Hi,
My fiancee just bought a 2002 Honda Accord EX 4Cyl. She and I were in it today on the interstate and it just shut off for unk. reason. We pulled over to the side of the road and it fired right back up. It did not feel like it had been running rough or anything. Now on the way home tonight she called me and told me the maint. required light was on. Any ideas on what this could be?? I do know that the lights dim significantly when you are sitting at a stoplight and pull on the power windows. I did not know if this was normal for the car like if it had a smaller alternator or if this might be an issue. Thanks for any help. She is just talking about getting rid of it, but we got a great deal from a reputable dealer and I am trying to get her to understand it is a good car and we just need to find out whats wrong. Thanks!

RW

 

Don't get rid of the car without knowing what is wrong with it!
You should check with the same dealer where you bought the car, and let them give you an estimate of what needs to be replaced.
And then, check a mechanic or a shop, to see if the "estimates" are going the same direction, and to make sure no one is trying to fool you.
If you got a great deal, why get rid of it.... it could be a little problem, may not cost much.
Good luck!

 

OR...(the cheaper and smarter option) you get the codes scanned at a parts store (like Parts America or most large reputable places) for free and go from there (if they ask don't let them erase the code, that way a dealor or someone else can scan it too). Once you scan the codes you'll know why the check engine light (CEL) went on and what's wrong with the car. Unless I know exactly what is wrong with it and how much parts will cost I'd never take it to a dealor. If you go into a place like that not knowing what's wrong then they can charge you whatever they want. Better yet get the codes scanned, post the code here and we'll see what we can do for you. Since the car is newer and still running strong I'd say more than likely its something small (bad sensor or something) that you might be able to fix yourself.

Far as the lights dimming and stuff I doubt its the alternator. If you lost the alternator all together (belt slipped off or it failed) you should get a battery light and the car would have eventually lost power (not able to generate a spark) and it certainly would not have started back up.

Also I'm not positive on the 02 but I know on the older models they've had a few recalls on ignition switches (where the key goes) and cars stalling out. You might look around and see if there's a recall that might explain the problem.

 

The main't req'd light is triggered by mileage, and nothing else. It is simply a reminder to check for maintenance items, etc. It does NOT indicate a problem. See this thread on how to turn it off:
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=989493

The lights dimming a little is normal. I have not been in a 98-02 Accord that doesn't do it. The alternator only produces a moderate amount of power at idle. The engine needs to be spinning at ~1000rpms for the alternator to produce full power.

As for the car dying suddenly, it sounds like an ignition switch problem. Follow Schmitey's suggestion and see if your car had a recall for the ignition switch. Any dealer should be able to tell you over the phone by your VIN number.

 

I agree that it would not be wise to sell the car without fixing it. It seems like this is a very simple and easily fixed problem. As ststed before, the Maint. light is just a reminder to have your normal maint done.... not an indication of any problem. As for the stalling... it could be an ignition switch.... and it might have a recall on it... check with your dealer.