My starter had been getting bad before now, i was having to tap on it to get it to start

Today i tried this method, after a few attempts the auto headlights went out and my dash lights and my radio says "calibrate" . Car will not turn over at all

Can a starter going out cause this issue?

No security light is flashing at all.

Anything helps thanks=!!

This is an Oldsmobile Alero 2002 v6

Sounds like if your having to tap on the starter, a replacement starter is in order.
I would now check to make sure your ground & battery connections are clean, free of corrosion and tight.
Also are the connections to the starter tight and clean as well?
If you have a battery charger use it overnight. I have the feeling your battery may now be weak.
What is the current voltage reading at battery terminals?
If you have removable battery fill caps, a battery hydrometer or $5 tester, will give you the current state of charge. Probably charging it would really help.
Of course having a load test performed on the battery is the best way to know what you have left in available in CCA.

motors draw alot more current when going bad, and if your battery was older in the first place it could take it out.

OK thanks for the input guys. This just seems so weird to be.. When i initially Tried to start the car yesterday my auto headlights and all that worked. It wasn't until turning the Key a few times that the headlights / dash lights went out.

If i turn the headlights from "auto" to the "on" or "bright" position the headlights come on.

Could a bad starter cause this issue?

bad batteries or batteries with poor connections can cause all sorts of weird issues. and bad starters can cause bad batteries or the extra current can heat the wires or connections and they get high resistance. basic rule of trouble shooting on a complicated system like a car, start at the power source and make sure everything is good there and dont worry about multiple issues, may be all related to that but if it is you waste time trouble shooting things that arent the problem. if they are two problems you would have had to work on both anyway.

Thanks guys. Looks like somehow i blew the 40 ignition switch fuse. After replacing it and tapping the starter. It started right up. Weird huh? Wonder how i tripped the fuse

if the little wire that goes there come off that fuse, that powers the starter solenoid which can also draw more current when its going or bad. sounds like yours is bad if you tapped it and it worked. not real good for the electrical system to run it with a bad starter like that.