Hey all,

Looking for some help troubleshooting a starting issue on my Honda Fit (~110k miles). This has been going on for about 3 months now.

A little background:

• About 2 years ago I had the push start button replaced after it failed
• Back in December, I started needing to press the start button multiple times to get the car to start
• I had the battery tested and ended up replacing it (it was due anyway)

Current issue:

• Still having starting problems even with the new battery
• When I press the start button, I usually just get a click
• usually start after 3 attempts
• Weird thing: if I pump the brake until I feel resistance, then hold the start button, it starts more reliably

I'm trying to figure out if this points to:

• Starter motor/solenoid
• Brake switch / sensor
• Something else in the push start system

Before I go ahead and replace the starter, is there anything I can do to troubleshoot this further? Any tests I can run to narrow it down?

Appreciate any insight as I don't want to throw parts at it if I can avoid it.

Thanks!

************
update 4/1/26
Replaced starter 5 days ago and starts up with no issues every time. Found a good youtube video on removing it which helped out but i didn't remove the coolant reservoir as shown and had enough space. Yes i did get pretty scraped up but thankful for breaker bars. .

 

With automatic transmissions you generally have to apply the brake before you start the car.

With manual transmission cars which mine is,

I push the clutch before starting my car.

 

What are the gauges and such doing when it fails to start? Is the car doing the Off -> ACC -> Ignition On, engine off -> Off cycle the way it does when you're not holding down the brake pedal?

 

Its the starter, replace the starter, the bolts are hella tight and you will lose some knuckle skin, but its possible

 

Unfortunately, that's one of the most expensive and annoying-to-replace parts involved. It also doesn't cover the situation where you replace the starter and the car still doesn't start. Proper etiquette is to test the parts, then replace the ones that fail the test.
In the case of the starter, put the car in neutral (MT) or park (AT), run a jumper wire from the starter's solenoid terminal to the positive battery terminal. The starter should crank the engine when the wire is touched to the positive terminal. Repeat several times to be sure it cranks every time.

 

i went through the "its everything but the starter"...but its the starter, mine went at 65000 kms,,,kms. the starter is a weak link.

WAI GLOBAL 30639N
Starter Motor 09 / 27 / 2023 Shipped USD$154.33

 

good luck reaching the solenoid terminal, by the time you reach it the starters out....lol.I do admire your desire for proper etiquette and totally agree with it.

 

Maybe look at it this way, those starter bolts are only going to get tighter, at SOME point the starter will probably need to be replaced, so your going to put neversieze on those bolts so the NEXT starter is easier to replace.(also its the starter, just sayin) that's what i did

 

Good point. Though terminal #2 (NO) of Starter Cut Relay 2 in the under-hood fuse/relay box is the supply end of the existing solenoid wire. You could unplug the relay, plug a wire with a blade terminal into the relay socket's terminal #2, then touch that wire to the battery terminal.

 

he's gonna blow up his car, easier to replace the starter, but yea if you can find that relay....i so wish i had the FSM..lol

 

Yeah, me too. I just scrounged up the wiring diagrams a while back. While trying to find the pin numbering for the relay socket (which does not match the numbering on 12 Volt Planet), I found this:

 

oddly, this guys fusebox looks nothing like that, he does look like he may be missing some relays TBH, but even then...but good info

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/3rd-...honda-fit.html

 

The pic is sideways from the diagram. The circled relay is Starter Cut Relay / Starter Cut Relay 1 in the above diagram. In that pic, SCR2 is the top Omron-marked relay. Looks like it *should be* the middle terminal of the relay socket. If you want to be extra cautious, unplug SCR1 and fuse 25 before applying power.


The style of relay is called "Micro ISO" by the way.

 

I'm gonna link that thread to this thread and thank BOBSKI!...very informative info!!

 

so original thread starter could have myriad of relay, wiring issue, but as they say...When You Hear Hoofbeats Look for Horses Not Zebras (its the starter) and thanks for all useful info!!