If The Engine Won't Start - Honda Civic Hybrid 2005 Owner's Manual

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If the Engine Won't Start

Diagnosing why the engine won't
start falls into two areas, depending
on what you hear when you turn the
key to START (III):
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.
182
Nothing Happens or the Starter
Motor Operates Very Slowly
When you turn the ignition switch to
START (III), you do not hear the
normal noise of the engine trying to
start. You may hear a clicking sound
or series of clicks, or nothing at all.
Check these things:
Check the transmission interlock.
If you have a manual transmission,
the clutch pedal must be pushed
all the way to the floor or the
starter will not operate. With an
automatic transmission, it must be
in Park or Neutral.
Turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
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
Turn the ignition switch to START
(III). 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
on page 197
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 12 volt battery and terminal
connections (see page
can then try jump starting the
vehicle from a booster battery
(see page
184 .
Emergency Towing
).
). You
173
184 ).