Need advice with 2003 Acura RSX

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ESP47

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My girlfriends 2003 5 speed RSX had the battery go out about a month ago. We replaced it with one from NAPA and it was fine for a couple weeks. After a couple weeks it developed a condition where you'd turn the key to start it and it would slow crank for a second and then not do anything. Then you'd turn the key again and it would slow crank for a second again and then turn on. This went on for a week, so I let her borrow my battery charger. When she would wake up she would put the battery charger on the battery and let it charge for a couple hours before leaving for work. When the charger was on the car it would fire right up with no problems. After a few days it would go back to the sluggish starting and she would have to put the charger on the battery again to get it to start ok.

We took the car to Autozone and they ran their tests on the bat/alt/starter and they said it was fine. After another week of this the car finally stopped being able to start and it hasn't started since. When you hit the key, the motor tries to turn over for about 1/4 second and then just does nothing. You can see the belt move an inch or so and thats it. If you keep trying to turn the key it'll just do nothing after that.

I told her to take the battery back to NAPA and they tested it and said it had low cranking power. They gave her another one and we put it in and it still wont start. We get the same condition where it'll barely turn the engine for a 1/4 second and then nothing at all after that.

Do you guys think its the battery or possibly starter? I put the charger on it last night and it didn't help it at all this morning when I tried to start it. I'm just not good when it comes to new cars (or old ones for that matter lol).
 
It sounds like something in the car is draining the battery pretty good. But id try this first because its quicker and then youll know if its the battery or the car, also try using a much has CCA battery in the car. Example would be I'd the factory produced the car with a 550 CCA battery, try putting a 750 CCA battery in it.
 
I think your starter is the problem, I had a Buick that did the same thing. We replaced the starter and it was good to go. One more thing, I've seen the ends on the battery cable do the same thing. Try a new cable first.
 
This may sound odd, my son has the same problem with his '92 Acura after it sits for a few days, but it is not the battery or the starter. It has more to do with the fuel sending unit and lack of fuel pressure on start up. I don't know why it starts right up with a jump but thats what he's experiencing. I'm no expert, just repeating what he found out in his own research. Someone with more technical know how will chime in.
 
Have you checked body grounds. I have run across 3 similar situations recently and all were tied to bad grounds in the engine compartment. Considering you recently messed with battery cables, I would make sure engine and frame grounds are good.

An easy way to test is to take a set of jumper cables, and ground the negative post of the battery to the frame, and run the other end down to the starter body itself. If it starts, you have grounded through jumper cable.
 

Thanks guys I'll look into your suggestions. Did some research today and it looks like the starter is under the intake. To take the intake off you have to remove the front bumper and about 30 other things. If it comes to that I'm just going to have her take it to a shop. After that she needs to just sell it and drive the 67 Valiant from now on.
 
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