veo

Has this happened to anyone:
turn on ignition, all lights come on but engine won't start. Engine makes no noise, no clicking sound, nothing, silent. I turn the key a second time and agin nothing. Finally on the third time the car starts and everything sounds normal.

I guess it's not the starter since it doesn't have a clicking or scratching sound.
Any ideas what this could be?
Thanks

WolfpackBill

Sounds like the starter is going... But hey, I could be wrong.

KrayzieDxC

i had the same problem before.I start, again agian not working then again it work..toke my trys 30 times. im thinkin teh starter..but it also can be disturbrator cap for teh spark plug.. But teh starter i heard it cost money$$ to replace it from dealer w/ labor. I replace it with help from my dad it toke at least a week to take it off..we didnt take the whole starter part off..we replace parts of it..and it was very easy to put back it but taking it out is madd hard. any ways the engine started werking nicely

KMS-TL

possibly the starter solenoid... which (although I've not replaced mine yet on this car) prob means replacing the whole starter anyway...

loulinjai

do you have the right keys? could be the immobilizer. if u put ur keys near magnetic stuff it could screw up the codes.

longeye23s

hey guys the same sh!t happed to me, battery is fine but no click or sound. after 50 times trying started with nooo problem and runs good. i was thinking it was the starter maybe loose wire or somthing. after that never happed again. i wounder what it can be?

dubcnea

the only way to know for sure is to have your starter checked....wires and all. a quasi cheap way to find out is to just call the tech at an acura dealer, or some other respectable shop and ask. they will think that you are then going to give them your business which you do not have to do. but at least you can get part of a 'professional's' opinion on the issue.

TLknight

before anything else tighten or clean ur battery terminals...peroxide or coke a cola, pepsi whatever thats if u haven't already tried that good luck wit dat

WolfpackBill

1st gens don't have immobilizers.

Mandy

It is the starter. It happened to me. Classic. Starter it is.

longeye23s

and its not the battery becouse light wont be working.

dubcnea

i think that is mostly to make sure there is a solid contact. the dome lights take a fraction of the power it takes for the starter to wind (i'm assuming). so a clear contact is best. but yeah....apparently starter has taken the cake.

TLknight

EXACTLY

Ken1997TL

on all that.

Starters use an IMMENSE amount of power.

veo

i guess it must be the starter since that's the majority opinion but i thought if it's the starter i would hear sound when turning the key? since i hear nothing i thoght it might be something else.
thanks for all the feedback.

05whitetl

What year is the car and how many miles are on it?

WolfpackBill

If you still doubt that it's the starter, check the battery cables and make sure they're still in good condition and not rusted out. But I really doubt that's the problem because you said everything turns on fine other than the engine.

Get it checked out. It could very well be the starter or its wires.

veo

96 w/ 126k on it.

veo

do spark plugs have anything to do with this?

pufftom101

hi, my car does the same thing. i really think that my car has a battery drainage problem. since im not using the car at the moment, i thought i give it a troubleshoot. i had the battery all charged up, and the car would start once i turn the key. 5 days later, theres a notcible one second delay from turning the key and ignition. then, i got lazy and gave it another try 2 weeks later, and nothing happens, cluster lights come on, but no ignition and no sound. i definitely need to have this troubleshooted when i get back on the road.

could be a possibility your battery is a lil low. or maybe not.

veo

went to strauss auto today for a free batery test. the test showed the battery was fine. the mechanic told me the test shows the starter is also good. can the battery test really determine if the starter is ok, or did this mechanic make this up?

Mandy

A dead click is a starter issue, especially, if on and off, sometimes it happens, sometimes not, as found by the dealer (when I got mine repaired) and as told by our experienced brothers here, it could easily be the contacts, if they are worn out, the motor has to be replaced.

A slow turn is a battery issue.

Testing might not reveal a worn out contacts issue. But it is definitely the Starter. Do not get suckered into replacing both the starter and the battery, be careful, they will always try to do that.

Cornflake

Yup, it's the starter. Same problem alot of us here have had. Starter is pain to replace on 3.2 (haven't done a 2.5) inthat the driver's side drive axle has to comeout, otherwise it's not too bad. Get the starter re-built, it will be much cheaper and will probably end up being better off than the original one anyways.

Mandy

Cornflake,

So you are telling that they had to get the axle out to get to the Starter, when they replaced mine by the dealer?

I checked my axle after you said this last time and I did not see evidence that they did. One of 2 things: 1: They did not replace the motor as they indicated in the service order 2: They did a beautiful job, no trace.

One thing though, maybe you remember, they busted my driver's side tire, brand new, they replaced it without telling me. Went home and busted them the same day. To top it off, they replaced the tire with a different style.....what were they thinking....An ACURA dealer, trying to keep a screw up under wraps......Unbelievable!!!! Dare I say who it is? It is a Georgia Dealer!

Cornflake

Absolute necessity to remove the driver's axle. Doesn't have to be completely removed from the car, just from the differential. You wouldn't be able to tell if they had removed it or not probably. I remember about the tire on your car, I still can't beleive it!!! I have had a bad experience though with one dealer here too, and so have MANY others, there's actaully a site www.acurasucks.com. All other dealers I have dealt with, my current one (Acura East) especially have been GREAT. These other guys forged my dad's signature on his lease to try and up his payments!!! He caught them thank goodness! CROOKS!!!

The Hawk

1st gens DO have Immobilizers. Someone tried to steal mine last week and it locked itself down. There is a relay in the dash which immolizes the starter. I had it towed to a local garge in lieu of having it towed 75miles to the dealer and they removed the relay and then it was fine. The dealer even acknowledged the immolizer and gave me the 2 codes needed to unlock it. the prob is that only the dealer had the software to input the codes.