[florin]

To Civic 2005, if you have a "gee" noise,that should be the alternator belt or the A/C belt ,check them both if they are not lose or too old,if your car is still sarting hard check the ignition switch,they die pretty fast and when its hot they just don't work because the contacts are poor inside of the ignition switch. Florin

[KellyPI]

My 98 accord will not start either.It cranks,but won't start. It's getting fuel and it's getting spark. I took it to the dealership and they replaced the ignition switch since it was under recall, and they also replaced the main relay... but 3 days later... it wouldn't start again. So, I took back to the dealership and they kept it for 3 days,and it started every time for them. They said they hooked it up to diagnostics, but couldn't "duplicate the problem". For some reason it seems to not start in the mornings. This is so frustrating, I bought a honda because I thought they were reliable,but apparently they aren't since thousands of people have been reading this thread. My car only has 130,000 miles on it... which I thought wasn't much for a honda. I just paid the stupid thing off, and really didn't want another car payment,but I'm scared to drive it anywhere in fear that it might not start. Please Help!!

[LGO]

"Read the FAQ on information how to resolder your main relay."

I have been all over this site trying to find the FAQ section, and I even used the search faqs and could not find it.

Can anyone PLEASE give me the link to this FAQ?

Many thanks,

LGO

[flashgordon]

I have a 98 accord that sounds like it has a similar problem. My non-starting situation is completely random though. When it usually doesn't start, if I wait 10 to 15 minutes, it will start. The mechanic shop doesn't know what to do with it because every time they try to diagnosis the problem, it works!
I just recently replaced the distributor. Two days later it started doing the same thing again. It's not getting spark. I read the post about the recall on the ignition. I'm going to check into that further. If anyone has any other ideas please post! Thanks!

[richmerr]

I had the same problem with a 1998 Honda Accord with v6. Also a similar problem with a 2000 Dodge 1500. In both instances, the ground cable from the battery was badly corroded. I changed the cable and it seemed to fix the problem. The battery showed good, all lights worked but could not get the starter to turn over. Changed the cables and voilà.

[KellyPI]

After the dealership kept my car for 2 weeks,it finally would not start for them on the 14th day. It was bad coils and a bad igniter unit, which they said was caused from having the original spark plugs. It has now started up fine for a week,so I think it is finally fixed. Yay!

[TxGreaseMonkey]

See if you are getting 5 volts to your MAP sensor. If it's way short, replace your failing Engine Control Module.

[kidroc]

I had the same problem when its hot not starting it's the relay assist its under the drivers dash and cost's 35$ at honda dealer.


1998 accord ex v6

[hondaaccord98]

CroCivic91 is correct. It's the "MAIN RELAY". My 1998 Honda Accord sometimes kept cranking but did not start. I had to leave it for 30 minutes or sometimes few hours and started it again and it's okay. The problem was random. At first I thought it was the fuel pump. When it starts, I find out the problem is not from the fuel pump. It's from the main relay since it also control the fuel pump. One can short the relay but it's dangerous since fuel pump would work all the times.
I could not solder as CroCivic91 mentioned; I bought a new one from Honda dealer for $80 and have a mechanic replaced it for $20. It solved my problem. Thanks CroCivic91.

[RGX Ninja]

Hrm same problem. 1996 Honda Accord died. I thought it was my security system, but we disconnected it and it appears not to work. I attempt to start up the car and the engine sputters, but the car does not start. The battery appears to be fine... so I have no idea what is the problem.

[bigballa]

Hi everyone, I want to thank the folks who told me about the main relay
Under the dash. My 1998 honda accord would not start once in a while
And mostly on hot days, after relpacing the main relay switch under the
Dash it's been almost a month and starts every time. It was 70 bucks
Installed by a local mechinic however it took him about 2 minutes to replace
And looked simple. Anyway, I hope other folks replace try this fix cause
It really works. Great forum..

Thanks again.. jt.

[corey112]

Same thing is happening to me on warm days when my 99 Honda accord sits for hours. Lately it turns over and catches but then suddenly dies if I don't give it gas fast enough. I guess I will try the "Main Relay" that everyone is talking about but I think it might be the immobilizer for the key since I have noticed a pattern with that green key light that flashes when you turn your car to II. Definitely not happy with this make and model.

[tpokorny]

Give us more details. Do you hear the fuel pump working? Does it start for a second and then dies? Does it start in cold weather, or in the morning, and not in hot weather and after it's been left in the sun?

I have a 1998 Accord with the same problem of not starting when it is in the sun or if the engine is hot. I am going to try replacing the main relay switch and hope it works as it has for most of you. Thanks for the help. No one knew how to fix it and the same problem occurred, but not when the mechanics were watching.

