Got a Honda CRV that won't start

[Josh-L]

My sister has a 2002 Honda CRV. It wouldn't start this weekend so her neighbor helped her pull the battery and they took it to auto zone or somewhere who tested it and said it was good. So I'm guessing that means the starter or alternator? Is there a way to get it started to drive it to a shop? I'm not a car person at all. Anyone know a reputable place to take it in MWC?

 

[BryanDP]

My sister has a 2002 Honda CRV. It wouldn't start this weekend so her neighbor helped her pull the battery and they took it to auto zone or somewhere who tested it and said it was good. So I'm guessing that means the starter or alternator? Is there a way to get it started to drive it to a shop? I'm not a car person at all. Anyone know a reputable place to take it in MWC?

I wouldn't count on the battery test being accurate. A bad battery can test "good" so I would recommend trying a known good battery or even taking the risk on buying a new one. (Maybe you can buy at Wal-Mart and return if it doesn't help?) The reason I say this is my previous experience back when I maintained about a dozen vehicles for the business I owned. After a few times of being told that a vehicle needed a new alternator and new battery and paying for the replacement of both I just started replacing the battery first. Since I began that practice I have never not even once had to replace an alternator again. I don't know if I was being scammed or if it is just a coincidence but I'm always willing to gamble a $100 battery against a $500+ repair.

Bryan

 

[W150]

+1 on not trusting the battery test saying good. I have had 2 OEM less than a year old batteries test "good" that were actually bad in the last 3 years.
Try to jump start with cables or a jump start pac. or try a new battery.

 

[Josh-L]

I put the battery in 2 1/2 years ago for her. Do they go bad that fast? I'm going over there tomorrow and I'll try and jump it.

 

[YukonGlocker]

If it jump starts, but won't stay running, it's probably the alternator. If it stays running, but the battery won't crank it when you try to start it back up after it sits, it's probably the battery.

 

[BryanDP]

+1 on not trusting the battery test saying good. I have had 2 OEM less than a year old batteries test "good" that were actually bad in the last 3 years. Try to jump start with cables or a jump start pac. or try a new battery.

I've even had batteries go so bad that they won't jump start.The last battery I dealt with wouldn't charge past 80% on my digital readout charger.

I put the battery in 2 1/2 years ago for her. Do they go bad that fast? I'm going over there tomorrow and I'll try and jump it.

Yes. I have terrible luck with batteries. Actually think most people do which is why it is so believable when the car repair place tells you that your alternator is out. In possible defense of places replacing alternators unnecessarily, I do believe that a truly bad battery can give a false reading on the equipment that tests the alternator.

If it jump starts, but won't stay running, it's probably the alternator. If it stays running, but the battery won't crank it when you try to start it back up after it sits, it's probably the battery.

Agree. I have had times that the car won't jump start while the battery is connected. I assume this is because one or more of the cells in the battery is shorted or something. And that's all I really know about that.

Good luck with it!!

Bryan

 

[KOPBET]

Every car I've owned (Chevrolet and Toyota) in the last 15-20 years had a Nippon-Denso starter. Every one of them had the contactors in the solenoid fail. However they never failed without some warning with intermittent no-crank symptoms. Just a click. Sometimes a jump would get a one-time solenoid contact to get it started. If that winds up being your problem, the contactors and plunger are tons cheaper (~ $35) than a starter and easy to replace once the starter is removed from the engine.

 

[Josh-L]

Ok so I told them what you guys said and they said they tried to jump start it and it wouldn't. I didn't know they had tried.

 

[Okie4570]

So what exactly is it doing, that might help us help you better. With jumper cables it:

-cranks but no start?
-clicks but no start?
-does nothing, no dash lights, etc, no start

 

[BryanDP]

I have seen batteries that did not test bad on the battery store tester but in reality had some problem so bad that it would keep the car from being jump started when hooked up.

If you can put a known good battery in there (one that is in another car working now) and it still doesn't crank then I would agree with a starter problem.

An alternator problem will most commonly manifest itself as lights that dim as the car runs. This is because those things are running off the battery rather than the non-working alternator.

I hate battery/alternator/starter problems!!

Bryan