Hello everyone, I own a 93 Honda Civic EX sedan (D16Z6) that only had an ignition problem once and that was when I had to change the relay (Civic syndrome), but that relay lasted about 15 years and I changed it about 5 years ago and since then everything has been perfect. I rarely use the car and when I leave it parked for long periods (2 or more weeks) I always disconnect the negative terminal of the battery (original Honda). That battery is now close to 5 years old but without problems. About 2 weeks ago, without prior warning of anything abnormal, when I reconnect the battery after about 3 weeks without use, all the lights on the dashboard come on normally when I turn the ignition key, even the noise from the fuel pump is normal and the subsequent beeps (I always wait for that cycle of noises to end before turning it on), it doesn't start but randomly on the 2nd attempt it starts, I drove the car without issues and parked it in a street that was downhill. When I get back to the car I try to turn it on to return home but nothing happens, not even the starter, as if there was no power, just the dashboard lights and fuel pump noise. Luckily, since the street was downhill, I was able to start it in motion with the gear lever in second gear.
The car has a Prestige alarm installed from that time (93), which never gave me a problem (it has a red LED above the dashboard that if it is on indicates that it does not allow the passage of current for the ignition, but I can always deactivate it with a manual lever hidden under the dashboard near the relay/hood lever).

In view of everything I described, I suppose that the relay, the starter engine and the fuel pump are ruled out. The battery is also ruled out, because I tried with a new battery and the same thing happens. (also with the current old one, if it were weak, the dashboard lights would be at low intensity, I suppose).

Does anyone know what could be happening?

Thank you!!

 

Have you checked your floor for broken remnants of the clutch starter interrupt switch pedal pad ? They are usually dark blue in color and you will find a cone shaped piece and multiple "pizza slice" shaped pieces as well... if so, replacing the pedal pad (or bypassing the switch) should cure your issue.

 

Thanks JR, hopefully if that's the case it seems to be an easy solution. Will check tonight and update this thread, thanks again!

 

I just come back from checking the carpet floor below the clutch pedal and I found broken pieces of what seems to be rubber/silicon and it is cone shaped. I attached a picture below showing the fragments on the floor and a closeup. Is that the broken pedal pad?
If so, I tried accessing the area of the rubber pad that presses on the clutch pedal switch A, see attached picture below. The issue is that the rubber pad is inside a "metal cage" (see attached photo I took), and I can't access the pad to replace it. How can I do it?
I watched a video on how to bypass the switch, seems to be easier than replacing the pad. Can bypassing the switch damage the car in any way? Can it be used as a permanent fix?
Thanks again


Fragments found on the floor and closeup





Unable to access the pad activating switch A because it's inside a metal cage

 

Yes, that IS the clutch pedal starter interrupt pad from the pedal... and it is white, so it has already been replaced at least once in the vehicles lifetime. Many suggestions have been posted on this forum (and others) as to how to easily "fix" the issue and replace the clutch pad... so, I will not detail this again here. If after searching, you find that these repair "tricks" are too difficult or simply aren't working for you, it is actually pretty dang easy to remove the clutch pedal assembly, pop in a new pedal pad, and re-install it. Remove the clutch master pin from the pedal, unplug the two clutch switches, and remove the two 12mm nuts holding the clutch master through the firewall AND the 12mm large washer bolt at the top of the pedal assembly high up in the dash. The pedal assembly can now be removed. You can easily pop in a new clutch pedal pad because the "cage" is open at the top. Re-install the clutch pedal assembly in the reverse order. This shouldn't take you more than 30 minutes. Good luck.

 

Thanks JR. The easiest method I found without removing the assembly (and without using fingers) is by using chopsticks to hold the rubber cone stopper and align it with the hole, then press the clutch fully to insert it (there's a Youtube video)
Could it be that those fragments belong to the original stopper of switch B (the lower one, cruise control) and not switch A? As you can see in the picture if you zoom in, switch B lost the rubber stopper and it now explains why cruise control was not activating since 5 years ago. However ignition failed only 2 weeks ago, so it's much more recent. Of course I can determine this again by visual inspection, just wondering. Hopefully those belong to the ignition switch.
Also, this car is a 1993 model, is it possible that this is the original white rubber stopper from 1993 that turned yellow over time? I can't recall ever changing them and I'm the original only owner.
Finally and again, is the switch bypass method risk free? Can it damage any circuit component long term or is it 100% safe?
Regards

 

If you or someone else left the car in gear and happen to start the car, IT WILL MOVE. That's the unsafe part.
Even though I'm the only one to ever drive my car (Del Sol), I would never bypass the clutch safety switch. That's just me...

