I did a search to find a similar problem, but I couldn't find anything

So I'm sitting in my car, I push down on the clutch, turn my key to ACC, and then try to turn it on... nothing. All of the lights and radio turn off to power the start of my car, but I don't hear anything, not even the spark plugs. If I keep taking my key out and putting it back in, it'll eventually work one time.

and YES I'm pushing down on the clutch all the way. Before it only took like 2-3 tries before it would start my car, but lately it's been like 5+ tries.

FYI: I changed my battery last year so I know that's not the problem. Maybe need new sparks?

I'm not a big car genius so I don't know what else it would be.

 

Check the connections on the battery to make sure that they are tight and not full of corrosion buildup. Sometimes your battery will put out enough juice to power the radio and dash lights, but not enough to start the car and when you try to start it... everything just dies.

If not that, it could be your starter solenoid.... essentially meaning you need a new starter. Next time this happens, take a piece of 2x4 wood that's about 3 feet long and touch it to the starter in the engine bay... then tap the other end of it with a hammer, and see if that makes the car start. If so, it's most likely a sticky starter solenoid.

Does the car even make a click noise when you try to start it and it doesn't work?

 

Sometimes your battery will put out enough juice to power the radio and dash lights, but not enough to start the car and when you try to start it... everything just dies.

same issue..... try jumping the car and if it starts go to advance and get a new battery exactly what i did

 

Sounds like battery or starter issues to me, maybe even lose connections.

 

are your SLIP, VCD, and SES lights on?????

 

Weak battery!!!

 

No they're not on. My battery should be good because I bought it barely a year ago. I'll have to try out your test, I've never heard of that. I don't think I need to jump it because eventually my car will start no problem, the annoying part is that I have to keep trying

Gets annoying especially when I really have to start heading out.

 

i would to auto parts store and make them do a load test on the batt. - just bc its fairly new doesnt mean anything. - my buddys 05 6mt coupe was using a new battery every month or so - it was grounding out i believe, or you could have a bad cell.

 

If you have recently replaced the battery, I'd get the charging circuit checked out.
You may have a bad alternator.

 

if the car is turning over but not starting, i know that when i had a honda the battery in the key died and that would cut the ignition, but the car would still turn over. all cars now days have chips in the keys that ensure that not just any key car tart your car. try a different key.

 

I really don't think it's his battery that's causing the problem here guys... since he said it eventually starts after he puts he tries to start it a few times. If the battery was weak/dead, it would just never start.. and continuing to try to start it would only make the weak battery lose more power. This is what makes it sound more likely to be the solenoid in the starter.... that fact that it sometimes starts.

A question for the original poster.... When it does start... does it start up strong?... or does it turn over real weak and slow?

 

lol thanks partyman it seemed like people didnt get that it still turned on

yeah it starts up perfectly when it does work. doesn't sound weak or anything

 

Ok.... good... the fact that it does start strong means you can eliminate the battery and alternator as a possible source of your problems. Just to be 100% sure though, the first thing you should do though is to go under the hood of your car and check out the battery terminals to make sure they are both clean and on there tightly. If you see a buildup of some powdery white or bluish stuff around the battery terminals, you should clean it up. Watch out though... that stuff is real nasty. You can neutralize it with a baking soda and water mixture with about 65-70% of that mixture being baking soda and the rest water... make sure you disconnect the battery first though before cleaning it up with this stuff and always disconnect the negative(black) cable first when disconnecting your battery and hook the negative cable up last when reconnecting it.

Chances are that after doing this, your car will still behave the same in regards to the starting problem. The next time it decides to not start, try leaving the key in the ignition rather than taking it out.... and just turn it all the way back to the OFF position, and then try to start it again. If it still doesn't work after a few tries, pop your hood and try it again with the hood popped. If it still doesn't start, tap the starter with the piece of wood as I mentioned earlier and try it again. If it starts after tapping the starter, you either need to replace or rebuild your starter. It's probably easier to just replace it though if you're not someone who works on their own vehicles regularly.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out for you!

 

Great advice! Sounds like a starter issue to me.

 

Yeah I would def say its a starter issue. Does it make a clicking sound when you try to turn it over???