I guess there is no relay for the starter on my 97 accord. The book says there is a cut off really, but I cannot find that one and no auto parts store has one. I was having a little problem with the starter. My old starter went bad. I know this because when I turned the key, you could hear the starter solenoid engage, but it would not spin. So I replaced the starter and everything worked well for about a week. Then one day I turned the key and nothing happened. Everything came on inside, but I heard no clicking of the solenoid and no spinning. Nothing.
So I checked the connections to the starter and the batt. Everything is good, so I just jumped it off by running a starter switch to the starter and the batt, after that it has not done it for about 4 days. Now it does it only a few times. You turn the key and nothing.
I know that was long, but any help would be nice. I thought about looking at the neutral safety switch, how do you test that? Or maybe something in the ignition switch, thanks.

 

Is this car a manual or automatic transmission? Does your car have a key-less entry/security system? Is the a 4 or 6 cylinder?

The first test will require an assistant. The small wire that goes to the starter should get 12V to body ground when you turn the key to start the car. If it doesn't, you will have to work backwards to locate the electrical problem.

The next thing I would test is the gear position switch (automatic) or the clutch pedal switch (manual transmission).

 

i am going to try that out this weekend i hope. it is an automatic. has over 280,000 miles on her and she runs great. this is the most trouble i have had from her. shes has been a great car for the past 13 years. i think it might be the male end of the starter that the signal wire plugs into. i am going to also check the nsf too and i will get back to you guys. thanks for the help.

does anyone know why there is no starter relay on this accord model??

 

There is a starter relay. It's called the starter solenoid. It takes a relatively small start signal from keyswitch and connects large current supply to drive starter. Keyswitches do fail relatively frequently on Accords and other Honda/Acura products.

good luck

 

well i tested the signal wire, got 12 volts to it when i turned the key. did it about 30 times, got 12votls everytime. so after work i am going to do a few more test, i e the nss, and the ignition. so we shall see.

 

If you're getting a start signal to starter solenoid, and no starter turnover, then battery, wires, connections, or bad starter. It is not unheard of for a AZ, ORielly, et al starter to fail early.

good luck

 

i got the starter from a place called parks autoparts. i like that place a lot better then the rest. but the starter has only been on for 3 weeks. its re-built, could not find a new one, for a decent price.

 

The ignition switch & NSS are all "upstream" of that starter signal you tested. So when you get 12v at that signal wire, it means all that stuff is working.

It sounds like the problem is intermittent? Can you hook up jumper wires to measure that voltage while it's also still connected to the starter? What you want to find out is when it does NOT start, is that voltage good or not.

 

your right JimBlake, i tested everything today and they are all good. I was at autozone when it did it again, so i pulled the signal wire off the starter and tested it. it had 12 volts, key turned. so i am thinking it has to be the starter it self. right?

 

Sounds like it. The real proof is if you had a little lamp wired up there all the time & you waited until the next time it did NOT start. Then you'd see whether the lamp lit up or not that particular time. Intermittent problems are a PITA.