Hey guys, great forum you have here!

I have a 1998 honda accord 2 dr coupe, with 120k miles. On a completely random basis, the car will not start. More specifically, its just "clicks", no engine turnover. Now what makes it stranger, is that if you wait 10 mins or keep trying, it will eventually start.
I have 2 keys, so I've tried that method already. Most of the time the car starts, but I can't trust it anymore to get me around.

Plans are to go home and clean battery cables (acid build up), check the main relay and starter relay, and follow up on a apparent honda recall for the ignition.

Can anyone shed light on this? I ran into another forum where a ton of honda owners had similar stories. I can't wait to be done with this problem!!


edit:
Oh, I should mention the battery seems perfectly fine. No lights dim and the car just clicks once. I remember when I did have a dead battery in other cars, it would just click repeatedly. Plus when the car does decided to start, it starts in a decent time. If I did have a dead battery, how would the car ever start?


Thanks

 

Good idea to go through and check all your wires and cables, check the starter especially. Does your car have a hard time starting when its warm or cold? If it doesn't matter than I woulad electrical issue. If its when you car is hot it is probably your starter.

 

Temperature hasn't had any effect on the starting time. Of course in Houston its always hot, but the car hasn't started in the early morning either when its low 80's.

I called the dealer and the ignition recall had already been done. I definitely need to follow the grounding cables at this rate.

Thanks for the reply!

 

on a day/time when it doesn't start, take a screwdriver or a ratchet and beat on the celenoid next to the starter a bit, just enough to jar it around a little, then try to start the car, if it fires right up that's what I would suspect, but don't bother doing that until you've cleaned your cables and tightned them down... sounds like a starter celenoid issue to me.

 

me too

 

Beat on the solenoid near the starter? I'm not sure where you are referring to specifically.. could you elaborate?

I did clean the battery terminals and the acid was terrible. I'm going to replace the connectors today and I'll keep a wratchet handy for your beating idea.

Thanks guys!!

 

On top of the starter there is a round or sometimes almost square looking part that is attached to it. If you've seen a starter before it's the smaller part attached to the larger one... beat on that little part (no need to dent anything but it's not going to kill it to hit it and if it does then that was the issue anyway...) I'm fairly certain that you need a new starter (the celenoid is attached and comes with it) providing your cables are ok.

 

Ok, I had to change the battery today after it started smoking... the car still clicks randomly and if you try again a second later it works.

The connectors on the terminals are pretty corroded but I have no clue how to change them. Do you have to run all new battery cables or is there another way? I see aftermarket connectors everywhere, but again, how to change them??

Also, I plan to change the starter but can someone point me to where it is.
I'll price one this week and change it myself if its pretty easy to get to.


Thank you all!!

 

Your problem really sounds like bad starter contacts; If it is an "ND" the contacts can be replaced very easily, Most auto electric rebuild shops stock them. If you could be without the car for a day you could have them replaced at an Auto electric shop.
Link below might help you.

Starter Contacts

 

I'm getting a "starter squeal" when I turn the car on now. Its definitely the starter failing on me and probably will replace it.
Thanks for the info on the contacts - I wonder if its worth replacing the starter or just trying the contacts first.