Honda Car Forum

Hi To All:

My wife's '92 Accord LX died today as she was coasting to a stop,
fortunately at a slow speed on a neighborhood street. It seemed like
the battery at first, but a jump did no good and a subsequent check of
the voltage showed that this was OK. Only after the car sat for awhile
was I finally able to start it again, otherwise it would just turn
over. I got up to 20 mph and then the vehicle suddenly went dead. This
was a bit scary. My first thought (based on reading this board) was
the igniter, but Canadian Tire called and said that the "ignition
control module" was bad. Question: are these just the same part? Also,
what is the funciton of a related part called a "pickup"? Thanks in
advance for any help. - Paul D.

If you turn on the key and leave it on for 5 seconds:

Is the check engine light on, or does it go off after a couple seconds ?

Is the sports light flashing ?

G

Hi : I guess that's a moot issue now, since Canadian Tire is already
ordering the ICM for installation tomorrow. Wish I'd known to try this
before I turned the car in to them, but my wife has to have it for
later this week so I couldn't wait. Just curious...what would this
protocol have told me in terms of diagnostic information? I'd really
like to learn all I can.Thanks. - Paul.

On Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:55:46 -0700, Gene Wagenbreth <genewxxx@isi-OS4>
wrote:

>If you turn on the key and leave it on for 5 seconds:
>
>Is the check engine light on, or does it go off after a couple seconds ?
>
>Is the sports light flashing ?
>
>G

Paul D wrote:

> Hi : I guess that's a moot issue now, since Canadian Tire is already
> ordering the ICM for installation tomorrow. Wish I'd known to try this
> before I turned the car in to them, but my wife has to have it for
> later this week so I couldn't wait. Just curious...what would this
> protocol have told me in terms of diagnostic information? I'd really
> like to learn all I can.Thanks. - Paul.

DO NOT go to Crappy Tire for service on a Honda!!! Or any car.

If the tach acts erratically before stalling and dash lights remain lit, I
would suspect the igniter or ignition coil.

If the tach instantly drops to 0 when it stalls and no dash lights come on,
I would suspect the ignition switch.

That would be the former scenario which you mentioned, at least in
this case. The tach did not instantaeously drop to zero. I therefore
am back to suspecting the igniter, at least if I understand you
correctly. - Paul.

On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 20:49:29 -0400, High Tech Misfit <me@privacy.net>
wrote:

>Paul D wrote:
>
>> Hi : I guess that's a moot issue now, since Canadian Tire is already
>> ordering the ICM for installation tomorrow. Wish I'd known to try this
>> before I turned the car in to them, but my wife has to have it for
>> later this week so I couldn't wait. Just curious...what would this
>> protocol have told me in terms of diagnostic information? I'd really
>> like to learn all I can.Thanks. - Paul.
>
>DO NOT go to Crappy Tire for service on a Honda!!! Or any car.
>
>If the tach acts erratically before stalling and dash lights remain lit, I
>would suspect the igniter or ignition coil.
>
>If the tach instantly drops to 0 when it stalls and no dash lights come on,
>I would suspect the ignition switch.

Paul D wrote:
> Hi To All:
>
> My wife's '92 Accord LX died today as she was coasting to a stop,
> fortunately at a slow speed on a neighborhood street. It seemed like
> the battery at first, but a jump did no good and a subsequent check of
> the voltage showed that this was OK. Only after the car sat for awhile
> was I finally able to start it again, otherwise it would just turn
> over. I got up to 20 mph and then the vehicle suddenly went dead. This
> was a bit scary. My first thought (based on reading this board) was
> the igniter, but Canadian Tire called and said that the "ignition
> control module" was bad. Question: are these just the same part? Also,
> what is the funciton of a related part called a "pickup"? Thanks in
> advance for any help. - Paul D.
>

igniter/ignition control module are the same.

it could be that, but while some people say this is an intermittent
issue, in my experience, igniters die, then stay dead forever. check
into the coil and the main relay as potential other culprits. read the
diagnostics at tegger.com.

On Wed, 01 Aug 2007 22:05:58 -0400, Paul D <pauls@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>That would be the former scenario which you mentioned, at least in
>this case. The tach did not instantaeously drop to zero. I therefore
>am back to suspecting the igniter, at least if I understand you
>correctly. - Paul.
>
>On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 20:49:29 -0400, High Tech Misfit <me@privacy.net>
>wrote:
>
>>Paul D wrote:
>>
>>> Hi : I guess that's a moot issue now, since Canadian Tire is already
>>> ordering the ICM for installation tomorrow. Wish I'd known to try this
>>> before I turned the car in to them, but my wife has to have it for
>>> later this week so I couldn't wait. Just curious...what would this
>>> protocol have told me in terms of diagnostic information? I'd really
>>> like to learn all I can.Thanks. - Paul.
>>
>>DO NOT go to Crappy Tire for service on a Honda!!! Or any car.
>>
>>If the tach acts erratically before stalling and dash lights remain lit, I
>>would suspect the igniter or ignition coil.
>>
>>If the tach instantly drops to 0 when it stalls and no dash lights come on,
>>I would suspect the ignition switch.
>

I had something similar a few months back where the car just died
while backing out of a parking spot. I was told that it was the
"master module". That doesn't sound like the same thing as this, but
it is a 91 Accord (that just turned 100,000).

>I had something similar a few months back where the car just died
>while backing out of a parking spot. I was told that it was the
>"master module". That doesn't sound like the same thing as this, but
>it is a 91 Accord (that just turned 100,000).

That could have been your ECU (Electronic Control Unit). The way you
know is if it cost you a bundle, several hundred just for the part,
then it was probably the ECU. - Paul

>igniter/ignition control module are the same.
>
>it could be that, but while some people say this is an intermittent
>issue, in my experience, igniters die, then stay dead forever. check
>into the coil and the main relay as potential other culprits. read the
>diagnostics at tegger.com.

Thanks, Jim - you answered my question. I'll have my regular mechanic
check these when I take the car in for brake work next week. - Paul

On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 09:44:15 -0400, Paul D <pauls@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>>I had something similar a few months back where the car just died
>>while backing out of a parking spot. I was told that it was the
>>"master module". That doesn't sound like the same thing as this, but
>>it is a 91 Accord (that just turned 100,000).
>
>That could have been your ECU (Electronic Control Unit). The way you
>know is if it cost you a bundle, several hundred just for the part,
>then it was probably the ECU. - Paul

Ah, yes, the big clue. It cost $500 or so.