Car randomly dies while driving/idling
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Car randomly dies while driving/idling
When I'm driving along, the car will suddenly die. No sputter, no nothing, just dead. This happened a few times and I just took it to honda. They claimed it was the cap/rotor and then now the ignitor.
The issue I have with their diagnosis (they replaced cap/rotor), is I replaced the entire distributor in Oct 2007. Not to mention I just opened it up and it looks practically brand new in there.
Does anyone have any ideas on what this could be? I suspect it could be a shorted wire or something as I've noticed it tends to happen when it's wet/humid outside.
No CELs either.
Any help would be appreciated!
The issue I have with their diagnosis (they replaced cap/rotor), is I replaced the entire distributor in Oct 2007. Not to mention I just opened it up and it looks practically brand new in there.
Does anyone have any ideas on what this could be? I suspect it could be a shorted wire or something as I've noticed it tends to happen when it's wet/humid outside.
No CELs either.
Any help would be appreciated!
#3
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
I'm thinking ignitor also. been there, chased that.
Surprised it only lasted a short time.
Next time find a local mechanic, there much cheaper.
Surprised it only lasted a short time.
Next time find a local mechanic, there much cheaper.
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
Well I tend to smell gas when it dies.
Keep in mind I replaced the whole distributor in Oct '07, and I opened it up and it all looks brand new.
Here's a pic; I know, crappy. :/
Keep in mind I replaced the whole distributor in Oct '07, and I opened it up and it all looks brand new.
Here's a pic; I know, crappy. :/
#5
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
i had a similiar problem. it was the switch on the steering wheel column when you turn the key. my mechanic told me the electronics contact was loose or something like that and if it short while your driving the engine will cut off. Ended up costing me about 80 bucks to repair the thing and now my car runs great.
oh yea other people told me it was the distributor/rotor/ingitor too but it wasn't that. so check the switch thing...
oh yea other people told me it was the distributor/rotor/ingitor too but it wasn't that. so check the switch thing...
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
i had a similiar problem. it was the switch on the steering wheel column when you turn the key. my mechanic told me the electronics contact was loose or something like that and if it short while your driving the engine will cut off. Ended up costing me about 80 bucks to repair the thing and now my car runs great.
oh yea other people told me it was the distributor/rotor/ingitor too but it wasn't that. so check the switch thing...
oh yea other people told me it was the distributor/rotor/ingitor too but it wasn't that. so check the switch thing...
Hmm, that is interesting... I will definitely keep that in mind. I'm going to put in the ignition coil tomorrow. I'll try to see if wiggling the key maybe does anything.
Thanks
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#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
Ok, so I changed out the ignition coil (OEM #30510-Pt2-006). According to searching on here, that's what is considered the ignitor.
This definitely didn't fix it. I drove the car, within 5 minutes the car died. I noticed that I smelled gas when I first started the car, and when the car finally died, I smelled burning. I'm going to pull my plugs as soon as the car cools down and check for any fouled plugs.
Anyone have any further ideas? I'm not 100% what this is... Could the ECU shut off the engine to protect itself due to heat? I'm noticing 9/10 times this has happened when the car is waiting at a stop light/sign, thus letting whatever heat build up.
This definitely didn't fix it. I drove the car, within 5 minutes the car died. I noticed that I smelled gas when I first started the car, and when the car finally died, I smelled burning. I'm going to pull my plugs as soon as the car cools down and check for any fouled plugs.
Anyone have any further ideas? I'm not 100% what this is... Could the ECU shut off the engine to protect itself due to heat? I'm noticing 9/10 times this has happened when the car is waiting at a stop light/sign, thus letting whatever heat build up.
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#9
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
Thanks
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#12
Junior Member
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#13
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
same problem, changed the dist. and everything, then moved on to the fuel system with no avail. i didnt think it would be the IACV or pcv, but when i cleaned the iacv everything was back to normal. i had past issues with iacv's and i was sure it wasnt the culprit... but it was
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#14
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
Test the main relay as described here: https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-del-sol-1992-2000-1/main-relay-clicks-2554010/
Also, check the spark plug wires for any cracks or anything abnormal.
Also, check the spark plug wires for any cracks or anything abnormal.
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#15
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
same problem, changed the dist. and everything, then moved on to the fuel system with no avail. i didnt think it would be the IACV or pcv, but when i cleaned the iacv everything was back to normal. i had past issues with iacv's and i was sure it wasnt the culprit... but it was
Well, I took the IACV off and cleaned it the best I could. I didn't have any brake cleaner handy, so I used water and a paper towel and cleaned what I could.
I drove the car for 20 minutes and couldn't get the issue to happen.
This looks promising, but I'm not declaring this fixed just yet. It's pretty cold out tonight, and since I smelled something burning before I want to test during the day when it's warm.
Fingers are crossed.
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#16
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
So some friends and I were testing electrical stuff last night. We tested the main relay bla bla bla.
Somehow one of my friends managed to trip the issue while the car was running. Complete lack of spark and voltage.
We tested the ignition control module and it looked like the culprit. I swapped it and the car is running much smoother now with more power.
It looks like the issue is solved.
Thanks for everyone's help.
Somehow one of my friends managed to trip the issue while the car was running. Complete lack of spark and voltage.
We tested the ignition control module and it looked like the culprit. I swapped it and the car is running much smoother now with more power.
It looks like the issue is solved.
Thanks for everyone's help.
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#17
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
is the ignition control module in your dizzy??? if not where is it, im having this same problem, cant seem to figure it out. Thinking i got to change the distributor but im broke.. Any cheap fixes???
#19
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
Igniter, igniter unit, and ICM (ignition control module) refer to the same thing and are different from the coil.
#20
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
So some friends and I were testing electrical stuff last night. We tested the main relay bla bla bla.
Somehow one of my friends managed to trip the issue while the car was running. Complete lack of spark and voltage.
We tested the ignition control module and it looked like the culprit. I swapped it and the car is running much smoother now with more power.
It looks like the issue is solved.
Thanks for everyone's help.
Somehow one of my friends managed to trip the issue while the car was running. Complete lack of spark and voltage.
We tested the ignition control module and it looked like the culprit. I swapped it and the car is running much smoother now with more power.
It looks like the issue is solved.
Thanks for everyone's help.
When I first get in my car and turn the key without starting the car, the check engine light comes on for 2-3 seconds, and at the same time, I hear what I think is the fuel pump also come on. It goes off the same time the check engine light does. I'm unemployed and can't really afford to pay a mechanic to guess and make repairs I don't need, so any help you guys can offer is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Jenie
#24
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Join Date: Aug 2009
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Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
thanks I am having he same issue on my sons 98 EK with it dieing coming to a stop. Never did it while driving but going to check these things out and hope for the best.
#25
Re: Car randomly dies while driving/idling
i just bought a ef with the same prob,,, randomly dies while driving,, or starts n dies,,,then within a few min well start up when it please's :/
i replaced fuel filter,spark plugs,spark plug wires,ran better,,but same prob kept poping up
so ima shoot with dizzy prob. after reading this post,,
and if its not im just goin too crash it into a wall lol
i replaced fuel filter,spark plugs,spark plug wires,ran better,,but same prob kept poping up
so ima shoot with dizzy prob. after reading this post,,
and if its not im just goin too crash it into a wall lol