2003 Acura MDX 280k miles. Sat for a week then when I turned it on it shut off as I let the key go. I tried another key it turned on for like 30 seconds then turned off and when I tried again it shut off as soon as I let the key go from the start position. Tried multiple times with no luck
What diagnostic steps have you done so far? Have you checked your fuel pressure? How old are your spark plugs? What do the plugs look like, are they fouled?
@chucktobias haven't started anything as yet but I guess I'll start with a scan tool. I'm thinking immobilizer maybe
@gemini15 On most cars the immobilizer would not permit the engine to crank or fire up at all. Another possibility I should have mentioned would be a problem with your ignition switch. I've had similar symptoms on a car with a flakey ignition switch.
@chucktobias got it. I will start looking into it this weekend and see what I find
@chucktobias On all the vehicles I've owned, the immobilizer disabled the fuel pump. The vehicle could start on the residual fuel pressure in the system, but would stall shortly after when the fuel was depleted. I can't speak for Acuras though.
@imperator On mine the immobilizer disables the starter. (It has an immobilizer even though it does not have electronic keys.) I'm pretty sure there are others that do the same thing.
@chucktobias The antitheft system on our shop's newish F350 failed. Key did not work. Using an electrical diagram, and a piece of wire poked into the right spots in the fuse panel, I was able to start it up in a few minutes.
@imperator At least you had a pretty easy workaround, living up to the company's old slogan "Ford has a better idea".
@chucktobias it was the ignition switch... Electrical portion.
That would do it - thanks for letting us know!