I can attest to Optimas not liking to sit. I had a yellow top and i would drive the car once a week. It lasted 16 months.

I was pretty sure that my starter was bad. slooooooooooooow start 8-10 sec.
Well i replaced the Unoptima with an Interstate MT-35 and guess what, starts damn near instantly.

If your Red Top sat for 6 months either get it warrantied if you can, Or buy a diffrent battery.

An engine with only 3 moving parts really gets complicated:). Sounds like a combo of you blew more than one fuse. You have to check all. Maybe a ground is also playing tricks on you or the lack of it I should say.



"I don't let any one drive my 8 or my wife....The 8 first".

Sweatr, I reckon he may have rectified the problem, seeing as he posted last, 22 months ago .:Peace:

Well....Now we are both on a 22 month old post .....right:).

I recently bought a used RX-8 2004 Model. Remote key is missing, only left with the manual key that sticks into the remote key(metallic part). The battery came dead, and upon replacing it with a good one, the horn goes off immediately, and the wipers start moving at a constant speed, even if I try to stop them. The passenger window moves in the opposite direction when controlled from the driver's side. There are no lights on the cockpit, and the indicators stay on without blinking.

WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM? I'M DESPERATE, AND IT ONLY HAS 65,800KM ON THE CLOCK

Need help! Installed new battery and the thing just clicks once like it has no power and the gauges cluster starts tweaking like its on methamphetamin! Everything is hooked up correctly and all electronics work until I attempt to start. Then she clicks once and starts tweaking! What am I doing wrong. Help!

Can't charge very new battery up enough to start
 

I've got a 2006. It's now on its third battery. The most recent one was about 6 weeks ago.

In the weeks since then, the starting has gotten harder and harder. On Sunday it wouldn't start. I've since invested in a battery charger and a multimeter and here's what I'm finding.

The lights go on. The radio. The AC. The remote locks/trunk. The instrument cluster.

In fact, the battery is at 11.6V. I connected the charger and let it run for a few hours until it said it was fully charged. The batter was at 12.6V.

I tried to start it but just got a whuzz-whuzz-whuzz - it reluctantly cranked a little bit but was never going to catch. I released and tried again - and it's the fast click-click-click - and the interior lights blink with the click.

Now it reads 12.4V.

I'm thinking this is not the battery? Fuses? I know there's a lot of these posts, and I found this thread by searching! So wonder if you have any specific advice for me. Thanks!

HELP!!! Anybody, please?!!?

My '05 RX-8 has an issue where I cannot simply stop and re-start my car without having to wait for at least 10+ minutes. Even then it stutters before it finally starts. Doing simple things like getting gas or running into the store have become a nightmare. I went to get my Maryland emissions test done and told me to come back another time because they could not wait for my car to start back up.

Use the search feature and find any threads on starting issues. There are a few here.:wavey: Then come back and post results please.

So this looks like a good thread to post my question in. My 8 has been sitting for about 5 months. There hasn't been a battery in it for that time either as i took it out to get checked at Advance. So i finally was able to get a new battery in it. Upon installation, my alarm went off as expected. So i just walked over to my driver side door and unlocked/locked it turning off the alarm. I proceeded to tighten down the terminals and closed everything up. I opened the door and the lights came on and everything seemed fine. I slowly turned the key forward and the cluster lit up. Perfect. I turn the ignition to run but did not turn far enough to actually engage the starter to start the car. As i turn the key back to off, darkness, absolutely nothing. Nadda. no power anywhere. Could the car have been shocked and blew a fuse? I really don't think it could be one fuse though would it? I mean the entire car went dark. I did some searching, but i don't even know what i would be looking for. Could it be a relay?
No problems electrically before. Battery is hooked up right.
Thanks for any help guys.

so I hopped in the car this morning and all the electronics work. I haven't tried starting it yet though. Maybe it was just moisture causing the outage? We'll see if it happens again. Hopefully this storm won't be too bad and I'll try startin her up tonight.

