Sporadic Problems Starting 2003 Honda Civic 4-cylinder
Please help! My car recently began not wanting to start. According to a quick Google search it could be caused by SEVERAL things but hoping this group can help narrow it down. Some extra details:
- It’s a 2003 Honda Civic with 190K miles (4-cylinder, automatic)
- It often sits for 4-5 days without being used. (I take the bus to/from work, so I mainly use it to run errands and visit my family who live about an hour away once every few months)
Here’s a rundown of what’s been happening:
ABOUT A MONTH AGO: Tried starting my car and it took two tries. The ignition would click, dash lights would come on, but engine didn’t start until the second try.
OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS: Car kept doing the same thing. I would let it sit for a minute or so between tries and it would always eventually start, usually on the third try.
LAST SATURDAY: I was out running errands and stopped by an auto parts store to have the battery tested. It tested weak (it was five years old) so I bought a new one and went down the street to have it installed. I made several stops over the course of the day, and each time it started on the first try.
LAST SUNDAY: I drove it to a work event (about 45 minutes each way) and both times it started on the first try.
THURSDAY: Hadn’t driven since Sunday but needed to drive to work because I had an appointment right after. It didn’t start on the first try, but it did on the second. Went to leave for the appointment after work and it wouldn’t start. At all. The ignition would click, dash lights would come on, but it wouldn’t start. After 5-6 attempts over 15 minutes, I took the bus home. I have a portable jump starter and wanted to see if that would work before calling AAA. (SUPER annoyed that the one time it wouldn’t start at all it was parked on a lower level of a parking garage that would have been a nightmare to deal with.) I went back a few hours later and for fun, tried to start it before doing the jumper cable thing. It started on the first try.
THIS MORNING: Tried starting it for the first time since Thursday night. It started on the first try. I let the engine run for about five minutes. Turned it off and waited about 10 minutes before trying to start it again and it wouldn’t. Tried again about 15 minutes later and it still wouldn’t start.
TONIGHT: About 10 hours later, I went to try starting the car. It didn’t want to, but it did start on the first try. I let it run for 5 minutes and then turned it off. I let it sit for 5 minutes and tried starting it and it didn’t start on the first try, but it did the second.
Any ideas based on all the above? Is there something I can try or test or visually check to rule out a potential issue?
Bonus points if you can tell be the best way to describe the issue to a mechanic (and what else would be helpful for them to know) and how much it might cost to repair. Please don’t say it’s not worth fixing. Hoping to have the car for another year or so. It’s worth the gas in the tank at this point but I need to finish paying off my student loans before I can even think about taking on car payments and a higher insurance premium.