Got a 1998 Honda Accord EX 4 cylinder. Recently I had to change the brake switch and for a couple days the car was well. But now when I start the car lights and everything goes on but the engine won't start, I can hear a click but the car does nothing. It did start after I kept cranking the keys back and forth but after I turned it off it went dead again. My friend who's a mechanic (not that experienced) came over to check it and tried to start the car manually by hooking up a cable from the starter and the battery but it melted the cable. We jumpstarted also but the same problem still exist. He told me I had a bad starter and would need to change it so I was wondering if you guys can help me diagnose the problem.

P.S. my battery is brand new but the wires are extremely corroded do you guys think it might be the cause? thank you in advance.

 

He's right, bad starter. My lexus did the same thing, but I let lexus take care of it lol.

 

Any way to check for sure if it's the starter?

EDIT: Is the starter an easy part to change or would I need to take it to the nearest auto mechanic?

 

Try turning it over while you have someone tap the starter with the handle of a screwdriver or a small hammer. If it cranks its most likely your starter. Also make sure the ground wire on the starter is attached good Did you try push starting it?

 

Starter is no problem to change.

Not sure what your buddy did to melt a wire but the test the starter and starter solenoid is easy.

Your starter has two leads going to it, a batt. cable, thicker of the two and the "starter" wire, thinner of the two, [there is no ground wire, starter is grounded through it's case].

Start by disconnecting both the pos.(+) and neg.(-) batt. terminals, clean both the terminals and the batt. posts, reconnect the pos.(+) terminal.
Remove, clean and reconnect the batt. terminal on the starter motor, be careful not to over-tighten the nut that holds batt. cable to the stud on the starter motor, doing so may turn the stud, not a good thing].

Reconnect the batt. neg(-) terminal.

Unplug the starter wire from the starter solenoid.

Using a jumper wire, [about the same gauge or thicker then the starter wire] with one end connected to the batt. pos.(+) terminal, touch the other end to the starter wire terminal on the starter motor solenoid.
BE CAREFUL, make sure car is not in gear, set hand brake, if starter motor and solenoid are good, engine will crank even if ign. switch is off.

A few things can happen...

1- engine cranks, starts if ign. is on, starter motor and solenoid are good.

2- nothing at all happens, solenoid is bad

3- you get a "click" but no crank, could be solenoid but most likely the starter motor is no good, could also just be a connection problem, remember what I said about not turning the batt. terminal stud on the starter motor, the result is the same, solenoid clicks but no crank, turning ign. switch from run to start repeatedly will sometimes get it to work, sound familiar?
If the above is the case, "click" but no crank, turn batt. terminal stud on starter motor back back, a little bit, [1-2 degrees] at a time, testing starter each time.

4- solenoid "clicks" engine does not crank, but jumper wire gets hot right away, solenoid has a short, replace it.

5- solenoid "clicks" engine does not crank and batt. cable to starter motor gets hot right away, starter motor has a short, replace it. 94

 

thanks for the descriptive reply, I am gonna test it out once the weather clears. Thanks again!