99 DX manual trans.

I drive to the grocery store, and its starting to rain. I turn on my headlights. I pull into a spot, and turn off the car. I responded to a text for maybe a minute, and then exited the car only to hear the beep that my headlights are on. No biggie, it was only a minute. I go to leave the store 5 minutes later, and its a complete downpour. I wait it out 5 minutes till it lets up. I get in the car, and nothing.

Ok, key out, my interior light worked, as did flashing my brights. I put the key in, and turn it to the first click. I get the radio working just fine. I turned it farther to start the car and nothing. No dash lights, no radio, no ac, etc. I sat there 20 minutes thinking WTF. I don't think I killed the battery. I tried starting it several times, and nothing. All of a sudden, I hear the fans for AC turn on, and the radio. I try to start it, and it starts just fine, as if nothing happened?

Any ideas?

 

My car has done something similar before. I turn the key, nothing. Turn it again, car starts up. I dunno man. Maybe someone wired it for explosives?

 

My first thought was the neutral safety switch under the clutch pedal, but then I realized I would still get dash lights, radio etc working. I literally had nothing working at the second click of turning the key over.

 

my car does this but its because the fuel pump doesnt prime right away like its supposed to sometimes. I can hear a click and then the whine of it when it works and then the car starts right up

 

Ive had this problem too. I believe it is the starter.

 

sounds like your battery is loose.

 

A bad starter wouldn't cause me to have no power to the dash what so ever, no radio, etc.

Can't be the battery either, as I said I had the radio working when you turned the key to the first click. At the second click(which would be the fuel pump priming, all the dash lights coming on, etc) is when I got 100% nothing. I could turn the key back to the first click, and the radio would come back on.

 

It will be next to impossible to diagnose an intermittent issue that you cannot reproduce at will.

 

Turning the key to the 'start' position should kill most accesories while the starter cranks.

Check the cleanliness of your starter, ground strap, and battery connections. Corroded, dirty or loose connections will cause intermittent problems everytime, especially in changes of ambient temp or humidity.

I'd start with the starter/ground strap connections in view of your post. The fuse boxes can still receive power while the starter circuit has a problem. Check the cable from the battery + side to the starter, the 2 connections at the starter and the ground strap from the frame to the transmission.

Be careful not to wave hot + cables around while your battery ground cable is attached (remove the - cable from the battery before working on the electrical system).

Be prepared to reset your alarm when you reattach the - cable.

At least carry the tools required to check these things in the event of a future failure. Don't fix it if it ain't broke.

 

I know what it is in my 93 del sol.
It's a worn out ignition switch.
The next time it happens don't do anything else but just jiggle the keys and put a little inward pressure on your key as you turn it. That little bit of pressure will help make contact in the switch. After a rain and sitting over night this will act up in the morning. I'll turn the key and not hear the fuel pump prime. Put the key in 2nd position then just put a little inward pressure on the key and you'll hear the fuel pump come on. I've been thru this over several months after cleaning grounds on the thermostat housing, replacing main relay and changing fuel pumps. Hope this helps.

 

Or that ^

 

2nd that^ It's your ignition. Should be fine, but if it continues order a new one. Also make sure you don't have a **** ton of keys key chains etc. on your key rings cuz the extra weight over time can mess it up.

 

Sounds about right. When it happened, it was as if the keys were not even in the ignition.

Oh **** that it!

The guy I bought the car from was a realtor. He literally had a 2lb key chain. No joke, he probably had 30-40 keys on the giant ring.

All I have on it now is the ignition, house, PO box, and my gym membership tag.

 

Check the cables that connect to the battery. Make sure they are not loose.

 

Glad that was it.
Nice thing about Hondas is that they even wear out consistently.