Ok heres the deal. I just replaced my alternator bc my lights were flickering like i was in a rave, and teh speedo was bouncing all over the place. Pulled the alter. and replaced it and had two wires rip out of the alter. harness. Picked up a new harness and replaced it and recharged battery in car. Everything is great now, but now my speedo, trip meter, odometer are not working at all. Well from searching im thinking bad connection on VSS, but odometer and trip were working before the install.

ANY IDEAS AT ALL? Im off all day tomorrow so i would like to fix it then...So the sooner the better...Thanks alot guys and maybe gals.. Oh and all of this was done on a bone stock 1997 DX hatch

-Andru

 

Well since no one wants to help me out i will give myself an update:

Checked the VSS on the tranny and it looks BRAND NEW so i called previous owner and he replaced it, thinking that the issue. So that's out of the question. So i check the fuses and the speedo fuse is blown...So i replace it and as soon as i hit the gas...POP...the fuse blows...

Anyone have any idea where to start next?

 

The question I would like to know is why did the previous owner replace the VSS in the first place???

 

soudns to me like the previous owner had this issue as well but it went away just long enough for him to sell it to you... But luckily for you it's not a complex system to fix.
there's four parts to it; VSS, wiring, speedo and the ECU is tapped into it.

Since you didn't mention that your car is blowing the ECU fuse or smelling like burnt electronics, it's highly unlikely it's the ECU.
Pull your cluster out completely then see if it blows the fuse.
If it doesn't blow the fuse try swapping in a friends cluster to see if it works.
if it still blows the fuse without the cluster in there, you have more wiring harness fun to deal with.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Relic1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">soudns to me like the previous owner had this issue as well but it went away just long enough for him to sell it to you... But luckily for you it's not a complex system to fix.
there's four parts to it; VSS, wiring, speedo and the ECU is tapped into it.

Since you didn't mention that your car is blowing the ECU fuse or smelling like burnt electronics, it's highly unlikely it's the ECU.
Pull your cluster out completely then see if it blows the fuse.
If it doesn't blow the fuse try swapping in a friends cluster to see if it works.
if it still blows the fuse without the cluster in there, you have more wiring harness fun to deal with.</TD></TR></TABLE>

pretty much took the words right out of my mouth. i agree with this guy. also just visually check the wiring for the VSS in the engine bay to make sure its not grounding for whatever reason and causes that fuse to blow.

if what Relic1 said doesnt solve anything, and now you are working with the wiring, then bust out a multimeter and start looking for extra resistance that isnt supposed to be there, or for whatever reason, maybe too much current.

good luck. let us know how it comes along.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Relic1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">soudns to me like the previous owner had this issue as well but it went away just long enough for him to sell it to you... But luckily for you it's not a complex system to fix.
there's four parts to it; VSS, wiring, speedo and the ECU is tapped into it.

Since you didn't mention that your car is blowing the ECU fuse or smelling like burnt electronics, it's highly unlikely it's the ECU.
Pull your cluster out completely then see if it blows the fuse.
If it doesn't blow the fuse try swapping in a friends cluster to see if it works.
if it still blows the fuse without the cluster in there, you have more wiring harness fun to deal with.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well heres the deal. I got the car for a nice price. And the speedo was going crazy when i bought the car and it was popping fuses than. I had this same problem in one of my old B16 EF's and it was a bad dioyd (sp) in the alternator. So i replaced it and it was fixed....Not this time. So i replaced the alternator and i no longer had flickering lights and a screwed up idle. But before i replaced it the trip meter and odometer worked perfectly, just the speedo would bounce around the world and back. After the new alter. the trip or the odometer don't work or the speedo.

The guy i bought the car from posted on here about the speedo question and people never responded. He thought it was the VSS and replaced it. Didn't fix it, i was beating it was the alt. and it didn't fix it. There is a short some where i jsut need to find it....

But the fuse only blows when i acclerate the car....If i put a new one in and just let hte car idle it don't pop, as soon as i put one in and rev...BOOM...its a goner...LOL...But i will keep you guys posted...

Here is the link by the previous owner:

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1506363

 

I had this identical problem with my 97 DX eventually got so fed up with it I took it to the dealership and they replaced the entire fusebox said there was something wrong with the heat tube, could have been a crock of ****, but the problem never returned after that, so I was happy.

 

taking out the fuse when you accelerate could be two things.
movement of the engine causes wires to short out. (which could have been disturbed when you were putting in the new alternator)

the new alternator's regulator is faulty and is putting out too much voltage causing a weak speedo to take out the fuse. But I'd think it would be obvious if it were this bad, bulbs would be super bright or would blow also.

my bet is on the first option.
a meter and some time going to be needed on this one.

 

http://www.hondaautomotivepart...IN%29

I think no. 5 is what they replaced, but they mentioned a heat tube I don't know if it is included?? But yeah the fuse will pop as soon as voltage travels along that vss signal line same exact thing happened to me, a new vss won't fix it and the 10 fuses I went thru trying to troubleshoot didn't fix it either.

 

Well on top of everything, today i was driving to get my buddy to go to work and the car's radio turned off. And than the heater slowly stopped blowing. Than as i turned around the car started sputtering, and than died. So im thinking there's a dead cell in teh battery and its not allowing it to hold a charge. So i need to start there now...Any idea's?

 

No CEL?? Sounds like an ELD problem to me.

