Honda Civic sometimes fails to start, battery is brand new, mystery problem!

I’m having same problem with 2009 civic…wouldn’t start-replaced battery, 1 month later wouldn’t start-jumped it. While driving had no AC for a few miles then got some cool air?? Couple days later it was a no start in shopping parking lot. While waiting for help I tried it again, it started with a struggle. As I started out of the lot it died, I managed to get it to shoulder. It was towed to that mechanic’s shop. Another new battery and new alternator. I was so happy to have it running again however, it didn’t last but a day or 2. Now it struggles to start and no AC?? Anyone have anything to offer me??

Suggest you post your query as a new topic @Debm1026 , you’ll get better results here. Click maint/repairs upper left, then new topic upper right.

Lots of good suggestions…your mechanic doesn’t sound competent if saying “but couldn’t be completely sure enough to do such expensive work”. Testing a starter is not difficult nor is pulling it down and checking solenoid, solenoid contact, brushes and bushes…all of which and any of which can cause your problem. I also regard Calcium batteries as a pain in the neck…unreliable. An in-cabin voltmeter across the battery terminals would be useful in checcking that. One chap gave a lengthy check list…all ok excepting this staement

:.”because the lights come on”. This is no more a battery test than licking a 9volt battery. It only tells you that there is electricity…not how many volts or the amperage that flows from the battery" It’s half right and quite wrong at the same time headlights’on’ when cranking should see the lights dim about say 30% lumens but not die. Headlights take current and current causes voltage drop…if your low beam is say 75 watts, two make 150 watts if power used. The is a drain of (all being perfect) of about 12 amperes. That is a very small amount compared with say 200 amperes when cranking…but that is the important and simple comparison. The are better batteries than calcium but they are expensive…Your alternator btw might not be charging the battery completely if it is calcium…and stop-start-crank motoring stuffs batteries…you need long runs to keep them charges of get the correct charger and hook it up to charge every couple of days or so, It may well be that the computer is interfering owing to some other engine fault…stopping you from starting again…however also many forget…and this has caused fatal accidents…that in European cars you normally have to turn the ignition ‘completely’ off before trying again to start.

@goldmort_181203 This thread started in 2014 so I doubt the person will ever return.

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