I have a 1997 Accord EX, 2.2L 4 cylinder, approx. 210,000 miles on the dash. I have two potentially expensive issues going on, and I hope I can solve one or both of them without breaking the bank.


1) My car was stolen back in April. I recovered it with no damage except for the fact that they punched out the ignition and now I'm currently riding around via screwdriver. Is there any way to tell (without taking it to a mechanic and being charged just for them to "look" at the car) if I will need an entirely new steering column or if I just need to have the actual ignition replaced? The car still starts and runs fine. The thieves actually left pieces of the ignition in my car...geniuses.


2) I'm having an issue with the temperature gauge occasionally rising up pas the halfway mark when I'm stuck in traffic or at a red light. This previously happened around this time last year and I had to get the fan on the driver's side (which one is that again?) replaced. Earlier this afternoon, when I noticed the same issue happening again, I had just made it to work, so I parked the car and left the engine running. The temp gauge was at 1/2 and rising, the driver's side fan (the "newer" one) was running, but the fan on the passenger side was not running. I checked my coolant, and it was good--right around the max line. I'm hoping that I don't have to get that passenger side fan replaced.

 

1. No steering column is needed. Just buy the ignition switch with key from Ebay.

2. Get the passenger fan replaced. Also, make sure you don't have air in your coolant.

 

Thanks for the advice.


Update:


So today when I got to work, I decided to do something I saw in a similar overheating thread and switch a couple relays. With the car parked and the engine running, I switched the relay of the fan in question (the passenger side) with the relay to my door locks, as they both use the same relay. Then I checked to make sure my locks worked. After switching the relays, the locks worked, but the fan still does not come on, even with the A/C running. However, today my temperature gauge didn't rise up at all (even while driving and stopped at various red lights on my way to work) and the coolant level in the overflow is about where it was when I made the original post.

 

Sounds like the radiator fan is dead. To confirm, pick up a set of test leads from any auto parts store. Disconnect the connector going to the radiator fan motor and use the test leads to apply direct battery power from the battery terminals to the two pins of the radiator fan motor. If the fan doesn't turn on, the fan is dead. Get another fan and install it.

 

Thanks. I will look into that in the morning.