2001 Honda Prelude automatic fails to start

"Brad" wrote in message

> Whenever I turn the key all the dash lights come on as normal. Honda
> replaced battery already in an attempt to fix this problem. Car has 40K
> miles. It does not turn the engine over at all; not even click. If I
> wiggle the gear shifter several times it will start with no problem. This
> has started happening at least 3 or 4 times a week. Please HELP!!

If I understand you right, it sounds like the "neutral safety switch" is out
of adjustment. Another check you can do is to try starting in neutral,
holding the key in "start" and moving the shifter back and forth as
necessary if it still doesn't crank. You can also check whether the car
doesn't crank when the shifter is held one way or the other while in neutral
(seeing whether the adjustment is centered).

Mike
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 Honda Prelude automatic fails to start 

Michael Pardee wrote:
> "Brad" wrote in message
>
>
>>Whenever I turn the key all the dash lights come on as normal. Honda
>>replaced battery already in an attempt to fix this problem. Car has 40K
>>miles. It does not turn the engine over at all; not even click. If I
>>wiggle the gear shifter several times it will start with no problem. This
>>has started happening at least 3 or 4 times a week. Please HELP!!
>
>
> If I understand you right, it sounds like the "neutral safety switch" is out
> of adjustment. Another check you can do is to try starting in neutral,
> holding the key in "start" and moving the shifter back and forth as
> necessary if it still doesn't crank. You can also check whether the car
> doesn't crank when the shifter is held one way or the other while in neutral
> (seeing whether the adjustment is centered).
>
> Mike
>
>
Thanks for quick replies. Can you please give me a little information
on where the neutral safety switch would be located. Is it in the
console near the shifter or closer to the transmission? Thanks again.

Brad
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 Honda Prelude automatic fails to start 

"Brad" wrote in message

> Michael Pardee wrote:
>> "Brad" wrote in message
>>
>>
>>>Whenever I turn the key all the dash lights come on as normal. Honda
>>>replaced battery already in an attempt to fix this problem. Car has 40K
>>>miles. It does not turn the engine over at all; not even click. If I
>>>wiggle the gear shifter several times it will start with no problem. This
>>>has started happening at least 3 or 4 times a week. Please HELP!!
>>
>>
>> If I understand you right, it sounds like the "neutral safety switch" is
>> out of adjustment. Another check you can do is to try starting in
>> neutral, holding the key in "start" and moving the shifter back and forth
>> as necessary if it still doesn't crank. You can also check whether the
>> car doesn't crank when the shifter is held one way or the other while in
>> neutral (seeing whether the adjustment is centered).
>>
>> Mike
> Thanks for quick replies. Can you please give me a little information on
> where the neutral safety switch would be located. Is it in the console
> near the shifter or closer to the transmission? Thanks again.
>
> Brad

Not sure where it is on the Prelude, but it is inside the console beside the
shifter on the driver's side in the Accord. You will want to do the tests
above to ensure that's what the problem is before touching the switch, so
you don't end up with two possible problems that have the same symptoms.
That would make troubleshooting more difficult. But if you confirm it is the
shifter position that makes the difference you can proceed.

Mike
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 Honda Prelude automatic fails to start 

Michael Pardee wrote:
> "Brad" wrote in message
>
>
>>Michael Pardee wrote:
>>
>>>"Brad" wrote in message
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Whenever I turn the key all the dash lights come on as normal. Honda
>>>>replaced battery already in an attempt to fix this problem. Car has 40K
>>>>miles. It does not turn the engine over at all; not even click. If I
>>>>wiggle the gear shifter several times it will start with no problem. This
>>>>has started happening at least 3 or 4 times a week. Please HELP!!
>>>
>>>
>>>If I understand you right, it sounds like the "neutral safety switch" is
>>>out of adjustment. Another check you can do is to try starting in
>>>neutral, holding the key in "start" and moving the shifter back and forth
>>>as necessary if it still doesn't crank. You can also check whether the
>>>car doesn't crank when the shifter is held one way or the other while in
>>>neutral (seeing whether the adjustment is centered).
>>>
>>>Mike
>>
>>Thanks for quick replies. Can you please give me a little information on
>>where the neutral safety switch would be located. Is it in the console
>>near the shifter or closer to the transmission? Thanks again.
>>
>>Brad
>
>
> Not sure where it is on the Prelude, but it is inside the console beside the
> shifter on the driver's side in the Accord. You will want to do the tests
> above to ensure that's what the problem is before touching the switch, so
> you don't end up with two possible problems that have the same symptoms.
> That would make troubleshooting more difficult. But if you confirm it is the
> shifter position that makes the difference you can proceed.
>
> Mike
>
>
It turns out that it was the Imobilizer, which, if I had been paying
attention would have noticed the dash light not blinking.
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 Honda Prelude automatic fails to start 

