roxics

I have a 1998 5-speed civic sedan LX. I drove to work this morning and everything was fine. Came out to run some errands at lunch and noticed the check engine light was on. Maybe it's a check transmission light, I'm not sure. It's orange and just says "check" on it with a little engine graphic behind it.

I quickly noticed my speedometer was not working. It would stay at 0 and every so often jump up to 80MPG. All the other gauges are working fine. But the car felt weird driving it. After getting it up to speed I noticed it was a pulling a bit. When it pulls the check engine light will dim in and out of bit.

No idea what is going on, do you you?

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Pull the codes the CEL (check Engine Light) is trying to alert you to. Don't ignore that light ever. If you don't know how to do that check the FAQs for a walk through. All you need is a paperclip and 10 minutes.

Former User

Also check whether 7.5A dash fuse 15 is blown. If so, click the link in my signature.

roxics

Alright, I believe I pulled the codes correctly. They are as follows:

20 - Electrical Load Detector
41 - Primary Oxygen Sensor Heater
65 - Secondary Oxygen Sensor Heater Wire (Black Wire)

What does all of this mean? Does it sounds like it would effect my car as I described above in my first post?

strategy400

You can check a '98 with a paperclip? I thought a code reader was required... (I could be wrong about this).
Also, I can never get a paperclip in my '95 service connector. I always end up using a piece of smaller diameter Ethernet cable or similar wire. Maybe its my lack of skill....

roxics

I should also ask, do you think it's safe to drive it? It does drive, just pulls a bit here and there. I do need to get home from work and preferrably get to work tomorrow.

Former User

roxics

Awesome RonJ@HT! That is exactly what my problem was/is. Now I just have to find a way to get to that wire so I can tape it up and reposition it. I assume it's underneath the car/back of the engine?

Former User

Most easily accessed from below the engine. The area of interest lies just above the oil filter.

roxics

Car died last night and wouldn't restart. Had to get it towed to a shop this morning and they charged me $400 to replace the alternator. Said the short was there, not in the wireharness area mentioned in the PDF for Fuse 15 TSB. Although I took a print out of that PDF with me to the shop. Mechnaic said trying to fix that harness might take 8 hours figuring out what wire and where the short was if it was in there.

Afraid I might have gotten ripped off here. Unless I really did mess up the alternator driving it while it was still having the above problem. But it's my only car and I didn't have any other options. getting it towed to another shop and having them look at it would have just increased my cost and time even more.

I pick the car up in a half hour. Afraid I'm going to drive it from the shop and the same problem will exist because they didn't fix the harness short like the PDF said. That or they lied to me (fixed that roblem) and said that wasn't the problem just to sell me a new alternator.

I hate cars

Former User

You are always left wondering when you don't do the work yourself. Ask to see the old alternator and verify that a clean alternator has been installed. Does the replacement alternator have a warranty? You can buy one with a lifetime warranty for $100. Good luck.