'08 Fit Sport purchased new from the dealer in January. Less than 4000 miles. I live in Chicago and it is a very cold evening - like maybe 10 degrees F. I got in my car to go to a party and the car won't start. I don't think its the battery since the instrument panel lights up like the proverbial Christmas tree and the lights, radio and heat all work (although I turned all of them off in attempt to start the car). But when I go to crank it, everything turns off on the instrument panel and there is no happy car starting up noises that I normally hear. I have no clue what it could be. The Fit is my first car and I don't really know a whole lot about cars at all. Please help! I know it is still under warranty but I really need my car this weekend and wondering if this woudl be a quick fix a dealer could do tomorrow morning if I have it towed there. And I'm really mad I'm missing that party!

 

Usually-

First step, make sure the cables on the battery have good connection and are tight.
If car starts on jumper cables, it's the battery (or the alternator not charging it, but far less likely on a Honda).
If it doesn't, start diagnosing wires.
If wires are all good, have starter checked.

Something else you can try, if it doesn't jump on cables, tap the starter solenoid with a wooden handle. It may be stuck.

Also, make sure the engine has oil in it. Yeah I'm not kidding some people replace the starter just to find a seized engine. This is highly unlikely on a 4k mile Fit but still, check the dipstick it takes 10 seconds.

 

Yeah, sounds like the car isn't getting enough juice under load. The extra current draw from the starter is causing the voltage to drop low enough to no longer light the lights. This means there's no where near enough power getting to the starter to operate it. If it were close, you'd get a clicking noise as the solenoid tried to engage.

Easy to fix causes - a bad ground, loose connections at the battery, loose connections at the starter, or a bad battery.

Just because the car is new doesn't give you 100% assurance something isn't broke (I returned a new minivan under the VA lemon law earlier this year, problem started at around 2.6K miles). Could be alternator isn't fully charging the battery or the battery is bad. If you jump start it, will it stay running if you disconnect the battery? Have you tested the output of the alternator?

 

[quote=polaski;512827]Usually-

Something else you can try, if it doesn't jump on cables, tap the starter solenoid with a wooden handle. It may be stuck.
quote]

as funny as that sounds, it really works. my friend used to have an 86 accord. and he had this foot long wooden mini baseball bat that he would wack the starter with, and sure enough it did the trick every time. hahah

 

I had a similar experience recently. By all means get it to a dealer. Your insurance will pay for the tow truck. You need to get the problem documented on paper. Keep the paper trail as long as you have the car.
I have a 1986.5 Nissan Hardbody truck. It did exactly what your car is doing. I took it to the dealer in 1987 for the problem. They replaced the battery and said all was cool. Only it was not. For 20 years I had the starting problem but turning it off and on several times and it would finally start. Well this year it failed for good. The dealer replaced the starter and the problem is gone.
Unfortunately I did not have the paper trail so I paid for it. Had I been smarter they would have paid for it under warranty and I would be $500.00 to the good. It's short term pain for long term gain. Get documented please. Then you can fight it out with the area representative if necessary but they will pay for it.
All the Best! Dick W

 

And before you go to all that trouble make sure of two things.
1. If the car is a stick shift, you have the clutch all the way in
2. If the car is an auto make sure the tranny is in park, make SURE.
You may think I am crazy but the clutch safety in your car will NOT allow the car to start if you haven't depressed the clutch all the way. Similarly, if the tranny isn't all the way in park, no start. To be sure with the auto put the key in the run position so you can move the shifter, pull it back into nuetral and then FIRMLY shove the lever into park. When safety switches get really cold sometimes they can stick, It has happened to me in other cars of mine but not the Fit. Good luck!

 

I wonder if he got it fixed.

 

Yeah. Inquiring minds want to know what the problem was!

 

The saga continues -- thanks to all for the good ideas, I really appreciate the info esp. about keeping the paper trail. Smart idea!

So when I had it towed to the dealer on the 6th the intake service manager took a quick look and said it was a bad battery - they had to jump it to wheel it into the service area so they were able to look at the numbers and he said they were way too low for an '08 car with less than 4,000 miles on it.

