# Weird Honda **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [April 15, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-honda/12909 "2008-04-15T17:01:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![waddlinrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@waddlinrod](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waddlinrod)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-honda/12909/1 "2008-04-15T17:01:19Z")
My Fiancee’s '89 Honda Civic has a weird problem. If she drives it on a short trip (sometimes this happens not every time) and goes in somewhere and only stays a few minutes(5-30) then comes out the car turns over but won’t start. After it sits for a while(30 minutes or more) it starts right up and runs fine with no problem. This is an intermittent problem. I have driven it for a month at a time and it not failed to start even one time. ---
**Author:** ![hoffmalr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/bc8723/32.png) [@hoffmalr](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hoffmalr)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 1:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-honda/12909/2 "2008-04-16T01:07:49Z")
[http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/669017.page](http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/669017.page) There was a similar problem a while back. I’d check the things that were suggested to that poster or ask a mechanic to look the car over. If it’s a problem with the starter or wiring it may not be apparent, but you could narrow the problem down a bit to what’s not wrong. My guess is a problem with the starter. ---
**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:** [April 16, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-honda/12909/3 "2008-04-16T03:21:23Z")
This is a common problem with these gear-reduction starters. The problem will become more frequent and worse. The answer is a replacement starter. ---
**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:** [April 16, 2008, 11:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-honda/12909/4 "2008-04-16T11:30:38Z")
``` Could you describe exactly what happens and does not happen when someone tries to start it and it does not start? ``` ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 11:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-honda/12909/5 "2008-04-16T11:40:06Z")
The easiest and cheapest fix and most common problem is the following: > **[Need Help With Your Honda Hot Start Problem?](https://www.liveabout.com/help-with-your-honda-hot-start-problem-281326)** > > If your Honda Accord, Civic, Prelude, CRX, or another model won't start when the engine is hot, you might have a faulty main relay. ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 11:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-honda/12909/6 "2008-04-16T11:57:47Z")
Civic DX? LX? EX? This makes a difference. The main relay which runs the fuel pump is a good possibility . . . can you hear the pump run when you turn the key? By saying “the car turns over but won’t start” . . . I believe that the starter motor is turning. I have a simple fix if the car is a DX with a carb. This era Honda with carbs have a funky no-start issue after warm-up which goes away as soon as the car cools down, even just a bit. So you can either wait for the engine to cool down or read the owners manual . . . which states “starting a warm engine requires one pump of the pedal and then holding the pedal down half way while creanking”. It works. This won’t start a F/I car. Rocketman ---
**Author:** ![hoffmalr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/bc8723/32.png) [@hoffmalr](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hoffmalr)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-honda/12909/7 "2008-04-16T15:17:30Z")
That’s a pretty cool piece of trivia, rocketman. I wonder if that might solve the OP’s problem. ---
**Author:** ![waddlinrod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@waddlinrod](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waddlinrod)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-honda/12909/8 "2008-04-16T19:29:31Z")
Guess I didn’t make it clear that it always turns over, so it’s not a starter. I’ll check the next time it happens and listen for the fuel pump. This is a F/I engine w/ california emissions equip. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/weird-honda/12909/9 "2008-04-16T19:47:38Z")
Works for my 89 Accord (carb’d DX). I tried almost everything . . . and then one day read the owners manual on starting procedures . . . and VOILA! Reminded me of Marty McFly banging his head on the steering wheel of the Delorean in “Back to the Future” ! Hey OP . . . give it a try. Rocketman