Rumble

I have a 1996 3.2 TL with about 94500 miles on it. Bought it used about a month ago with 93000. It's been working like a champ except yesterday and today were a bit strange. Yesterday morning I got in and tried to start it and it wouldn't start. It was not the electrical system from what I thought because all the electrical stuff turned on. Just the third level of the key where the engine starts gave a problem. It didn't work the first time. I waited two minutes, it didn't work the second time. Waited another two minutes and it worked for the third time.

The second time I started the car it worked fine yesterday.

This morning it failed the first time I tried, then I immediately tried again and it worked.

What could be happening and should I have the car checked out? Is this normal as cars get this many miles on them or is it not normal at all?

Cornflake

Your starter is dying. You can either have it re-built or purchase a new one from the dealer. They are about $500 new from dealer, I got mine rebuilt for about $200.

Rumble

Where can I get it rebuilt and how long does this take? I got a dealer down to $660 with labor for a new starter. Still pretty expensive for me but they also said they'd only take 3 hours or so.

Is it for sure the starter with my symptoms and mileage or could it be something else? Should I bother paying a diagnostic fee or just focus on the starter?

One last thing, with these symptoms starting now 2 days ago, how long do you think I can last with the current starter enough that I can still drive to work safely?

Ken1997TL

The starter contacts are bad, go to a shop that deals with starters and alternators. You can get it repaired for 200 bucks or so

Cornflake

Yup, that's what they did to mine, they rebuilt the whole thing for $175. I pulled it out and threw it back in myself, at a friend's shop, so I threw him $50 for the use of the hoist for half a day. That was it. Pretty sure that's what your problem is. If it isn't, it's not gonna hurt you any cause you WILL have this problem eventually anyways. COmmon with these cars.

Rumble

Can the Acura dealer do this for me or will I have to hunt around for independent repair shops in my area?

And how long can I continue using these contacts?

Cornflake

They will replace it not re-build it. Car could keep behaving like it is right now for another month, or it could stop working altogether tomorrow. Best bet is to go tot he yellow pages, loog up starter/alternator rebuilders in the auto repair section and see how much they will charge.

Rumble

Found a guy that will rebuild it for 250-300... the lowest I got an Acura dealer to was 660.

This guy that rebuilds them told me that Acura does not sell new alternators or starters but rather rebuilt ones. He says that all alternators and starters are rebuilt. How does this work? Is he correct?

Rumble

Would Midas be a good place to take my car?

Rumble

The auto repair shops I called are telling me it may not be the starter and I should bring it in for diagnosis, etc. etc. Is this a dumb sales tactic for me to buy a diagnosis or may they be correct even though I have a 96 Acura 3.2 TL with 95000 miles on it?

Ken1997TL

If when you turn it, it makes a LOUD click but nothing happens, its the starter. Trust me. Don't put up with their sales pitch. Tell them to fix it or bring your business elsewhere. Play hardball, its YOUR money

Rumble

It does not make a loud click. It either does nothing or the engine kinda tries to start and doesnt. At least thats what I've heard so far. I will listen very carefully today.

morpheus97tl

I found a starter at autozone for 229.99 duralast wit a lifetime warranty
you know if it fail you just replace it again at no charge

Cornflake

Gotta pay for labour again though ...

Rumble

Looked under the hood - the battery has a lot of rust on it and the end of the insulation of the wire going to the battery is corroded off. You can see the thin wires that are inside the cable at the end, is this normal? Is my battery possibly going?

Also, it's hot as hell out here, like 85-90 degrees, but I didn't drive my car for an hour and a half and the engine was still very hot... I thought that was strange.

FatNoah

Rumble, I had the exact same problem. I'd turn the key and electrical stuff would come on but there would be nothing from the starter or engine. Other times it would start fine or just try to start and fail. The problem exhibited itself over a period of several months. Sometimes I would go a few weeks without seeing it, then it would happen every other time I tried to start.

I tried a new battery, cleaning contacts, etc. In the end, replacing the starter did the job and I haven't had a problem since.

derrick25

Rumble...I had the same exact problem about a month ago....turned the key and no click at all...then tried again and it worked....luckily a friend of mine is a mechanic so he looked at it and found that my ignition switch was bad...replaced it for $125.....works like a charm now....try getting the ignition checked before looking for a starter....just my 2 cents. Good luck

Derrick

titanxboss

Happen to me as well tried to boost it several times and it never starts from a boost, i have power in the car it just didnt start. in the last 3 months and its the same thing wait while and just wait till it feels like starting.finally changed the starter and finally things are back to normal... the other night i had to wait 4 or 5 hours until it started again. i guess these things just go eventually. i got a 96 2.5TL with 126,000 miles now.had it in the family since 0miles...

Oh if you havent changed anything usually other things after that, i allready changed alternator,ignition switch, power steering pump , engine pipe, ball joints and the exaust manifold in the last year or so........

but she still drives smoother then most cars, i still get comments till this day of how smooth rides.

hopefully all are tl last at least till 300'000........ or until we become broke...

oh did anyone else get new keys when the changed there ignition switch??

dan jacobsen

My opinion----put yourself in the place of one of the mechanics. They don't want someone having to come back to their shop for "rework", probably angry, etc. Soooo they generally want to troubleshoot a problem themselves, to make sure somebody else did not make a mistake that their shop then "pays for". Anyway, starter problems are fairly common with our cars, in about the mileage range of your car. $650 is about right to have a shop install a new starter for you; I just looked at mine and it was in that ballpark. Mine had to be replaced at about 87k miles. I have 167k on mine now. One warning on rebuilding--make SURE the shop rebuilding it is good. I had an alternator rebuilt on a maxima several years ago by what I thought was a pretty good starter/alternator shop. They did something wrong with the voltage regulator, blew up my battery (at his shop, thankfully). So choose your shop carefully!