Allright guys.. I can't figure this one out.

My girlfriend has a 2003 Honda Accord EX. Doesn't have more than regular miles on it, and its only been in a fender-bender at like 3-4 mph. There is some sort of electrical problem in the car.

This is what happens. Randomly, the car wont start. Nothing will work. The keyless entry won't work, alarm won't honk, power locks wont work.. display won't trun on. Nothing. Then you come back to the car 5-10 minutes later, and it starts and turns on just fine!

It makes no sense. She says something like if she uses the radio before she turns the car off, and leaves the radio "on", and then turns they car off, the next time she comes to the car, it does this. But it does this so erratically.. and I've witnessed it, where I tried to start the car... nothing turned on, and then I come back to it 5 minutes later and it starts without a hickup.

Also, when the car doesn't start.. nothing happens. The starter does not turn, there is no sound, no activity.

When the car does actually start, it starts up very fast. I haven't had a chance to measure the voltage across the battery yet, but the fact that it starts up so quickly leads me to believe the battery is just fine.

Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this? I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post in, but I thought I'd give it a shot. Perhaps some other Accord owners here might know of this problem as a known issue?

I know if she takes the car to a dealer, she will just get the standard lines: 1) replace battery 2) replace alternator... and then when the problem continues, they'll say they don't know what it is.

Thanks!

 

check the terminals to make sure they're tight then check A-ground cables and B-major engine harness+fuses.

 

I'll try that.. I don't remember the battery terminals being corroded or anything, but maybe there was some unvisible corrosion. Will try some cleaner and new terminals.

Never had this kind of problem on my LS, so thats why I didn't think about doing that

 

Could also be an intermittently bad ignition switch. Several of the inoperative functions you mention.....power locks, windows, starter, radio, horn, etc.....are wired through the ignition switch and become inoperative when the engine is turned off.

 

Should I check that fuse?

How would I know if its the switch? Take apart that section and take a look?

 

Also, when I said horn, I meant the horn chirp that the factory alarm puts out when locking and arming the car.. That doesn't even work.

 

The fact that all these functions work intermittently suggests to me that it is not the fuses. When a fuse blows, the affected circuit...and the accessories on that circuit......will not operate again until the fuse is replaced.

The diagnosis of a bad ignition switch is best left to a qualified repair shop. Going inside the steering column and fooling with the switch is a tricky buisness.....unless it is done exactly right, it can set off the airbag right in your face...a quite nasty experience.

 

The times when the car won't start... is the engine ever/usually hot?

 

measure the voltage of the battery when you know it's working well.

Then re-measure again an hour *after* you do the radio thingy that makes the car do funny things.

We're hoping its just loose connection at the battery and nothing more

 

Is it the original battery? If so, it's done. 4 years is a good run.