Hey all. I appreciate any help you can give me.

I own a 1999 Honda Accord LX manual. Approximately 125,000 miles.

For the past few months, the car has been doing an odd near-stall while driving. This occurs usually when I'm on the highway, at speeds around 70mph.

What occurs is the tach and speedometer will drop down completely for a split second, accompanied by a lugging sound from the engine. The maintenance required light also comes on, accompanied by a beeping noise from the dash. A split second later, and all returns to normal.

Any ideas as to what's wrong with it? The car also seems to be running rough at idle, and if I turn on the A/C or roll up the windows, the headlights and dashboard lights will dim.

I'm a total noob to automobile maintenance and repair, so any help you guys can give me is appreciated. I've looked around at this forum and others, and it appears that somewhat similar occurrences in other cars have led to a "main relay" replacement, a replacement of the ignition, or the replacement of a faulty speed or fuel sensor.

Any other information you guys need, just let me know. Thanks.

 

Well these are fun....First, Maint req or Check Engine? Also what if any other dash lights are on or off?

Reg maint items up to date?.....

From there, has the first key switch been replaced by the dealer.....is/could it be due again, these do go bad but that is why I asked about the "other lights" on the dash.

Next on thest testing, ICM and coil.

 

Maintenance required light--definitely. Only stays on for a few seconds before turning off again. All other notifying lights are off.

Car needs an oil change, which will happen next week, but otherwise everything else is up to date. Had a catalytic converter installed several months ago, which the mechanic said may take care of the problem, but it didn't.

Something that may be of help: I used to notice a green light that would emanate from the ignition slot. Now, the light is not on at all. Don't know the significance of that.

Also, sometimes when I turn the car on, the car will make the same stalling movement as it has at speed. This occurred yesterday, and was accompanied by the [maintenance required] light flickering on, and the beeping as well. Car drove fine after that.


Thanks for your help.

 

Do not worry about maintenance light,when the oil will be changed mechanic should reset it ,it's just a reminder.When was the tune up done on it?
Did you notice if it happens when it's wet outside,cold, hot on acceleration ,off the throttle?

 

whens the last time the spark plugs, distributor cap, and distributor rotor have been checked/changed?

does this only happen on the highway or at other speeds also? does it occur mainly when the gas pedal is pressed down for accelerating or when your coasting with none to light throttle?

 

The weird part is the maintenance required light does NOT STAY on. It'll flash briefly for a few seconds, and then come off, accompanied by the beeping.

The tune up for the catalytic converter was done a few months ago, and the problem occurred before that, however.

Happens in all sorts of conditions, usually just occurs when I'm cruising, keeping steady on the gas pedal.

I am unsure, I'd have to check with my father to see when that maintenance work was done.

Gas pedal is usually pressed down when it occurs, but I'm usually just cruising, not accelerating.

It has happened at low speeds as well. It has occurred a few times when I'm coming to a stop.

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ANOTHER UPDATE: This may be unrelated, but I figured I'd say it here anyway. If you guys can think of any suggestions for either problems, please let me know.

So today I went in for an oil change, battery replacement, and tire replacement. The car was running fine when I brought it to the service station, although it seemed to take a bit longer to start than usual. It has been very cold outside (20s-30s), so I attributed it to that.

I met my father at the service station. When he tried to start the car a second time at the service station, it would not start. It would start VERY briefly, and then turn off.

My father then went in to pick the car up later tonight (They closed at 8 and figured we wouldn't get a call back until the next day to pick it up, but they called after hours), he had a hard time getting it to start. Same deal, would start briefly, and then nothing.

He FINALLY got it to start somehow, but now we are both concerned that this problem, along with the previous issue of it near-stalling at speed, means the car is starting to go. We just chucked $300 out the window if that's the case.

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Also, the ignition was replaced in 2002 under that recall that occurred for stalling accords.

 

Forget about the maintenance light,It's never been reset.What the hell is a catalitic converter tune up???

 

Sorry, by 'tune-up' I thought he meant when was the catalytic converter installed.

I'm not very mechanically inclined.

 

The thing that stands out to me is the dimming of the headlights. I would look at ALL of the battery connections and test the battery and alternator.

 

And lets not forget that JUST because the switch was replaced in '02 it is not the issue...as far as I know there is not an "update", Honda just replaces it with the same switch???? Again, do the lights on the dash "look" like the key was turned off and then on, or like the car was just turned off...that is where my questions about the lights was going.

When the no start is present, can you verify 12v on the blk/yel wire at the dist?

 

What?! He joins, posts 4 times, then vanishes with never a resolution? Only a sadist tears the last page from a mystery novel...

 

Registered to post that I was having the exact same problem and this was the solution. 99 Accord, 180k miles. The car would randomly and sporadically stall waiting at a red light, local speeds, highway speeds, etc. It would just cut off without warning, dash lights off, etc. Took it to the dealer who could not reproduce it at first, left it with them and thankfully they were able to reproduce it. The problem was the electrical part of ignition switch, which they had replaced about 10 years ago but it was exactly as you said... they replaced it with the exact same part. This time they replaced it with a different part and things have been perfect since then!

 

Thanks for the update. My wife has a 99 Accord. I may look into seeing if the recall was done so that I can get this issue addressed.

 

Ask and ye shall receive.

The Accord is long gone, but it turned out to be solved via the recall that the others mentioned. Took it to the local dealership, and had it back relatively quickly.