2014 Honda Accord Sdn - Starting Problems

My 2014 Honda Accord is having issues starting, it’ll start intermittently. Some days I have no problems at all and other days it will take 2 or 3 attempts to start. Already had it checked with a mechanic, he assured me everything is fine. Starter, alternator and battery are all okay. Tomorrow I will be taking it to the Honda Dealership, hopefully everything works out. This is very stressing and disappointing. I thought Hondas were great cars, now I’m considering buying a Lexus.

Electrical issues are hard to deal with. Could have a problem with the ignition switch. It all depends on the noise from turning the key.

What happens? Does the engine always crank, or only crank after several attempts. When it does crank, does it always start and run right away, or does it crank a long time before starting?

Well I did get a new battery. Now it will start at times and other times it will take 5 tries before starting. No clicking sound anymore. Still having same intermittent starting issues :tired_face:

Does this no start condition only occur if the vehicle sits for awhile?

Tester

For less than an hour yes. I have no problem starting it in the mornings. The problem is when I go to the store and turn off the car, i come back to start it and it takes a couple of tries before starting.

The problem might be vapor lock.

This is where the gas in the fuel rails boils from the engine heat when the hot engine is shut off.

Try this. Make a sign that say’s SHUT HOOD.

The next time you shut the engine off, place this sign on the steering wheel, pull the hood latch so the hood pops open to the catch, and go do your thing.

When you come back, and if the engine starts right up, that’s vapor lock.

Tester

Thank you, I’ll try that.

How long is each Try?

5 seconds, after 5 or 6 tries it turns on.

Does it consistently crank ok? … that rrr rrrr rrrr sound with the key in “start”?

If the problem is cranks but won’t catch and run , that’s usually either a fuel or spark problem. Once you know which of those two it is, it will be much easier for you shop to diagnose and effect a repair. It’s difficult to impossible for a shop to determine which it is unless it is acting up at the shop. But you can ask your shop to show you how to do the test yourself. Then next time it happens, you’ll do the test, and then you can tell them whether it is fuel or spark. At that point the problem is almost solved.

One common method is to spray some starter spray into the air intake. If it starts and runs briefly, then stalls, you know it is a fuel problem. If it still won’t start, most likely it is a spark problem.

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Does it always crank (that rrr-rrr-rrr sound) when you turn the key to Start?

If Yes:

Does also sometimes start and run, and other times just crank (rrr-rrr-rrr) and not start?

It doesn’t make the rrrrr sound, it just doesn’t start. Other times it’ll start without a problem.

How can each Try last for 5 seconds, if the starter makes no sound?