Had a startling but thankfully not dangerous experience today with my 1992 Accord. I was driving 40mph on a major street when all of sudden the radio dies, the speedometer, tachometer and other guages go to zero and I start to loose power. As I am pressing on the accelerator the car chugs/bucks and I slowly loose speed, and while pressing on the accelerator more, the car bucks more and it feels something like a whole bunch of water trying to pass through an awfully small and narrow pipe that it gets clogged. Thankfully, there isn't much traffic on the road and I am able to buck my way into an office building parking lot, where the car basically dies. I go to start the car again--it cranks but doesn't turn over. Try it 2-3 times, nothing. Again in 5 minutes, nothing. Walk 10 minutes to a payphone, call Sam's Club battery roadside assistance for a jump start. Walk 10 minutes back to the car, and lo and behold it starts again. Shut the car off, it starts right up again. Roadside Assistance comes, I look like an idiot saying the car starts, he tests the battery, says on his computer--good battery. So I go home on my merry way and the car drives well. What could have caused the car to cut out? The heat? It was 105 degrees today and I had the A/C on. Any thoughts?

 

MAIN RELAY

 

Ok, thanks for the suggestion on the main relay. I'm not a do it yourselfer though. The car came to a slow coughing/hickuping stall again the other day too and this time had to have it towed. When the car was in park and I revved it up, it coughed/stumbled/ and make some popping sounds. The car also wouldn't start again either. When I take it into the shop, can the technician hook up a computer to it and find out what's wrong or should I just go ahead and tell him to replace the main relay and if that doesn't work, then try the distributor ignitor, which I found out is a common problem on these cars.

 

Main relay is really easy to replace - mine is in need of it, hopefully it won't get as bad as yours anytime within the next week. But ya man, very scary situation - get it fixed fast!

 

I got the problem fixed!!! Turned out to be the alternator, which only lasted 4,000 miles. Hopefully this one will last longer. Also, the mechanic noted that my rear motor mount was cracked and that the right CV boot is slightly torn. I don't notice the engine vibrating or shaking, just a very slight vibration in the steering wheel when the car is stopped at a stop light. Is this serious? The car only has 34,000 miles. Can this and a slightly torn CV boot happen at that mileage? Thanks for any input.

 

my car did the same thing to me on the highway once, my car shook like crazy then shut off on me at 70mph, i pulled over, and called up my cuz to help me, when he parked behind me on the shoulder... a van totalled his prelude into my accord, that sucked, my car was ok but ya know, i never found out what was wrong with my car, i just got it from the shop fixed.