dman81

About a month ago I was driving my car down the freeway when it suddenly just stop, it didn't do any choking or struggle, the power just went out.

Yesterday, again down the freeway I notice that it felt as though it was going to do the same thing again but it didn't until I approached my street where I live, the car just died again and I luckily came to a complete smooth parking spot.

I noticed from time to time that I've had slow starting cranks.

I've had the car since 2002, its a used car (1997), and I have never changed the battery.

I don't want to just go out and buy a battery when it could be something else. Suggestions guys?

JimBlake

Slow cranking when you try to start could be a bad battery. But your sudden shutdowns really does NOT sound like the battery would be responsible.

Check for a flaky ignition switch? Can you make this happen by wiggling the key while you drive?

notoriousB

does it generally die when the car is hot? will it not start sometimes when it's been sitting in the sun & warm air for a while?

if so it could be a faulty main relay.

the dying while driving is definitely not a bad battery.

deserthonda

the suggestions of blake and notorious are good and possible 1 more thing you might want to chk is the alternator ,,if it is toast your car won't have any power to stay running i have seen it before and since you stated battery was weak if alt is bad battery won't get charged ..do a charging system test

dman81

Thanks guys for the input. Jim, I think you found the problem. Here is why, since you suggested it could be a flaky ignition switch let me tell you that I can literally PULL OUT the keys while the car is on.

How can I confirm the this now that I have an idea what the problem might be?

This is a "Do it yourself type" job or should I leave this to a Honda pro?

dman81

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by deserthonda &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the suggestions of blake and notorious are good and possible 1 more thing you might want to chk is the alternator ,,if it is toast your car won't have any power to stay running i have seen it before and since you stated battery was weak if alt is bad battery won't get charged ..do a charging system test </TD></TR></TABLE>

This is something else I thought could be the problem. How much would a charging test run me?

dman81

I was doing some research and I found something about a recall on the ignition switch. Anyone familiar with this?

rainforest

yes they have problems with the electrical connections in the ignition switch bring it to honda and tell they about the recall and they will have to do it for free. you also should have got a letter

JimBlake

There's a recall for the ignition switch hardware that's directly related to pulling the key out. Apparantly there's some DOT rules about that, so they'll give you a new mechanicl lock cylinder with a reinforced barrel. I had that done, & for me it didn't have anything to do with the electrical part of the ignition switch. Maybe there's different versions of that recall??

The electrical part of the ignition switch is a common thing to get flaky, so maybe along with the recall, you can talk them into doing something about that for free?? I have no idea whether they can do it, but good luck.

Home DIY battery & charging test...
Got a voltmeter?

After being parked for a while, measure battery voltage on the actual battery posts. Should be about 12.5 or so. Turn on the headlights for a minute, turn them off & measure it again. That's the no-load voltage.

Turn on the headlights, high beams, ventilation blower, stereo, anything you can think of. Measure battery voltage again. It shouldn't drop more than a volt, probably less.

Disable fuel & spark, probably you can pull fuses for ECU & fuel pump (depending on year). Crank the starter while watching the battery voltage. A healthy battery will not go below 10 or so, but it depends a LOT on temperature.

If it doesn't crank strongly, do the same thing but don't measure at the battery posts. Measure at the big wire on the starter, from there to body ground. (Be careful about shorting to ground & making big sparks...) If this is much different than the battery posts, you have a problem with loose/dirty/corroded cables.

Put the fuses back in & start the engine, let it idle. Measure battery voltage. It should be above 14.

With the engine idling, turn on everything you can think of. Window defrosters, lights, fans, etc. Now the voltage should hardly change from the first running voltage. This checks for a healthy alternator.

A legitimate load-test for battery or alternator is pretty much the same, except they'll use a resistor bank so they know what amperage they're drawing. An additional test for the alternator is to watch it's output with an oscilloscope to see if it's uneven (burned-out diode).

Hans5849

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dman81 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Here is why, since you suggested it could be a flaky ignition switch let me tell you that I can literally PULL OUT the keys while the car is on.</TD></TR></TABLE>

That doesn't mean its the ignition switch, it just means that your ignition is worn down. I had that in my 84 Celebrity and it ran with out a problem.

dman81

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There's a recall for the ignition switch hardware that's directly related to pulling the key out. Apparantly there's some DOT rules about that, so they'll give you a new mechanicl lock cylinder with a reinforced barrel. I had that done, & for me it didn't have anything to do with the electrical part of the ignition switch. Maybe there's different versions of that recall??

The electrical part of the ignition switch is a common thing to get flaky, so maybe along with the recall, you can talk them into doing something about that for free?? I have no idea whether they can do it, but good luck.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I registered at Honda.com and I think there is a different version of the recall, check this letter out, I got this after registering my VIN#.

Important Safety Recall: Ignition Switch

Dear Accord, Civic, CR-V, Odyssey or Prelude Owner:


This notice is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

What is the reason for this notice?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd., has determined that a defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in the ignition switch on certain 1997 thru 2000 Honda automobiles. Electrical contacts in the ignition switch can wear prematurely due to high electrical current passing through the switch. Worn out ignition contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning. Although the engine will restart in most cases, if your engine stalls while driving in traffic or at highway speeds, you're at risk of being involved in a crash. Difficulties starting the engine (for example, hard-to-start, stalls immediately after starting, etc.) may indicate that the ignition switch is failing.

What should you do?
Call any authorized Honda dealer, and make an appointment to have your vehicle repaired. The dealer will install an improved ignition switch, free of charge. Please plan to leave your vehicle at the dealership for half a day to allow the dealer flexibility in scheduling.

Who to contact if you experience problems.
If you are not satisfied with the service you receive from your Honda dealer, you may write to:


American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Honda Automobile Customer Service
Mail Stop 500-2N-7A
1919 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501-2746

If you believe that American Honda or the dealer has failed or is unable to remedy the defect in your vehicle, without charge, within a reasonable period of time (60 days from the date you first contact the dealer for a repair appointment), you may submit a complaint to:

Administrator
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590

Or call the toll-free Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

What to do if you feel this notice is in error.
Our records show that you are the current owner or lessee of a Honda vehicle involved in this recall. If this is not the case, or the name/address information is incorrect, please fill out and return the included, postage-paid Information Change Card. We will then update our records.

If you paid to have a defective ignition switch replaced sometime in the past, you may be eligible for reimbursement. Refer to the attached Instructions for Reimbursement for eligibility requirements and the reimbursement procedure.

If you have questions.
If you have questions about this notice, or need assistance with contacting a Honda dealer, please call Automobile Customer Service at (800) 999-1009.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

Sincerely,

American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Honda Automobile Division



I'm taking my car in today, I hope this resolves the problem.



Modified by dman81 at 1:50 PM 5/16/2005

speedzone

Sounds like you're on to something there dman81. I copied the recall notice, I've got a '97 that's covered....

This forum is the bomb!

dman81

Just got back from the dealer, the transaction went smooth!

They replaced the ignition switch, and fuse free of charge.

For those of you interested in finding out if your car is in the recall list check this site out:

https://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/login.asp

This forum definitely rocks!