My Honda Element 2004 has different dashboard lights (ABS, Brake, etc) arbitrarily come on and off, start blinking, car feels heavy, then becomes hard to move in drive gear (automatic) but can move in '2', then doesn't move at all, then goes completely dead. Mechanic later said he charged battery next day and drove around without a problem. New alternator & battery later ($800), good for about 2 weeks and the whole thing starts to happen again. This all seems to happen after driving for about 20 minutes, both bumper-to-bumper traffic and open road.
Some history: Not long before all this, I had trouble starting the car as if the battery was dead, but on next try it would start. 2 1/2 hours in the middle of mountains car went dead. Friend replaced starter. Everything running great until first off label tank of gas. Engine light came on. Diagnosed as sensor knockers. High octane gas then put in (in case bad gas), No change. The car then sat for 2 months. When I returned I drove the car up & down the highway to get everything going. Within a week the above happened in 30 minute bumper-to-bumper traffic. Towed, resulting in alternator & battery (previously tested good).

2 months before this I had to replace rear wheel ball bearings.

Engine has 116,000 miles on it, and oil changes on reg basis.

All ideas & help greatly appreciated.

 

Sounds like that mechanic threw parts at it without doing much diagnosis. And $800 for an alternator and battery? Even though they previously tested good? Wowza.

If you've got lights on the dash - you've got codes. Pull them up and post them here. Maybe that'll help.

 

Hi,
The only code I have the ability to pull is the knock sensor.
The auto shop that did the battery and alternator just picked up the car to check and see what is going on. It started right up, but I knew it would. These problems have only happened after the car has been running for at least 20 minutes.
That's all I have. Not much info for you to work on, but still do you have any ideas?
Should I be car shopping?