The car:
1994 Civic EX sedan with manual transmission. All stock except for a Sony deck that replaced the original tape deck that was eating up cassettes and damaging the actual tape.
Bought the car May 2017 with about 145,000 miles. Currently has 154,000 miles.

A few months ago a work truck dropped a piece of rock/cement/block that hit the windshield pretty hard and left a white scuff mark on the right side of the windshield as well as a small star shaped crack. I did not notice until a few weeks ago that the ride side of the windshield was pushed in separating the glass from the pillar seal with maybe a quarter inch gap.

Sometimes when I wash my car the front passenger floor mat is a little bit wet. I looked up towards the blower motor and didn't see anything. I took the car through a Mark VII touchless wash and had my camera ready. Water was dripping out from the blower motor. I'm assuming the water is coming in from that gap between the glass and pillar.

A few days later there was a heavy rainstorm. The rain stopped when I was driving to work in the morning but the roads and freeways were still wet. Though nothing of it but when I went to my car a few hours later on my lunch break it smelled like wet clothes left in the washer too long. The rear right passenger footwell and floormat, as well as the carpet under the front passenger seat was soaking wet. My first thought was that water was coming in from the bottom due to the wet roads.

By the time I went home after work it was raining again and the front passenger floormat and carpet was also soaking wet.

Two days later driving to work the car momentarily hesitated and the tach and speedometer went to 0 before going back to normal. Going back home the car hesitated when starting, almost like a bad relay though the check engine light went off (did not hear the fuel pump prime though). The car did start and I made it home. An hour or so later I was going to get some Hungry Man turkey dinners from the grocery store because there was a sale for two for $3.50 or so. Then went to a friend's apartment to get my Raspberry Pi 3 Retropie set up. When I went to go home the car didn't start.

I normally turn the car to III. Indicator lights light up and after the fuel pump primes and the check engine light goes off I start the car. While the key is in III the clock and fan (if switch is left on) also come on. This time nothing happened. No clock or fan and no lights on the dash. The radio and lighter socket did come on. When attempting to start the engine turns over and the engine starts but then immediately shuts off due to lack of fuel. When the clutch is not depressed and I turn the key past the III position the fuel pump primes and the dash lights come on and the check engine light turns off. I checked the fuses the hood and all are good. Will check fuses under the dash soon.

The car is currently parked on the street. I don't have a garage or covered car port. I have some friends that would let me have the car towed so I can work on the car in a garage. I plan on taking the carpet out and the black plastic pieces by the jack points off to find any water entry points from the bottom as well as having the windshield replaced.

Any advice will be appreciated. Will post pics later.

 

Starts but then dies when you let go of the key is very likely the ignition switch. Pull the brake handle up. The "BRAKE" warning light on the dash should stay on all the time the key is in position II or III. You're watching this light specifically because it is powered from the same circuit through the switch as the ignition. The radio, lighter, and HVAC system are on a different circuit.

This is probably not water related but you do need to be sure that your ECU, mounted behind the carpet on the side panel near the passenger's feet, is not getting wet. That will ruin it.

 

I went to the local Honda dealer to inquire about a new ignition switch and was told I would have to use a new key with the ignition (new ignition switch was quoted for over $400 while Autozone generic ignition switch is around $120) and use the old key for the doors and trunk. Is there a reason I can't use the original key cylinder with the new ignition switch? Other threads on h-t mention it too.

Anyways, took the steering column off and bits of solder came out. Looks like the internals of the switch are worn off. When I was trying to put it back together I guess certain parts of the metal disk came touched the contacts and the blower fan came on for a little bit.

 

honda dealer got mad game for saying this ****

 

You can swap the little tabs in the key cylinder so you can still use your current key in a replacement ignition switch. Follow the concepts presented here: https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-...y-key-2237857/

However, first I would explore whether your problem can be fixed at home with a bit of soldering.

 

You can order the entire rear end of the key cylinder separately, well I did it for the db7, so I'm not sure why they are telling him he has to buy the whole damn thing.

 

I ordered a generic ignition switch assembly from Rock Auto. I took the wiring from the generic one and replaced the one in the car while keeping the original key cylinder and now everything works fine.

Routing the wiring was a bit difficult because of the tight space. I wasn't able to reuse the two cable ties from the original wiring that attached to two places under the dash but the new wiring seems secure under there.