mendozad

I don't know how to look up threads regarding starters. I tried but I come up empty.

I believe my starter is OUT. It has been doing that thing here and there - you know - when you turn the key and nothing happens then do it again and it starts. I am sure its the starter but don't know how much one costs. I hope they are not that expensive but it seems everything on a 2000 TL is expensive.

Can someone direct me to how to get to other threads on starters, how to replace them and the cost to get one replaced.

Please - help - I need to know asap!
Thanks!
Delores

01tl4tl

You can look parts cost up online at kragen.com just to get an idea
These cars also have ignition switch problems
Do you carry several keys on the main keyring?- thats a killer for them

mendozad

Thanks so much for the responses. I believe its my starter because this has been going on for at least 6 months. At first - within a month it would be just one time. Then it was like happening once every 2 weeks or so where I would turn the key and I would hear nothing and then I would turn the key again and it would start. Just this past month it was happening at least three times a week. I was short on $$ so I was waiting until this week and last Sunday it died.

My boyfriend knows nothing about cars - I like to read and find out things. He did turn the key but to me was holding the key too long when it would not start and it did start making a buzzing sound so I told him to stop cause he could cause damage to the ignition switch.

These last couple of times - it was doing this. When you turn the key, you could hear a distinct click of the battery. Then the batter got low and my dad put a batter charger on the batter and it was very low. Then later it went back high again. It was registering high on the battery charger. Then I tried it again and tried to give it a boost but it would just click and not turn the motor.

What does it sound like if the ignition switch is going out? Does it click or make NO noise?

Thanks for your help. Also, I called the Acura Dealer and as always its highway robbery. They said the part was $388.00 and the labor was $200. It added up to $594.00! They guy I found and use now is a Honda/Acura Specialist and his garage is very cheap compared to the Dealer. He said a new starter would be $270.00 and labor was $100. He said it would be $367.50 plus tax on the part.

I looked up the part and it looked like I could get it for $345.00 and they said if you turn in your core - guess the old one right? - that you get $30.00 off so either way - it would still be $315.00 and I would still have to pay the shipping.

If the mechanic gets the part - it would have a warranty so I will pay the $367.50 - does that sound fair to you?

Delores

01tl4tl

Has your mechaaninc actually diagnosed the starter as being the problem?

Also- holding the key to start position after engine running is horrible on the starter- not the switch- time for an upgrade on the boyfriend too!

A core is the old part- means they are installing a rebuilt one for you- thats ok

Gfaze

Assuming it's the starter, you should look into getting it at Kragen Auto. I went to the site and looked one up for a 2K TL and it's $87 plus a $50 core!!! Lifetime Warranty too!! Then you pay labor at the independent shop and save $$$$!!.

mendozad

I know more about cars than my boyfriend and knew enough to tell him to STOP keeping the key in the start position just because it was making that buzzing sound. I was like, duh, what do you want it to do? It wont start! I was the one that self diagnoised my car because I know enough since I always was helped my brothers fix their cars. It has already been towed to the garage yesterday and he called back to day it was the starter. He did tell me it could be 5 other things but it was not the ignition switch or the other things he said it could be so I was happy to know it was the starter. I really trust this guy - he seems honest and not like Acura coming up with all these things.

I don't know about you guys - but do you put non Acura parts on your Acura? I kind of wanted Acura parts on my Acura.

I guess I will let the mechanic go ahead and fix it for the $367.50 and take it as a learning experience. Still cheaper than Acura and his work is under warranty - his labor - since HE is buying the part. If I bought the part and he installed it and the part was bad or didn't last long - I would have to pay for the part again and his labor again. So for a girl that is not a mechanic - I think it would be safer and cheaper to pay him once and let him worry about what happens later. Guess I could ask him if the starter has a lifetime warranty like the ones on the Kragen site.

Still - great information from you all. Also, I do not keep a lot of keys on my key ring since I knew it could mess up the ignition but didn't know Acura's have problems with the ignition. I keep the Key, remote and my house key and that's it!


Thanks again for all your help.

Delores

6spMike

When you turn the key, it engages a solenoid (that's the click) that switches the large current required to turn the starter motor, as well as engages the pinion gear on the starter motor to the ring gear on the flywheel. This solenoid is usually part of the starter. Typically the switch part of the solenoid will go bad and it won't supply current to the starter motor. The symptoms for that are what you described, in that it happens more and more often until one day it quits working.
Let us know if that really fixes it.

01tl4tl

Ask the mechanic what brand and where he gets his parts and what is the warranty on it.
I use aftermarket parts for the TL including brake calipers from autozone!- since many of them are made by the same place- they just put Acura on it and double the price

6spMike

Do they really do that?
With other cars I've had, parts from the factory sure seem to last a lot longer and be higher quality than the stuff from autozone/checker/pep boys/etc.
I put an autozone clutch slave cylinder in my wife's car that only lasted a year.
I put a checker throwout bearing in another car that made noise unless your foot was lightly on the clutch.
etc...

mendozad

Well, I got my car back and it works just fine. The mechanic said he ordered a new Mitsuba starter. Its a starter that they do make for Acura and is now listed on the OEM parts list for the starter. He said that manufacturer has an agreement with Acura not to sell that part for like 5 or 7 years then they are able to sell that part to us. Its not one of those rebuilt parts but a new starter. Also, that is the reason I had him go ahead and put it on since I am a girl and can't change it myself - I would be out a lot of $$ if I buy it and he puts it on and it only lasts a sort time. If he does it - he gets a new one and I don't pay labor again.

