BHN11380

So I'm sitting in the parking lot outside of Applebee's right now...
Finish eating and went to start my car to go home and it won't start. This isn't te first time that it has happen. I have a new battery replaced a month ago also. My car have been having trouble starting lately and I'm not sure why. I know it's not the battery or the alternator for sure. I keep thinking it's the starter? The car cranks and cranks. It just won't start. It would crank for maybe 5 seconds before starting. It never has a problem starting before until today and 4 days ago. It just stop cranking. I do have a green flashing key light on the dash. I only have one key for the car also. It's a 04 tsx 6 speed. If anyone has any info on this I would really appreciate it...

BHN11380

Oh and I forgot to mention. About 4 days ago wen this happen, I kept trying to turn it on but it won't crank anymore. Kept trying for 15 min until I got hungry. Went out to get food with a friend and came back in about 30 min. It finally cranks again and it started. It doesn't start right away like it use to when I first got the car. It seems like I just have to keep turning the key a few times before a starts.

Slade

Sounds like the starter.

tsxykid105

How do you know its not the alternator. What's the voltage when the car is on. What sound doesn't he car make when its trying to start. Does it make a clicking sound like the starter is trying to start but doesn't have enought power or do you turn the key and nothing happens. When you put the key in and turn it do all the warning lights come on. Check the battery terminal and make sure its tight and not lose. Also checks the wire on the alternator and starter to make sure there not lose. Can't really say its the starter if it starts the car sometimes and sometimes not. If it doesn't start again take a hammer and hit the starter(it might be hard since its under the intake manifold) but if it starts right after that it could be the starter. But I don't think its your starter.

tsxykid105

The green light means it has detected the key right key. Don't keep trying to start the car if it doesn't start after a few times and don't hold the key tryingn to start it for more then maybe 10 seconds or you could burn out the starter. FYI.

BHN11380

I know it's not the alternator because when I had my battery change, my mechanic checked it for me to make sure it's the battery and not the alternator. As of right now when I step on the clutch and try to start the car, there is no noise. There was never a clicking noise. Before the car would have problem turning on but it would make a cranking noise but right now it doesn't make any noise. This is the 2nd time that it has happened. All the other times it just takes a couple tries and it would turn on. It does crank longer than usual though. I can't even get it to crank right now.....thanks for the quick replies guys. How can I hit the starter with a hammer? I can't even reach it lol

BHN11380

Went back to try and start my car again this morning and it doesn't turn on );
It doesn't even make the clicking noise like when your battery is low. It doesn't even crank at all. I was hoping to get it to start at least so I can drive it to my mechanic. Towing cost a lot -.-
If anyone has any idea at all, please let me know

tsxykid105

Did you check all the connections on your battery, etc. Go to you tube and watch starter problems by Eric the car guy. Great video and might explain what's going on. If you have turned the car on before and sometimes it doesn't I don't think its the starter that sounds like a short somewhere. How many cranking amps is your battery.

NBP04TL4ME

Sounds like the starter to me. Assuming the dashboard lights up and other electrical items such as radio, lights, etc work - take a hammer or your tire iron and give the starter a couple of good whacks. This usually will allow you to start the car and definitely a sign that you are due for a new starter.

BHN11380

Ok. I will try it out to see if it works. My battery is 14v
Thanks guys. Will update later when I go back. I forgot to mention also that this started happening a couple weeks after my battery got changed. I'm not sure if that makes a difference but I notice the mechanic had a hard time tightening the wire to the positive part of the battery and he put a little screw in there to tighten it. Not sure if that makes a difference or not

BHN11380

All the lights on the dash does light up. I have power, it just doesn't crank ):

tsxykid105

I'd check then terminal and make sure you can't move it. Even a little movement can make it have problems. Can you try one thing for me though. Can you try to start the car in neutral, reverse, 2nd and 5th gear and tell me if it starts?

BHN11380

I'll update later in the day. I gotta go to work now. I really appreciate the advice!!

tsxykid105

Is it 14volts with the car on or off? With the car off it should be between 12.4-12.7 if its below 12.4 its a bad battery and I'd take it back. If its above 12.7 its over charged and you need to remove some of the surface charge you can do this y turning on the headlights for a little bit. With the car running it should be around 14.4 volts with no accessories on.

NBP04TL4ME

You have to have a clean and tight connection on both battery posts. Loose or corroded battery terminals show up as all sorts of weird electrical issues in Acuras.

Thinking neutral safety switch??

elppin

if your engine turns sounds like no spark & fuel injectors to me & if your mechanic put a screw to tighten the battery post he is no mechanic of mine i would like to know the aftermath GOOD LUCK.

tsxykid105

That's exactly what I'm thinking. If the car starts sometimes then it shouldn't be the starter. The neutral safety switch is like a relay. So when you push the clutch in then it let's current go to the starter. I would check the switch on your clutch pedal and if it looks fine then jump the wires and see if it starts. WARNING if you jump the wire for the neutral safety switch and try to start the car in gear it will move toward. With the switch jumped you don't have to push the clutch in to start the car just make sure your in neutral.

