WiLLrOx

Dammit, yesterday after I got my car from the valet, I didn't know my car was on because the engine was so quiet. I turned the key to start it and I heard a screeching sound that gave me chills. Did I just mess up my car by doing this? If so, what does it affect?

visuelz

No nothing happened....my dad did it once because the TSX was so quiet lol. It's probably the same for the TL

JOES05tl

the noise you heard was your starter trying to spin the flywheel while its already spinning, I think thats really not too good for your car. If nothing got damaged, dont worry about it, just dont do it again. btw, I think we've all done this once!

Shalooby

Reading this brings to mind an interesting thought and something I've been wondering about. . . First of all, stop rolling your eyes and thinking "Here we go again! Isn't this the same guy with the door lock - relock question from the other day?" Yeah, it's me. I can't help it. Trust me though, I'm seeing someone about it. Now - on to the question.

I've noticed that when I start the car the starter circuit seems to cut out even before I release the key to the "on" position once the engine fires. I haven't tried holding the key in "start" to prove this so maybe it doesn't. Anyhow.
It seems as though it would be relatively easy to disable the starter circuit if the engine is running. Why haven't any companies done this, or have they. Anyone?
We (relatively speaking of course) and myself included, have done this at least once before. The complaint from the car when this occurs rattles nerves. Hell, just thinking about it rattles my nerves. But then, so do a lot of things. . . . . .
Stop! You're wandering again! yea, i know. Come Back! ok. Remeber What They Told You To Do. deep breath. whew. wow! it worked!

Why do manufactures allow us to continue abusing the pinion gear and flywheel like we've been doing for so long? Is it because of the replacement cost of these items? Is it some kind of industry inside joke? I can hear them all now, laughing to themselves whenever they hear "That Sound".
Granted, you would think that this is the kind of thing you would only do once and never again but hey, I've touched the hot stove on more than one occasion. But that's me.

your_mom

In 14 years of driving, I've done that exactly zero times. Seems like a pretty ineffective planned replacement program.

Making things idiot proof is exactly what's wrong with America today. People need to pay attention to what they're doing instead of blaming manufacturers every time they do something wrong.

kappa821

ive done it once with the TL and a couple of times with old car it had a remote start....shit happens.....i dunno about the whole installing something to make sure this doesnt happen ill have to agree with the your_mom. But then again I guess manufactuers are taking care of this by doing the push start. If you try pushing the push start when its on what happens anyone know

sixsixfour

agreed.

that said i done this twice, both times I wasnt old enough to drive.

BustedJack

I've done that a few times, you will be ok. It's just your starter cranking against the flywheel.

slawek65

Some cars have this design for years now, when engine is running you can turn key as many times as you want and nothing happen.

Rpappi

they do have cut off's when the car is running. i have never tried on my acura but i know the chevy silverado i drive at work i can turn the key all day and it wont do anything.

EDIT: ya beat me

onsknth

You guys need to check out the keyless ignition or the ignition on the new Cadillacs... On the push button, you hit the button and the car cranks itself, it knows how much to crank... Same with the Caddy except no button, just flick the key and the car takes over and cranks the engine, no need to hold the key.

leedogg

Happened to me once. Its an embarrasing sound to make when you're around people you know and your shiny new high tech car makes this screeching noise like its broken


...I did it because I thought I had only turned the key partially and wasnt sure if it turned enough to turn on or not...

born4thesky

+1

mike03a3

Well, I'm not one for expecting manufacturers to save me from making mistakes. I'm a pretty creative guy, so I doubt I could afford a car that covered the immense variety of screw-ups I'm capable of.

I also learned decades ago to look at the instrument panel before engaging the starter to see if the engine was already running, so it's been a long time since I heard the sound of the bendix gear trying to engage a rapidly turning flywheel.

However, this is not a difficult problem to prevent. In fact, my Jag XJ-S won't allow it. Once you turn the key on the Jag to engage the starter, you have to turn it all the way back to "off" before it will allow the starter to turn. It's mildly annoying at times when the car doesn't start, or it stalls for some reason, but it would prevent grinding the starter against the flywheel.

davenlei

It is no big deal at all unless you kept craking (grinding) it for a long, long time or over and over again.

peewee5384

Is this something that you would care to pay for? Because think about it, I mean it is possible to do however the extra cost is not justified for short displays mindless behavior.

There is one manufacture that does do this with, Mercedes Benz only because the whole ignition system (including the key) are electronic the Mercedes Benz "Smart Key" sends an infared signal to the car that powers the optical ring which "Validates" the correct key is in use. No key blades and it also limits you to try and start your vehicle for more then 15 secs to avoid battery drain and excessive pressure in the cyl(s). But to answer your question some manufactures do this.

You have grinded the starter gear against the flywheel. yes you probably did very little damage nothing to worry about and don't worry everyone has done this at least once. Just don't make it a habit. If you continue to do this you will start to break teeth on the gear so it will just slip and not turn the engine very well.

avs007

Yeah, I wonder why Acura doesn't have these features... Even my pontiac has starter protection. It even locks out the transmission too, so if you are moving over something like 2mph, you can shift the lever from "N" to "R" or "P" but it won't actually shift the tranny until you come to stop.

Not that I've ever needed this feature or tested it, but supposedly it's there. But I know others have tested it "accidently"....

2003BlizAkTL

to make sure i dont do this, i just give it a lil gas, and see if it makes a revving noise, i think its the easiest way, i just look at the RPM gauge and see if anythings goin on, also, the RPM gauge wont sit at zero if the engine is running...just another thought =)

Bob289

I belive alot of american built cars have the starter cutoff. I drove alot of Ford trucks for work and they have the starter cutoff. So an answer to your question is yes there are cars with the starter cutoff ckt. Also if you drive the Ford truck and you hit the electronic governer limit you just crank the key again and it bypass the governer and you can get more MPH. Just a little thing I found out while I was driving the trucks

Side note. I was wondering a few days ago if the TL had the cutoff ckt... now I know not to crank the engine twice. Your miss doing helped me solve my curisioty. Thanks man

Oh yea dont do it again. It wont hurt your car if you do it once in a BLUE moon, but dont make it a habbit.

A SiQ TL

I did this once, shortly after I got my car. It is so quiet I didn't realize I had left it running the whole time I sat there B.S.ing with a friend of mine. How embarrasing

My old accord had a clifford intellistart in it. If I remote started it and got in and put the key in, I could turn the key all the way to crank and it wouldn't do anything.

cougbing

If you turn the key while driving it resets the nav system and doesnt grind. So it must have some kind of cutoff.

Actuary

I heard this once when I cranked, car didn't start then tried to crank again immediately.

Since then I give it a few seconds before retrying it

rt4563

Actually, what they should install on the engine is an SLM. (Stupidity Limiter Switch).



Trying to start a car that is already running and then blaming the manufacturer is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

JoeyASPEC

I think the '06 has a cut-off b/c I accidentally did this once too, realizing I did so right after I'd turned the key (I noticed the Guage Pod didnt have the usual lights on that it would had the car not been fully turned on - like engine temp, oil, w/e it is...), and to my suprise there was NO noise. I decided to test it out again, turned off the radio (had to make sure I wasnt hallucinating), opened my driver door, turned the key again... NOTHING. I was kind of glad there was no response... makes me feel comfortable that I, or anyone driving my car, wont mess it up.

Bob289

I dont think the person was blaming. It more like something nice to have.