Lude Generation

For about 4 months my central locking has been a bit iffy only on the drivers door. And only now and again, however now it will either lock then not unlock on remote or visa versa.

Now over the last few days the car has taken a bit longer to start each time. Fuel pump primes and it does eventually start but seems to take a while to turn over.

Last night i took the door apart checked all the connections/rods were in place got very angry but managed to get it all back together and found no obvious issues. Not sure if the two issues are connected in anyway but i have no idea where to start.

Battery, alternator, relays? i dont know how to test any of these

searched the forum and saw that the central locking can drain battery if not working or something??


i have had teh car for over 2 years and this is first starting issues. I have never replaced battery and it is a Honda battery so maybe this is original so needs replacing?

1999 5th Gen 2.2 manual 110k

I would definitely look at the batteries first. The car battery if she's struggling to start and the key fob battery for the remote locking/unlocking issue.

Or is it OEM remote central locking where the key fob is charged when the key is in the ignition?

You could try using jump leads, and see if it starts OK when jumped? If the battery is dying, it will still show 12v but the current won't be enough to turn motors as easily - so you'll get unlocking issues and the starter motor won't want to turn as easily. Hopefully it's as simple as a new battery.

^^^ I was just about to suggest exactly that.

Excellent this is reassuring. They guy who had it before me owned it for 7 years and kept all paperwork but no record of a new battery. I think taht will be my first port of call. Cheers guys.

So if it starts fine when jumped i can rule out dizzy, rotor arm, strter motor fuel pump etc and am left with battery or alternater?

It is the standard OEM central locking with the grey ovalish remote with the big lock and little unlock button. which i change dthe battery maybe 2 months ago at latest.

If it starts no problems with the jump leads then yes, it's most likely your battery with the slim chance of it being your alternator. Although the battery charge would have deterated a lot faster if it was the alternator as when they go they generally just go... They don't really take their time about it

geany wrote:For about 4 months my central locking has been a bit iffy only on the drivers door. And only now and again, however now it will either lock then not unlock on remote or visa versa.

Now over the last few days the car has taken a bit longer to start each time. Fuel pump primes and it does eventually start but seems to take a while to turn over.

Last night i took the door apart checked all the connections/rods were in place got very angry but managed to get it all back together and found no obvious issues. Not sure if the two issues are connected in anyway but i have no idea where to start.

Battery, alternator, relays? i dont know how to test any of these

searched the forum and saw that the central locking can drain battery if not working or something??


i have had teh car for over 2 years and this is first starting issues. I have never replaced battery and it is a Honda battery so maybe this is original so needs replacing?

1999 5th Gen 2.2 manual 110k

Mine is exactly the same & has been erratic for several years. Sometimes, the alarm goes off, sometimes not. Sometimes it waits till you start the engine and you drive off with the alarm going. I know H&P alarms eat their circuit boards quite regularly.

Now, mine was built in Sep-99 and has the OEM-spec Panasonic battery. I cannot believe it, but I do not believe replacements were Pannies, but are Yuasa badged as Hondas. So I suspect the battery may be 12 YO and I'm a bit loathed to replace it! According to the sinal indicator it's been dead for years, but like the Japanese soldiers in Korea who still theink the war's on...

So until it croaks, I'm none the wiser as to which it is.

I should really change that battery...

PS - if you actuate the lock repeatedly with the key, it seems to start working again.

Or slam the door hard in frustration. Not a long-term fix...

Got voltmeter on it. When engines running 14.41v when off 12.42 and dropping every few seconds put wipers on dropped to 7!!! However stupid indicater window is blue signifying its fine BS.

^ Is that sort of thing not alternator business?

My last car when I would brake (so the lights came on) the radio would cut out, same with indicating, using windows, etc. Then the alternator died