I have a similar issue, my 8 decided to stop running today. I was at a store to buy some stuff got in the car to leave started the engine put it in revers backed up about 3 feet and the engine died. I tried to started again engine wont turn at all no click no nothing and then I realized my radio stopped working as well my windows wont go up or down and the only light that I have on the dash is the ambient blue light and the red blinking key. All the other electrics work including headlights, interior lights, fog lights, hazard lights and cigarette plug. I just got back home with a tow truck. Ohh almost forgot the main fuse 120 amp was blown and I replaced it (what a pain in the but) but it still wont start. Anyone any suggestions? Thank you in advance.

[QUOTE=Mazurfer;3475352]At anytime did you hook this battery up backward even for a second? Did you try to jump it and maybe get the cables back wards for an instant?
What sound does it make when you turn the key?
Does it click, click, click.............does it try to turn over?
If it's just dead then there is a 120A main fuse that is in the back left hand corner of the fuse box in the engine bay. It's not really in that box, but sort of on the side. This fuse(if blown) is about $5.00 at the dealer if I recall............but, you need to know why it blew out.
There are a list of things that will still work if this fuse is blown and a lot that won't. I'll go see if I can make up a quick list for you to confirm or deny.

There are also other fuses in the engine bay fuse box that it could be, but I'd check that 120A first!

If you turn the car on you say the instrument cluster is on.................under this condition..............
Do the windsheild wipers work?
Do your Fogs?
Do your Power Windows?
Interior lights?[

I got new battery checked 120 fuse its good engine doesnt turn and no clicks what should be my next step its been 6 months since its ran

8 won't start.....
 

I'm having some similar issues here but with some differences. I've read through this thread and found nothing so far that helps me.

I was driving the car yesterday, no problems. Went to leave work and it wouldn't start. Car ran fine all day. I went to crank the car, got a single click and then nothing. Everytime I tried, the same results. I replaced the starter in the parking lot. Same results. It's a manual, so I got it pushed, popped the clutch and it ran, perfectly fine. Got it home, turned it off, and tried to restart it with the same results. Figured maybe the battery was no good. Replaced it this morning to the exact same results. Still have the internal power, but no replies from the engine.

What would cause me to be able to clutch jump it but not actually crank it? With the fuses blown, I shouldn't have any power in the car, correct?

You replaced the battery, so that rules out the clamps, you replaced the starter, so that rules out the relay and solenoid.

I can't even....

Still lost....
 

:ftw:
I even switched some of the fuses and relays around after checking through other threads, no change. Am I missing something? I mean, what else could it be?

It was running perfect and all of a sudden it just decides to stop? I don't know what would cause that.....

walmarts 24f battery is 750 cca and fits perfect in the battery tray with cover.

New battery
 

The new battery is a 35 group from Walmart. It's the only one shown actually for the car itself. It's brand new, just made this month, and there's still no response from the car.

You need to properly trouble shoot the issue and it is obvious you do not have the skill to do so. Take the car to a qualified mechanic.

Check the starter motor relay ...........

Solved!
 

Didnt have to take it to a dealer, I just continued looking through the systems connected to cranking it. Even though nothing has actually changed on the car, for some reason it's not reading the clutch starter safety switch with the clutch fully depressed.

I dismounted the switch, pushed it by hand and tried to start it. The car fired right up. So now I've ordered a new switch and I'll replace that this afternoon.

Could have looped clutch switch wires so you don't need it, did this for the wife so when she gets in the car, she can start it from passenger side and turn the air on. Congrats on self diagnosis and repair anyways

Wow - the clutch starter safety switch. Wouldn't have thought this but coincidences happen.

At least it's running
 

Thanks Supra, knew I'd figure it out sooner or later. Florida summertime heat just makes it a pain to work on cars after 10am.

Update: Car won't start
 

So after manually being able to squeeze the switch to start the car and looking closer, I realize that it's not the switch after all. The switch works fine.

There's is a green silicone (I believe) spacer disc that attaches to the clutch pedal. This actually shattered into 5 different pieces, keeping the pedal from fully engaging the switch and keeping me from starting the car. My error in diagnosing this was that I was working on the radio / AC problem at the same time and thought that these pieces came out of that assembly when all of the other broken pieces fell out when I removed it (the last owner got impatient and didn't remove all of the bolts, instead choosing to simply yank it until it came out). So with this spacer back in place, everything is fine.

Always pay attention to the small stuff I guess.....