2001 civic ex: just recently it randomly fails to start. I'll get in the car, dome lights turn on as usual, put key in ignition and all lights light like normal, but as soon as the key gets to the start position, everything goes dark. no fuel pump priming sound, starter never attempts to turn over either. all electricity blinks out, the radio gets reset as if the battery were pulled. I'll wait just a couple minutes and it will start like nothing ever happened. 1 of the times i had to crank for a few more seconds than normal for it to start. It has happened 3 times now in the last week and a half and luckily started eventually each time, but dont want to get caught stranded when i had these warning signs of whats to come. any ideas what it might be?

 

You may want to check your ignition switch.

 

Anything that I can do myself, or am I better off bringing it to the shop?

 

Check for bad connections at the battery.

If you have a voltmeter you can check that the battery voltage stays up when the key is turned. If it doesn't the battery is faulty.

 

You can test it: