Honda Car Forum

My car is 98 Accord, 5-spd, 120K miles, 30mile/gallon
Sometimes when I slow down (approaching a stop sign, exiting highway or
making a turn) and depress the clutch, the idle speed drops quickly and
engine stalls. It happens very quietly that I can not notice it until I
feel my steering wheel locked and see all lights come on. This issue
used to happen once a year, then once a month, now once a day. It's
really scary and dangerous!

I wonder what problem this might be, and why it happens just
occasionally?

Thanks!

ABC wrote:
>
> My car is 98 Accord, 5-spd, 120K miles, 30mile/gallon
> Sometimes when I slow down (approaching a stop sign, exiting highway or
> making a turn) and depress the clutch, the idle speed drops quickly and
> engine stalls. It happens very quietly that I can not notice it until I
> feel my steering wheel locked and see all lights come on. This issue
> used to happen once a year, then once a month, now once a day. It's
> really scary and dangerous!
>
> I wonder what problem this might be, and why it happens just
> occasionally?
>
> Thanks!

The '98 Accord was subject to a recall of the ignition switch. Failure
of the ignition switch can cause the engine to stall. Has you car had
the ignition switch replaced?

--
================================================== =====
A very modest collection of Honda tech info can be found at:
http://www.geocities.com/ng_randolph

It seems the recall doesn't include Manual transmision cars.

I wonder if the clutch itself isn't releasing completely. It may be
slipping and resulting heat distorting the disc enough so that it
doesn't release.

ABC wrote:
> It seems the recall doesn't include Manual transmision cars.

If the steering wheel is locking when the engine stalls, it would seem
that the ignition switch is the first place you should be looking
anyway.

nate

I guess engine stalling always cause steering wheel locking. It's by
design, right?

I put shift into neutral at the same time. Also, I can feel it's
releasing completely.

Is your steering wheel actually locking or just turned into 'armstrong'
due to lack of power assist?

If it is really locking, you for sure have a dead ignition switch
although I sure can't see it 'fixing' itself enough to let you start it
up again.

Otherwise if you have an EGR valve you are giving the classic
description of a carboned up one. They get sticky and slow to close so
cause stalls after deceleration.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

ABC wrote:
>
> My car is 98 Accord, 5-spd, 120K miles, 30mile/gallon
> Sometimes when I slow down (approaching a stop sign, exiting highway or
> making a turn) and depress the clutch, the idle speed drops quickly and
> engine stalls. It happens very quietly that I can not notice it until I
> feel my steering wheel locked and see all lights come on. This issue
> used to happen once a year, then once a month, now once a day. It's
> really scary and dangerous!
>
> I wonder what problem this might be, and why it happens just
> occasionally?
>
> Thanks!

Oh, also there is 1,000,000 1998 Honda Accords out there with bad
ignition switches that cause engine stalls. Maybe yours is one of
those?

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/pr...ls/results.cfm

Mike

Mike Romain wrote:
>
> Is your steering wheel actually locking or just turned into 'armstrong'
> due to lack of power assist?
>
> If it is really locking, you for sure have a dead ignition switch
> although I sure can't see it 'fixing' itself enough to let you start it
> up again.
>
> Otherwise if you have an EGR valve you are giving the classic
> description of a carboned up one. They get sticky and slow to close so
> cause stalls after deceleration.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>
> ABC wrote:
> >
> > My car is 98 Accord, 5-spd, 120K miles, 30mile/gallon
> > Sometimes when I slow down (approaching a stop sign, exiting highway or
> > making a turn) and depress the clutch, the idle speed drops quickly and
> > engine stalls. It happens very quietly that I can not notice it until I
> > feel my steering wheel locked and see all lights come on. This issue
> > used to happen once a year, then once a month, now once a day. It's
> > really scary and dangerous!
> >
> > I wonder what problem this might be, and why it happens just
> > occasionally?
> >
> > Thanks!

OK...that's good information.

The sensation of the steering wheel being locked should be from the
power steering pump being off because the motor is stalled. You should
be able to turn the wheel, if stiffly. The steering should only lock
completely if the key is turned to off. Is the key in the off position
by any chance?

If it only happens when you depress the clutch pedal, it could be
related to a switch on the clutch. Some manual shift transmission cars
require that the clutch be depressed for starting. If there is an
intermittent problem with that switch it could cause the engine to
stall.