If The Engine Won't Start - Acura 2009 MDX Owner's Manual

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Diagnosing why the engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
ignition switch to the START (III)
position:
You hear nothing, or almost
●
nothing. The engine's starter
motor does not operate at all, or
operates very slowly.
You can hear the starter motor
●
operating normally, or the starter
motor sounds like it is spinning
faster than normal, but the engine
does not start up and run.
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to
the START (III) position, you do not
hear the normal noise of the engine
trying to start. You may hear a
clicking sound, a series of clicks, or
nothing at all.
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Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
●
The transmission must be in Park
or neutral or the starter will not
operate.
Turn the ignition switch to the ON
●
(II) position. Turn on the
headlights, and check their
brightness. If the headlights are
very dim or do not come on at all,
the battery is discharged. See
Jump Starting on page 432.
Turn the ignition switch to the
●
START (III) position. If the
headlights do not dim, check the
condition of the fuses. If the fuses
are OK, there is probably
something wrong with the
electrical circuit for the ignition
switch or starter motor. You will
need a qualified technician to
determine the problem. See
Emergency Towing on page 446.
2009 MDX

If the Engine Won't Start

If the headlights dim noticeably or
go out when you try to start the
engine, either the battery is
discharged or the connections are
corroded. Check the condition of
the battery and terminal
connections (see page 421). You
can then try jump starting the
vehicle from a booster battery (see
page 432).
The Starter Operates Normally
In this case, the starter motor's speed
sounds normal, or even faster than
normal, when you turn the ignition
switch to the START (III) position,
but the engine does not run.
Are you using a properly coded
●
key? An improperly coded key will
cause the immobilizer system
indicator in the instrument panel
to blink rapidly (see page 70).
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