Acura Not Starting, Not Cranking, Just Clicking? RL & TL Starter Guide

Acura Not Starting, Not Cranking, Just Clicking?

If your Acura clicks but will not crank, the starter motor is the usual suspect on the 1996–2006 RL and 1996–2006 TL, once the battery has been ruled out. This guide combines our posts for both models; the checks apply to most Acuras of that era.

Car cranks but will not start, or stalls? That is a different problem; see car stalling and engine light and long start.

What the Starter Does

The starter is an electric motor that turns the engine over when you turn the key. Its solenoid pushes a small gear into the flywheel and switches the high current. Worn solenoid contacts are the most common reason it clicks without cranking.

Symptoms

• A single click or rapid clicking when you turn the key, with no cranking.
• Nothing at all, while the dash lights stay bright.
• Starts some days and not others, often getting worse over time.
• A grinding or whirring noise without the engine turning.

Troubleshooting

1. Check the battery: about 12.6 volts at rest is fully charged; below about 12.2 it may be too weak. Have it load-tested. See battery test & replacement.
2. Check the cables: clean, tight battery terminals and a good engine ground strap.
3. Check the shifter: the car must be in Park or Neutral. Try starting in Neutral; if it starts, the shift position switch may be the fault.
4. Check the security light: if it flashes, the immobilizer may not be recognising the key. Try the spare key.
5. Check the starter relay in the under-hood fuse box; swap it with an identical relay to test.
6. Test the starter: with a helper turning the key, check for 12 volts at the starter’s small signal terminal. If voltage is there and the starter does not turn, the starter is faulty.

Related OBD Codes

A bad starter often sets no code. On some later models these codes relate to starting problems:

• P0615: starter relay circuit
• P0616: starter relay circuit low
• P0617: starter relay circuit high

See every code in our P0600–P0699 code list.

Replacing the Starter

1. Disconnect the battery, negative terminal first.
2. Locate the starter at the lower front of the engine, where it meets the transmission. Access varies by model and year; some are reached from above after removing intake parts, others from below.
3. Disconnect the wiring: the main battery cable and the signal wire.
4. Remove the mounting bolts and lift the starter out.
5. Install the new starter, tighten the bolts to specification and reconnect the wiring.
6. Reconnect the battery and test.

When to Bring It In

If the battery is good and the starter tests fine, the fault is in the wiring, the ignition switch, the immobilizer or the shift position switch, and it needs proper electrical diagnosis. Radman Auto Repair at 321 Rexdale Blvd, Etobicoke, finds the cause before replacing parts. See charging system diagnosis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Acura click but not start?

Most often a weak battery or worn contacts in the starter solenoid. Test the battery first; if it is good and there is 12 volts at the starter when you turn the key, the starter is the likely cause.

Can a bad starter drain the battery?

Not usually while the car is off. Repeated attempts to start a car with a bad starter will drain the battery, which can make it look like a battery problem.

Is it the starter or the battery?

If the dash lights dim heavily or go out when you turn the key, suspect the battery or its cables. If the lights stay bright and you hear a single click, suspect the starter or its relay.