thisisnotdave

I get out of my house this morning and the car just refuses to start up. I've had a problem with loose terminals before so I got and reseated them to check if that was the problem, but it didnt help. The thing is when I had a bad contact the dash would go black when I tried to start but this time around all the lights stay on I hear a click but then nothing happens!


Thanks in advance!

LukeaTron

It sounds like a run of the mill dead battery.

thisisnotdave

I hope so, that batter is fairly new (4 months?), it it normal that the dash doesnt go out? I know most cars with a dead battery would blank out the dash due to the drain on the battery... I hope its not something big, this car has been a nightmare in fixes...

AMGala

iTrader: (4)

Before I got my Optima, my original OEM battery started acting up. It would also seem like there was enough charge because my accessories would run, but the car wouldn't start. But every time I jumped it, it would fire right up. I think your battery may have had enough juice to light up the panel, but not enough to start up the engine.

thisisnotdave

I hope so... Im in class now after commandeering my girl's xterra, but Ill running back to give my hoopty a jump in a few, wish me luck!

jproy

Get a jump and if it starts right up take it strait to Autozone or whatever is similar in your area. They will be able to load test the battery in a matter of seconds and tell you if that is the problem. Either way they will be able to get you jumped again so you can get back home or to the dealer and they have batteries if that turns out to be the problem. Or you could take it to where ever you bought that battery as you say you just got it, surely it has a warranty and they should be able to test it and if necessary replace it.

jjpark

I had the same symptoms for months. Except the starting/non-starting wasn't associated with having to re-seat terminals. It seemed very random. I'd just try to start it then give it a rest if it didn't start. Eventually it did start. In between, it just clicked once with all accessories on and working fine, even headlights. Eventually, it got more difficult to start and happened much more frequently. One day it just wouldn't work. Found out it was a dying starter. Starter was replaced and everything's fine now!

Jung

thisisnotdave

Ok, now im freaking out.

The boost didnt do anything. I heard a relay click when I turn they key but nothing else, not even a hint that the starter is getting power.

Could it be a fuse? Dont starters usually start acting up before they go out?

jproy

It is more than likely the solenoid on the starter then. You need to have it looked at if you don’t know how to work on your car. Only other thing I can think of is a loose wire or contact between battery and starter.

fish008

Flat spot on the starter?

fsttyms1

do your radio and headlights work normally?? (even with a jumpstart if the battery is dead it wont help)

Bob_F

How long did you leave the "boost car" running with the cables hooked up?

Did you use booster cables with a decent gauge wire?

thisisnotdave

Yeah the headlights are fine, so is the radio, it doesnt even turn off when im starting, which I assume would happen if the battery was really low.

I let the boost car sit for like 1 minute before I attempted to start, the wires are good.

Ive never had a problem starting up, it always worked like a clock.

Can anyone tell me what fuses I should be looking at?

fsttyms1

Did you trace the wire that goes from the battery to the starter to make sure that was tight on the starter?

jproy

Like I said before, your starter is probably shot and must be replaced because the solenoid (the little low amp switch in the starter that closes the high amp circuit to the electric motor that is the starter) has gone bad and it can’t be replaced by itself, you have a lose electrical cable on the starter, fuses to check are fuse 41 (120Amp) and fuse 42 (60amp) in the under hood fuse relay box which I highly doubt are blown because nothing would be working, or the starter cut relay which is in the same box could also not be working. The starter cut relay can be tested. It has four prongs on the relay that plug into the driver’s side under dash fuse relay box. The relay is in the shape of a rectangle and two of the prongs are parallel to the long side of the rectangle and two are parallel to the short side of the rectangle if the prongs are pointing at you and you are looking straight at the bottom of the relay. Apply 12V power to the two prongs parallel to the long side of the relay and see if you have a complete circuit between the two prongs parallel to the short side of the rectangle while power is still applied to the two prongs parallel to the long side. If you do have continuity then remove the 12v power from the two prongs parallel to the long side and see if you still have continuity between the two prongs parallel to the short side of the rectangle, you should not have continuity now between the two parallel to the long side. If it works like I just described it is good. Now seriously, if you don’t understand any part of this or you check what you do understand and it still doesn’t work you need to take it to a mechanic because we can’t fix it for you through the web. Unless rats are eating all your wires or you or someone else has really terrorized the electrical system, the problems above are all it could be. I guess your ignition switch where you turn the key could be bad to but there are ways to test that also. That is all straight from the service manual. I am still going to bet the bank your starter is shot but who knows. Let us know what you find the problem to be.

thisisnotdave

Its snowing pretty hard here so this will have to wait...

