KittenKibbles

Hey everyone!
So we haven't driven our CR-V for a few weeks while we were on vacation, and now it will not turn over whatsoever. Let me start by describing all the events prior to this happening:
1. Brake light came on despite my not using the parking brake.
2. AC stopped working.
3. CD player stopped working.

No additional lights came on. (not sure if any of the above is related, but you never know) about 150,000 miles on it, and it is not the primary vehicle we use. Just for grocery hauls and when we need a larger vehicle for a trip. We bought it certified used from a dealer 6 months ago.

Symptoms:
Turn the key in the ignition, and all you hear is clicks and the gauges flutter. You can still turn on the headlights and emergency lights.

Here's what we have done so far:
Got a brand new battery (needed to be replaced soon anyways) and installed it. As soon as it was connected, the car alarm went off.
We then disabled the horn, and it does the same thing.
At this point I am assuming that it is either a starter issue, or the alternator. (hubby and I aren't agreeing, ha ha)

I am a total noob at this stuff, but I'd like to know what you think it might be and ways to find out before I go buy a bunch of parts I don't need, and if (worst case scenario) there is any way for me to not have to tow the vehicle all the way to the shop if its not something I can fix.

Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated!
~K

jess_in_chains

I'm surprised no one has replied to this. Have you figured it out yet? The symptoms sound so weird.

Do you have a manual? This would be a great way to figure out if it's the starter because you can just kick start it.

As far as the alarm going off...my friend had that happen to him and all you have to do is close the door and use your key to manually unlock the door.

When you got a new battery did it do anything different?

Sticker Bomb

With the new battery installed it should fire right up. But like what was said above me, close the door and just unlock it with the key. It's a factory alarm, they all do that when they get power again after losing it completely.

Which the stuff stopping to work on you while you are driving it could be the battery or the alternator.

If you have a volt meter you can tell if it's the battery or the alternator. It's not the proper way of doing it, but it will give you a rough idea of what it is.

You should have around 12-12.6 volts with the vehicle off, and between 13.8-14.4 which it running (the voltage is different for most vehicles, but normally most are between that) If it's staying around the voltage when the vehicle if off or it's dropping lower, it's not charging and you most likely need a new alternator.

The proper text is a AVR test which a shop will do. That will tell the state of the battery and the lift on it, as well as if the alternator if having a charging problem with no loads on or with loads on (radio,A/C, lights ect.)

Hope this helps you out.

9thgencivi

id say start looking around the electronics get a tester light and go over relays and chase wires down your problem sounds electrical for sure bare wire shorting out when it touches other metal crossed wires but also you can have your starter tested at pretty much any parts store and if you tray and pop start like jess mentions and it does nothing that mean your alternator is junk you can pop start with a dead battery and a dead starter but not with a junk alternator but to me it sounds very electrical like i said check wires mostly relays youd be surprised what just a screwy rheostat for a headlight can do

Sticker Bomb

You can't jump stat a vehicle if the battery is dead. How is there going to be power to prime the fuel pump to get fuel into the fuel rail and into the engine from the fuel injectors when there is no power? Your not, you still need power to jump start a vehicle for all the electrical to work and power up.

9thgencivi

you can pop start a car without a battery period pretty much every fuel pump maintains pressure from when you shut the car off so the pressure is there when you go to start it again nor do you need a working starter to pop start the alternator runs off a belt so as soon as you pop the clutch and the motor turns over it will power the alternator and that will provide power to the plugs and things so if you cant pop start it its got a bad alternator but if you ask me its doing all that wacky other stuff the radio the alarm the brake light hell a mouse chewing on a wire could be your problem but it sounds electrical to me

9thgencivi

i mean you usually only pop start your car because the batterys dead right?

Sticker Bomb

Pressure drops off over night, so no you would not be able to jump start it that way.

KittenKibbles

Hey everyone,
Just to update what we did over the weekend...
So you were right about the alarm, when the battery dies completely/ is disconnected, it engaged the anti theft, causing the CRV to lock up and not start and also engage the alarm when you reconnect the battery. We had to enter a code (its in the CRV manual thankfully) to reset the anti theft. Its running again, but were are still having the relays and all the wires checked this Friday due to the volume of electrical problems we've encountered, and knowing me, anything electrical I touch I always break it (plus being pregnant, I don't feel like potentially jump starting labor, ha ha), so we are deferring to a pro on this one. I'll update again after we get the word as to what is wrong with the rest of it, so it will help someone in the future! Thanks again for the help!

9thgencivi

you can pop start a car without a battery bottom line ive done it a million times everytime i find myself with a dead battery i put my car in neutral push it down the hill jump in throw it in 2nd and pop the clutch it starts up everytime even when you car is running and driving it primarily runs off the alternator what makes you so certain i really hope your not on here claiming to be a mechanic

KittenKibbles

Wanted to update everyone on the verdict on the CR-V. Our mechanic testing everything possible on the car, and everything was working as it should be. It turns out all the problems (locks, brake lights, radio, A/C) are due to a computer issue with the "multiplex" whatever that is, and can only be fixed by a certified dealer.
Apparently this is a normal issue with the 02 CR-V's but that still is really silly for it to cause all those problems and cost me an additional $300 at least. You would think a computer issue would be an easier and cheaper fix or at least be covered by a warranty since its apparently so common. I might end up keeping my civic hybrid and selling the CRV instead next year if we get any more issues like this one.

gezatozser

What I want to know, if I put a new battery in the 2013 cr-v after there was no battery in it at all fot three mounths, it will strat right away, or have to keep the ignition key in position to recharge the computer unit for some time?
gezatozser