rockey g

My wife has a 04 civic and the other day it wouldn't start. Has been all along. Anyways I checked the battery and it was good but I boosted anyway. All it does is a constant click click click when you try it. I also replaced the starter but no difference. Any help would be appreciated thanks

ezone

Is that a bunch of rapid clicks, or a single click each time you turn the key?


Check all connections between battery and starter (positive)
and battery/body/trans/engine (grounds)


Voltmeter testing might get you places too. Got start signal? Got voltage drop?

rockey g

It's a binch of rapid clicks and all connections look ok

ezone

Sounds like it's time for real testing and/or work.

Have the cheap battery cable ends been installed? (great place for bad connection to the cable)

Try a known good battery?
Will your battery start a different car?

Measure voltage on the battery posts while attempting to crank?
Measure voltage on the starter while attempting to crank?

Measure voltage drop on each circuit? (google how to)

mikey1

had this problem a few years ago,

disconnect battery,

clean battery terminals and cable connectors with a mixture of baking soda and water, use a wire brush if need be,

get them spotless and dry and reconnect,

pay close attention to the INSIDE of the cable loops where they contact the battery posts,

that fixed it for me and it has not happened again since

rockey g

I got it to start but from under the hood on the starter bypassing the switch. Any ideas what is going wrong . We haven't been able to get the key out for some time but it always seemed to work

ezone

Manual trans or automatic?

rockey g

It's an automatic

ezone

You jumped the starter with a screwdriver and it worked. That leaves the ignition switch, a bunch of wiring, the range switch, and a starter relay that needs checked.


Move shifter to Neutral (N light must light up on dash) and see if starter works.

Got voltmeter?



Do the shifter lights on the dash show P is lit up when lever is in Park? If the shifter can't go all the way to Park position (or neutral) the starter is not allowed to operate.


If someone has ever spilled a drink into the shifter, that might explain why you can't get the key out of the ignition. There are microswitches that control operation of the interlock, if the PCM can't see the trigger on the shift handle released and closed the switch contacts it won't let the ignition switch roll all the way to the lock position.

(Unless you meant the lock is worn enough that the key is jammed in the tumblers, that's a different issue.)





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Backprobe for these tests because the wiring needs to remain connected like it normally is.

Got 12v on the smaller black/white wire at the starter when someone twists the key?
Does the terminal on that wire fit tight over the tab on the starter? A loose fit makes a bad connection.

If you had zero volts reading at the starter wire while someone twisted the key to crank, Find the same black/white wire up at the ignition switch, repeat same test there.

rockey g

I tried it in neutral aND same rapid clicking. Yes I got a voltmeter

rockey g

so when I try it with booster cables hooked from battery to starter (black grounded on starter and red on starter positive, then with screwdriver I touch the solenoid to starter pos and it starts). hook it up the correct way and all I get is a bunch of rappid clicks

ezone

seems that you have lost some connection between the battery and the starter?

Use jumper cable one at a time.....install ONE jumper cable from neg post of battery to starter housing, see if it cranks...

Then remove that and move jumper cable to positive post of battery and pos lug of starter and recheck

rockey g

I'll try that tomorrow. Gotta get ready for work . Thanks for the help

mikey1

did you even bother to try what i suggested?

i know already you didn't,

people like you really **** me the f*** off....

you come here asking for...and expecting FREE ADVICE,

then you don't even bother to try the suggestions offered,

your problem might have/and most likely would have been solved very easily, if you followed my post,

instead you continue to waste other posters time, without trying the suggestions offered,

and then you continue to come back asking for advice without even trying all the advice that has been offered,

im not wasting anymore time here, and i hope others will not either.....




..

rockey g

I don't know what your problem is but I did check all the connections and they were good. Just because I didn't ŕnswer you don't mean I didn't take your advice. I fouND the problem and it wasn't anything to do with connections. I didn't deserve being swore at.

ezone

What was the problem???

rockey g

Had a mechanic check it out and he found a broken wire by key switch

rockey g

Thanks for the help though. I don't know a lot about electronic's on a vehicle.