Ek01civic

I have a 2001 Honda Civic EX, I recently noticed belt whine and saw my top alternator bolt fell out. After I put it back in, the belt whine went away for a couple days then returned. A couple days after it returned my battery light came on, the day after my battery light came on my car went seriously crazy. When I start my car it idle searches from about 1,200-600 RPM, every time it idles down the check engine light clicks on, I can hear it clicking at the ECU. After about 40 seconds the idle smooths out, then the check enging light comes on steady and I lose power at my tach, about 30 seconds later my temp guage loses power. It is an automatic transmission, the gear light indicators around D, D3, a 2 are not working (my brake safety switch is also clicking for about a minute or 2) but the lights around park, reverse, and neutral are working. When this started happening, my car shifts hard in to reverse and drive, goes into park and neutral just fine, also in drive, i'm not getting much power accelerating, it acts like it's staying in first gear. My fans are kicking on sporadically. I have pulled my alternator and had it tested at 2 different shops and it passed all tests, alternator fuse is good, ECU fuse is good. This one has me stumped as the check engine light flashes when the car starts no one can pull the code. The battery is about a month old and has tested good at multiple shops. The check engine code resets when I turn the car off, so OBD II scanners read it as good since the code isn't on when the car is tested. Any ideas, input, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also the car is bone stock.

lazlong

Sounds like the ELD (Electrical Load Detector). It's in the bottom of the under-hood fuse/relay box. Part# 38255-S5A-003

*Disconnect the negative battery cable before you do any electrical work.

Ek01civic

Thanks for the input on this, after researching it I think this may be what is wrong with my car. I went to the dealership to get an ELD, after I put it in my key indicator on my dash is flashing constantly and the car won't start. I know on alldata it shows a procedure on CRV's you have to go through when replacing these, do you know if there's anything I would have to do on a civic? Or start hunting down other problems. I don't even know what that indicator light is called, so I've been stumped on how to look up what could cause it to consistently blink.

lazlong

It should work after that. Other than the idle learn procedure there's nothing else to the process, window re-learn is for CRV only. Did you disconnect the battery before working on it? What does the indicator look like? Can you take a pic if you can't describe it?

Ek01civic

I disconnected the negative battery terminal when I replaced the ELD, pretty much followed the steps from alldata. After messing around on other forums, I found out the light I'm talking about is for the immobilizer. It comes on when the ignition is turned to accessory, then goes off when the car is started. Now it comes on steady for a bit, then starts flashing, almost maybe like the immobilizer and or ECU is not reading the code off the key, but I have tried both of my chipped keys. It went off though when I pulled the fuel pump fuse, then came back on when I put the fuel pump fuse back in. This is not the greatest pic, but it was tricky to get a cluster picture without glare, and with the light constantly flashing.

lazlong

The service manual is telling me to hook up the Honda scan tool and look at the status log. Regular scan tool MIGHT read it, I don't know.

Things that could be bad:
1. transponder (in the key)
2. immobilizer
3. ECM/PCM
4. blown fuse
5. open in the wiring harness
6. immobilizer isn't recognizing the key due to:
a: keychains
b: low battery voltage

Blown fuse, low battery voltage and an open in the harness are the only things you can really check yourself. Otherwise looks like a trip to the dealership (make sure to bring proof of ownership). I'm short on time this morning, I'll post the diagnostic tree for the open this afternoon.

Ek01civic

I got the immobilizer light off, there was a harness disconnected under the air box, but it still won't start and I have reset the immobilizer, now it smells like fuel when I try to start it, and the oil dipstick smells like fuel pretty strong. Any ideas on this? I'm thinking fuel pressure regulator or it jumped timing. I just don't want to tear it apart to see if it's at top dead center.

cfendley

Has there been any update to this problem? i have the EXACT same symptoms and can not figure it out.