pittpanther

Hello everyone - I went down to fire up the S2000 this morning (it has been sitting in the garage for a few weeks), and it would not turn over. Now when I hit the start button, you can just here clicking. I do have headlights, albeit fairly dim.

I tried to jump start it with booster cables and my RSX to no avail. I still get the clicking when hitting the start button.

Any thoughts? Is this simply a dead battery?

DaveZ

Sounds like a dead battery to me. You may want to let the S2000 stay hooked up to the jumpers for a couple minutes with the RSX running. I recall having to do this for my Integra to get it to turn over.

DaveZ

Oh yeah - once you get the S2000 started, make sure you leave it running for a while, or better yet, go for a 20 minute drive to charge the battery up. BTW, once my Integra battery died (and was recharged) it never would hold a charge very well again. It died a couple more times before I had it replaced and it was only about 1.5 years old.

pittpanther

Thanks for the input Dave. I just tried to leave my RSX started for a good 10 minutes (with it jumped) - it's not even trying to turn over now, just click-click-click-click...

Should I just go buy another battery?

speed4tu

Yes

Barry in Wyoming

I vote for dead battery too. My '01 battery started not lasting between drives about a year ago. My car usually goes a week or two between drives. I bought a $35 charger to trickle charge it or charge it up before I drive it.

Go get a charger. It's a good thing to have anyway.

By the way, my poorly performing battery always passed all its tests on the dealer's fancy battery tester. I think the OEM battery is wimpy, probably mostly to save weight. I would buy a new one if I were taking my car out of town on a trip.

I think there are a lot of current draws in this car when the car is off including: radio, computer, alarm.

pjkwong

You can always take the battery to a local shop to check it out.

slalom44

Everyone is giving you good advice, Pittpanther. I'd like to add one additional suggestion. Disconnect the battery, and clean the posts and clamps with a wire brush battery terminal cleaner (or steel wool if you have some handy). Quite often, the connections develp a lead oxide film that is a non-conductor. Even though the termials look clean, you don't get a good connection. That could possibly be why the car won't start when you jump it.

Elistan

I'm not sure how it can be a dead battery if it won't turn over when jumper cables are used... Maybe a blown fuse?

alexf20c

Maybe a bad starter?

Jumper cables should work, but you have to be using good cables with good flow, and with a "real" battery, not a puny RSX unit. Try to jump from a minivan/SUV/truck.

Jumping your S2000 with an RSX is like jumping an Expedition with a Civic.



But if it's been sitting idle for a few weeks, and won't start on demand, it sounds like something is leeching off your battery. Did you leave a door open? Do you have an aftermarket audio system?