Rep Power: 0

Hey, I'm new here. I should start off by saying cars are not my strongest knowledge, but I am pretty sure I'll be able to understand any of the responses...

I have a 2002 Honda Civic EX. For probably a year and a half now, whenever I don't use the car for several days, I have had to jump start the car. Any time I go on vacation, the night I get home I pretty much plan to jump start the car.


Well, recently, starting the car has gotten a lot worse. About a month ago I ran into a gas station to buy a soda and left my headlights on. I was probably in the store for about 3 minutes max, and had to jump my car.

A few weeks ago, I got pulled over for making an illegal U-turn. I wasn't given a ticket, but I left my headlights on, with the car off, and after the cop left my car wouldn't start up.

Monday I was sick, and was pretty much in bed till Wednesday when I got up to go to work. The car wouldn't start. I just got clicking noises as the gauges flickered. So I jumped the car, and left for work. On the way to work I stopped to get gas. I wasn't empty, I probably had a quarter tank. Well I left the headlights on (like an idiot) while I pumped the gas, and then the car wouldn't start. So with no one around, I pushed and popped the clutch to get it going.


This was pretty much the last straw for me. The last month or so I've been afraid to drive the car anywhere outside of my town. Going up to San Francisco or even over the hill to San Jose is something I pretty much am afraid to do till I get this fixed.

When I try to start the car, the headlights are very dim and my cd player lights up blue, but it wont turn over.

Any help would be great. If there is any additional info you need, please let me know.

Thanks a lot.

 
Rep Power: 254

most likely just the battery. when was the last time it got replaced? i have a 2002 civic and i have replaced my battery twice already. if your car is fine once it has started it is the battery. the battery is used to only start the car basically. once the car is started the car runs off of the alternator. so if you cant start it but the car runs fine once started, it is most likely the BATTERY. you can take your battery and alternator to autozone and they can check to see if they are good for free. but i bet its your battery.

 
Rep Power: 0

Hey thanks for the response. I bolded two parts of your post, cause I think you might have misstyped one part, but I don't know enough about cars to know which is correct.

Once the car is started it runs perfect... no problems at all. Well, actually the acceleration has seemed to dumb down a lil bit... I find myself downshifting and pressing down hard on the accelerator to gain speed... But I was going to ask about that another day, once I got the Starting issue fixed.

Other than that though, no other issues. I read someone elses post on here, and a couple other people's on other google searches, who have problems while the car is turned on. But I have never had any issue like that. Once the car is on, its perfect (other then what I just mentioned)

EDIT: Oh yea, and to answer your question, I've never replaced the battery. Been the only owner since day 1, so its still running on the original battery. I actually thought that it was normal for car's not to start up after sitting for a few days till a friend who was driving me home from the airport told me it should be able to sit for weeks... and then a coworker of mine had a friend sit in his car with his radio playing for like 2 hours straight without the engine running.

Nothing in my car can be turned on (radio, headlights, whatever) without the engine running or it will die in a matter of minutes.

 
Rep Power: 254

oops sorry for the confusion. yeah its BATTERY not alternator. and yeah, 5 years is pushing it for a battery, it needs replacement. chances are that all the water evaporated out of it and it cannot hold a charge anymore. buy a new battery. you can get a nice battery from walmart for very cheap, maybe 40-50 bucks. next time monitor the battery water levels every month or so. and refill it with distilled water when it doesnt look full. maybe the battery could last longer than 5 years. but if you plan on having this car for longer than that, get a nice sealed battery, it will be a good investment. there are batteries with caps to remove to monitor water levels and there are batteries that are completely sealed so no water can evaporate out. thats the main reason why batteries go dead, no water.

 
Rep Power: 0

I'm not sure if it applies but I know a LOT of people have starting issues caused by corrosion building up on one of the battery terminals. Once that happens you may as well not even have a battery.

If there's any nasty looking white powdery corrosion on one of the terminals clean it off, use caution of course then get a jump if the car still wont start. Chances are after the battery charges up again you'll be good to go for a while.

(that said if you do have a 5 year old battery, you really should replace it)

 
Rep Power: 254

^^forgot to add that. word.