Ok all....happy July 4th...


I THINK my battery is the problem..


Stopped for gas in Calais ME yesterday. Car was stone dead when tried to restart, starter clicking.
Got jumped, started up and all good until this am.
Same symptoms, starter clicking, no go.


AAA tried to charge me, car turned over normally but no start.


Soon as we unhooked the cables, only starter clicking.


Battery is old, never replaced during my ownership, but no problems until yesterday...


Think a new battery will be the solution ? Gotta find my way to a Wal Mart in town and try that.


Thanks for any input...!
Mike, stranded in Orono, 7 hours from home....

 

Certainly sounds like a battery issue. Does the dashboard light up? Radio work? Headlights?
My last battery did pretty much the same thing. Absolutely no warning. Just died. So dead it wouldn't even unlock the door.

 

Hey NBP04TL4ME


dashboard lights up normally, my running lights come on ( Canadian car ), but no start.


Never tried the radio etc, my dome lamp lights when the door is open.

 

My guess based on info provided is bad battery.

 

Yeah, me too. I am a bit suspicious of an alternator problem, but nothing unusual is happening electrically that I can see.

 

If you can get to and/or find an open automotive parts place they may be able to check your charging/electrical system for you.

 

Hi again NBP04TL4ME....


Thanks very much for your input....towed the car to WalMart. A new battery did the trick, thank goodness.
The downside is no radio now of course....so...7 hour drive home without tunes.


Marriage Stress Test !


Regards,
Mike

 

check the terminals too

 

Glad it worked out and was a relatively simple fix! In terms of the radio code, it might be in your owners manual or on the left side of your glove box. Be sure to check both the inside and outside on the left side.
Otherwise hope you studied for your test -

 

do a search for radio code on here (ck diy section) and online,
depending on year- you may be able to get to get code out of the unit!

prior owner may have written it down on edge of glovebox door, under coin holder etc
look everywhere, under fuse covers a popular place as well

 

this is a good reason to join www.owners.acura.com its free
can safely store the radio and nav codes on there for when battery dies on road trip

 

Thank you all for your help, much appreciated !

No joy on the radio code.....but as an added bonus, I blew an hid headlamp, and my high beam, both on passengers side....

If things do happen in 3's as they say...I should be ok to make it back home, lol

ciao for now....
M

 

remember our friends at www.hidextra.com for the deal on new hid system for cheap

ck your fuses and relays now, might get lucky

 

Once ya make it safely back home, have the car's electrical system load tested and check all the grounds & connections. Did anything strange happen before the passenger side headlamp died ?

May be a relay or fuse as 01tl4tl previously said.

 

Am safely back in Canada, LOL....car drove like a champ all the way.


Turns out I did have blown headlamp fuse. All excited I was....just put a new one in and.....NO HID, but my high beam is back and the fuse didn't blow.


Oh, nothing strange happened prior to the lamp dying. The battery was jumped twice, and it was raining like crazy overnight and very humid. Moisture ??


Going to drop it by the shop for an oil change early this week...I'll get them to check the situation out.


I checked out the prices at www.hidextra.com . Excellent value indeed, thnk you for the tip ! I'll go that route if it's simply the bulb burned out.

 

If it's just a bulb, maybe check on Amazon for cheap bulbs. I'm not sure how they hold up compared to HIDExtra bulbs, or OEM bulbs, in terms of longevity. However, I've seen Philips brand bulbs for my '00 TL at about $40/pair (USD) on Amazon. I mean, it may be good to replace the ballasts and everything while you're at it -- but if you want just bulbs, that may be an option.

 

It's strange that the fuse blew. Apparently, something was shorted. Perhaps the HID set-up got moisture within it. Try a known good bulb in the bad side. If it still doesn't work, check the connections and components for signs of corrosion.

May be time for updating the HID system to the newer aftermarket kits available with today's technology.They are water resistant and a cost effective solution to replacing OEM components. Less than $100 and "DIY" installation has been explained in past threads.

 

Anything is possible with a dying battery. Could have been a surge, could have been extra draw - hard to know. Fortunately it isn't anyting too expensive to fix.

 

Solved the radio this am...took it by my shop to make an oil change appt...asked about getting the codes. The owner came out to the car, did the press 2 and 6 thing on the radio keys, and it promptly displayed the serial #. He called Acura and they gave him the code. No charge...love that kinda service.


Ordered a pair of replacement bulbs from hidextra, only $34 plus $24 shipping to Canada...About $64 total Canadian, way cheaper than just one bulb at a dealer or parts store.


Tried buying a pair I found on Amazon, but they wanted $130 to ship a pair of bulbs. Thought it was just a bit much......

 

^^^ It's not much more to buy the complete "HID" replacement kit....with everything required to replace all of the old original components. Simple "DIY" wiring installation procedures explained in previous threads.

It may be more than just a blown bulb, if moisture got inside the other stuff and killed it.

 

Gotta love that Customer Service!

Assuming the owner gave you the code you need to join www.owners.acura.com as mentioned above.

 

Final update to this saga...my turn signal bulb had fallen out and left a hole for water to get in the headlight assembly, thus shorting out the fuse.
After a bit of corrosion cleanup in the HID socket etc, all lamps are working again.
Now I have a nice now not needed pair of new bulbs arriving from hidextra, LOL

Great input from you all, thanks again very much....I ended up learning a lot, and only spending $500 on the car this week !

Mike

 

What color did you order the bulbs in? I have been thinking of changing my bulbs to 6000K since I installed a 6000K HID kit in my fogs. Just askin...

 

Hey Groovemaster...


I ordered the 5000K Factory White.

 

$500...... Seems pricey for what you were up against, but glad you got it sorted out.

 

The $500 includes the new battery, an oil change, repair work on the headlights, the new headlamps I ordered , plus I needed a new belt tensioner today as well ....all together with labour and taxes.....doesn't take long eh ? **SIGH***

 

Ah, okay. Gotcha

 

I have another question in this still ongoing saga....

My bulbs arrived, and fit perfectly. Right side STILL won't light.

Determined that I need a "module". I've searched, and am now a bit confused between module and ballast.

hidextra doesn't show a module for sale, ballasts yes.

Dealer only sells entire assembly for $802. No modules/ballasts available in local aftermarket yards.

Is the module a part of the ballast, or ??

Thanks again for any input.
Mike

 

never heard of a module, there are ignitors, and ballasts. This is one of the reasons many buy a whole hid kit as these cars start to get up there in age those parts start failing and its cheaper to buy a whole kit and replace all the oem equipment.

 

6000k SUCKS in the rain, take it from me, can't see squat in a downpour at dusk/night. Go with 5000k and keep the 6000k in the fogs as a nice contrast, I'd say. 4300k is oem, 6000k is too blue, 5000k is just right, like that goldie lady said when she stole them bears' breakfast...

 

yes fsttyms1, your suggestion is a good one. I'll need to determine if the whole hid kit would affect my DRL's. I've read that that can happen sometimes. That would be a bit of a drag.

 

For a few bucks more, ya could've had the entire replacement kit for new HID's on both sides. Water resistant new technology for less than $100 is hard to beat.

Concerning the DRL's, my guess would be that the aftermarket replacement kit should still work the same as before with the oem HID set-up. All the electrical components such as switches, relays, fuses, etc stays in place. I can't see where simply splicing in the new kit's wires would have any affect on the DRL's.......but IDK for sure and may be wrong.

Maybe somebody more experienced will chime in to verify this for ya !!!