Hey all, hoping for some thoughts.

Replaced my spark plugs today (OEM plugs straight from NGK, no middle men), and when I went to start the car, the lights all come on, the starter will click, and nothing. As I went through checking all the fuses (none found wrong, coils and wiring assembly as it should be) the lights started dimming until I couldn't even lock the doors electronically or open the trunk. I've had some mysterious electrical problems before (potentially including the speedy death of my spark plugs, repeatedly like...4? times in the last 70k miles) but I can't think of anything to trigger this through changing the spark plugs themselves. I'd love any help, so sick of this but can't really afford to ditch my poor TL and get something new.

 

Honestly your battery shouldn't die that quick if you were just checking fuses with your key in the ACC position. Might simply be that your alternator or battery is dying - I would look closer at both, because it seems like your battery didn't have much of a charge in the first place. Test your battery voltage - it might not be enough to even crank the starter.

 

The positive battery cable on these cars can become suspect after ten years of service. Last year found bumping mine would alternately render my car almost dead to starting in a very lively fashion. I replaced the cable with a new OEM unit (under $50 from online Acura parts sellers) and the problem went away.

I wrote the above because I suspect there are pretty good odds you disturbed the battery cable while you were doing your plugs.

 

sounds like a parasitic draw that caused your battery to discharge.

 

The interesting thing to me is the sudden nature of it, at the same time as the spark plug change. I didn't even take off the cover of the battery during the change. Taking the positive off and putting it back made no apparent difference. I also didn't have the key in during the fuse checks. Just checked here and there. Sounds like it's time to get the battery checked (agaaain, waiting for AAA to just say, dude, no) and see if it's still an issue. Anything I can look for on the positive cable for wear?

I imagine after it all I'll just have to do a hard search for a parasitic drain, I haven't done that before.

 

the HFL is a common culprit for battery drains. Remove it if you haven't already.

 

Damn thing never did work anyway, I wouldn't mind popping the blighter out on general principle.

 

pop it out and take it to the shooting range

 

A tempting thought, if I had a gun. How do I check it for a parasitic drain before hand, just to know?

 

LMGTFY: https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...hrome&ie=UTF-8

 

Second on the battery cable issue. Took me two weeks and several calls to pop-a-lock to get my car jumped/unlocked because my car would be dead after sitting for a day or two. Found out the positive batter cable had loosened up and when I tightened it all the way it would still wiggle around. Hit a bump driving or anything some days the car would be fine and then others it would be dead. Replaced the cable and never had an issue (even plugged my HFL back in cause I thought it was a parasitic draw).

Just wiggle both of the cables and make sure they aren't loose. Felt like such an idiot that it took me so long to figure it out.

 

So, life has been crazy so only just dealing with this all now. AAA said the battery was screwed, needed to be replaced. This continues to confuse me, as it doesn't just go dead, it gets damaged. 4th in 2 years or so. Yay for full 3 year warranty then prorated after. I detached the HFL while he swapped the battery. We'll see if it helps with the battery drains...but should it be damaging the battery too, if it's the HFL? Also could the power issue have anything to do with the continued spark plug sepuku as well, or the other way around, or a definite no on both? I love this damn car and I feel like I'm watching it die from an unknown disease.

 

Once a lead acid battery goes dead, it's impossible to charge it back up to 100% and keep it healthy, it's a pretty fast decline from there on the battery's health. AGM or deep Cycle batteries are better at tolerating discharges and recharges. The best would be a lithium Ion battery but those are in the $700 range!!!! I use a Bosch AGM battery and it works well

 

Did disconnecting the HFL fix the issue? I am having similar battery drains after a very recent spark plug change

 

I think I just commented on your own post. I've had the TL garaged for a while as innovative mounts likes to waste my time (it took literally more than 4 months through a series of their mess-ups to get me my part. I'll never work with them again.). I think tomorrow I finish some related work and maybe we'll see soon. While it was garaged the battery did die, however. So we shall see.