2004 Accord starting problem?

I went on vacation 2 weeks ago, and while I was gone my 2004 Accord LX
V6 with 55,000 miles sat in the driveway. I got back on a Monday, and
didn't try starting the car until I went to work on Tuesday morning.
The car cranked slowly, as if the battery were low, and took a few
tries before it started. Ran fine once it started. I figured that
maybe the battery had discharged a bit while sitting for a week,
although that seems like too short a period of time to really make a
difference.

On Thursday, there was a very bad storm here in the midwest with a
threat of hail. While at work, I pulled my car into a covered
warehouse area to avoid any damage in case it did hail. When I went to
leave, I turned the key and got the "clicking" noise you get when the
battery isn't supplying enough power to the starter. Tried the key a
second time and the car turned right over and ran fine. Made a mental
note to have this checked out.

Very busy on Friday.

On Saturday, I had 3 episodes where I went to start the car and either
got the clicking noise again, or else no response at all, as in a dead
battery. Each time, the car started fine on the second or third try
and ran fine once it started. I wanted to take it in to my mechanic,
but the storm had knocked out the power and he was closed for 3 days.

On Sunday, I removed the battery from the car, cleaned the terminals
and connectors, checked the ground wire, and put the battery on a
charger all day. When I first connected the charger, the meter in the
charger read 4 amps. After a couple hours, it went to 2 amps, but
would go no lower after 8 hours of charging. At this point I'm
thinking it's time for a new battery. Original battery is in the car
and is 3 years old.

Later on Sunday, I was filing away some papers and came across a
reciept for service (power seat wire harness recall & oil change) that
I had done at the dealer on June 4. On the reciept was printed the
results of the electrical test they routinely do on all cars brought
in for service, and it noted that the battery base voltage and
cold-cranking amperage were within factory specifications (425
IPS???).

Sunday evening and all day Monday the car has started and run just
fine.

And I forgot to mention, my model Accord does not have an electrical
gauge in the dashboard, and the red warning light has never come on.
Assuming that it is functioning properly, that would rule out an
alternator problem - correct?

Does anybody have any thoughts on this starting problem? I certainly
have no objections to replacing the battery, but the dealers test
showed OK just 2 months ago. Is there something else I should be
looking into? Thanks for taking the time to read and for any advice
you can offer.

G

 

Take it to Autozone or Advance Auto Parts. They will check your charging
system and battery for free.

 

Batteries are cheap. I'd start by just replacing it. I had a flaky battery
once. It tested fine, but like you, at times it would just not crank.
Seems I had a shorted cell that worked off/on intermittently.

G-Man

 

G-Man, do you work in a battery shop? I see you always suggest to
replace battery.

I am not saying, the battery is not a suspect. Autozone can check it
out.

When you turn the key and car does not start, try jiggling the key. If
it is due to ignition key problem, car might start up.

Also try jigling gear (in park) to rule out safety switch problem.

Hope this helps.

 

More than once I had the battery checked and deemed worthy, only to find out
it was still the battery. After three years, if I even suspected there
might be a problem, it's the cheapest fix I can think of. This is not just
cars, but I had a motorcycle do the same damn thing.

So far three cars have done this and one bike. No, I'm not jinxed, I have
had a lot of cars and motorcycles. This happens when you are old

G-Man

Just my opinion, your mileage may vary, void where prohibited by law!

 

PS, I don't work in a battery shop, and no matter what, I would still have
the alternator checked.

G-Man

 

And if it ISN'T the battery? Just set the new one aside (on a block of
wood to keep it off the concrete floor of the garage) until you DO need
it - and you WILL soon need it when dealing with a three year old battery.

If you're starting woes are THAT persnickety (technical term<g>) it will
likely cost you more than the cost of a new juice box to sort it out. A
new battery is often the cheapest diagnostic tool, if not cure, in cases
such as these.

 

Unquestionably Confused wrote:r old battery.

If YOUR starting woes are...

Had it right the first time, that'll teach me to proof read before
hitting send<g>

 

I'm going with the explanation that it is cracked inter-cell connections
that do that. Actually, I think it is usually where the post connects to an
electrode at one end or the other. A great majority of the time I've been
able to get it going again by whacking each post smartly (stupidly?) with a
hammer. The battery still needs to be replaced, but the car can be moved.
One of the moments that make me proud was that after I taught my then-teen
aged daughter that trick she was with my wife when I was out of town. The
car died in traffic and had no electrical. Daughter found a hammer in the
trunk, popped the hood and had them on the road in no time. BTW - bad
connections on the clamps react differently. Being exposed to air, they form
a layer of oxide that gets worse as more current flows. Internal connections
seem to weld together a bit as more current flows, producing a weird
increase in starter speed as the starter is held on.

I never saw this failure mode before the mid-'80s. At that time it was
associated with the new-at-the-time side post batteries, but I saw it on
even top-post batteries. I've replaced probably a dozen that have failed
that way since then.

Mike

 

Get a new battery. Even one deep discharge event can kill a battery's
capacity.

Also have the dealer make sure that the charging voltage is correct.
There is a TSB out for a situation which makes the car run an abnormally
high charging voltage, which can kill batteries.

The TSB is # 05-034, Headlights Dim or DTC P1298 Is Stored in the
ECM/PCM. It happened to our 2003 Accord and the dealer replace the
fuse box to correct it. Even though our car was out of warranty Honda
covered the cost 100% because it was a known defect.

 

The trustworthiness of the parts store testing and their employees is
highly variable!