My 2009 Honda Ridgeline won't start?... Everything seems to be working but will not start. You can hear a lot of clicking sound. Please help as soon as you can... Thank You in Advance, GENE GENEROSO Cell# (604)716-9782 email : [email protected]

Hello All,

This is my first post. I Googled "2006 Ridgeline won't start" and it led me to this forum.

You are not going to believe this. It is a battery issue, but not the one you think it is. This episode started when I tried to send my son off to deliver a plant to his grandmother's house. He put the plant in the back of the truck and then returned to me telling me that the Ridge would not turn over.

I should note that I have had this problem before. I had a lot of problems starting the car. It was usually rainy when this happened so I thought it was a wet coil or some such. However, after more than one attempt over a few hours I was able to start the Ridge. The next day it started without a problem so I drove it to the local Honda dealer. After a few hours I received a call and was told that the Honda tech could not find anything wrong with it. As my wife is disabled and I really depend upon this vehicle I thought perhaps the issue could be cured by a tune-up. That was about two months ago.

Back to this morning. I went out and tried the key I had given my son (one of the older spares) and, sure enough, the Ridgeline would not turn over. I read a few more posts on this forum and then went out to my Ridge with my set of keys to try putting the car in neutral and starting it, which worked just fine. I then went inside my home for a sec, picked up the spare key (I have a tendency to scatter my keys about) went back out to the Ridge and it would not turn over again. Ugh. I envisioned myself spending this afternoon under the hood replacing a corroded starter cable or some such. I let the car sit for about ten minutes, picked up my set of keys, went outside, and the truck turned over immediately.

Hmmm ... made me wonder ... it couldn't be this easy. I went to my Ridge with my key and the spare and first inserted the spare; the Ridge WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I then inserted my key and IT TURNED OVER RIGHT AWAY.

Hang on a sec ... I am going to try this experiment again right now ...

Be right back ...

My key started the truck immediately whereas the spare would crank the car but it would not turn over.

I am pulling the battery from the non-working key and replacing it with a new one. My fellow Ridgeline drivers, it isn't corroded wires or some such, it is the battery in your key. That stupid little battery. (I can say that after having paid $800 for an unnecessary tune up!!!!!!!) Go to Radio Shack and get a new battery.

Cheers,

Brian

Is it only clicking when you turn the key and you are not hearing the engine turn over?
If that is the case, it is either the starter, the starter solenoid, or the starter relay.... unless your battery or battery connections are bad.

An "old school" test....

Turn on the headlights and turn the key. If they dim out to nothing, either the battery is dead or the battery connections are bad.

If the engine cranks.....

A quick "old timers check"... Fuel, spark, air.....

Fuel- tank not empty, gas is getting to engine? (you need somebody who knows a little about cars to check this)

Spark- again, you need somebody who knows a little about cars- pull a spark plug wire and connect it to an old spark plug, allowing it to lay on a piece of metal. Crank the engine and see if it sparks... HIGH VOLTAGE!!!! DO NOT HOLD IT!!! IT WILL HURT ALLOT IF YOU DO!!!!

Air.... Is the air filter clogged? Hold it up to some light and if you cannot see light through it, it is bad.