Diagnostic comments requested - Start issue

[butter78]

I put my 03 in storage in Mid November. I was away on a cruise shortly afterwards for 2.5 weeks. Since I came back I have routinely started the car once a week. Went to start the car again today and it doesn't crank over. Below are the observations:

Initial attempt to start it started cranking but didn't start. Noticed the lights go dim and clicking sound (probably indicating that the clutch switch/sensor is functional and no issue with starter)

Subsequent starting attempts resulted in a single click and diminished interior lighting.

Double din stereo turns on and if not trying to start all visible electrical seem to be functioning and power to windows seems consistent.

Car has a standard two way alarm with starter kill but it's been disarmed now (don't want it armed when the battery goes as it likely will over the storage period which will likely be until may).

 

[TyraNSX]

Your battery is dead. Buy a new one and get a Battery Tender. Install both together. NSXs parked and not plugged in eat batteries. Do a search for battery tender, Deltran, or trickle charger. This has been covered hundreds of times. Starting it once a week is probably taking more out of it than a brief time running is putting back in. And unless everythings gets good and hot you will not cook off moisture in the oil and exhaust leading to corrosion down the road.

 

[BioBanker]

Watch for battery sales over the winter - no need to replace it until spring.

Enjoy the freedom!

 

[huck-jai]

Yeah, definitely a dead battery. I think I read on Prime, it's common for NSX to not hold a charge for more than a few weeks. I left my car sitting for like 3 weeks and battery died. Trickle charged it and no problems. So I trickle charge it every month while stored.

 

[butter78]

Thanks for the comments guys. Gonna keep an eye out for the sales and buy the charger and battery. Boxing day is around the corner

 

[Bram]

Yes as other suggested, it the Battery.

I would suggest that you get a battery tender now, as this will keep the battery alive durng the Winter, and keep your alarm On during storage.

The Battery tender may be able to bring the dead battery back to full charge.


Bram

 

[lithiumus]

A battery tender will likely bring it back at least enough to start it after a day or two of trickle charge. If your car can't start after 2-3 days of trickle charge, your battery likely can't hold a high enough charge to start any more and it's close to end of life. A dead battery doesn't mean it it's at its end of its life.

If it does start, (remove the charger), keep it running, light revs to 3-4k if you like, until the car is fully warmed up and fan comes on.

Turn off the car and put the tender back on and leave it until next week. A descent battery tender will have Red-charge and Green-full charge lights so if you get to green... your battery is probably fine. If you never get to green, even after a week, it could be dead or your alarm is drawing enough current to keep the trickle charger busy but the factory alarm normally doesn't.

Then, every week when you start it, get it fully warmed up before turning it off and putting it back on the battery tender.