[andersond]

My wife has a 1999 Accord. About 5 years ago we locked her keys in the trunk and had to get an additional key made at the dealer. I have been keeping, but rarely using, this key since. Last night, she went to move her car in the garage using my keys (they were handier at the time). The car would only crank, but not turn over. I immediately thought fuel pump.
My fixes involve "try the cheapest first" approach, so we made sure that the gas gauge wasn't off by adding a couple of gallons of fuel. Didn't help. Next, checked the fump pump fuse. Didn't help. So off to the internet I went in search of suggestions before calling a tow truck. This is where I found out about faulty keys. Who thought a key could not to it's job?! Apparently, some of the helpful people on this site considered it.
Long story short... Got the wife's key and it turned right over.

[myhonda98]

I have a 1998 honda accord that don't won't to start all the time.   I have read that other honda owners are having this problem.  I have had a mechanic to look at the car and of course the car starts with him my husband is trying to figure this out.  I think I am going to contact the main Honda headquarters and see if this is a problem that might need a recall.  This is such a pain. Im' afraid to drive my honda. I would like to know have any one found the solution?  Thanks ladyj

My 1998 Honda Accord is doing the same thing and it has 77,000 miles on it.
I can go to the store and come back out with my groceries and get in and it will not turn over, but it is getting gas. I just replaced the fuel pump a month ago and now I'm scared to drive long distances in case it breaks down for good. I purchased this car because it is supposed to be a decent car but I had nothing but problems with it. I even had my transmision rebuilt and it still is not right. We should all contact the honda dealer and put in a complaint. I know I will if my car doesn't work after I take it to the dealer come Monday. I had trouble with my abs light staying on too. I can't afford this car and it still looks brand new and I hate to sell it to someone for them to have my problems.

[myhonda98]

My 99 Accord began to have the 'hard-to-start problem' this July (2005), and since then it would happen occasionally (once every two weeks). And I noticed that it would only happen on hot days as well. I took the car to a Honda dealership, but they couldn't do anything to it, saying that 'they couldn't reproduce the problem'. But three days after coming out of their shop, I had problems starting the car again. Two days in a row!

Just like others said, the car sounded normal when you first tried to start it, but then it just cranked, and wouldn't start. I had to turn off the key and turn it back on, and repeat the step several times, and crank the car several times, and every time when I was panicked, the car would start.
In the latest occurrence, I noticed my car actually first got started, and then in a second, it went dead, and then it was the 'fully routine' of turning the key on and off, on and off, hoping the car would start.

I am getting frustrated, and at first my husband wouldn't believe what I said about the car. He thought I didn't start the car right. After I found this link, he started to believe me, and we thought it might be caused by a dirty fuel filter, since we have never had it cleaned or replaced.

I am very disappointed by Honda's service. If so many Honda cars (especially Accords) are having similar problems, the dealer's service department should have known better than just saying that 'we couldn't reproduce the problem'.

I wonder whether all of us here should write a petition together to send to Honda's headquarter, so that they could take the problem seriously, so that they could train their technicians better and fix the cars for us. The biggest fear I have now is that my car might stop dead right in the middle of the road!

Just didn't expect a car from Honda with problems like this. Very disappointed!

I will back you up with that petition!!

[myhonda98]

I will back you up with that petition maybe they will fix our cars for free. Lol that would be the day

[misshannondiaz]

I have a 92 accord with same problem, I usually had the problem when it was warm outside, but early morning and late at night when it was cool, it would start, (really weird) but come to find out after spending a lot of money it was the fuel pump relay switch.

[coffeecup]

Same inconsistent problem here, too. Wouldn't start sometimes - did fine others.
Sometimes it would stall - but most of the time it didn't. Very frustrating.

I have to give credit to our local Honda Dealer. They would fix one thing - we'd drive it for a couple of weeks and the problem would show up again. We'd take it back to the dealer, and they'd work on it again NO CHARGE.
We ended up needing to leave it with them for about a week, so that they could try to "create the problem". They ended up replacing the computer. Apparently it was sending out incorrect information and causing our problems.

At long last our Accord is humming again!

[booberry01]

This problem is most likely caused by the safety interlock mechinism. I had the same problem where my car would start and then stall and flash a green key on the dash panel. This is a recall and honda has issued a service bulliten for it. What happens is your key is computerized and when you put the key in the ignition the ignition reads the key to make sure it is valid for the car otherwise the car won't start. (anti theft device). If the key is not valid it will shut the car off after about 15 seconds of running. And if you put the key in the ignition if it is unable to read the key it will just turn over and over and over without starting. call your honda dealer and ask them if your car is included in the recall. Most 98 accords are.