NBP04TL4ME

It's hard to say for sure as the original two posts say that it cranks and cranks but won't start, but It also says it won't crank.
If the neutral safety switch was bad - it wouldn't crank. A starter that is failing will work intermittently. However a starter that cranks and cranks but the engine not starting may be an indication of something entirely different.

BHN11380

So I tried starting it in neutral, reverse, 2nd,5th. Doesn't work. I took out the little screw on the battery also and tighten it back up normally. Tried jump starting te car also and it don't work. The lights I see on the dash is just the cel, oil thing, and battery. When I take my key out I see a green flashing key light. Flash 5 times? When I try starting the car it just making a winding noise, maybe that's the fan?

BHN11380

When the car did turn on, it would crank and crank a few times before it turns on. I keep turning the key a few times because I don't wanna burn it out by holding it there. As of right now it doesn't crank at all. This is the 2nd time that it doesn't crank. The 1st time I got it to start after about 30 min? I didn't do anything special. I just tried to turn it on and it just works. But it would still start up slow( cranking slowly a few times)

NBP04TL4ME

Have you hit the starter a couple of times yet?

BHN11380

I can't reach the starter sadly....

NBP04TL4ME

Even with a tire iron? All you really need to do is be able to give it a couple of good wacks. Anything that has some mass to it........

BHN11380

Ok so I did reach it and it still wouldn't start. Not sure of I hit it hard enough, it's really a poke actually. I did poke at it for a good minute or 2. Maybe I just have to tow it as of right now -.-
Was hoping I can get it to start at least so I can drive it to the shop. Maybe it's the starter? My friend did tell me that my starter might be going as it was cranking slow at times and usually if it's good, it would just start right away

NBP04TL4ME

Hmmm. You should try and give it a couple of good hits. Not sure poking it will do it.
Another option if you are trying to avoid the towing charge is "push starting" it. This is an option for you because you have a manual transmission. It's not great for the catalytic converter, but doing it once isn't a big deal.
Have you heard of this or know how to do it?

BHN11380

I did this before when I had my old civic and it did work. Was just wondering if it works 100% for sure by push starting it

BHN11380

Already getting my car towed!!! Found a friend with triple a (:
Thanks everyone for the advice! I will update Tmr if they find out what's wrong

NBP04TL4ME

So long as you have a manual transmission, you can do it regardless of your make or model.

tsxykid105

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-tl-problems-fixes-117/help-immobilizer-green-light-flashing-830691/


https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-problems-fixes-114/green-key-blinks-5-times-car-wont-start-arg-856594/

Once you said the keyclightn flashes 5 times I knew thatb was a sign b/c it doesn't normally flash like that. You may have to get the key reprogrammed since you only have one key. The car wont start unless it can read the key. Maybe a relay was going bad and could dread the key on and off and not the relay is toast and wont read it at all.

tsxykid105

You won't be able to push start the car if its the immobilizer.

BHN11380

I actually end up push starting the car and it works. Drove it to the shop and left it there. Before I left I did turn off the car and turned it back on. It worked perfectly for the next 3-5 times. Than after that I started to hear that awful cranking noise again.... Hopefully they will be able to find out what's wrong with it in the morning. Thanks guys

NBP04TL4ME

Good point by you but........

1) OP was able to push start his car
2) In the first post you referenced https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=830691 it turned out to be the battery and not the immobilizer.

OP - The fact that it started at the shop may simply be a result of the fact the starter was "knocked around" with a few potholes or other road irregularities on the drive there.

Anyway - interested to hear what the shop finds.

tsxykid105

Cranking noise could be the sprocket in the starter isn't retracting fully. Maybe it is the starter

BHN11380

Hey wassup everyone. The shop that I brought it to told me
It's most likely the starter. He quoted me 450$ to do the job. Told me the starter was about 250 and got the intake manifold gasket also and the rest was labor.... Does this sound to much?? He told me he's not sure if it's the starter yet so he has to take it apart to check. I can actually replace the starter myself. I was just wondering if 450$ is a lot or not. I know that autozone sells a starter for about 120-150$ ...

NBP04TL4ME

No worries

I haven't shopped starters recently, but if you can do this yourself and can spare the time, nobody can compete with that cost wise.

BHN11380

So I decided to replace the starter on my own. I was just wondering if anyone knows if the starters that autozone or advance auto part have is reliable?

NBP04TL4ME

I have no idea personally as I try as much as my wallet will allow to stay OEM. Here is a link to OEM starters - both new and reman as listed near the top -

http://acura.bernardiparts.com/Searc...cura-tsx-parts

BHN11380

Thnx a lot!! I will look into it.

NBP04TL4ME

NP -

Don't know where you are geographically, but the link I sent you above is from a dealer in MA and typically their pricing is on par or better than most. If you are in CA or TX or a good distance from MA, you may not want to wait for shipping etc.....

BHN11380

I do live in ma!! It's perfect thnx again