it was yesterday morning, like around 7:30 or something(temp around 70), i was trying to start up my car as usual...........but what happen next is that i can't start up my engin!!.........it's is not the engin problem since i only heard the startup motor free spins itself........, and then i tried the second time, it did the same thing and i almost got a heart attack since i only got the car 2 months ago (06 w/navi w 3000 miles), i was like WHAT??? then i try to turn my key all the way to off and then back on, and this time it works like usual..........

anyone had this experience like mine before? anyone knows what's the problem? should i bring it in to my acura dealership?

 

so it took a couple cranks to get your car started? i think this is normal but not sure...anyone else care to chime in? i know it takes me a couple cranks to get the motor running...i have a '04 with >70K and it's been like that since i got it....

 

i mean it's not that the engin won't start, the sound i heard is like the startup motor is free spining, it is not even engage with the engin!! weird

 

eh i'm not sure.
last week i thought i turned the key all the way and nothing happened. i took the key out, put it back in, made sure to turn it all the way and it started right up. at the time i just figured that i hadnt turned the key all the way and ignition wasnt granted. but now that you mention this i will keep an eye out for anything similar.

as an aside, 3 days after we got our VW Jetta in '03 (brand new) it wouldnt start. after numerous trips to the shop it was finally determined that an ignition ring in the steering column was faulty. Last week I was horrified when it appeared my 1 week old TSX wouldn't start, but I have kept an eye on it since and I haven't noticed any problems starting which leads me to believe it was either operator error or an anomoly.

Also I have noticed that my car takes like 1-2 seconds to ignite and start running. I turn the key, the engine turns over for ~1 second and then ignition. Didn't know if this was normal or not, but I guess if other TSX owners experience the same thing then its "normal".

 

Since your car is still under warranty, it might not hurt to have the dealership look into it. You could have them look at other stuff like rattles or something.

I haven't noticed any problems at all. I turn the key, the engine turns over twice, and then starts up before a second has passed. The sound it makes is like: bub, bub, vrooooom. (the two bub's are really close together)

 

i have and 06 i got in december (8k miles....i drive alot) and this has actually happend to me a few times, i would go to start it and nothing would happen but usually the second time it works. wierd

 

I think you're spazzing out...

 

^

 

I've experience this same exact problem too every once in a while. Usually I have to take out the key, put it back in, and then it works.

So I asked the dealer about it and he said it's normal. He said I was doing the motion too fast (ie turning the key). I think it might have something to do with the anti-theft, but not sure.

Try turning the key a little slower, see if that helps

 

Turn the key to "On", leave it for 1-2 seconds so the immobilizer is disarmed, and then turn the key to the ignition position to start.

With regards to the starter motor free spinning, is that even possible?

 

I always prime the fuel system before starting the engine. Key at ON for a couple of seconds and then turn all the way.

The starter can freely spin if its not with the flywheel (I don't know if the TSX connection is the same) - it happened on a buddy's Beemer; we moved the car in neutral and then it engaged. I don't recommend you go to the dealer if the problem doesn't re-appear. They tend to screw things up especially if its for something they've likely never changed before like a starter motor unit on the TSX.

 

I've experienced the same thing with my '05 6MT (1 year/30K mi - Yes I drive a lot!). The last time this happened was about 4 mo. ago. 90 degree weather in the afternoon. I had been driving pretty hard since I was running late. I got back in the car, turned the key and it just sounded like I didn't have any fuel in the tank (I actually had 3/4 of a tank). Turned the key to the off position and back on... same thing. I was rushing so much that I tried to calm myself down and take the key out. I put it back in the ignition and turned slowly and it started right up.

Once in a while, the car will start, but sound like it was barely turning over and idle at really low RPMs (like 400-500) for a second, then eventually get back to normal (about 750). I'm not sure if this is related to having the false starts, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

I haven't had any more problems since then, but I've been trying to take a pause between turning the ignition from the "radio only" position to the "starting" position. No false starts since.

