btyler4theatre

The recent backstory:

I have a 91 accord EX, manual tranny. I few weeks ago, I started having trouble starting the car. It would take two or three tries to start the car, but once started it would run fine. On the times it didn't start, as soon as the key was in the on position, the check engine light would flutter in time with a clicking noise coming from the intake control solenoid valve and also something in the main control box (contains map sensor, etc...). It would do this for a couple of days, then go a couple of days with no problems, then go back to difficulty starting. This seemed to happen wet or dry, hot or cold, etc... After about 2 weeks, it started doing it more often and the car actually shut off while driving on 3 different occasions. Last week, it wouldn't start at all. After much frustration trying to find out about the intake control solenoid valve, I tried something on a lark, replacing the main relay under the driver side dash, and the car hasn't had a ignition problem since.

My problem is this: When I changed the relay, and started the car several times to test it, even switching the relays back (no start) and back again (start), I went to test drive it and turned my headlights on. No dash lights. I have all the warning lights, oil, battery, fuel, check engine, etc... and with the headlights off my gear indicator shows, but when I turn the headlights on, the gear indicator goes away. And still no gauge illumination, no climate control illumination. Additionally, I went to turn the heat on, no blower motor. I have no blower in any configuration. I can hear the doors moving as I change the vent location (feet, defrost, etc...) but I get no air. I've been using my GPS as a speedometer at night for the last week, but discovered today, when the GPS went dead, that when the headlights are on I have no poer in the cigarette lighter, and when the lights are off, I only have intermittent power 1-2 seconds on, 1-2 seconds off, repeat. Everything else seems to be working, but you never know.

Any suggestions? The dimmer switch seems to have power to it, and the blower motor seems to have power to it. The car battery is still strong. No fuses are blown, and I replaced the dimmer relay to no avail. I don't believe it is the blower dimmer, because the cover says it also controls rear defrost, and that is working fine.

Thanks.

sunkship

I believe your alternator is barely charging and about to quit completely if it hasn't already. Once your battery runs out of juice completely and the alternator can't keep up with the demands of the car then it will stop running completely regardless of where you happen to be at the time (usually in subartic weather with your wife in labor or on your way to that important interveiw you've been chasing for 10 years).

sunkship

sunkship

Another thing, maybe you accidently left something unplugged or a connection not completely tight that goes to alternator when you changed out that relay.Let me know how it turns out. Have had similiar experiances with alternator failure in the past
(though it wasn't on a Honda, it shouldn't matter). PS-don't forget to check for loose battery terminal, etc.

Lost Again

OP- Do you have a volt meter or test light at least. "Seems" to have power to it, need to confirm....if it "HAS" power to it then it is bad.....if not that is a different issue.

btyler4theatre

I do have a volt meter. The blower motor does have power to it, as does the dimmer switch. In fact, just this evening, I got in my car and turned the blower motor switch (as I have been doing everytime, just to see if it will work) and it continued to not work until the switch was in the "high" position. The blower motor began running, and as I turned the motor down, off, up, down, up, etc... the motor was working correctly in the correct position. However, the dimmer lights and cigarette lighter are still performing (or not) as I described in my first post.

Also, just re-read my post, it is an automatic tranny. Sorry about that. Force of habit, my last car (totaled at the end of october while stopped at a stop light - 60 mph hit from behind by a Saturn Vue) was a 91 accord with a manual.

btyler4theatre

Well, I'm not sure what has happened, but I got in the car to drive somewhere the other night, turned the headlights on, and the dash lights came on. Checked the cigarette lighter, and it works now too. I haven't done anything additional since the last post, it just started working, so I can only assume that there is a loose connection or a damaged wire somewhere in the loom.