ok recently, my car has been cranking really slowly when i start it up. it starts everytime but its definitely not the quick strong startup i'm used to. other than that the car runs fine...anyone else experience this? i'm guessing its the starter? or is it the battery? i've got about 128k on the car and i think the battery was swapped around 70k. i know if its struggling now its definitely not gonna last through this coming chicago winter.

 

how old is your battery, if its 4 years old or more, replace it. do some voltage drops on the battery cables when cranking the engine. should be 0v - .2v when cranking the engine. make sure you disable the ignition by disconnecting the cam sensor first before starting. check for any corrosion on the battery clamps and cables.

 

i think it might be around 4 years old. would an old battery cause it to crank slowly? hopefully it's the battery and not something expensive.

 

Sounds like the starter, the same thing started happened to me and about a week later, I was stranded in front of my house.

 

A weak battery will definitely cause slow cranking. However, it could also be a starter. If you haven't replaced your battery in the past 3-4 years, it's not a bad idea to replace it anyway. If that doesn't fix the problem, then its likely to be the starter. You can get the battery system checked at Autozone for free (battery load test).

 

hehe u made that sound hilarious...

not to jack your thread but whats the best grease to use on a squeaky starter?

 

sounds like i need to make a trip to autozone within the next week. and starters get squeaky?

 

other than battery and starter, it could be sensors too. did you get any error code?

 

I had that exact same thing happening to me, I went and got a new battery and it cranks fast like it should!

 

went to autozone and got the battery charged and tested...the guy said its fine. not sure what was draining it in the first place but when i put it back in my car it started immediately like it usually does. hopefully it stays that way...

 

clean throttle body?!?!??!

 

Its got to be either the battery or the starter.

 

I had the same problem around the same mileage...turned out to be started. Usually if the car keeps starting but slowly, its probably the starter, as the battery would eventually die out.

 

alright...i guess i'll have to look out for that if it starts cranking slowly again. how difficult of a job is it to replace the starter myself?

 

Its not too bad...basically take out the air intake tubing, including the air filter box and the throttle body hose (all of this is a few screws). The hard part is getting the bolts off the starter, need extensions and not a lot of room to work...pretty much like any other job, those japanese guys get into small places! Should be able to pick one up around $125.

 

Absolutely! Why not upgrade your battery with an Exide Orbital or Optima Red top?

 

well its an 85 month batt and if its 48 months old it should still be ok...well its been charged and it seems good still so we'll see pretty soon if something else is draining it or not.

 

I would still get your battery checked as the "85 month warranty" does not ensure that your battery is still putting out numbers close to spec, especially if you have extra audio equipment. Usually places will do check your battery for free. If the battery checks out to be OK, then have your voltage regulator checked next.

 

i think its your battery. take it and get it tested for free at advanced or something

 

i took it to autozone and they tested it and said its fine. at first it was weak but after they charged it up it was fine. i don't have any audio equipment either so either the starter is draining it or theres some other issue. hopefully its just the starter.