 

Thanks NV. I'm not concerned about that because I'm used to manual gear so I'm naturally used to check the gear position BEFORE ignition (it's almost like a reflex), on top of it I never disengage the parking brake before ignition either, and I'm the only car user. My only concern is if bypassing the switch, which is not the original manufacturer configuration for this car, would have any long term negative side effect on the car functioning normally/damage. Now that you confirmed this is not the case, I have peace of mind if I choose to go that route.Regardless of this, I always prefer to keep the car in its original manufacturer config, the bypass switch will be a last resort option to use only if replacing the ignition rubber stopper turns like an impossible task. Regards.

 

sure thing. I know it's a bit "inconvenience" to some folks that they have to press in the clutch pedal to start the car. I don't feel that is a justifiable reason to bypass it.

 

I agree with NVturbo... it is better to fix it properly than bypassing the clutch switch where you may be able to accidentally start the car while in gear and cause damage to the car or people around it. Worst case... you pull the clutch pedal as I stated above. I have used a long flat-bladed screw driver with inside-out duck tape around the tip, and placing the pad of the clutch switch stopper on the tape, and then orienting it into proper position while depressing the clutch pedal to pinch the stopper cone between the clutch switch and the hole/receptacle in the clutch pedal arm... driving it home and you are fixed. The lower pedal pad/stopper location IS for the clutch switch and is super easy to replace.

To the best of my knowledge, all original pedal pads/stoppers from the 5G Civics were blue. Replacement ones from your local Honda Parts Department are White... and yes, over time, they do turn a bit dark/yellow.

 

Yes, last night I was precisely looking at a long flat ended screwdriver I have and thought about using that, maybe by gluing the flat side of the rubber stopper to the screwdriver's flat end (with a weak glue enough to hold it) and using it to align/press the cone side with the pedal pad hole.
Also yesterday I visually inspected the clutch pedal end to see if those fragments I found belonged originally to the ignition switch (upper one) or the cruise control one (lower one) and luckily they are from the ignition switch, the hole still has a fragment of the rubber stopper attached , so the switch is not engaged when fully pushing the pedal. If you watch the picture there's a missing fragment from the flat end of the rubber stopper which is the one still attached to the pedal pad.
Something to add that I noticed: in order to have the pad hole in the line of sight the clutch pedal has to be half pressed, so placing an object with the right size to lock the pedal in that position will free both hands to handle the screwdriver.
Tomorrow will purchase both stoppers and hopefully I'll be able to install the upper one (yes, the cruise control one is easy).
I also noticed that the gray plastic fuse box underneath (next to the relay in the foreground in the picture of my previous post) blocks my hands from accessing the ignition switch plug should I choose to bypass the switch. How can I detach the fuse box? Is it hard?
Will update, regards all.

 

Bro... just pull the pedal and move on. It really isn't that hard.

 

I finally attempted the repair last week. After a few attempts I was almost able to attach the stopper to the hole using a long flat screwdriver but ended up bypassing the ignition switch with a metal paper clip and now the engine starts normally, no issues, and without needing to push the clutch pedal as mentioned in this forum. Eventually I'd like to detach the ignition switch and place it within reach somewhere on the dash so to manually press it when needed for ignition. Does anyone know where to buy an extender cable (like 3 feet long) for the switch so that at one end it has a female conector (like the yellow one at the back of the switch) and at the other end a male connector (like the yellow one that plugs into the switch)?

 

I haven't seen the female connector anywhere for purchase but personally when I had replaced the rubber for the clutch switch I ended up throwing a plastic body clip in the hole instead of the replacement rubber piece. Much easier and seems fine since I put it in a few years ago.

 

Nice, so how did you manage to put it in the hole? With your fingers alone or using an aid (screwdriver, etc)? Or did you disassemble the clutch pedal?

 

Its been a while but I believe the bottom cruise switch I just used my hands and clipped it in and the top clutch switch I used a needle nose to hold it in place then let the clutch pedal push it in when I let go of it. I remember the top being much harder than the bottom switch lol. With the body clips though there's almost no resistance to put it in since it secures itself when you push the center piece in.