Honda Car Forum

My car has the good ol' PGM-FI dash light on problem. This seems to be
a common problem and I have seen a variety of explanations.

The light normally comes on when you turn the ignition key and
immediately turns off after I successfully start the car. However,
after I drive the car for 15 minutes, the light comes back on again and
doesn't turn off until I turn the car off. This is not normal. When
I start the car again, it will stay off again for a few minutes.

I have seen a number of explanations for this:
1) bad oxygen sensor (replace sensor)
2) problems with the solder connections on the main relay (replace
relay or re-solder all connections)
3) put fuel injector cleaner in the tank or get injectors cleaned

I understand the ECU might help me figure it out. But then I also
understand that the ECU is sometimes mistaken.

Any help would be much appreciated. My car stalled out today. I think
it was due to a problem with the ground wires but I'm still pretty
concerned.

zardozrocks wrote:
> My car has the good ol' PGM-FI dash light on problem. This seems to be
> a common problem and I have seen a variety of explanations.
>
> The light normally comes on when you turn the ignition key and
> immediately turns off after I successfully start the car. However,
> after I drive the car for 15 minutes, the light comes back on again and
> doesn't turn off until I turn the car off. This is not normal. When
> I start the car again, it will stay off again for a few minutes.
>
> I have seen a number of explanations for this:
> 1) bad oxygen sensor (replace sensor)
> 2) problems with the solder connections on the main relay (replace
> relay or re-solder all connections)
> 3) put fuel injector cleaner in the tank or get injectors cleaned
>
> I understand the ECU might help me figure it out. But then I also
> understand that the ECU is sometimes mistaken.
>
> Any help would be much appreciated. My car stalled out today. I think
> it was due to a problem with the ground wires but I'm still pretty
> concerned.
>
1. go to tegger.com and get directions to the manual for your car.
2. locate ecu.
3. read error code.

the ecu's are usually pretty good for diagnostics. the only exception i
know for sure is the main relay in obd0 which often gives code 16,
failed injector circuit. but since the main relay does energize the
injectors, it's not all wrong, just misleading.

I checked all over tegger and looked at every online manual they had.
the only one that was remotely close to describing where the ECU is
located was on the english website and the diagram was so vague I
couldn't tell what it depicted. the *other* diagram on that page was
the driver's seat so I assume it's somewhere in the cabin.

Anyone? please?

"zardozrocks" <zardozrocks@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1165308867.524734.7990@16g2000cwy.googlegroup s.com...
>I checked all over tegger and looked at every online manual they had.
> the only one that was remotely close to describing where the ECU is
> located was on the english website and the diagram was so vague I
> couldn't tell what it depicted. the *other* diagram on that page was
> the driver's seat so I assume it's somewhere in the cabin.
>
> Anyone? please?
>

How about http://tinyurl.com/y6scej

If they talk about a "code reader" they mean a shorting jumper. (I bought
the manual with two "code readers" for $35 before I found out what it was!)

Mike

Aha! so the ECU appears to be in the side panel behind the driver's
seat. now I just have to figure out how to get that off. Those
service manuals looked pretty helpful but didn't contain much info on
how to disassemble body panels.

zardozrocks wrote:
> Aha! so the ECU appears to be in the side panel behind the driver's
> seat. now I just have to figure out how to get that off. Those
> service manuals looked pretty helpful but didn't contain much info on
> how to disassemble body panels.

It's under the front seat, covered by a plastic cover. You first
need to remove the seat, "4 bolts, and plastic covers need to
be popped off to get to the back two." Then you take off the
plastic cover , and there it is..
The PGM-FI has a LED that blinks to show the trouble code.
You need to access the puter, and when you get a trouble
warning light, then count how many times the LED blinks.
There will be a 2 second pause between each series of blinks.
I have a list of the blink code if you don't have it.
MK

Thanks for your response, but according to that document michael pardee
posted, it's in the right side panel behind the driver's seat. I have
no idea how to get that panel off.

"zardozrocks" <zardozrocks@gmail.com> wrote in
news:1165358342.522772.291130@n67g2000cwd.googlegr oups.com:

> Thanks for your response, but according to that document michael pardee
> posted, it's in the right side panel behind the driver's seat. I have
> no idea how to get that panel off.
>
>


That's wrong. It's under the driver's seat. Run the seat all the way back
and you'll see it.

See here:
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/misc/..._E_14JAN03.pdf
specifically page 15.

My OBD-II pages are confusingly written and I apologize for that. A rewrite
is in the cards just as soon as work slows down a bit...

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

That document is where I was looking before (although a different
link). My car is a *1987 Honda Prelude* which is the first row of the
table on page 16. That says:

"Procedure: Access ECU (located behind
driver's seat within door pillar assembly)
(H8). Turn ignition on and
observe LED on ECU for codes.
Codes: Codes blinked out by LED are
separated by two second pause, then
repeated. For example: 2 blinks - two
second pause - 2 blinks = code 2 (H14)"

No tool necessary it says. however, i don't really know how to get in
the 'door pillar assembly'

On 5 Dec 2006 21:32:38 -0800, "zardozrocks" <zardozrocks@gmail.com>
wrote:

>That document is where I was looking before (although a different
>link). My car is a *1987 Honda Prelude* which is the first row of the
>table on page 16. That says:
>
>"Procedure: Access ECU (located behind
>driver's seat within door pillar assembly)
>(H8). Turn ignition on and
>observe LED on ECU for codes.
>Codes: Codes blinked out by LED are
>separated by two second pause, then
>repeated. For example: 2 blinks - two
>second pause - 2 blinks = code 2 (H14)"
>
>No tool necessary it says. however, i don't really know how to get in
>the 'door pillar assembly'


Look under the drivers seat (from the rear seat side.) That's where
it was in the '86 integra.