Woman Owns Honda CR-V. Then She Shows It Can Only Start If You Sing To It: ‘I Change My Starter Every 2 Years’

A woman asks that eternal question: How many tries will it take for my 2009 Honda CR-V to start in the morning? Apparently, singing is part of the protocol.

TikTok creator Gina (@balancebygina) posted a video from the Honda in question. “It’s 5 a.m. Let’s see if this thing will start,” she says to start the video.

In the caption, she asks, “How many tries to start my ‘09 CR-V?”

How Many Tries Will It Take to Start This Woman’s 2009 Honda CR-V?

Gina puts the key into the ignition and makes her first attempt. The lights flicker, but the Honda doesn’t start. She tries again and gets the same result. After the third time, Gina is visibly frustrated.

After another half a dozen or so attempts, Gina decides to bring out the big guns, so to speak. She sings a couple of notes and turns the key again. It doesn’t work. Then, she sings a few bars of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” 

Gina tries the key for a final time, and the CR-V roars to life. “You gotta sing to it,” she says.

What Is Wrong With The Woman’s 2009 Honda CR-V?

In the comments section of the video, viewers said they can relate to the experience of driving an old vehicle and praying it starts.

“When you have to leave by 5 a.m. but you have to be at the car by 4:15 a.m.,” said one viewer.

“From another ‘09 CR-V baddie… I change my starter every two years,” a second person said. “It always goes.”

“Your patience is unmatched,” a third person said.

Several other viewers agreed it’s likely a failing starter causing this issue. “The amount of times you’re doing it is giving me anxiety,” another person said.

Gallery: Honda CR-V Special Edition

Is This The Sign Of A Failing Starter?

According to Christian Brothers Automotive, the clicking noise Gina gets when trying to start her CR-V could absolutely be the sign of a failing starter. 

Essentially, starters need an uninterrupted flow of electricity to function. When dirt and the elements degrade the components over time, the starter will stop working. Other symptoms of a failing starter include a grinding sound, a burning smell, and unreliable starting, like Gina showed in her video.

Christian Brothers Automotive recommends first checking the battery and making sure any connecting wires between it and the starter are secure and free of corrosion. You can also try to jump-start the vehicle, and if that fails, your starter could indeed be the issue.

In this Reddit thread posted to r/mechanic advice 11 years ago, a commenter said, “A bad starter would make a loud click noise and you would have electricity to the rest of the car.”

Motor1 contacted Gina via email for comment. We will update this story if she responds.