Got a problem that's got me stymied. I have 2003 Accent, 4door 1.5 engine I believe. 84k miles on the engine, automatic. I've been having some starting issues. This goes back a couple years, but is really acting up now in the last month or so.

Usually when I turn the key to start, it would start right up. Some times, the starter (replaced with a remanufacture about a year ago) would crank a couple times, and sound really labored, then stop. Turning the key off then back to start usually would work. Recently a couple times when I would turn the key to start, nothing would happen. I can hear the fuel pump pressure up, the door chime works, clicking under the hood (injectors?) dash lights and all that stuff. Just the starter not firing. First time this happened, I assumed it was the battery, took it out and got it tested, it came back as good. I reconnected it and tried it again, and the car started.

It ran good, no issues about a month or so. 3 weeks ago, I tried to start it and it just sat there again, light and chimes and everything else working, but no crank. I disconnected the battery, reconnected, and it started right up. I got 3 starts out of it, then it did it again. And again, I disconnected/reconnected the battery, started right up. So I got together with my son to help me looks for a possible cause while up on ramps. I originally heard those injector clicks, thought it was an arcing of some kind, and we assumed it was a loose ground. Under the hood and up on ramps, we couldn't find anything loose, and the starter ground is good. That thing started 10 times in a row while up on the ramps, I drove it 2 places on the way home. Each time going to leave, I had the issue again. Disconnect/reconnect, and I'm fine.

I'm ready to pull what little hair I have out. It's got to be an electrical issue of some kind. What problem would clear itself by depowering the vehicle? I thought maybe it had something to do with the hood being up from doing the battery dance all those times, that maybe when the hood was down, I got some arcing/shorting from the unprotected battery terminal and the underside of the hood being close, but that clearance has never changed and now all of a sudden this issue is really prevalent. So probably nothing there.

After reading some questions/responses here, I maybe should try to start it in neutral, in case that switch is an issue. But I still don't understand why the problem clears itself (so far) by depowering the vehicle.

ANY thoughts would be much appreciated!

 

If the battery is good and the wiring is good then ...
Sounds like the replacement starter is not working properly ... intermittent.


Edit: When the key is first turned to the start the engine, the starter can be in a bad spot.
Then turn it off, the starter may have moved enough to be in a good spot to start
It can be due to bad contacts or the electrical brushes are burnt or it could even be the solenoid brings the starter gear and fly wheel together at a bad angle

 

Hey avisitor, thanks for the reply. Any way we can correlate the depowering/repowering of the car to the starter working again for a few starts? Seems the last few times I've tried this, that has helped. It's started again on the first try, every time that I've done that, about 4 times now or so.

 

Well, it could be a starter relay problem??
The switch could need the coil energized twice before the switch could actually function

Just hard to tell without actually testing the vehicle.

 

I know what you mean. The Hyundai sat for a week and I didn't touch it, mainly out of frustration. I'm trying to juggle this problem and a overheating problem in another vehicle. I'm ready to push them both off a cliff. The Hyundai did start for me today as I write this from work, hoping I can get it home tonight. I've got the tools on board and I'm getting pretty proficient at the quick-disconnect shuffle if the need arises. One thing I will try if I have a problem, as I haven't yet, will be trying to start it in neutral to see if that has any effect.

I'm going to get a new starter relay any way, I believe. It's a cheap easy try to see if it makes a difference, before I go the starter route.

 

The test for the relay is to ... Sorry
If you don't know what you're doing then you can accidentally fry your ECM
That would cost many hundreds of dollars to fix
So, I am not going to tell you.
You can however watch youtube videos on how to by pass the relay
Or just buy a new relay and stick it in.

With the starter, when it doesn't start, just see if there is 12 volts at the starter