My daughter has a 2007 Accord with a 2.4. She says some times when she tries to start the car, it just makes a fast "clicking" noise, I'm assuming its the starter. I'm going to look at it this weekend when she comes home from college, but I'd like to have a some sort of an idea before throwing parts at it. Is the solenoid located on the starter on this car?

 

The solenoid is located on the starter. When replacing the starter you have to remove the intake manifold. I have replaced several of these.

 

Symptoms you describe can also be a weak battery and/or poor battery connections.

Suggest starting w/ battery test and inspection/cleaning of connections. If you're on original battery, it's overdue.

good luck

 

A new battery was put in a month ago, I'll check the connections. So far, she is always able to get it to start, it's just that some times it just "clicks" before cranking over. I wonder if there is a starter relay, if that could be a possibility?

 

The starter relay is the solenoid previously mentioned. It can be faulty leading to "clicking" but no starter action. If battery and connections are good, starter is likely.

good luck

 

Even with a new battery, it's possible there's a loose connection at the other end of one of the battery cables. I've even seen a flaky connection (corrosion) between the wire itself to the crimped connector on the end.

Rapid chattering of the starter solenoid (as opposed to a single click) is commonly from a weak battery. As soon as the starter tries to draw power, that makes the battery voltage get low, which in turn opens the solenoid. But probably a connection with high resistance (corrosion or loose) can also cause that behavior.

 

I have an update now that the car is in my hands. The clicking noise is coming from one of these relays in the left kick panel. I can make it click every time when I turn the key very slow, I keep turning the key very slowly, but so far, for me, the car starts every time when the key reaches a certain point. It started every time for her too, but some times she's in the parking lot for a few minutes. The noise is coming from one of these relays. I'm not really sure if there's anything wrong. I wonder if she just isn't turning the key all the way. Watch the vid, you can hear the "clicking" sound when I first reach the "start" mode, I keep turning the key very slowly until it reaches a point to where the car starts.

 

Look for the starter relay, if there is one

 

There is a starter relay, the forward black one, I swapped it with another relay that is of the same one, and it still does it.

 

Then I would replace the starter, if you are sure the battery posts are clean and that the battery is good.