I recently purchased a 1990 Accord LX, and have been having some strange things happening with it. Here is a list of things that happen with interactions between the speedometer, wipers and blinkers/hazards...

1. When I use the left blinker, about half the time it will flash double speed, and when it does this, the speedometer needle will drop down 20-30 mph with each blinking pulse. The other half the time, blinker works normal with no effect on speedo. (Right blinker has never caused a problem)
2. If I turn on the hazard lights, they blink normally. About half the time, the speedometer will drop down when they are on, and occasionally the wipers will turn on in slow speed. If I turn off the hazards, everything goes back to normal, and the wipers stop.
3. If the cruise is on, it will stop working if the speedometer needle ever drops at all.
4. The speedometer will read normally the majority of the time, but occasionally will dip down from the current speed and return to reading normally. Sometimes, however the speedometer will drop to zero and sit there, but if I tap the left blinker one time, it starts working fine again. (Hitting the right blinker will not correct the problem.)

I first started noticing the speedometer reading funny a few days ago, and thought it must be the VSS. After all these other things, I doubt that is the problem. Anyone ever heard of something like this happening, or what it might be? Any good ideas on how to go about tracking down the source of the problem?

For reference the car is a 1990 Accord LX 4-door automatic with 57k miles. Everything is stock (stereo etc.) The car runs and drives fine when the electrical problems are happening. The only other electrical related problem thing I know of... the stock power antenna is unplugged and left in the up position. If it is connected to the wiring harness, the motor continuously runs. (I didn't think the antenna was related to the other stuff, but who knows...)

Thanks for any help.

 

do the older accords have a multiplex system. if it was on a 98+ thats where I would start looking

 

may sound like a dumb question but was the car ever submerged under water for a peroid of time??? j.checking cuz it sounds almost like a flood victim

 

To my knowledge, it has never been in a flood. If it ever was, they did an incredible job of cleaning it.

 

This was my first thought also. Get a CarFax report and check to see if the title has ever been a salvage title. Also a 1990 with only 57K miles sounds kinda fishy anyway... Where did you purchase it?

 

I think the car is legit with 57k. I bought it from an older couple. They had all the maintenance records with the car. It has been taken to the local dealer for all major service intervals, and several of the oil changes were done there as well. I have seen a couple flood cars before, and I can't find any evidence of that (no rust on any interior metal, no evidence on upholstry, etc.)


[Modified by adkinsca, 3:25 PM 12/9/2002]

 

try looking at the printed circuit board behind the speedo unit. You will to pull the speedo out to see it, I have seen a few of thme go bad. Good luck