# Civic hybrid with new battery won't start. Advice?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/civic-hybrid-with-new-battery-wont-start-advice/25680>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** selling, batteries, civic, honda\
**Created:** [January 27, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/civic-hybrid-with-new-battery-wont-start-advice/25680 "2009-01-27T23:22:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RedMennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7bcc69/32.png) [@RedMennis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RedMennis)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/civic-hybrid-with-new-battery-wont-start-advice/25680/1 "2009-01-27T23:22:07Z")

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My 2004 Honda Civic hybrid wouldn’t start in a cold snap. Jumping wouldn’t work, though it always did before. So we determined that the little battery under the hood was dead, and replaced it.  
  
  
  
 Now the car won’t start. No clicking, no nothing. We’ve been told there may be a “reset switch” for “the computer” somewhere. Is this true? If so, where do we find it, and what do we do?  
  
  
  
 Grateful for your help!

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**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\
**Post date:** [January 27, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/civic-hybrid-with-new-battery-wont-start-advice/25680/2 "2009-01-27T23:32:30Z")

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Read the owner’s manual. Hybrids are a different animal altogether, and the basics just do not apply. If all else fails, call a dealership.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/civic-hybrid-with-new-battery-wont-start-advice/25680/3 "2009-01-28T00:12:57Z")

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Jumping wouldn’t work, though it always did before.

```
 Hold on their partner. How often have you had to jump start this car? Why have you had to jump start it? Under normal conditions you should never need to jump start a car. 

  I don't know the 2004 Honda Hybrid. Is the starting battery different than the special hybrid battery? I am guessing it is.

  If it is the original starting battery, it is likely dead or nearly dead and needs to be replaced. 

  I would assume someone things the car's computer needs to be rebooted back to OEM settings. Frankly I doubt if that is it. I vote for having the starting battery checked and likely replaced.
```

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**Author:** ![RedMennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7bcc69/32.png) [@RedMennis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RedMennis)\
**Post date:** [January 28, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/civic-hybrid-with-new-battery-wont-start-advice/25680/4 "2009-01-28T17:47:20Z")

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It was the original starting battery. It was replaced.

And I had to jump start is several times over the years, because I left lights on. Even for a few minutes, that knocks the battery out. Total pilot error.

The starting battery is different from the special hybrid battery. Starter is small, about the size of a motorcycle battery. It just starts the car. The big hybrid battery is behind the back seat.