Hey everyone! I have used this site to get a bunch of great answers...but this time I'm stuck and couldn't find an answer in the search.

I have an 04 accord, 4 cyl, and recently had a wreck in the front pass. corner. Got all the repair work done, then about 2 days later the car wouldn't start. No clicking like a normal starter issue, and battery tested out fine. (even with draw down test) I called the garage back, and they towed the car in, and then called and said it was the starter, and had nothing to do with the wreck. So I got the car back home, and replaced the starter. Everything was great for about 4-5 days. Then friday I drove to work, and when it was time to leave, it did it again. turn the key and all the bells and lights work, but nothing on the engine side...no clicking nothing. I am out of ideas and my car is sitting in the parking lot at work.

Are there any typical connections, fuses, or anything else that I should be checking? I am thinking that it must be a short or something in the wiring somewhere since after I replaced the starter it worked for a few days. Maybe I just happened to move a wire in the right place.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks so much!

 

Getting to the electrical connector of the starter is kind of a pain on your car. You may want to swap the starter cut relay with the power window relay in the under-dash fuse box. If the power windows stop working and the starter works, then you know you have a bad relay.

The starter cut relay is #18 and the power window relay is #22 in the attached picture.

 

Thanks, I will take a look at it tomorrow! I looked at the relays and fuses...and they all looked good. . and not blown, but I will swap those out and see if that is it. Assuming that is not the issue, anything else I should check out also?

 

I would check for 12V going to the blk/wht wire going to the starter when you try to start the car. I don't know how easily you can access the electrical connector for your starter.

You need to find out if the starter is getting the proper signal (12V to the blk/wht wire) to start the car.

If you have 12V, then something is up with the starter.

If you do not have 12V, then something upstream is wrong electrically (why I suggested swapping the relay, since I am sure it is a very quick test).

 

Checked the relays, they were all good. Had power to the starter, and power signal with the key turned. Turns out the re-manufactured starter I put in about 4 days earlier went bad. So I pulled it out in the parking lot, got another one and its all good now.... Thanks for all the help!! This site is great!

 

Who supplied starter? Brand? This should not happen, but unfortunately is fairly frequent event; defective new part.

I had one of these and resorted to testing starter at part store before installing. This is particularly important when much effort is required to access/remove/install the starter.

good luck