I drive a 98 automatic Accord. I just bought it a few months ago, and not too long after the engine started stalling intermittently. The key light would flash, all these signs would come on the dash, I’d lose power steering and my power brakes wouldn’t work as efficiently. I’d try to start it, and it’d crank but that’s it. Then anywhere from 2 min to 30 min later it’d start again and drive like nothing happened. The car also sputters a bit when driving, usually when I take my foot of the gas pedal. It also hesitates from time to time to respond. I took it to the Honda dealership and they fixed the faulty ignition switch and replaced the main relay assembly, and said the sputtering was probably related to the ignition switch failure and I should have no more issues.

However, while it hasn’t stalled since getting it fixed (which doesn’t necessarily mean anything; it’s gone weeks driving fine before stalling again, all I can do is hope it won’t after the repair), the car is still sputtering. But the advisor at the dealership thinks I should still drive it, that it probably won’t stall again and the sputtering is an unrelated issue.

Do you agree, do you think the sputtering is probably an unrelated issue? Should I take it back to the dealership? I can’t really afford it now.. This car is draining my bank account... Idk. My main concern is the damn thing stalling in the road again... it freaks me out.

 

Generally, main relay won't cause sputtering or stalling, but starting problems because of not signaling the fuel pump to send fuel upon the key being turned.

What is the sputtering like? A hesitation, or a true loss of power and the car bucking and jerking as you press the gas pedal, asking for horsepower?

No way to know what the dealership really did, but it sure sounds like they didn't fix whatever is wrong. Did the dealer tell you the Main Relay and Ignition switch needed to be replaced?

The sudden shutting down and refusing to restart for a number of minutes is often the Ignition Control Module, which is a different part of the ignition system (a small module inside the distributor).

I would suggest that you start over and do some diagnosing before buying any more parts and labor. That Honda has a modern OBD (On board Diagnostic) system in it. You should go to a place like Autozone, Advance Auto, etc., and have them hook their code reader to your port to pull any trouble codes that might be in the computer. That might point to the trouble, such as one or more cylinders that isn't firing properly, or or at least help rule out some things.

 

I think they replaced the main relay because I’ve had issues with the car starting as well. I’d drive to the store just fine, come out and get in my car, and it’d crank but no start. Wait a while and it’d start.

When I let my foot of the gas it’s just like a minor jerk, nothing too dramatic. I think it mostly happens when I first start driving the car. But on occasion, when I try to put it into drive like when pulling out of a parking space it will hesitate to start going for a second then do this huge jerk, but that hasn’t happened since the repair (it still could, though)

I asked them several times and the dealer sounded confident that the ignition switch/main relay were the issue. They said the circuitry board was all cracked when they fixed it. I have learned that ignition switch failure is a common problem in the 98 accord

I’ll try getting it scanned again.. but if the scanner points to nothing, how am I supposed to know what could be wrong? There are so many different little sensors or parts that could be causing this, how is anyone supposed to know for certain?

This car really is wearing me out

 

I went to a mechanic and he used the scanner to test all the electrical sensors in the car (that answers my question from before, lol) and electrically everything is working well in the car. Ignition Control Module is fine.
There was an EVAP warning that keeps coming on on occasion, but got that cleared and I bought a new gas cap.
I was driving it in D3 the entire time assuming that was the correct gear. We test drove it in D4 and no more sputtering issues so I think that solved the problem. Lol.

However I ran into a new potential problem... my transmission fluid was nonexistent. The mechanic didn’t have any transmission fluid on hand so I went to another shop to put it in, and the mechanic there said that since I have no fluid that I’ve got a transmission leak somewhere? Is that possible?

 

Any system in the car that has fluid in it, oil, coolant, etc., can develop leaks. The transmission is no exception. It has seals in various places that can get old and allow fluid to seep out. You would need to have a shop or local mechanic that believes in investigating the cause of trouble or leaks to lift your Honda up and determine where the transmission fluid is being lost. They would likely be able to look at the pattern that the fluid is coating the underside of the car to determine the leak's origin(s). You might be able to also see an oil spot on the ground below where it it leaking so you can give them an idea what area of he underside it is coming from. Your choice, but I wouldn't go to a shop that works on transmissions.

 

Check the lines going to the cooler in the bottom of the radiator. The lines could be damaged or the cooler/fittings leaking. I had that happen on my Accord. An external trans cooler fixed it. Also, it is much easier to see the leak with the splash shield removed.