I asked about the solenoid, and he said that based on the numbers he thought it was the battery not the solenoid or the starter, etc. but he would have the mechanic take a look. He told me they were going to try to replace the battery same day (Saturday), so I was thrilled to pick it up that afternoon. Since it was obviously under warranty I just threw the paperwork in the glove box and took off. BIG MISTAKE!

Drove the car back home and it ran great. Drove the car around town all day Thursday. Also great. Got in the car to run errands on Saturday AM 12/13) and yep, you guessed it. The dang thing would not start. Same exact problem as the week before.

Blood is boiling as I read in the paperwork that they "checked the battery, door jam switches and lights, all OK". Called up my intake service manager buddy who was (or at least pretended to be) surprised they did not do the replacement per his suggestion. Had the car towed again there. Figured that it could not get done same-day so I called this morning and my guy is off and I talke dot another service manager guy who had no clue. Nothing has been done to the car yet, but he said he will give me a call back. I'm not holding my breath, I full expect I'll have to call later on this afternoon. I HATE DEALERSHIPS!! The only reason why I'm going there is that I know this sucker is a warrantable repair and I don't want to shell out a dime.

 

DAMN, that sucks! I hate dealerships too. They will do what they can to not fix your car for free.

 

hey since it's so cold there the battery might not have the ability to put out enough current to power up your system and crank that starter. the colder it is the harder it is for a battery to deliver power so you might wanna look into a new battery. When shopping for a battery, look for a higher CCA (cold cranking amps) number, in general the higher the number the better.

 

Might also check the tightness of the clamps on the battery terminals, they can work loose very easily, especially if they have been left loose by an unscrupulous service monkey. Keep making them fix it for free, eventually they'll get the message that you aren't going away. Good luck and thanks for the up-date!

 

Same deal. 08 Fit Sport, 13 months old, 13000 mi. 10 degrees last night in Mpls. Driven for 40 min then left for 2 hours. Came out and wouldn't start. I heard only a faint sound and did not hear the engine try to turn over. Tried a few more times. Nothing. Have never had a problem starting it. Got out to get jumpers from trunk. Got back in and tried it once more and poof, it started. I drove for 40 minutes. Parked it for an hour. It started up fine.

Taking to dealer to check the battery and cable connections. How can a battery be bad 1 month into its second winter? This wasn't even the coldest of weather that we've had and I drive it pretty much every day.

If the dealer offers me a new battery do I take it or go elsewhere to find one that's more heavy-duty?

 

What is it with all these Fit battery complaints? Does not give me a good feeling. It's cold out right now!

My Civic's factory battery lasted 8 years here before it finally shorted itself out. I wonder if Honda cut costs a touch.

pirate edit: dyussen's situation sounds like the solenoid stuck for a little bit. Batteries don't just come back from the dead at random. Gotta learn the John Dorian 3-tap method-- the butt end of a winter window brush works great!

 

What general area of the "USA" are you in, polaski, that its cold out? You don't have to get specific, if you don't want to.

I don't think HONDA would cut corners.

Others might, but NOT Honda.

 

My Fit saw -42 last year. Started right up. No battery heater and I forgot to plug the block heater in.

 

I hate it when its only 15F!

How do you say brrrrrrr.

30F is nothing, to me, though.

I'm a good hunkie boy.

Ukrainian (and French and German)

 

Last week I was in the mountains and the night temperature was -40C........which is the same in F. When C and F are the same, it is really cold and I am not counting windchill. The Fit was left unplugged as I did not need it in the morning, just for a test I tried to start it and sure enough started without a problem.

A battery heater is a real nice thing to buy for your car, I had one on my BMW and it was like starting a car in the summertime. Cheap to buy and install, well worth the effort.

 

dude it was 55 degrees and windy today. effing cold...for a so-californian. LOL!

 

Reminds me of when I was a kid, we went to CA for vacation in December. In SF, the family was walking along shorts and t-shirts.....plenty stares, people thinking we were very odd. I thought I heard someone say "oh they must be Canadian". Well maybe I did not hear that.

I will take cold over heat and humidity, at least in cold you can wear more clothing....in the heat and humidity...well there only so much one can take off.