# Initial start failure

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/initial-start-failure/58013>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** civic, honda\
**Created:** [November 27, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/initial-start-failure/58013 "2010-11-27T16:31:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![hallimeda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hallimeda](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hallimeda)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/initial-start-failure/58013/1 "2010-11-27T16:31:46Z")

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I have a 2005 Honda Civic, VP (DX). When it is cold or rainy, it won’t start the first time. If I shake the car–by depressing the clutch, taking my foot off the brake, and using my weight to shake the whole car–it starts just fine. Is this a loose connection or a crack in the starter somewhere?

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**Author:** ![ignoramus9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d07c76/32.png) [@ignoramus9](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ignoramus9)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/initial-start-failure/58013/2 "2010-11-27T18:24:43Z")

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check the terminals on your battery. Look for a loose wire at your starter.  
A few questions.

1. when you say it wont start, do you mean it wont crank (turn over)?
2. or do you mean it will crank, but wont catch?
3. have you checked the leads from your ignition sw. where they connect down on the steering collum?

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**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/initial-start-failure/58013/3 "2010-11-27T18:26:13Z")

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Does It Crank, But Not Fire Or Just Not Crank ?

CSA

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**Author:** ![jimgray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e99b99/32.png) [@jimgray](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jimgray)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/initial-start-failure/58013/4 "2010-11-27T19:23:40Z")

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clutch. if i remember correctly the clutch has a little “button” on it. if that button is broken or dislodged in some way that could cause the problem.

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**Author:** ![hallimeda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hallimeda](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hallimeda)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/initial-start-failure/58013/5 "2010-11-27T22:51:12Z")

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It’s as if the battery is dead–I don’t get any lights or clicking or anything. But then it starts right away again, so it’s the connection between the battery and the starter, or something…

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**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 8:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/initial-start-failure/58013/6 "2010-11-28T08:29:37Z")

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The first thing to do is clean the battery connections using a battery post wire brush even if they look ok. Check the smaller wire from the battery to the main panel under the hood also.