Jedi_Sol

Hi guys,

My mom's 92 accord ex (auto) is giving me problems again.

I can't shift out of PARK when i apply the brakes. Normally when you apply the brakes, you would hear a loud "click" noise, which would then allow you to shift out of park. I dont hear that "click" noise anymore. Therefore, the only way to start the car (from parking) is to stick the key in the shifter box, shift the neutral, take the key out and start the car.

I test drove the car around the neighborhood and the brakes feel like they are working fine. Additionally, i noticed the rear brake lights are not coming on, but there is no malfunction lamp coming on in the gauge cluster.

Maybe this may be relevant, but my mom says the "rear brake lamp" (not the e-brake lamp) has been lit for a while now. So i check her brakes and it turns out the center brake lamp does not light up. But i dont see how this could be connected to the current problem. Additionally, her engine had a massive coolant leak a while back, so her engine had to be pulled to fix it. Im thinking maybe the shop forgot to hook something up? But then she's been driving around ever since then without any problems. So i am guessing this started happening out of nowhere.

I checked her brake fluid level, it was at the "minimum" mark so i filled it back up with STP dot3 brake fluid, but the problem is still there.

Please, any help would be appreciated!

-James

Chiovnidca

does the horn work?

JimBlake

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jedi_Sol &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I test drove the car around the neighborhood and the brakes feel like they are working fine. Additionally, i noticed the rear brake lights are not coming on, but there is no malfunction lamp coming on in the gauge cluster.</TD></TR></TABLE>That part sound like the brake switch. Look up near the pivot of the brake pedal. There's a switch - maybe it acts like a stopper for the pedal when you're not pressing on it.

Switch broken? Fell out of it's bracket? Unplugged? Maybe the switch is shot even if it looks good?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chiovnidca &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">does the horn work?</TD></TR></TABLE>
If the horn doesn't work, check fuses. I guess they share the same fuse??

YeuEmMaiMai

brake switch

91hybridAccord

shift lock cylanoid??? maybe it needs some fluid???

BLKFLSH

It is most likely the brake switch. It activates the shift lock solenoid and the brake lights. located near brake pedal.

Jedi_Sol

Thanx guys for your help.

I tried getting to the brake switch tonight... but imagine this... a guy bent underneath the steering column of a car at night with a flashlight.

Next thing i hear is a police siren and an officer saying "please step away from the vehicle.." This is about 20 min after i accidentally triggered my mom's car alarm (which i thought was broken for the past 5years!)

Yeah, so im gonna wait til tomorrow afternoon to check it out.

yellowdcn

exposed wire touching metal ? Check if ur brake lights work as well as your horn becuase usually they are both using the same fuse.

YeuEmMaiMai

the shift lock relies on the brake switch telling it that someone has stepped on the brake pedal. If it does not think you have stepped on the brake petal, then it will not allow you to remove car from park. Since this person indicated that his rear brakes are out, it is most likely the switch.

I'd get that fixed fast as if you get into an accident and your brakes lights are not working, it would seriously suck to be you.

deserthonda

as all have said first off make sure fuse is ok,,,,,,,,if so at brake pedal switch, dusconnect plug and jump the 2 wires together white/yellow-and-green/white . if all works u got a bad switch ..

Jedi_Sol

*Update*

Borrowed the tester from my mom's shop and checked for continuity in the brake swtich. There is continuity when i step on the brake, so it seems that the switch is ok.

It must be a loose wire somewhere cuz when i looked under the steering column, it is a hack-job heaven of wiring!!! . It must have been when my mom got her car fixed years ago when she went to some ghetto repair shop to fix her wiring.

But first, tell me at what im looking at is right. When i look under the steering column, behind the switch there is like a contact sticking out behind the switch that is touching the pedal. When i press on the pedal, the contact disconnects from the pedal, thus telling the shift lock solenoid and brake lamps that the brake is being pressed. Right?

Jedi_Sol

*update again*

in a fit of rage i kicked the wiring under the steering column and voila...everything works!

Now her car wont start

It starts up to just the point right before the engine ignites... but instead of starting up all the way, it just keeps turning and turning and turning.

-James

sauceja

First off if you step on the brakes does the brake lights work. If so, not the brake switch. If the solenoid used to make noise when stepping on the brake and now it doesn't AND your brake lights do work when stepping on the brake then replace the solenoid.

I have already seen a faulty brake switch on a 2003 accord with less than 30K miles on it so they can fault.

Jedi_Sol

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sauceja &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">First off if you step on the brakes does the brake lights work. If so, not the brake switch. If the solenoid used to make noise when stepping on the brake and now it doesn't AND your brake lights do work when stepping on the brake then replace the solenoid.

I have already seen a faulty brake switch on a 2003 accord with less than 30K miles on it so they can fault.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanx guys, problem fixed... kinda

Both the brake lights and the solenoid stopped working when i pressed on the brake. But after kicking the wires under the steering column, everything started working again! Mustve been just a loose wire because i borrowed a tester from work and both teh brake switch and the solenoid had continuity in them.

deserthonda

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jedi_Sol &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">*update again*

in a fit of rage i kicked the wiring under the steering column and voila...everything works!

yo Jedi i have a feeling the force will abandon you and u will have the same problem,,, U really did not fix anything ,, by kicking it u made a connection of some sort it could last u till u hit the first big bump on the road.........there should not be any wires loose under dash i would look into that and see what is going on ,,,I wonder if car has an after-market alarm i have seen those cause all sorts of problems

-James</TD></TR></TABLE>

deserthonda

oooooooooops that did not come out like i wanted it to i guess i quoted even my own post ...

sauceja

I agree. You should definately check connections and look for t'd wires. Aftermarket rip outs cause horrible guessers.

Jedi_Sol

ive got a haynes manual, i can look up the wiring diagrams and slowy try to figure things out.

What wires should i be looking for if the car turns but does not start? Starter, ignition, etc.

James

JimBlake

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jedi_Sol &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What wires should i be looking for if the car turns but does not start? Starter, ignition, etc.</TD></TR></TABLE>If the engine turns then the starter is doing it's job. Look at ignition & fuel circuits. Check whether you get spark.

sauceja

So your car went from not going out of park and now it won't start???
Maybe the little kick method was not a good idea. First thing is to find out exactly what your problem is and then pick one symptom to check. Sometimes doing this you can find your other problems in the process.

Either way if you tell us exactly what you are having problems with then we may be of further assistance.