Starting problem

[RichardA]

Sometimes my Jazz is having trouble starting. The engine is struggling to turn when cold and once started the green key symbol keeps flashing, but if the engine is restarted the key symbol lights up then goes out as it should. The auto up/down function on the driver's electric window is also disabled and requires one to follow the reset procedure in the manual.

The same problem occurs with the spare key. The car can still be driven with the flashing key symbol and so far restarts normally on the first attempt.

It's an intermittent problem that took a couple of attempts to get it on camera:

http://youtu.be/1kMqHyMNQD8

Any ideas much appreciated.

[tonytan]

Hi Richard

It sounds to me like battery is coming to the end of its useful life. The excessive voltage drop when car is initially first started is dropping to such a low level is causing the power window switch to lose its memory setting and also for the immobiliser warning light to stay on. Once car has been started and turned off and restarted again battery has regained sufficient voltage to cause immobiliser warning light to extinguish.You can carry out a battery test-i.e a heavy discharge test to see if battery is still good but it does not always show up as it happened in my case, I have 2 Jazz, a 2006 1.4SE and a 2007 1.4 Sport and both batteries failed last year showing the same symptoms as yours did. Battery test did not show up any of the batteries as low or faulty (even the "window/magic eye" on the battery showed okay but after replacing the batteries car starts fine and no starting problems since then. One was replaced with the original Furukawa battery from Honda at £60 after discount and the other a Yuasa from a motor factor for £36 again after discount. Both batteries seems to be of equal quality,Yuasa is cheaper because its UK made,the other is imported (chinese made though)

[RichardA]

Thanks Tony.

I had a suspicion it's the battery even though the window on the battery indicates the charge is OK. The car is still on the original battery.

[guest4078]

Yes +1 for battery.
I would go Bosch, myself.

[culzean]

even though the window on the battery indicates the charge is OK. The car is still on the original battery.

If this is the original battery, at 7 years old it has done well - has cost about £10 per year (about £0.20 a week) not bad value when 20p won't even get you a cup of coffee these days (except from a subsidised company vending machine).

the window only monitors electrolyte condition (specific gravity) in one of the 6 cells - so any one of the other 5 cells could be bad.   Sounds as though the battery is on borrowed time - get a Yuasa because 'if Carlesburg made a battery it would be a Yuasa' (Japanese quality and it will  be made in UK)

battery load tests are normally a waste of time as they don't draw anywhere near the 200amps+ needed to start a cold engine - having worked in battery industry I know most normal SLI batteries in UK are on borrowed time after 4 to max 5 years  (a premium quality silver or Calcium,  may last a little longer) - and in hotter countries you can halve that life - and if a battery is ever allowed to go completely flat it is damaged.

this article is pretty good at explaining lead acid batteries -

http://www.batterystuff.com/kb/articles/battery-articles/battery-basics.html

[guest334]

Check the condition of the main earth on the chassis .

[guest4512]

New Bosch battery only around £45 at Costco

[fatlad]

identical thing happened to me (although i don't recall the key symbol)

my 2003 was on original battery, got it checked out and it failed.

it failed on cranking amps (power needed to turn over the engine) although the charging amps were fine.

went to euro car parts who did me a deal on this

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/accessories-car-batteries/car-batteries/popular-car-battery/054-car-batteries/?444770547&0&cc5_1010

for £39 with 4 yr guarantee

hope this helps you

fatlad

[Eddie Honda]

Just before heading off for a new battery...

Thoroughly clean up the battery posts and inside the clamp terminals so they are spotless. Vaseline and stick them back on.

Any lameness in the connections/battery will show up at these current cold temperatures.

If the cleaning up of the terminals doesn't make a difference, then head off for a battery.

Varta / Bosch would be my aftermarket choice. But may be just ask Honda what they want? (I sometimes go to Volvo for a battery - I can at least unscrew the cell caps on those and have a peek inside at the levels and they seem to last for ages)

I've got a heavy discharge tester in the shed too...

[eagle123]

it looks to me the battery try to get one with 4 or 5 year warranty, check what honda will charge and shop around euro parts ebay amazon

[RichardA]

After checking the earth I took the Jazz to Halfords for a free battery check where it was confirmed that battery was on the way out. Changed the battery and everything was good again, just had to reset the clock and radio presets.

[fatlad]

told ya

[guest334]

Did you sell the old battery for scrap ?
I used to take 20 at a time to dealer

[RichardA]

No, still in garage.

[guest334]

You'll never believe it I went to start our Jazz - nothing , not even a plip from the key fob.
Battery flat .
After  less than a day on charge up to 13.4 V.
The source ?
Internal light left on over the weekend, it must be my age.