[sajin]

What happens is I unlock the car, sit down into it as normal, press the brake, and press the push start button. There is a loud screeching noise coming from the engine area. To best describe this, it's identical to when you want to start an engine which is already running. This has happened twice to me.

The first time this happened was at 6 am, ~35 degrees F and dark ~3 weeks ago. The second time was at 4 pm, 65 degrees out and sunny, today.

The first time I was like WTH and I turned the car to "off." I then tried to start the car again and it happened once more. I put it back to "off" and decided to check out the battery. Nothing seemed out of place and was normal to my eyes. I grabbed my phone to record me trying to start the car and it started right up as it normally does. That was it. I tossed it up as a glitch of some sort.

The second time I did the same thing. I got in as normal and attempted to start the car. The screech happened. I turned the car to "off." I then proceeded to set my phone to record so I can have it on video this time which took ~10 seconds. I started recording and proceeded to start the car. It worked perfectly fine. I once again was unable to document the problem on video.

I don't know what the problem could be. I would hate to have this happen to me at a time where it would leave me stranded. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[hdtouring]

How old is the battery?

 

[RickBlaine]

Could be that your starter motor's pinion gear is not disengaging as it should....it is intermittent, which is maddening to make it happen in front of the service people at the dealer.

 

[greg1c]

Sounds like a pinion gear issue on the starter, I assume you are still under warranty, so Honda should replace the starter. Watch this video.

https://youtu.be/rY0ENaUA_Uc

 

[sajin]

It may just be the starter... I agree though, it's frustrating to be unable to replicate this problem when I'd need to.

Also, that video seems to describe my situation exactly. That's the sound (or at least 95% similar to).

 

[sajin]

After taking it to Honda with the issues I described, they were unable to do anything about it. Being that the problem was unable to be replicated at the Honda dealership, no repairs were completed. Other than documenting it in their system, there was nothing else they could do past their tests which the car passed with flying colors.

Honda described what the issue could be given my description. They agreed with what was posted above about the starter motor's pinion gear not disengaging fully.

They recommended I wait until the problem gets worse to the point where it can be replicated in front of them at the dealership. Only then would it warrant repairs on their part..

 

[white3actual]

On an older car it would definitely be the starter. With cars nowadays It probably is the starter but could be something electronic related to the starter.

 

[kennsuh]

Salutations,

New to the forum. I present to you a year old problem I've been having. Not sure what is wrong, but when I attempt to start my car the engine does not run. Foot on Brake, Push to start, Hands off the wheel, and a loud nasty noise is coming from the Engine Bay. As shown in the video all the lights around the speedometer turn on. The car is in what I believe is ignition stage. Has anyone else had this problem?

I've went to the dealership about 3x. They replaced my battery twice, and on the third they replaced the "Starter Motor Assembly" Part # 31200-5g0-A02. The problem stopped occurring for a while, however the issue has come back.

Any help would be appreciated. I will be posting a link to how it looks and sounds.

Here's a video on how it goes... Sound is loud and frightening on the outside.
https://youtu.be/fgvyeqVoehI

 

[kennsuh]

sound like this?

https://youtu.be/fgvyeqVoehI

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Sounds like the starter is spinning but the pinion gear did not engage with the flywheel to spin the motor. But the real question is why? Since they already replaced the starter it's highly unlikely that is the problem again. strange

 

[greg1c]

While very rare, it could be an issue with the flywheel/flexplate missing teeth. I suspect the starter or more specifically the solenoid. This should be easy for the technician to find, does it happen every time you start the car or only occasionally?

 

[argen234]

Damn that is weird.

 

[200366HFP]

I'd be taking it back to Honda to inspect your flywheel for missing teeth. That's not going away, its just a matter of when it stops on that spot again.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

If it was missing teeth on the flywheel it would not start on the second attempt with no hint of the sound like it did in the video. If it was missing teeth it would continue to spin until you moved the flywheel some to a point that had teeth. You would have to move the car with it in gear enough to turn the flywheel.

 

[200366HFP]

If it was missing teeth on the flywheel it would not start on the second attempt with no hint of the sound like it did in the video. If it was missing teeth it would continue to spin until you moved the flywheel some to a point that had teeth. You would have to move the car with it in gear enough to turn the flywheel.

True, but perhaps there are teeth that are ground some, not completely, and it catches once in a while.

Either way, is sounds like gears grinding, either the starter gear or the flywheel. But then again, diagnosing over the internet is a skill I have not perfected :0

 

[kennsuh]

yup, I'm going to pay the dealership another visit. I dislike going to them because if nothing is found I'm responsible for $160 "Diagnostics Check" ... Thanks for taking the time and consideration to check it out. Really appreciate the responses

While very rare, it could be an issue with the flywheel/flexplate missing teeth. I suspect the starter or more specifically the solenoid. This should be easy for the technician to find, does it happen every time you start the car or only occasionally?

It is extremely, extremely random. There's no clues to when this issue can occur. Therefore, occasionally but increasingly becoming more frequent as of lately.

 

[RickBlaine]

@kennsuh: You never worked on lawn mowers with electric starters, have you?

This is the classic "flywheel teeth worn or missing" issue. I would say starter pinion gear- but you mentioned that the stealership already swapped that out.

When flywheel teeth are worn or missing, when the starter is engaged the pinion gear pops out to meet the flywheel's teeth. If they are worn or missing, you get screeching noise and a "no start" condition. My 12 year old Toro law mower is only electric start now if I use my hand to manually rotate the flywheel to the undamaged flywheel section first. Otherwise, I get the loud noise and look of great shame from my Vietnamese gf- who can easily kill me for embarrassing her in front of the neighbors.

Now....WHY are the teeth missing or worn?

 

[hdtouring]

Otherwise, I get the loud noise and look of great shame from my Vietnamese gf- who can easily kill me for embarrassing her in front of the neighbors.

Yes, Rick. We Vietnamese take losing face very seriously :wink

 

[14v6]

What breaks flywheel teeth when a car is parked? I thought the only thing that touches the teeth is the starter which is not engaged when the car is parked.

 

[RickBlaine]

What breaks flywheel teeth when a car is parked? I thought the only thing that touches the teeth is the starter which is not engaged when the car is parked.

Agreed but the flywheel (called a Flexplate on automatic transmission cars) is flexible and susceptible to stresses caused by misalignment between the transmission and engine. THAT can be caused by worn out motor mounts, worn transmission mounts, AND by getting bumped heavily by parallel parkers in front of or behind you (similar to parking on steep inclines).

Too much thinking, continued: If the Flexplate teeth and starter pinion gear teeth were misaligned for a while, each part got some wear. A new starter will come with a new pinion gear that will mesh nicely into the teeth of a Flexplate when engaged. But if the Flexplate suffered some prior damage to the teeth- the new starter will mask the problem for only a while. If those Flexplate teeth are worn, missing, or damaged- you will have the problem return.