Hi,

I have a 2008 Honda Accord. Today when I tried to start the car for the second time (15 minutes after driving it) it clicked really rapidly and wouldn't start. I fiddled with the contacts and tried again but still the same thing. Eventually the clicking stopped, and the car seemed to lose power entirely. At first the lights and stuff would come on but the last time I tried I did not seem to have any power.

I put in a new battery 1 1/2 years ago so I would think the battery would be OK. Prior to this maybe once or twice a month the car would not start, but without any clicking. I found if I fiddled with one of the contacts it would start again. I would then need to reenter the radio code in order to use the radio.

It had been raining for the past two days so I do not know if that was the cause. But it did start on the first try of the day and there was no rain after that.

The car was also low on gas but I thought I had enough to make it to the gas station. I've run out of gas before and been unable to start the car but there was no rapid-fire clicking sound.

Any ideas? Is it as simple as a new battery or a jump-start?

Thanks in advance!

 

if the contacts you are referring to are the battery cable ends then you should remove them and clean the up. they should not be able to be fiddled with (too loose). then recheck. if you're still having issues, take it to a parts store and have the battery/charging system checked.

 

Well it turned out to be the metal piece on the terminal connection that somehow eroded away. I went to remove the connector in order to clean it as suggested and the metal piece snapped off, apparently it was already partway snapped, which no doubt cause the starting problems.

I picked up a "universal top post terminal" to replace it. However I am having several problems:

1. The copper-colored metal from the broken terminal is really pinched tight on the wires. I do not know how I can get the old metal piece off so I can fit the wires in the new connector. Here are a couple of images of the old metal terminal:




I got the slimmest side cutters I could find but there was no way to get at the metal only in order to remove it from the wires.

2. The new universal terminal does not easily go over the post on the battery. I may be able to hammer it fully over the post but that didn't seem like a good idea. This image shows how far I can get the terminal onto the battery with some slight hammering:



Do I need a different style of terminal?

I tried putting the wires with the old metal terminal into the new universal terminal. When I put the key in the ignition the lights/fan/etc. came on, but everything pretty silently turned off when I tried to turn the ignition. I waited a few seconds and put the key in again and the lights/fan/etc. came back on again so I think the battery is OK at least. Here is a picture of what this looks like:



And here is a picture of the other terminal (the one I used to fiddle with occasionally to get the car to start):



I was at least able to give the terminal connection area a good wire brush scrubbing.

Any help on the above issues is much appreciated. Thanks!

 

You need to cut the copper crimp off of the old wire. You need to strip the plastic back and reveal the new shiny copper wire. you will bolt this down to your new terminal.

Also the new terminal not fitting right, I would wedge something in the opening and pry it if I could. not too far but bed it just enough so it fits a bit better. Also the lead based terminals tend to kind of bend around your terminal post on the battery if you get them too tight and ive seen them crack so just watch that.

 

The universal terminal you got is not that great.

I think parts stores sell the style that was originally on your car as well. Check out their web sites and take the one you removed with you as a reference.

 

Thanks for the replies!

I was able to cut the wires just behind the broken metal piece from the old terminal. My friend then put the wires into the new terminal and jump started the car and it started up beautifully.

I drove it for 20-25 minutes to let it charge. During the last 5 minutes or so the radio seemed to fade out a couple of times (I saw the volume drop to 0 then climb back up) and the car kind of 'hiccuped' once or twice. When I got home I waited 10 minutes and tried to start it and it wouldn't start. At first the lights and stuff came on in the first few key positions, but now the car has no power at all. Is the likely cause a dead battery?

As I stated earlier my friend, who is not an electrician but is much more mechanical that I am (I am actually very clueless as you can tell), hooked up the wires into the terminal for me. Here are pictures of the new terminal:





I thought the wires being open to everything could be a problem but he says it's not. So I don't know if that is an issue.

 

That connector is not likely secure on the battery post. This is a common problem with that style of connector. The exposed wire is not a problem.

Oreilly Auto parts has item 01346 that is the style you want for your car.

 

Could the connector cause the latest problem I describe? It seems like it's quite snug to the battery post, he had to lightly tap it down over the post. I am in Canada, so no O'Reilly, is this the same thing : Top Post Battery Terminal, Post Style, Lead Free

 

That is the style I am talking about.

On that setup on canadian tire, you need an eyelet on the end of the battery cable. Can you post a picture zoomed out on that battery post?

 

I do not know what you mean by "an eyelet on the end of the battery cable". So it it possible I just need the right style terminal?

Here is a slightly zoomed out picture of the battery post area. This is with a prior attempt I made to put the terminal together. I don't know if this is what you are looking for. I could take another photo in the morning but there is nothing around the post on the battery other than the battery case.



Note that I eventually had to take the wires out of that curved plastic thing so that they would reach properly into the terminal. I assume that is not an issue.

Here is a picture I took earlier of the other (right) post. It is identical to the left post (the one with the terminal that I replaced).