 

you know...it's funny someone mentioned this

i've had my tsx since january, actually six months today, it has about 9000 miles on it, and this has happened to me ONCE, turned the key and nothing, like the car wasn't even going to try to start, it concerned me, because the car is brand new, took the key out, back in and it worked perfect

i never thought of it again until you wrote this, maybe it's an issue with the car, maybe it's a immobilizer thing, i have a feeling its the latter

the immobilizer probably didn't recognize the key as quickly as usual for whatever reason, so it didn't start the car

oh well, lets both hope it doesn't happen again to either one of us

 

Why you guys hesitate to take your TSX to the dealer while it is still under warranty is beyond me. TAKE HER IN!!!!! Take advantage of the warranty while you can and make the dealer work for the money you gave them for the car!!! (even if the problem seems normal or is common)

 

But if there's nothing really wrong with the car you don't want the dealer in there taking things apart because of the chance that they could mess something up. We had a problem with our Jetta while living in Chicago. It was burning oil and was found to have faulty piston rings. It was still under warranty so we took it to the dealer to get it fixed, which they did. A few months later we moved to St. Louis and noticed the car was accelerating funny. Took it to the dealer here and they said there was some rod that was knocking up against the engine walls every time we would accelerate. They wouldn't even let us take the car with us, we had to leave it there. Ended up, the car was in the shop for 17 days totaling $4,800+ in costs. What happened? The dealer in Chicago (Fletcher Jones) f*ed something up when they were in there fixing the piston ring problem. Fortunately they had to foot the bill since they caused the problem, but we still had to deal with not having our car for over 2 weeks and had to drive POS rentals. That's why you don't want people going into your engine taking things apart if there really is no problem to begin with. People are people and they make mistakes. Its a part of life. I wouldn't take my car in for maintenance unless it absolutely needed it. Period. You will die if you take it in for no problem only to see an actual problem arise a few months later because they forgot to screw something on all the way when they were under the hood.

My advice would be: if its a problem it will show itself eventually. Fortunately, since you're covered under Acura's warranty, if it won't start when you're away from home they will tow it and give you a loaner car. I wouldn't do anything until your car absolutely won't start or you get stranded somewhere because of it

 

happened to me once. never happened again.

 

so in my case and some other member's cases, if the immobilizer cannot respond to your key on time, this will cause the startup motor to free spin? is that true??

 

A couple of times a year I would notice my car didnt start the way it should. It had to do with my battery, because one day I got concerned and took it to the dealer they replaced my battery saying it was almost completely dead. I couldnt believe it after 6 months my battery almost dead.. Beats me .... Fuck it, it was under warranty...

 

You should definitely have your dealer look at it since it is under warrenty. I have a Volvo that did the same and it turned out to be a faulty ECU. If I didn't have it fixed under warrenty it would have costed me a couple thousands.

 

Not true. the immobilizer does not affect the starter. The starter gear should still engage the flywheel and turn over the engine. So the "starter motor" doesn't just free spin.

 

I've had a similar problem with my 3month old 06 5AT. I don't remember a free-spinning starter sound, just a typical engine cranking but not firing. It happened once within the first month, had the dealer try to look into it during a state inspection, they didn't find anything. Had it happen again a few weeks ago (leaving for my vacation no less), I tried it 8 or so times, just wouldn't start. Turned the key all the way off, then on again, started on the first try. I'm not happy with the situation, but if this behavior (full turn off+on) stays the same, at least I can deal with it.

Jeff

 

I'm not going to comment about the starter vs. free spin issue or whatever, but this is sounds like the immobilizer issue. I had my keys re-programmed after I bought my car (got an extra cut, must program all keys and ecu to get extras) and it didn't 'take' on 2 keys, and this was the exact symptom. The tech guessed it was the immobilizer, reprogrammed all keys, and it hasn't happened since.

 

Hmm...I've never heard about the start motor free-spinning, but the ignition system not even engaging the starter is definitely an immobilizer issue.

Like a few other people have suggested, turn the key to the ON position, pause, and then start the car. This seems to ensure a clean start every time I get behind the wheel and allows the fuel system to prime the immobilizer to recognize the key.

If you continue to have problems on a regular basis, though, I would take it in to the dealership to have it looked at. As for the start free-spinning, if it does it again, that's definitely something that needs to be looked at. If it never happens again, just write it off as a fluke. Sometimes stuff like that just happens.

 

my advice, take it to the dealership ... at the least, you'll get a free loaner vehicle and free inspection!

 

that used to happen to me. when i had my car for the first 3 months i would try and start the engine, but when i did it, the car didnt even have a remote sound of starting.
just the a/c, radio, and other stuff came on, but it seemed as if the engine had died on me...