I have another subject - my fan motor to the AC. I got a new one last year - in July and I was having problems with it. The Dealer said it was some subassembly and that they could not replace the subassembly unless they had an ok from Acura. Well, the mechanic showed me the burned connector that connects to the blower motor I got last year and that connector (the blower motor) is burned. Do you think the Dealership should make it good? I have it in writing that if the blower motor is out they will replace it and labor. Guess I will call and let you know what a wonderful place the Dealership is. Here goes nothing - I will be right back to report!

Delores

Gfaze

If they replaced it and it failed, then they should repair so that it doesn't go out again. You have it in writing so stay persistent. If you need to, call Acura customer service and explain your situation. Usually they can straighten things out with the dealer. Good luck!

mendozad

It is not under warranty - I called Acura directly too and they both said the same thing.

1. They replaced the fan motor on the A/C - it had a 12,000 mile warranty or 12 months. It failed within 7 months.

2. The wire that connects to the motor burned, causing the connector to the motor to burn and therefore caused failure. Acura Dealershiup and Acura Corp told me that it was NOT a parts failure but a "component" failure. The wired burned causing the connector to melt. In reality - the motor is good - this is what they told me BUT since the connector is burned and CAN NOT be replaced then the motor can not work. Basically, I got screwed. I said, then why didn't they replace that wire that burned and they said they only tell you what is NOT working and can not recommend it to be fixed if it is operable.

3. The mechanic said - The fan motor's connector was "clean" the wire they plugged into was "dirty" and when you have a clean/dirty connection then it will generate heat. I told him I told the service manager at the dealership and he said it was unlikely and had never head of such a thing. The mechanic said - I am a mechanic and I know what I am talking about - the service person just rights it up but can realize the cause when they don't work on the cars. He said, they should have cleaned that connectors, refit it and then plug it in. They did not but you can't prove it.

Acura sucks! Ha! But I do love my car.

01tl4tl

Back you go to the SERVICE MANAGER who is responsible for the service departments operation, and accountable to Acura Customer Care-
the people you call at 1-800-382-2238 x 5 and talk to with complaints when the dealer is not responding.

Manager gets email to his Blackberry when you complain or give bad feedback on a survey.

Service WRITER is merely a ~commission biased~ salesman of repairs- usually not a car person and cant be expected to know what each car has as warranty on each part or the way to do anything.
Their Motto: Never Admit Anything Is Free and Its Not Our Fault

This is my opinion as one who ran an auto repair shop:
If we touched a part- we are responsible for it- so they removed a connector plug and replaced a part it goes directly too-
Failed to ensure the contacts were clean- you know its important because they make a special Electrical Contact spray cleaner!
Cleaning the ELECTRICAL connector contacts is an important part of replacing a fan motor, AND should be considered a NORMAL part of installation.
Anything else is substandard work and should be reported to your STATE auto repair bureau who licenses shops and can make things happen for you.

Cleaning the battery cables where they attach to the battery would go with a new battery install, cleaning the connectors on an alternator when replacing, installing the wheel lugs after tire rotation.....
ALL things you would EXPECT to be done by a mechanic competent enough to work for ACURA
Makes some noise- 7 months after they ~fixed~ your car, you find out they really only ~worked on it~ BIG Differance

Gfaze

mendozad

I intend to go all the way and NOT go away like they want me to. I agree with you - and that lame excuse about him never hearing about not cleaning a connector is so stupid. I am a girl and I know you clean things before you put something that connects into something. Either way - I am calling and complaining until someone gets tired of me.

Delores

mendozad

I called Acura - the number you gave me and gave them a piece of my mind. I did tell them what you said about it being part of the "service installation" and how they did not clean the connector. I told him that was what the mechanic said and then they said they called the dealership and the dealership would not honor their service consultants promise to install the A/C blow motor parts and labor IF they agreed to replace the subassembly because the Service Manager said he did not talk to her. What a rip off - guess he forgot or she was making things up as she went. Unfortunately, she is not there any more to confront her. I do have her signed card stating they would replace the motor - parts and labor. Either way, the best I could get out of them was this. - Replace the resister, wiring harness, blower motor at their cost for parts - $244.22 but then he offered to cut that in 1/2 - so my cost is $144.11. I said - OK since I really do think that is be best I can get.

I didn't get a total KO but I did knock them down a couple of times! ha!

Gfaze

In the words of Family Guy's Quagmire..."huh, huh, ....aalriiiight!"