Check all the wires you can. Something is grounding out. I had the same problem and it turned out that the secondary o2 wires were exposed and rubbing against the heatshield.

 

car is throwing a cel for the oxygen sensor bank 2.....I checked the wires and they all look fine. Plus when i recharged the battery it only took it a few hours and it was fine. Would/Could that eliminate the possiblity of being a bad cell in it? Its just odd bc i drove the car for two weeks with out a problem and when i replaced the alternator is when all the problems came. Its just odd to me...

 

I doubt it's your battery......... I really think its just a wire somewhere rubbing up against something. I had the EXACT same problem as you do (even the same symptoms when accelerating) and that's what it turned out to be. Check and double check ALL the wires you can.

 

i also had the same problem. it turn out to be the wires were rubbing the bracket under the intake manifold and they were shorting out on the bracket. the dealership fixed it for 50bux(canadian). it is supposed to be a common problem.

 

Ok guys, i will check both of these tomorrow and see what i can find. Hopefully i can get it fixed it's driving me insane. I will keep you guys posted.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civic_bam &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i also had the same problem. it turn out to be the wires were rubbing the bracket under the intake manifold and they were shorting out on the bracket. the dealership fixed it for 50bux(canadian). it is supposed to be a common problem. </TD></TR></TABLE>

do you have any idea what this wire runs too?

EDIT: I had the battery fully charged and tested, its fine. Back to searching for a bad wire or wire grounding out...DAMNIT




Modified by IWANTAHB at 7:21 PM 2/17/2006

 

Have a jdm 94 lude with h22a and sport auto. (si)

Speedo not working, sport mode indicator light flashing wether sport mode is on or off. Engine revs bounce. And just this week D4 gear indicator light stopped working , all other gear lights work. New VSS installed. Tests all seem ok.

Will replace connector tomorow and then aim to replace all three wires to vss from start to end.

I wonder if a short from stereo / clifford alarm could be causing it. Also had heavy bang on front drivers wheel nearly 12 months ago needs new wheel and tire. This was the side of the vehicle where vss is. Are their any sensors near the wheel i could have damaged.?

Great forum guys.

And thanks in advance for your help.

 

Well i unplugged my cluster and the fuse is no longer blowing (#15). I also had an exposed wire under the dash and reconnected it and covered it up w/ electrical tape. Than i got under the car and checked for any rubbing issues of wires to the IM and didn't see any. But still not sure if the car is fixed or not. Im too big of a sissy to take the chance of getting stranded....lol...updates coming soon...*keeps fingers crossed

-Andru

 

which wire was exposed?
does it blow the fuse with the cluster connected now that you have taped up the exposed wire?
have you tried another cluster?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Relic1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">which wire was exposed?
does it blow the fuse with the cluster connected now that you have taped up the exposed wire?
have you tried another cluster?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Now that the cluster is not in the car (im driving blind) the fuse is not blowing. See the hatch has a factory honda installed moonroof. And there was a "mysterious red wire" that i couldn't figure out were the hell it was going. So i pulled the tape off the wire (it was wired into teh igintion for juice i guess) and traced it to the moonroof, and forgot all about it and i left it exposed like an idiot. So i taped it up and got under the car and double checked everything. Pulls some wires away from teh IM and started the car. Last nigt i let it sit for 3hrs running with the headlights on and the AC blowing (it was cold as hell in there)...Left went to do some furniture shoping came back and it was still all good. Got up this morning drove it to the gym and back home and everything seems to be all good. Im just scared to drive it to work bc i might break down...LOL...But i get my EX gauge cluster tomorrow so i will update again...

-Andru

 

heck for the price of a fuse I'd plug in your cluster and leave it loose just see what happens.
a red wire in the dash usually means power of some sorts. that could have been your problem all along.

 

well i drove it to work today and it drove fine all the way here besides i hit a big bump and the radio and interior lights turned off and than hit another and they turned back on. But im thinking that might be bc i have loose battery cables. I didn't expect to drive it today and forgot all about it until i left the house. So hopefully thats all it was. I plan on installing the new gauge cluster tonight and will update tomorrow on the fuse situation.

-Andru

 

UPDATE: Well unfortunately the problem still hasn't been fixed. Last night on my way home after driving the car all day, i noticed the headlights getting dimmer. So i hammer (its slow as *****) and head home so it doesn't die on me. So im almost there (5miles) and teh radio turns off and so does the car. Luckily i stop on a hill on the xpressway and let the car roll back and pop the clutch and she starts back up get about another mile up and it dies again. So i pull the battery take it have it charged (so i could get it home). I get up this morning and check everything and it all looks normal. So i check my fuse and its popped. So i stick another one in and install my EX gauge cluster and drive it around the block. Fuse does not pop and speedo, odometer, and trip are all working. So i decide to go to the gym and before i could even get to the end of my street the fuse pops and no more speedo, odo, trip. So needless to say its a huge wiring issue and is going to be very very time consuming. So off i go with the multimeter and try to find this A-HOLE...Thanks alot and more updates will come

-Andru

 

well I think you are going to need to replace the heat tube or whatever that comes with the fuse block or at least see if your dealership knows what I am talking about, untill then everything else is a waste of time.

 

well today i pulled the alternator off the car a new rebuilt one and had it tested, just for ***** and giggles and it came back bad...Well looks like im off to pick up a replacement..

-Andru