Near immediately after getting gas at an unfamiliar station (Coincidental?) ,the speedo on my 97 accord starting going haywire and the car struggled to get going after coming to a dead stop,but after the car starts moving it seemed better.
The check engine light came one,but I did make it home.I went back out later to have advance check the code when it got MUCH worse.Same speedo jumping,with more severe "hesitation" from a stop and the D4 light started steady blinking non stop.The D4 light blinks one long blink upon starting vehicle.
Just got the car maybe a month ago,seemed to shift "hard"but really no harder than a honda this age and mileage at 179,000.
Any advice is appreciated.Thanks.

 

You have a bad speed sensor, its a very simple and common fix. There are two 10mm bolts, you need a long extension and a 3/8 socket wrench. Find the sensor off ebay for $10 and install it yourself. Its easy.

A bad speed sensor will cause all of the problems you are describing.

From now on I would unplug your speed sensor if you don't want your car to hesitate from a stop. Until you replace it.

 

My question - what are the codes?

 

I found the list of codes by googling my issue (Actually I believe the thread it was found in was on this forum)

The D4 light while operating is just flashing,but when you turn off car for few sec then restart the D4 will flash a code,kind of like morse code....Like 1 slow blink,or 5 fast blinks,etc.Mine is one long,slow flash.

Thanks to the other poster for the VSS suggestion.I actually read this a few times,but would the "code" for this be the "one flash"?

 

OK well it was the VSS!!! I got it towed by my mechanic (VERY honest man) on Friday and being picked up today,but NOT cheap.
Total for the tow/part(s)/and labor......Drum roll please......$292!!!! OMG!!! Basically the tow was 75 and the VSS was 75 (From advance) and also a wire?Not sure about that but the wire,VSS,tow and labor was 292.

 

No.
To properly pull the code(s), look under your glovebox door, there are two blue electrical connectors. Pull down the one with two wires. Jumper the two wire connector with a piece of conductive wire. Turn the car ON(not start) any codes will blink from their applicable warning light CEL=engine related, D4= transmission related, ABS= ABS, et-cetera.

 

You coulda got the VSS for $10 on Ebay. I had a bad VSS and got mine for less than $10 and its worked for me now for almost 5 months.

That sucks man, you shoulda listened to me, it would have saved you a lot.


Why was your car unable to drive? Maybe you shoulda unplugged the VSS, it might have helped....

 

Well I know my mechanic is honest and specializes in imports.When I picked up the car he said they worked a few hours on it on Saturday,and replaced the VSS but it still wasnt right.Thats when they replaced "a wire" on monday,and that was the majority of the $$$ was them trying to figure out why it still wasnt right,which in that case,I wouldnt have been able to fix it.He apologized but I suppose they just had to track it down.
When I drove it around halfway to the mechanic it really started stalling/stuttering so I just turned it around and came back home.Had I known that I could have made it (I suppose I could have?) I would have at least saved myself some tow money.
The reason I say they are honest is they have blatantly saved me money before(well its a business,not just a mechanic) like quoting me X amount,,and then when I return say that it was a little less labor,or that they were able to fix something cheaper,etc.

 

12$ for the speed sensor

80$ for the inspection

200$ for the install

standard rape.

 

It says...

TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSIS-(INCLUDES PRESSURE,STALL,AND ROAD TEST.CHECK SHIFT AND THROTTLE CABLE ADJUSTMENTS-$63.70

REWIRE SPEED SENSOR-$49.00

SPEED PULSER(E.A.T)-R&R-$25.00

TRANS SPEEDO SENSOR-$73.49

TOW-$65.00