Car won't start, Starter issue? Bad battery?
02-03-2018, 03:39 PM
#1
Car won't start, Starter issue? Bad battery?
I have a 2008 Honda Civic LX automatic transmission, 4 door. A month ago I accidentally left my headlights on with the car off for about 10 minutes and I had to jump start the car to get it running again. It was 20 degrees out. Up until 2 days ago, the car was running fine. 2 days ago I drove then came home, 1 hour later went back out and the car would not start. Didn't even turn or crank. The lights came on but there was barely any sound and then a little bit of clicking.
Since then I have had to jump start the car to drive. When I start the car (jumping from another vehicle), the car starts right up, but there seems to be a slight hum coming from under the passenger dash when I put the car in gear. Might be coming from the passenger speaker. I turn my headlights on and the hum goes away. Lights off, hum comes back. When I turn my lights on, the radio flashes off. I can even pull the emergency break, and the hum goes on and off, whether up or down. I drove today over an hour without it shutting off.
As soon as I shut my car off, the car will not start back up unless I jump from another battery. I put a multimeter on my battery and it runs over 14 volts while running, and around 12.58 when I turned it off. I let the car sit for a few hours (while off) and the voltage dropped to 12.36ish. I left the car running with headlights and accessories and the voltage stayed above 14.
Since my battery died, my key fob sometimes works to unlock and lock the car, but most of the time it doesn't work. I think right after I turn off the car it still works, but over time it won't work unless I charge the battery again. When I turn the key to start, the dashboard has the battery light and the oil light. Once it had the green key light flashing. And once it had the check engine light. As for sounds, sometimes there is nothing, sometimes I hear fast clicking but then it stops.
I'm thinking it's the battery or the starter. The battery is pretty old. I cleaned the contacts but under the red plastic positive terminal cover, there is some gunk in the little plastic square box (not the part around the terminal). The terminals and circular cable connectors are clean. When I purchased the car a few months back, there was always some slime type stuff in there under that red plastic cover.
Randomly after I drove today, I turned the car off and when I turned the key, there was some clicking, then it was sporadic, then stopped. But under the steering column was 2 clicks, pause, 2 clicks, pause, and so on. I touched the brake pedal and it stopped.
I pulled most of the fuses (drivers side under dash and under the hood) and found nothing, but of course the screw stripped so I couldn't pull the Option Main/Ignition Switch Main. But it looked fine from visual inspection. I'm not sure if there specific relays or fuses to check.
After letting the car sit off for a few hours, I went back out and the multimeter read 12.28, then it went up to 12.35 volts on the battery, and it seemed to keep going up very slowly. I tried to start it and nothing happened and the headlights didn't come on. Didn't even click when I turned the key. Kind of sounded a little quiet swishy noise. The interior dash lights lit up the same.
Maybe it's just the battery? I haven't had a chance to crawl under my car and bang on the starter to see if that does anything. I'm also not sure how/where to check for loose grounds or anything like that.
Any help is appreciated!
Since then I have had to jump start the car to drive. When I start the car (jumping from another vehicle), the car starts right up, but there seems to be a slight hum coming from under the passenger dash when I put the car in gear. Might be coming from the passenger speaker. I turn my headlights on and the hum goes away. Lights off, hum comes back. When I turn my lights on, the radio flashes off. I can even pull the emergency break, and the hum goes on and off, whether up or down. I drove today over an hour without it shutting off.
As soon as I shut my car off, the car will not start back up unless I jump from another battery. I put a multimeter on my battery and it runs over 14 volts while running, and around 12.58 when I turned it off. I let the car sit for a few hours (while off) and the voltage dropped to 12.36ish. I left the car running with headlights and accessories and the voltage stayed above 14.
Since my battery died, my key fob sometimes works to unlock and lock the car, but most of the time it doesn't work. I think right after I turn off the car it still works, but over time it won't work unless I charge the battery again. When I turn the key to start, the dashboard has the battery light and the oil light. Once it had the green key light flashing. And once it had the check engine light. As for sounds, sometimes there is nothing, sometimes I hear fast clicking but then it stops.
I'm thinking it's the battery or the starter. The battery is pretty old. I cleaned the contacts but under the red plastic positive terminal cover, there is some gunk in the little plastic square box (not the part around the terminal). The terminals and circular cable connectors are clean. When I purchased the car a few months back, there was always some slime type stuff in there under that red plastic cover.
Randomly after I drove today, I turned the car off and when I turned the key, there was some clicking, then it was sporadic, then stopped. But under the steering column was 2 clicks, pause, 2 clicks, pause, and so on. I touched the brake pedal and it stopped.
I pulled most of the fuses (drivers side under dash and under the hood) and found nothing, but of course the screw stripped so I couldn't pull the Option Main/Ignition Switch Main. But it looked fine from visual inspection. I'm not sure if there specific relays or fuses to check.
After letting the car sit off for a few hours, I went back out and the multimeter read 12.28, then it went up to 12.35 volts on the battery, and it seemed to keep going up very slowly. I tried to start it and nothing happened and the headlights didn't come on. Didn't even click when I turned the key. Kind of sounded a little quiet swishy noise. The interior dash lights lit up the same.
Maybe it's just the battery? I haven't had a chance to crawl under my car and bang on the starter to see if that does anything. I'm also not sure how/where to check for loose grounds or anything like that.
Any help is appreciated!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
JDMflavor_EJ
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
3
06-04-2007 04:12 PM