A friend/coworker has a '98 Civic LX, 1.6L (non-VTECH I believe), 5-speed. When she tries to cold start the car, she'll turn the key to start, nothing happens. No lights, no turn, nothing. She turns the key back to 'OFF' and tries again to start it, it starts. It doesn't happen all the time but when it does, it always starts normally on the 2nd attempt.

Thoughts?

 

check her connections on the battery, make sure they are clean and tight and also check the grounds

 

Done that already. Connections are secure and clean.

 

does the head light come on when it does this?
if so then she may have a bad ignition switch,

 

Not sure. I'll check on that. I was thinking bad ignition as well.

 

Check the starter relay might be going bad mine did that too sometimes nothing would come on, and it was my starter relay. or you can do what the gentle man said above me and check the ignition switch also.

 

there is a recall on the ignition switch. double check to see if the car has been serviced for it. it affects the 98s.