Thank jproy Ill check it all out when this clears up. Im fairly novice at car repairs, but I know the basic stuff, I'll check it all out.

thisisnotdave

Ok i looked up how to replace the starter, it seems pretty straight forward, so If all else fails I might try it. Does anyone think going to autozone and grabbing a rebuilt for $115 is a bad idea? I mean it has a lifetime warranty.

jproy

If it make you warm and fuzzy, why not? Personally, I go OEM from http://www.acuraoemparts.com but thats just me.

thisisnotdave

Yeah i went with them for new xenon ballasts. But its 280 for a reman from them, and almost $400 for new, thats mad expensive compared to $115. Ive used autozone crap on my last car, which was a lumina, everything was cheeap and worked well, but I thought i'd stop for.

Man, I miss have a cheap to fix car, my lumina needed new calipers and they cost me $40 each from autozone with lifetime warranties. A brand new aftermarket alternator was $60, this car is killing me with the repairs.

jproy

In reference to post #15, the starter cut relay is in the fuse/relay box on the driverside under the dash inside the car and not in the under hood fuse/relay box. I just reread it an it is confusing.

thisisnotdave

Got it. You've been a huge help dude, I'll let you guys know as the situation progresses.

thisisnotdave

PROBLEM SOLVED!

Issue : Im an idiot, i left my car I drive when I took the key out last night... I got in the car and Realized this when I was about to put it into neutral to push into my garage. Started up like a champ. WHEW!

jproy

You are an Idiot

I almost said something about you having it in gear but I thought surely this guy has a brain.

thisisnotdave

Lol thats not nice, although I guess I do deserve it... I dunno why my car lets the key go when its in drive. Thanks anyway if my starter ever does go out I'll know what to do!

Bob_F

I think there was a TL recall on the ignition interlock switch. Check to make sure your car wasn't in the recall group.

Then re-register on Acurazine with a new user name and pretend this never happened. ;-)

thisisnotdave

Haha yeah anyone who reads this thread will regard me an eternal noob now... I swear im not really this incompetent...

jproy

Do look into the Ignition interlock switch. There was a recall. Now re-regiser and we will act like this never happend.

jproy

I was also once a noob. We all were. Now go re-register

thisisnotdave

I thought that recall for was 99 TL's? I have an 02.

jproy

That i do not know my friend. I would google "TSB 2002 Acura TL Ignition" and search it in the 2G TL section.

thisisnotdave

Will do, my car was salvage titled at one point so I dunno if the dealership will hook me up... I've heard good things happen to some, but I feel like its better to wait till my trans starts getting screwy before I show there and beg for a hookup...

AMGala

iTrader: (4)

Are you guys trying to get him banned? I thought it was an instant ban if you create a secondary account?

jproy

If you are a salvage title I promise you the wont give you jack.

jproy

I see how it is possible for someone to misconstrued the statements above but, aside from writing everything in red (the universal forum text color for sarcasm), I thought it was pretty obvious post 25-29 was flagrant abuse of sarcasm. I'm pretty sure he is not going to start a new account.

Never Summer

Agreed. That'll screw you over in the long run.

Bob_F

I was kidding about the "re-register" comment, hence the ";-)".

This kind of stuff can happen to everyone.

On the ignition interlock recall, it may only apply to the 1999 TL. That's the year that I own. But it's easy to check through the OwnerLink site.

jproy

I looked it up and I could only find that it applies to the 1999 TL and some earlier models but that doesnt mean it doesnt apply to others so you should probably call the dealer or do some more research.

thisisnotdave

Yeah I checked owners link, no recall on ignition switches for my car. As far as the salvage title goes, I've read about a few people here getting hooked up, but I know my luck isnt that good...

jproy

I guess its worth trying. Why not?