Hey everyone, I'm an auto tech, but haven't run across this yet. I'm mainly a jeep guy, but I just bought a 1990 accord as a cheap commuter. Auto trans, the S light blinks. I warm it up in the morning, and the light stays off, but as soon as I put it in gear the light starts blinking, and continues the whole trip.

I jumped the test connector, and the only code it has is 7. I did some searching, and I seem to have some symptoms others have had. It isn't using all 4 gears, I thought maybe it wasn't going into OD, but maybe it's skipping second, it shifts out of first a little harsh, and is a little doggy. Only two times now in the few hundred miles I've driven it, it will get a total lack of power, and act like a clogged cat, and not wanna accelerate very much at all, but that has been very rare.

Anyone wanna point me where to look, and thanks for the help.

EDIT for some more info: Never have a no start issue, speedo works correctly, no check engine light, just the S. I've seen possible causes from tcu, main relay, speed sensor, some places say this code is for the tps, other say it's something else.

Any input is appreciated.

 

Reset the computer. Does it drive okay afterwards?

When the S light is on and the car is acting up, try shifting it manually through 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gears. Does it shift properly?

If you answered yes to both of these questions, then the trans control unit is bad. This is common on '90 and '91 Accords. Pick up a used replacement from a salvage yard.

 

I haven't reset it yet, what do I need to do, disconnect battery? remove fuse?

I tried shifting it manually once, it didn't seem to like that, I didn't pay too much attention though, I'll do it a couple more times and see if it works. I know it doesn't act any different in d4 than d3. Thanks for the input.

Is there any validity to this code referring to tps, or is that maybe a check engine light code 7? I just wanna get all the info before I get a tcu, what do they run $150 used?

 

Well, I disconnected the battery for maybe 5 mins, and nothing changed. But the clock didn't even lose it's time, do I need to disconnect the battery longer?

 

If it is the "S" light or "D4" with 7 blinks when the SCS connector is jumped, then that is the transmission code 7, Shift Control Solenoid Valve A.

Refer to: http://techauto.awardspace.com/transmission.html

 

^I had looked through that site just before here, good info.

No one else has any help? I did try shifting manually, and it did not shift into second manually either. That worries me a little, I printed out a flow chart for that code from work today, and all it has is checking for shorts, and then substitute a known good tcm. So I suppose I'll test the wires, and look for a computer if there's no more suggestions.

 

wow, no one else has had this S light flashing? (sarcasm)

A friend told me there would be some good Honda people here with a lot of help.