Brad wrote:
> Michael Pardee wrote:
>
>> "Brad" wrote in message
>>
>>
>>> Michael Pardee wrote:
>>>
>>>> "Brad" wrote in message
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Whenever I turn the key all the dash lights come on as normal.
>>>>> Honda replaced battery already in an attempt to fix this problem.
>>>>> Car has 40K miles. It does not turn the engine over at all; not
>>>>> even click. If I wiggle the gear shifter several times it will
>>>>> start with no problem. This has started happening at least 3 or 4
>>>>> times a week. Please HELP!!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> If I understand you right, it sounds like the "neutral safety
>>>> switch" is out of adjustment. Another check you can do is to try
>>>> starting in neutral, holding the key in "start" and moving the
>>>> shifter back and forth as necessary if it still doesn't crank. You
>>>> can also check whether the car doesn't crank when the shifter is
>>>> held one way or the other while in neutral (seeing whether the
>>>> adjustment is centered).
>>>>
>>>> Mike
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks for quick replies. Can you please give me a little
>>> information on where the neutral safety switch would be located. Is
>>> it in the console near the shifter or closer to the transmission?
>>> Thanks again.
>>>
>>> Brad
>>
>>
>>
>> Not sure where it is on the Prelude, but it is inside the console
>> beside the shifter on the driver's side in the Accord. You will want
>> to do the tests above to ensure that's what the problem is before
>> touching the switch, so you don't end up with two possible problems
>> that have the same symptoms. That would make troubleshooting more
>> difficult. But if you confirm it is the shifter position that makes
>> the difference you can proceed.
>>
>> Mike
>>
> It turns out that it was the Imobilizer, which, if I had been paying
> attention would have noticed the dash light not blinking.

Okay - Imobilizer - NOT! I'm still having the same problem. I guess the
dealership just wanted a few extra dollars that day. Apparently this
dealership doesn't have anyone competent to troubleshoot electrical
problems very well. I'm now convinced it may be the ignition switch and
don't know if I should take the car to another dealership or take it
back to the same one I've been using since I bought the car. If I take
it back to the same dealership I could attempt to hit them up for a
discount on future repair given I have spent almost $400.00 to them and
they still have not fixed the issue. It seems reasonable to me that if
they only thing that is moving is the key to start the engine and there
is not click sound that it could quite probably be the ignition switch.
If any disagrees please explain why. Anyone know what it would cost to
replace both the ingition switch and starter? I find this rediculous
that a Honda dealership doesn't have tools to narrow this problem down
any further. First they said it was the battery then the imobilizer.
And the car only has 40K miles on it. Geezzzz!

Brad
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 Honda Prelude automatic fails to start 

Brad wrote:
> Michael Pardee wrote:
>
>> "Brad" wrote in message
>>
>>
>>> Michael Pardee wrote:
>>>
>>>> "Brad" wrote in message
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Whenever I turn the key all the dash lights come on as normal.
>>>>> Honda replaced battery already in an attempt to fix this problem.
>>>>> Car has 40K miles. It does not turn the engine over at all; not
>>>>> even click. If I wiggle the gear shifter several times it will
>>>>> start with no problem. This has started happening at least 3 or 4
>>>>> times a week. Please HELP!!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> If I understand you right, it sounds like the "neutral safety
>>>> switch" is out of adjustment. Another check you can do is to try
>>>> starting in neutral, holding the key in "start" and moving the
>>>> shifter back and forth as necessary if it still doesn't crank. You
>>>> can also check whether the car doesn't crank when the shifter is
>>>> held one way or the other while in neutral (seeing whether the
>>>> adjustment is centered).
>>>>
>>>> Mike
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks for quick replies. Can you please give me a little
>>> information on where the neutral safety switch would be located. Is
>>> it in the console near the shifter or closer to the transmission?
>>> Thanks again.
>>>
>>> Brad
>>
>>
>>
>> Not sure where it is on the Prelude, but it is inside the console
>> beside the shifter on the driver's side in the Accord. You will want
>> to do the tests above to ensure that's what the problem is before
>> touching the switch, so you don't end up with two possible problems
>> that have the same symptoms. That would make troubleshooting more
>> difficult. But if you confirm it is the shifter position that makes
>> the difference you can proceed.
>>
>> Mike
>>
> It turns out that it was the Imobilizer, which, if I had been paying
> attention would have noticed the dash light not blinking.

Okay - Imobilizer - NOT! I'm still having the same problem. I guess the
dealership just wanted a few extra dollars that day. Apparently this
dealership doesn't have anyone competent to troubleshoot electrical
problems very well. I'm now convinced it may be the ignition switch and
don't know if I should take the car to another dealership or take it
back to the same one I've been using since I bought the car. If I take
it back to the same dealership I could attempt to hit them up for a
discount on future repair given I have spent almost $400.00 to them and
they still have not fixed the issue. It seems reasonable to me that if
they only thing that is moving is the key to start the engine and there
is not click sound that it could quite probably be the ignition switch.
If any disagrees please explain why. Anyone know what it would cost to
replace both the ingition switch and starter? I find this rediculous
that a Honda dealership doesn't have tools to narrow this problem down
any further. First they said it was the battery then the imobilizer.
And the car only has 40K miles on it. Geezzzz!

Brad
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 Honda Prelude automatic fails to start