Honda Car Forum

Hey guys,

I've got a problem that hopefully someone can help me on this one. I
got a 92 Accord EX with 178k on it. Motor has been working fine, but
lately I've been running into electrical problems. A list of things
that I've changed electrically: replaced alternator, distributor
rotor,distributor cap, lead wire, spark plugs and their wires,
"regulator" or the chip-like rectangle that's inside the distributor,
battery, battery wires.

The problem I ran into yesterday and today is the following: When
trying to turn on my car at night after staying many hours off, it
wouldn't stay on. It would crank, the engine turns, everything seemed
OK, but it wouldn't stay on. I waited a few minutes then tryed again.
It started. I was on the road for about 5 minutes when I see the
tachometer and speedometer dials drop to zero for a few seconds. Then
they moved back to their original readings. It did that about three
times then all the electrical stuff (clock, interior panel) faded. Car
also began loosing power. It did this about 2 times, then everything
was OK. I got home, turned the car off then turned it on again to see
if the problem still occurred, but it turned on OK.

Today I came to work, keeping a close eye on everything. I was fince
while on the road until I parked at the market. I saw the lights in the
panel flicker when I parked.NOT AGAIN! Surely enough, when I got back
from the market the same deal occured. This time I noticed that as long
as I keep the key turned all the way clockwise like when you first turn
on the car ( I think it says AC on the keyhole) it would stay on. So I
drove it with the key turned all the way for a lil' bit. (I didn't get
the loud grinding sound that normally occurs once the engine cranks and
you keep the key turned too long, I got that sound about a minute later
once I parked the car).

Please help me someone!!!

Dave

Dangerousdt wrote:
>
> Hey guys,
>
> I've got a problem that hopefully someone can help me on this one. I
> got a 92 Accord EX with 178k on it. Motor has been working fine, but
> lately I've been running into electrical problems. A list of things
> that I've changed electrically: replaced alternator, distributor
> rotor,distributor cap, lead wire, spark plugs and their wires,
> "regulator" or the chip-like rectangle that's inside the distributor,
> battery, battery wires.
>
> The problem I ran into yesterday and today is the following: When
> trying to turn on my car at night after staying many hours off, it
> wouldn't stay on. It would crank, the engine turns, everything seemed
> OK, but it wouldn't stay on. I waited a few minutes then tryed again.
> It started. I was on the road for about 5 minutes when I see the
> tachometer and speedometer dials drop to zero for a few seconds. Then
> they moved back to their original readings. It did that about three
> times then all the electrical stuff (clock, interior panel) faded. Car
> also began loosing power. It did this about 2 times, then everything
> was OK. I got home, turned the car off then turned it on again to see
> if the problem still occurred, but it turned on OK.
>
> Today I came to work, keeping a close eye on everything. I was fince
> while on the road until I parked at the market. I saw the lights in the
> panel flicker when I parked.NOT AGAIN! Surely enough, when I got back
> from the market the same deal occured. This time I noticed that as long
> as I keep the key turned all the way clockwise like when you first turn
> on the car ( I think it says AC on the keyhole) it would stay on. So I
> drove it with the key turned all the way for a lil' bit. (I didn't get
> the loud grinding sound that normally occurs once the engine cranks and
> you keep the key turned too long, I got that sound about a minute later
> once I parked the car).
>
> Please help me someone!!!
>
> Dave

--------------------------------------

You changed all that stuff but ignored that Honda recalled about a
BILLION of their cars / SUV's for faulty ignition switches?

Google could have saved you a lot of trouble, I think. I've had ignition
switches replaced on six hondas I've owned.

Here's the recall, which includes some of the (your) symptoms.

'Curly'

In article <4470DADD.43D66D66@interbaun.com>, "'Curly Q. Links'"
<motsco__@interbaun.com> wrote:

Dangerousdt wrote:
>
> Hey guys,
>
> I've got a problem that hopefully someone can help me on this one. I
> got a 92 Accord EX with 178k on it. Motor has been working fine, but
> lately I've been running into electrical problems. A list of things
> that I've changed electrically: replaced alternator, distributor
> rotor,distributor cap, lead wire, spark plugs and their wires,
> "regulator" or the chip-like rectangle that's inside the distributor,
> battery, battery wires.
>
> The problem I ran into yesterday and today is the following: When
> trying to turn on my car at night after staying many hours off, it
> wouldn't stay on. It would crank, the engine turns, everything seemed
> OK, but it wouldn't stay on. I waited a few minutes then tryed again.
> It started. I was on the road for about 5 minutes when I see the
> tachometer and speedometer dials drop to zero for a few seconds. Then
> they moved back to their original readings. It did that about three
> times then all the electrical stuff (clock, interior panel) faded. Car
> also began loosing power. It did this about 2 times, then everything
> was OK. I got home, turned the car off then turned it on again to see
> if the problem still occurred, but it turned on OK.
>
> Today I came to work, keeping a close eye on everything. I was fince
> while on the road until I parked at the market. I saw the lights in the
> panel flicker when I parked.NOT AGAIN! Surely enough, when I got back
> from the market the same deal occured. This time I noticed that as long
> as I keep the key turned all the way clockwise like when you first turn
> on the car ( I think it says AC on the keyhole) it would stay on. So I
> drove it with the key turned all the way for a lil' bit. (I didn't get
> the loud grinding sound that normally occurs once the engine cranks and
> you keep the key turned too long, I got that sound about a minute later
> once I parked the car).
>
> Please help me someone!!!
>
> Dave

--------------------------------------

You changed all that stuff but ignored that Honda recalled about a
BILLION of their cars / SUV's for faulty ignition switches?

Google could have saved you a lot of trouble, I think. I've had ignition
switches replaced on six hondas I've owned.

Here's the recall, which includes some of the (your) symptoms.

'Curly'

Curly,
Great post. It was my guess that the problem was caused by the faulty
ignition switch but was not aware that so many other Honda cars had
the same problem. The ignition in my 99 Accord was repaired as a result
of another recall that happened about two years ago.
Jason