My Acura MDX starts in the morning but won't start after driving few minutes and packed. Would require a jump start. I have charged the battery and it worked for few days but the issue has started again. The battery is just 18 months. This is the third battery I am using in just 3 years.... All new batteries. The volts is about 12.6V when it doesn't start. A jump start fires the car up. When this happens the battery terminal is very hot.
The car has 90K km....

When the battery terminal is removed the car engine still runs probably an indication that the alternator works fine. The technician did confirm it's okay...

Please what is possibly wrong... 3 batteries in 3 years is just too many.... Each battery last about a year and this issue starts

 

What year?

 

07

 

Is it the original alternator?

I had an issue with my 06 TSX and 08 RDX with my alternator slowly dying. I had the exact same issue you described with them. The alternator was slowly dying and wasn't putting out enough power to run the vehicle AND recharge the battery. The vehicle was slowly stealing power from the battery until the volts got too low to keep the engine running. I would then get the X-Mas tree of warning lights, the vehicle would jerk/buck, and it would die. I would have to jump start to get going; but, the vehicles would start on their own if I let the it sit for a while. Recharging the battery would give me a day or so before it started all over again. I think the issue is hard to detect because the electric system is stealing power from the battery when the tech checks the voltage levels for the entire system.

 

Thanks for the response.... It could be the alternator but when tested the alternator produces volts above 14V. After the car is jumped it can stay on without the battery. We have tried checking the head lamp without the battery it seems bright enough. There is no visible reduction of interior lights when more load is added like CD..

Each time the issue occurs I need to enter the audio and Navi display codes. Even if the battery terminals were not removed to jump start it. There is also a click sound on the audio system like one is loading CDs. The steering also makes some movement when the ignition is turned off after jumping it.

Why the car starts every morning without being drained only not to start after driving for few minutes is puzzling. Is there some drain that is activated once the car is fired up? What is the best way to test the alternator.

 

Not sure if a 12v socket voltmeter located below the info-tainment stack would show the system voltage as you drive around to if it drops after time?

 

terminals being hot means there is a lot of current going through the battery. Sounds like an alternator that is killing the battery, or loose connections at the starter, fusebox or alternator.

 

Will give that a look ... 🙏 But when I park and remove the earth terminal, the car starts once I connect it back. So each time I park, I remove the earth terminal so that the car would start when I am ready to drive out. ... Otherwise I would need a jump.... This what I do till I raise money to buy another battery and the sequence repeats. Not the experience I expected from an Acura

 

This problem can happen on any car no matter the brand.....

Maybe you should take it to a shop before something melts while driving or it doesn't cause voltage spikes and kill a computer in the car.

 

Hot terminal in the battery may indicate that the battery is overcharging, which means a bad alternator. Never repeat the trick of disconnecting the battery while the engine is running, otherwise you will have to buy and reflash a new ECU. If the battery is discharging by itself, then you need to find a current drain, this is done elementary and there are many videos on the Internet about this.

 

I had a car that wouldn't start when it had run and the engine was hot. The starter was failing and also the radiator was not working properly and eventually had to replace that. The radiator problem may have cause the starter to fail, now that I think about it...

I replaced that starter and that fixed the issue of starting with a hot engine.

 

Do a decent test on alternator. Look at current, not just voltage. Also check the direction of current, whether there's alternating current.

Another possibility is drive belt. If it's worn, the charging maybe weak as well.

 

Hello People
pls advise if an 80AmpH 12 volts battery will work in an Acura MDX 2007.... Normally a 75ampH 12volts battery is used..... The suggestion is due to the constant battery issue I have had on this car..... this is the 4 battery I will use in the car in 3 years plus..... The 75amp seems insufficient as the alternator and other components all seem ckay

 

It will work, but you need to find the cause of the problem, not increase the battery. Try another mechanic. I had a similar problem at RDX, but there is a remote start constantly discharging the battery. Have you tried cleaning all the main ground and positive terminals in your car(starter, alternator, frame inside and outside)? It happens that the alternator weakly contacts the engine and the ground weakens.

 

I did remove the Bluetooth console..... Then it doesn't start in the morning... With that off the car it worked fine but still didn't last... Next we change the kick starter.... The kick was changed when the terminal of the battery gets very hot when trying to start after driving for a while..... I suspected the same issue because the car starts in the morning and refuses to fire up once driven... but the battery was charged and it worked for few days and back to status quo.... Really confusing

 

When terminal of the battery got hot, you tried the Clamp Meter to find out how many amperes goes through the wires?

 

hold on, so when engine is heat soaked starter is not cranking? if so, 99% it is starter problem. Also check positive cable going to starter, maybe it is lose.

 

On a 14-year-old car, the ground from the engine could rot.

 

I had this same issue with my car (2012 Acura MDX) and it was fixed.
This issue usually occurs as the engine wears more and more. (A difficult problem to diagnose)
My mechanic 1st increased the surface contact of all ground cable connections to the car's chassis by using sandpaper on the points where the ground cables connect with the car's chassis and engine (about 2-3 places).
secondly, he added an extra ground cable from the engine to the chassis of the vehicle. In general, increasing the ground cable connection from the battery to the engine and gearbox. And finally added grease to both terminals of the battery.

I hope this helps. cheers