lately.....my car is having trouble starting (it cranks but doesnt want to startup -- like if its low on gas or something). i have an 04 TL with 110kmiles. just changed the sparkplugs few weeks ago.

could it be the starter thats going bad?

i live in michigan, so would hate it if one day it doesnt start in this cold weather.

 

Could be the starter. I think it was ggesq...had a starter go bad a few months ago and had to have the car towed. Might want to have that looked at before its too late.

 

bad starter?

 

Your question can be better answered if you posted if the starter is cranking normally and the engine just doesn't fire up or if it is cranking sluggish.

 

My starter went bad months ago.

Yours could be going bad too. Seems like it's getting common.

Good thing the starter crapped out at my friend's house.
Just left it there overnight and replaced the starter there the next day lol.

Battery could be a factor.
Get that checked, first.

 

You said it cranks but won't start, right?

If it cranks at all it's not the starter. If it cranks slowly it's the battery or connections.

If it cranks quick enough but won't start it's something to do with the engine.

Does it only fail to start after it's been sitting for a while? Next time try turning the key to the on position, pause for a couple seconds and then start. Listen to see if the fuel pump comes on when you turn the key.

 

I've been experiencing the same problem over the last few weeks. It doesn't happen every time I turn the key but it's probably once every two days. I turn the key and the car sputters to life. RPMs are crazy low and bounce around until the car finally comes to life and roars past 1k. The battery is less than a year old and I've had no mechanical problems ever with this car. 89k miles.

 

The J30 in my fiance's Accord has an occasional hard time starting, but only in winter. It turns over fast, not sluggish at all. It happens when the car isn't sitting at a garage, like after a long day at work so it leads me to believe that the low temperature has a big factor in this.

 

I met a friend for lunch a few days back and the car sat off for less than 30 minutes before I tried to start it up and had the sputtering problem.

 

I see a few problems for all to ck:

Regardless of battery age- get the system tested for free at parts stores.
winter puts the hurt on batteries, and thats what runs all the electrics to the car

idle prob cars: Clean the IACV idle air control valve on bottem of TB
clean TB air plate -inside its throat
throw a can of Seafoam in just under half a tank to clean injectors and fuel parts

Spark plugs- were they `NGK Iridium` or some 2 buck chuck specials?
if not NGK or denso (which cost more and last fewer miles)
remove them immediatly- they are not right for the TL ignition of coil on plug
It destroys bosch and acdelco plugs fast--makes car run funny
there is a reason the sticker under hood says NGK or Denso!!!

 

yeah....this sounds like what im experiencing with my car at startup....it starts up when i turn the key....but then kinda "sputters" then come back to life. (hopefully that make sense).

When i changed the spark plugs-- i used the NGK irridum, and also did the seafoam in my gas tank and intake (vacuum port).

I will go get the battery check and see what they say.

 

Does anyone have an experience similar to mine? Last week my 04 TL 6M received a new timing belt, new plugs, valve adjustment, battery, etc. When I dropped it off at the dealership it started fine...always has.

The car was running when I got in it to leave after I paid. On the way home I stopped twice to pick up a few items and both times the car took at least 2-3 times longer to start than before the work was done. This continued the next day and through the weekend (1,000+ mile trip) at times to a point where I did not think it would start. The car ran OK each time after it started.

I took the car in this a.m. and after it was checked was told the fuel pump was going bad and would have to be replaced at a cost of $500+. If the fuel pump was going then why didn't I have problems only when starting it? Does anyone know what is going on here? Sorry about the long post.

 

If the car runs fine once started and especially under heavy throttle, it's not the fuel pump.

There's a fuel pump relay that turns the pump on to prime the system before you start it. Most also employ a backup like an oil pressure switch that will turn the fuel pump on once there is oil pressure just in case the fuel pump relay fails.

If you shut the car off and try to restart within a few seconds, does it start up quicker than if it's left off for a few minutes?

After the car sits for a couple minutes, turn the key on without starting the engine and listen for the pump to come on. Have your door open and listen toward the rear of the car or better yet, have someone else turn the key on and listen at the tank. It should come on for a couple seconds and then shut off.

It's very possible they unplugged the fuel pump relay or screwed it up in some way.

There's also the chance they adjusted the valves too tight and once warm you're losing compression which would lengthen starting time. If this goes on too long, you will end up with burned exhaust valves.

Is there any difference in starting time from dead cold to hot?

 

This is a snip from the owners manual
"At times, the engine may take longer to start than usual; the engine management system is working yo reduce emissions at startup"

 

This was never the issue before. Has anyone found a concrete answer to this?

 

I know I am 10 years late but what was the problem the same thing is happening to mine

 

Have you checked the + battery cable? At this age, it may be corroded internally where you can't see and not able to carry enough juice at times. I had a similar problem a few years ago and that's what it turned out to be.
.

 

the cable is in good condition.. I don’t know if it happened because the fuel was low and the fuel pump couldn’t make it as a smooth start up but it has happened only about 3 times over the 2-3 months I’ve had the car. Maybe that’s why but I typically refuel before the light comes on. I will see if keeping fuel above a quarter tank stops it from happening again…Thanks

 

Are you absolutely 100% certain of that? Looks alone can be deceiving. You might want to try replacing it anyway since internal corrosion not only can't be seen but can conduct intermittently. It's not an expensive part.
.

 

I have a similar issue. I noticed once I'm below quarter tank, the TL struggles to start. Once I fill it up, the problem goes away. I try to keep my tank above 1/4 and never run it to E.

I've replaced battery cables, checked starter, replaced Trans range switch, changed fuses and relays, and it still happens. The only other symptom I have is the car won't even start... it's like it doesn't recognize the key. I ended up turning it off and turning it back on and it starts within 3 attempts.

 

When it doesn't start, check to make sure you are hearing the fuel pump priming.

 

If key / immobilizer would be a problem you would have green key light blinking even with key in ON position and most likely even blinking during cranking.

If it happens only when fuel below some level, maybe something wrong with fuel pump. Like some hose/housing cracked and sucking on air when below certain fuel level?

How much it takes to fill it to full? Maybe gauge reads wrong and you're simply low on gas?