Posted: 8/20/2026 8:06:01 PM EDT
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Disclosure I am not a mechanic and only mildly mechanically inclined. My 18-year-old nephew crashed his 09 Honda Civic SI about a year ago and parked it, but it was still running when he parked it. Just looking to see if I can get it up and running for him in order to sell a running car, instead of a parts car. I pulled the battery and had it checked and it was DOA. Bought a new cheap $100 Chinese battery from Autozone that the guy checked to make sure it was good to go and it was. I put the battery in and connected the battery cables. I immediately heard a buzz noise from the left side of the engine bay area that never stops when the battery is connected. Something is running but not sure exactly where the noise is coming from, but again it is constant. I put the key in and tried to start it, no noise to indicate power, no dash lights, no clicking when trying to start it, absolutely nothing. The only thing that is getting power is whatever is making the buzzing noise along with the parking lights and brakes lights. I checked all of the small fuses in the engine bay and they were fine. I pulled all of the larger fuses and they appear fine so I put them back in. I watched some youtube vids and some vids seem to indicate that it might be the main battery relay. If that was the case, why would I still get power to any parking/brake lights etc as mentioned. Not sure even where this main relay is located. One vid said in the drivers footwell above the other fuses, but another showed it inside the glove box, and still another said to the right of the glove box and you have to pull off not only the glove box but a few other panels. Not sure I want to start pulling panels until I know where it is. Any thoughts as to why there is power to these lights and the buzzing but the dash etc is dead? Thanks |
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Originally Posted By Andrewh: it would be helpful to know what kind of wreck. where and what kind of damage there was. some things trigger shut offs to prevent fires and stuff. He rearended a car so front-end damage, front bumper was more or less trashed. Engine area did not sustain any visible damage. As mentioned, he was able to drive it home several miles after the accident. |
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did the airbags go off? also fuses can look good and still be bad. you might have to check continuity on the fuses. I would expect a main battery fuse to be in the engine compartment. headlights should work and brake lights with the car off. most wiring is broken down into 3 parts. engine compartment, passenger compartment and tail section. normally power passes into and then back out of the passenger compartment back to the engine compartment so the key controls some of those functions, but not all. can you show pictures of the front end, both sides and head on, just to get an idea of what sensors or wiring might be damaged? running after an accident and then restarting can also be 2 different things. as generally there is a run circuit path and a start circuit path. |