# Cranks looses juice but always starts eventually **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [June 6, 2020, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419 "2020-06-06T20:07:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tyler-49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Tyler-49](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tyler-49)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419/1 "2020-06-06T20:07:44Z")
2012 Honda Civic usually won’t start right up in the morning but always starts after a few tries. Cranks a few times first try and then seems dead, leave key on cranks a few more times and slows to stop, turn key off and back on cranks better like it never happened or does the same thing again. I’m pretty sure the door lock actuator in drivers side is bad not sure if it is parasitic on power to ignition? Please any ideas ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419/2 "2020-06-06T20:09:30Z")
Did you check if the battery terminals are clean and tight? Tester ---
**Author:** ![Tyler-49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Tyler-49](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tyler-49)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419/3 "2020-06-06T20:10:27Z")
Yes I cleaned them all up and tightened them ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419/4 "2020-06-06T20:29:43Z")
We can hope for the best and think the battery is dying and that is the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Tyler-49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Tyler-49](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tyler-49)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419/5 "2020-06-06T20:53:13Z")
The Auto parts store said the battery is very strong ---
**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419/6 "2020-06-06T22:38:52Z")
If the battery is holding a charge and the alternator is putting out enough juice (have it tested if you haven’t already) the starter may be on its way out. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 10:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419/7 "2020-06-06T22:42:50Z")
> [@Tyler-49](#): > > 2012 Honda Civic usually won’t start right up in the morning Yeah. Those worn starters get really cranky (pun intended) in the morning when they’re first used. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Tyler-49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Tyler-49](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tyler-49)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 11:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419/8 "2020-06-06T23:45:34Z")
Okay thanks y’all. Will a parts store test a starter or usually try to find it with diagnostic machine? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 11:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419/9 "2020-06-06T23:52:44Z")
Bring it to a shop, and ask that they do a starter current draw test. They’ll hook an ammeter to the battery cable to measure the current draw of the starter. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/2/12e8994c0e700f4e039678619819442ff35a243e.jpeg) Tester ---
**Author:** ![Tyler-49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Tyler-49](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tyler-49)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2020, 10:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cranks-looses-juice-but-always-starts-eventually/165419/10 "2020-06-07T10:47:49Z")
Alright thank you