Honda Car Forum

Has anyone ever had this problem when you get in the civic and the starter
just cranks the first time and then you turn the key off and then turn it
back on and it starts? I have had this problem on my civic and my brother
had this problem on his 2002 civic ex and even when I used to have a 1999 ex
v6 accord that I bought new it had this happen a few times, but now like
this civic. This seems to happen 2 times a month maybe, sometimes it also
does this thing where it starts on the first time, but when the engine
catches it vibrates alot and for a second and then is okay. I have a 2002
Civic ex, automatic and there is 17,000 miles on it. I use regular unleaded
and every 3 months I use a fuel injector cleaner like gumout, and change the
oil. I do half city and half highway driving. This seems to happen more in
hot humid and weather, but has happened in the winter also. It makes me
nervous when it happens and I was going to have it checked, but I didn't
know if this is just a Honda quirk, as I am starting to think it is now. I
have owned Nissans, Mazda's, gm and ford and only Honda has done this so
far.

In article <vmQ5b.23675$EW1.20491@newsread1.news.atl.earthlin k.net>,
"Timmy Beaulieu" <thematrix@zeronet.com> wrote:

> Has anyone ever had this problem when you get in the civic and the starter
> just cranks the first time and then you turn the key off and then turn it
> back on and it starts? I have had this problem on my civic and my brother
> had this problem on his 2002 civic ex and even when I used to have a 1999 ex
> v6 accord that I bought new it had this happen a few times, but now like
> this civic. This seems to happen 2 times a month maybe, sometimes it also
> does this thing where it starts on the first time, but when the engine
> catches it vibrates alot and for a second and then is okay. I have a 2002
> Civic ex, automatic and there is 17,000 miles on it. I use regular unleaded
> and every 3 months I use a fuel injector cleaner like gumout, and change the
> oil. I do half city and half highway driving. This seems to happen more in
> hot humid and weather, but has happened in the winter also. It makes me
> nervous when it happens and I was going to have it checked, but I didn't
> know if this is just a Honda quirk, as I am starting to think it is now. I
> have owned Nissans, Mazda's, gm and ford and only Honda has done this so
> far.
>
>
>

The Civic fuel pump takes a long time to build pressure at cranking
voltages. It's especially bad when the tank is on its last 1-2 gallons.
Pause at the ignition postition for a second before cranking.

"Kevin McMurtrie" <mcmurtri@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:mcmurtri-0D3B56.23001204092003@corp-radius.supernews.com...
> In article <vmQ5b.23675$EW1.20491@newsread1.news.atl.earthlin k.net>,
> "Timmy Beaulieu" <thematrix@zeronet.com> wrote:
>
> > Has anyone ever had this problem when you get in the civic and the
starter
> > just cranks the first time and then you turn the key off and then turn
it
> > back on and it starts? I have had this problem on my civic and my
brother
> > had this problem on his 2002 civic ex and even when I used to have a
1999 ex
> > v6 accord that I bought new it had this happen a few times, but now like
> > this civic. This seems to happen 2 times a month maybe, sometimes it
also
> > does this thing where it starts on the first time, but when the engine
> > catches it vibrates alot and for a second and then is okay. I have a
2002
> > Civic ex, automatic and there is 17,000 miles on it. I use regular
unleaded
> > and every 3 months I use a fuel injector cleaner like gumout, and change
the
> > oil. I do half city and half highway driving. This seems to happen more
in
> > hot humid and weather, but has happened in the winter also. It makes me
> > nervous when it happens and I was going to have it checked, but I didn't
> > know if this is just a Honda quirk, as I am starting to think it is now.
I
> > have owned Nissans, Mazda's, gm and ford and only Honda has done this so
> > far.
> >
> >
> >
>
> The Civic fuel pump takes a long time to build pressure at cranking
> voltages. It's especially bad when the tank is on its last 1-2 gallons.
> Pause at the ignition postition for a second before cranking.

Better yet, wait for the engine light to go out. When that light turns off,
the fuel pump will be primed and ready for cranking. As a side note, this
requirement was mentioned on the dreaded, never read, instruction manual.