring around the key turns red and everything is ready to crank, you hear a single click which sounds like a solenoid or relay and then no crank. The battery is about a year old and had been on a tender which indicated that it was charged before the most recent attempt to start it. It's a Bosch AGM replacement battery.

Prior to failing completely the car would take a couple (or more than a couple) of tries to get started but would ultimately start. It also generally had no trouble on a hot start.

I had this same issue a year or so ago. I had a mechanic look at it and they said they cleaned up the ground under the car by (on?) the transmission and also pulled out the docking station and replaced a wire that was kinked a bit. One of these things seemed to have resolved the issue for a while. (at that time I was able to get the car started after like 10 tries so I was able to drive it to the shop).

At the moment the car is (perhaps thankfully) stuck in my garage. I have not tried to get under it to find that same ground, but I suppose it's on the list of things to try. The mechanic said he thought it would be a long shot. The battery terminals look clean and the connection to the chassis there seems fine. In the meantime is there anything else I can investigate? I've been trying to find a wiring diagram or something that shows the connections from the battery to the starter and chassis grounds, but not having much luck.

 

Thanks for the suggestions!
One of the first things we tried was to use a lithium battery portable jump starter and it did not make a difference. However we'll try it again as I'm not confident on whether we had a good ground. Is there a recommended grounding point near the positive post under the hood?

 

Have you tried going directly to the battery? It's just as easy to try.

 

EDIT to this reply: ignore everything I said below. This problem keeps coming back after two battery changes and other troubleshooting, and now the car has other electrical problems (failed alternator, for one). I'll be doing major electrical troubleshooting over the next few weeks.

I had this EXACT issue in my '09 a few months ago. It's the battery. Put jumper cables on and let it charge, then jump start it, then take it for a long drive. If you have a garage, don't lock the car when you park it (and make sure you press the reduced guard button when you get out).

I figured out that the battery was being drained by the alarm module. It has an integrated battery that loses its ability to charge after 5-7 years and if not replaced it will drain the car's main battery when the alarm is active. If I park the car and lock it, after two days it won't start. Just that click. If I park it unlocked with reduced guard on, it will still start after two weeks of sitting.

You can try this and see if your issue is the same. If so, replace the alarm module. In the meantime, use a battery tender or just park it unlocked.

 

im having the same issue

 

oh sorry I never updated. In my case it was the starter unfortunately. Had it towed and shop diagnosed it by hitting the starter with a hammer which caused it to start. Since getting the new starter I’ve had no issues.

It was like $2500 parts and labor because the intake manifold has to come off.

 

Very familiar as sometimes I would hear a single click and no start.Glad you got it taken care of. I'll try it tomorrow. Thank you!

 

The workshop manual says it's the RH exhaust manifold that has to come off.

 

intake? You mean exhaust manifold.

 

Is your issue intermittent? Sometimes it starts, sometimes not, but will usually start with a jump box?

I just posted the problem I found with mine yesterday. The main power cables that run to the starter and alternator connect at a stud just behind the right front wheel, above the back section of the inner fender liner. The terminals were on the stud, but the nut was missing, so they were barely making contact. Here's the photo, looking aft and outboard, from under the front of the car:

Check that terminal connection before looking at the starter. It's possible that nut backed itself off from vibration (or, like on my car, is missing completely). If it's missing, grab a zinc coated high-temp flange nut from an auto parts store (size M8-1.25).
Also might want to check the starter relay.

 

Seems like these cars often have start up issues.

Currently experiencing intermittent start up issues with my vantage v8.

 

Check that terminal connection I talked about in my comment right above yours. My starter wasn't getting enough current because the connection was faulty.

 

from what i gather, faulty terminal connections and/or connections to the ground/frame/engine or the primary positive terminal manifold is the most common problem WRT intermittent cranking problems. always a good place to start one's search for a root cause.