Is it the starter?

85

Asked by ccivt Apr 17, 2012 at 02:19 PM about the 2003 Acura RL 3.5 FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Several months ago I was on my way to work and the car wouldn't start.  I tried 5 or 6 times then called a friend for a ride.  That weekend my son-in-law took the battery out and tested it and he thought it was ok - which is good because the battery was only 9 months old.  I took it back to where I got the battery and they could find nothing wrong and suggested it could be the starter.  I did not have any problems with it until yesterday.  On my routine rounds it took 6 tries to start the car the first time out of the garage, 10 times to leave the store, and another 11 times to leave the gym.  What I learned a few months ago is that it wouldn't hurt anything to just keep turning the key.  But I want a reliable car.  Anyone else have this problem?

12 Answers

1,135

Your question is a little bit confusing. If the engine is turning over that means your starter is working. Do you mean that you have to turn the key 6 times before anything happens? if so, that tells me that your solenoid has started to stick and after sending current to it several times it gets freed and passes current to the starter. If your engine is turning over, you have a fuel delivery or distribution issue and in that case you do not want to hold the key on crank for more than a few seconds at a time. Another possibility is that the neutral safety switch could be misaligned. Try putting the car in neutral, then start it. If that works you will need to have that checked. Good Luck! The first and last options are not much hassle, so hopefully it will be one of them.

5 people found this helpful.
1,095

I agree with Jared but plain and simple, it sounds like your Starter is shot. If you are mechanically savy or have any friends who are, take the starter off and run it up to an Autozone nearby. I'm pretty sure they do free tests but make sure to call first because not all of them are the same. My car did the periodic starting thing a little while ago and it was indeed the starter. Another quick tip, if you pop the hood and smell the starter( i know it sounds silly ) and it has a burnt smell kinda like a blown amplifier, it's definitely on its last leg. Good luck.

4 people found this helpful.
Best Answer Mark helpful
85

I ended up getting a rebuilt starter from my mechanic...I am not mechanically savy! It still occasionally will not even turn over when I turn the key. I keep turning the key until it starts.

3 people found this helpful.
10

If it's not making any noise and the Green Key Icon is flashing then it the security chip in the key. Get a new Key with the security transponder chip -- Home Depo them (at least the one near me did) if you don't want to pay 2 to 3 times as much as the dealer

1 people found this helpful.
70

I have 2004 Acura RL won't turn over sometimes. I had to turn key on /off couple times before car start, only happen one or two times a month, Battery one month old. Anyone. Have ideas , Please let me know Thank you very munch

6 people found this helpful.
10

It sounds to me like your ignition switch, these tend to go in older accuras, especially if you have allot of stuff hanging on your key ring.

1 people found this helpful.
10

I did the neutral thing and mine started after a few days of it not working. I have an Acura RL so I guess the dealer will have to take a look at it. Thanks for the tip

1 people found this helpful.

I have a 2004 RL and have been having intermittent starting problems. I turn the key and nothing. Turn it again and sometimes nothing. By the third time it starts. I’ve replaced the ignition pigtail and starter but no improvement. Today I found a thread regarding the immobilizer system preventing the car from starting if there is metal near the key in the ignition. So then I read my owner’s manual and sure enough, it says not to use a metal key ring. Mine is a big one. I’ve taken the key off of the key ring now and will use the key by itself for a while to see if the non- starting problem pops up. We’ll see. I’m hopeful this takes care of it.

20

It is not the starter. My daughter has the 2004 Acura RL we used to own, and it has had starting problems since about a yr old. She replaced the starter a year ago and still has problems. Two different Acura dealers have run diagnostic tests on it and found nothing. They have to have seen this problem before. Frustrating.

2 people found this helpful.
10

I have Acura RL2006 sometime it don’t want to start I changed the starter so it still What should I do right now?

1 people found this helpful.

My daughter has a 2006 RL and is experiencing the same issues. I believe her problem is with the transponder and the stationary key system because the green key light flashes when trying to start. She found that if she pushes up on the steering wheel with her knees it the car will start. Anyone have this type of issue?

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