Hi everyone.

If a book says "check for voltage to ground: there should be battery voltage" then the desired voltage reading on the multimeter is something close to 12V, not merely any non-zero voltage reading, correct?

This is a 1992 Honda Civic and I am testing the integrated control unit due to a faulty intermittent wiper function (the switch is fine). One of the tests involving the intermittent function asks for "battery voltage" as above but I see very tiny but definitely non-zero voltage.

Thanks!

 

Not quite sure I understand your question, but If the specification asks for battery voltage,then there should be the same voltage on that wire as at the battery. 12 volts with the key on, engine off and around 13+ volts key on, engine running.


A ground should read zero volts or at the most .01-.02 volts.

 

That quote is directly from the manual, so I can't clarify it myself. The interpretation that I think has the most chance of being correct is that I am instructed to ground one lead ("to ground"), touch the other lead to the relevant terminal, and check if there is ~12V on the multimeter ("battery voltage").

Thanks. Maybe somebody who happens to know about exactly this component can provide confirmation.

 

I think I can now answer my own question with certainty: yes, the manual text indicates that you are supposed to view ~12V after connecting one lead to ground and one lead to the relevant terminal.

I'm not sure what I was doing wrong yesterday, but today I did the same test again and I viewed (a) approx 12.25V with the wiper switch in the INT position, and (b) very nearly 0V with the wiper switch in the OFF position.

It seems that my integrated control unit is toast, since it fails to do all its non-critical jobs but the tests on its electrical connector pass.

Thanks!

-- - sean

 

Your answer to yourself is correct, you are also correct that the problem is most likely the ICU itself, it is a common problem on older Honda Acura.

ICUs hardly ever fail only one function, it is almost always multiple functions, check rear window defog, all warning chimes, [key still in ign., lights still on, seat belt chimes, front side markers, [signal lights]. 94

 

Agreed ^^^

 

Yes, most or all of the ICU functions don't work anymore, which suggests that the ICU is dead along with the electrical tests I did. Thanks guys!

I replaced my ICU this morning and everything seems to work perfectly now.

I found it quite irritating to remove the old ICU, because you basically can't see anything and it's hard to move your hands with all the other wires and pedals and stuff that are in that same area (I think removing all the cables to the fuse box is a serious pain and not really worth the trouble). The ICU cannot be removed so directly: there are two teeth on the left and right sides of the ICU that lock inside the cavity of the fuse box that holds the ICU. To remove the ICU in these cramped and limited-visibility conditions, you can use a hook/pick to bend the side of the fuse box away from those teeth and pull on the ICU with your other hand.

I hope that is somewhat helpful to somebody...

 

I hate working down there (in the driver footwell). Everything is always 20x more of a PITA than it feels like it should be because everything is impossible to see/reach.