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Car has no electrical power, then starts / runs fine

TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
in Help / Advice Forum
My car (2013 Honda Fit) has been pretty awesome. Until today when I went to start it and the electrical system was dead. No lights, no radio, no power doors, nothing - I think the power locks unlocked before I got in, but after that nothing. After a couple of minutes, it starts just fine, no sign of a problem other than the radio resetting. I go to a store, shop for a while, leave. It starts fine. I go to another store and when I go to leave it does the same thing, although I can confirm power locks unlocked, but no power at all after that. After a couple of minutes, it again starts just fine. The battery was replaced about a year ago and tested fine during the last oil change.

Possible causes? Battery connection looks good, I have no idea how I'd test for a short. I'm guessing I should take it to a mechanic but I thought I'd pick the forum's brains first.

Posts

  • dispatch.odispatch.o Registered User regular
    That sounds like the terminals on the battery aren't making reliable contact with the clamps. I've had the same problem you described and that was what it ended out being. I scrubbed the clamp and terminal (lightly) with a scotch brite pad and put them back on a few times but eventually needed to replace the clamps at a mechanic because they had too much wear/corrosion/buildup on them. My car is a 2002 though.

  • Space PickleSpace Pickle Registered User regular
    I had a similar sort of issue rcently, it turned out that the battery was fine but the alternator wasn’t working.

    Big Cat, My dad band: https://bigcatto.bandcamp.com/album/big-cat
  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    Yep, check all the wiring connections from alternator and battery.

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    Yep, intermittent open circuit. Could be loose cables from the battery, or a damaged earth strap from the motor to the chassis, or maybe a dodgy starter relay.

  • azith28azith28 Registered User regular
    clean the terminals on the battery.

    Stercus, Stercus, Stercus, Morituri Sum
  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    azith28 wrote: »
    clean the terminals on the battery.

    Terminals looked clean. I took it to the dealer (I had a recall to do as well). It happened that morning, the dealer could not recreate, and it has not happened since. So, *shrug*.

  • CauldCauld Registered User regular
    This happens all the time to my car. Usually i just jiggle the terminals a bit and it will start again right away. I eventually just propped the wiring in a slightly different direction to change up the terminal connections (based on what I read in this thread) and it works much better now.

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    Cauld wrote: »
    This happens all the time to my car. Usually i just jiggle the terminals a bit and it will start again right away. I eventually just propped the wiring in a slightly different direction to change up the terminal connections (based on what I read in this thread) and it works much better now.

    As an Engineer, I'm triggered.

  • ceresceres When the last moon is cast over the last star of morning And the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, Moderator Mod Emeritus
    Mugsley wrote: »
    Cauld wrote: »
    This happens all the time to my car. Usually i just jiggle the terminals a bit and it will start again right away. I eventually just propped the wiring in a slightly different direction to change up the terminal connections (based on what I read in this thread) and it works much better now.

    As an Engineer, I'm triggered.

    Come on, don't do that.

    When I had this problem it was the alternator, but the car was never really the same after that.

    And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    Sorry, I couldn't resist. [warning heeded] "I moved the wire so it doesn't do it anymore" is the equivalent in my job of, "oh, I just tightened it some more so it stays in place." And now you need a hydraulic wrench to remove said item.

  • tinwhiskerstinwhiskers Registered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    Cauld wrote: »
    This happens all the time to my car. Usually i just jiggle the terminals a bit and it will start again right away. I eventually just propped the wiring in a slightly different direction to change up the terminal connections (based on what I read in this thread) and it works much better now.

    As an Engineer, I'm triggered.

    As a percussive maintenance expert, I'm hammered.

    6ylyzxlir2dz.png
  • HappylilElfHappylilElf Registered User regular
    My roommates car was doing something similar and her dad just fixed it after three different mechanics came up with nothing.

    It was a sensor in the fuel tank. It was telling the computer that the car was out of gas which would then kill the car and it wouldn't start at all. Like it wouldn't even turn over.

    This would remain the case anywhere from 15 minutes to an entire day until the sensor would send a "Oh, my bad, we've got like 3/4 of a tank, it's all good" notification to the computer which made the entire thing seem wholly random.

  • AridholAridhol Daddliest Catch Registered User regular
    Had this happen on multiple vehicles including boats. Almost always some corrosion or layer of gunk on the battery terminals or posts (both usually).
    Get in there with a wire brush and then apply some dialectric grease and reconnect.

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