I'm putting my '97 Honda Prelude Type-SH back together... And we noticed a problem when we got it.

-When you turn the key over, the engine starts for a second, then shuts directly off. After checking EVERYTHING, my friend turns the key over and holds it... The car stays running! The car drives fine, as long as the key's turned over, and held in that position. If you let the key go from that position, the car shuts off.

Sooooo what could this be? Is there any adjustments I can do to fix this problem? Or is it linked to something else?

Any help is appreciated!

 

yea sounds like ign switch, i had the same problem a while back. only difference was turning key did nothing, wouldnt even start. my problem was a blown 50A ignition fuse.

on a side note, when my kill switch thing is engaged, my car does what your car does, turns on and then immediately off, stays on if i hold the key. check the wiring, maybe something is loose? or a relay. iono

 

I don't own a prelude but I remember hearing a while back that honda had a recall on some preludes about the ignition switch, prelude owners chime in.

 

Yep, could very well be the ignition switch. A brand new one is like $40 from Honda

 

so is th estarter goin the whole time when you hold the key like that?

 

There's a recall on this part.

 

mine did the same thing, so i hot wired the bish! real easy to do.

 

I have a 97 prelude type sh and I had problems with the Ignition Switch, then went and checked at Honda and the Recall still had not been done. So had the Recall done no charge at all and everything worked fine after that.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rosko &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so is the starter goin the whole time when you hold the key like that?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Nope, kind of strange.

So it sounds like this part was recalled? That'd be sweet.

 

http://www.internetautoguide.c....html

Link to the recall page.

I'm having the same problem.

 

Yeap, already contacted Honda... It's being replaced this week for free.

 

If my car won't start do you think they would make me pay to have it towed there? Do they have to replace the whole switch or just the electrical part (not the key part)?

 

I think that they would say getting your vehicle to their facility is your responsibility.

 

Nope, I tried to get them to pay for the tow there, and it wasn't flying. I'm just going to drive it down there late at night... It's just awkward driving with someone holding the key over... Looks kind of funny, haha.

And it's just the electrical portion that has to be replaced, pretty basic.

 

Well, the part was $43.95... Which was cheaper than getting the tow there, so I just bought the part with intent of changing it myself.

... For the record, if any of you have to have this done in the future, LET HONDA DO IT! Everything went great, until the last screw on the back of the ignitition, it's impossible to get a small screw driver back there.

So this is what I had to do. Take a Phillips bit from my changable screw driver set, wrap it in masking tape to thicken it up (Around the fitting part), use a 7mm wrench to turn the bit once you fit the tip on the screw. You have to shine a light in the direction, and aim the light and your line of sight through a small mirror, once you get the tip of the bit into the screw, you have to put down the mirror, and turn the bit with the wrench.

Took me 2 hours to do... But the car runs now, so that did fix the problem, so I suppose it was worth the time.

Just letting you guys know.

 

why not just use a 1/4'' wrench and forget the tape thing.

 

Tried, wouldn't fit.

Tried an adjustable, it would fit in the space where it needed to go... The tape system was the only way to get it done.

 

Did mine without tape but i forgot to d/c the battery and accidently shorted something

Think its just a 50A fuse i blew?