[CroCivic91]

I started having a stall problem on my 98 accord,which has 136,000 miles, about a month ago.
I was at a stop light and when the light turned green and I hit the gas the engine stalled. I was able to start it up again right after it stalled.

Over the weekend I started up the car and after about 5 minutes of just sitting in idle waiting for someone the engine stalled. I could not get it to start up again until I came back fifteen minutes later.

Could this be related to the main relay? Any help would be appreciated

Noob

This does NOT sound like a main relay problem. Do like this:
Turn the key to "I" and prepare yourself to listen for a humming sound in the back (you're listening for fuel pump working). Turn the key to "II" and listen if you see a humming sound from the back of the car. If you do, your fuel pump is working. Humming sound should stop with a click from under the dash. If there is a click - your main relay is working.

It would be best to get your car to a shop, to get it connected to a diagnostics tool which will read out errors ECU has stored. It can give you a better idea of what is going on with the car.

When was your fuel filter last changed?

[Grokr74]

Thanks. I followed your instructions and heard the sounds you described.

The check engine light does not come on when I start the car normally. I followed the procedure in the Haynes repair manual for my car to read the OBD codes by putting a jumper on the DLC connector then turning the car on and checking for check engine light flashes to read the code. The check engine light comes on with the jumper installed in the DLC connector as described in the manual but I don't see it flash, which according to the manual means there are no stored trouble codes.


I never had the fuel filter replaced. I asked a couple of places to do it but they all said that in my car it is located in the fuel tank and they cannot access it.

-G

[CroCivic91]

7 years old fuel filter doesn't sound good.

Ok, in order for the car to start - it must get both fuel and spark. Here is an easy way to see if you're getting gas. Have someone crank the car while you "sniff your car's ". Don't laugh now. You have to get close to the exhaust and smell for gas. Though, don't stick your nose inside the exhaust. If you smell it - it is getting through the injectors and that means your fuel filter is not clogged. If you don't smell it, pop the hood and smell there while someone cranks.

Or you can pull out the fuel rail with injectors and electrical connectors still attached to the rail, and point it to something that will not ignite the gas (if they squirt gas out), and have someone crank it while you check for injectors squirting gas.

Other than that - I have no idea what to check for, other than checking whether you're getting spark (refer to FAQ for instructions how to do that).

[Grokr74]

Thanks for your advice!

I noticed that when the car is in idle the tachometer would usually be about 660 rpm but it would fluctuate down to about 500 rpm periodically when in idle.

I checked my records and I had not done a fuel system cleaning in over 30,000 miles. I had Firestone perform a fuel system cleaning. After they did the cleaning the tachometer was solid at about 660 rpm when in idle. It seems like the car is running better and it hasn't stalled so far.

[CroCivic91]

Glad I helped... enjoy your ride!

[Cerda]

I have a 98 accord that was doing the same thing. I just got a new engine installed for other reasons but when I got it back it still would'nt start every time. I left it at the shop to see if they could fix it and they told me I needed a new ignition. They installed an ignition from a '00 accord and it starts up every time now. They charged me $100 for the ignition and installation.

Please let me know if this is any help.

After they finished with my car my stereo was locked and I can't find the code. I called the dealership but they said they could'nt help me because I did'nt buy my car there. I have a stock accord CD player but from a different accord, it was given to me by a friend who got a newer stereo installed in his car. Can anybody help with this code?

[DMF]

Help! I have two Honda Accords (1990 and 1995) Both have similar problems in very cold weather. Either I can't turn the key in the ignition at all, or I can't get the key out of the ignition when I need to leave the car.

Sometimes if I wait just a minute or two, suddenly it turns completely freely. This is very distressing in cold weather when you risk being stranded, or when you need to leave the car and can't do so since the key won't come out.

It happened to both cars during the very cold season this past winter.

During the summer I have no trouble at all.

Does anyone else have this problem? Can anyone help? Thanks!

[h20mobius]

Mom has a 98 Accord. Car dies intermittently, and then won't start.

HOW IT DIES: The RPM's gradually drop (at random) until the idle no longer keeps the engine running. If you notice it dropping, you can give it gas and "ressurrect the idle" - which seems to be fine for awhile after.

AFTER IT DIES:
After the car dies (at random), it will turn over with a healthy crank, but not start unless you let it sit for 5 minutes or so. So far, this has happened in relatively warm weather (75+).

AFTER IT RE-STARTS:
No check engine lights are flagged, and the car runs fine for an indefinite amount of time (sometimes days).

My theory is, it has to be related to Engine Management (sensors, OBD, etc), Fuel Delivery (pump, relay, filter) or Ingition (spark, distributor, etc).

Has anyone experienced this? Dealership says they can't find out what's going on...

Many thanks.

[lakeguy]

I have experienced the same problem with my 99 Accord. It only happens when it's hot (70+) out and the dealer can't figure it out. The car will start up but then die... I swear I can tell right when it starts up each time it will happen. It happens both after a drive or if it's been sitting for hours. Then I just wait about 15-30 minutes and it starts right up. Have had it in four times now with no help.

I still have bumper to bumper warranty but it's no help if the dealer won't attempt to fix it. It totally sucks. I think I'm done with Honda.

On edit: just happened again but it's a hot one (90F) and it had been 1.5 hours and it still won't start. Turns over great though! Too bad the dealer isn't open today cause it's Sunday.

[CroCivic91]

Did you all try resoldering your main relay? Problems with starting a Honda in hot weather is most likely related to a bad main relay.

[h20mobius]

I've heard of main relays prohibiting a car from starting, but has anyone ever had one linked to the car dying while driving - and then not restarting?

[Cerda]

My car was doing the same thing. I have a 98 Accord that would'nt start every time when it was hot and would sometimes die while I was driving.I got a used ignition installed from a '00 Accord and none of that happens anymore.

[Fancydan]

Help! I have two Honda Accords (1990 and 1995) Both have similar problems in very cold weather. Either I can't turn the key in the ignition at all, or I can't get the key out of the ignition when I need to leave the car.

Sometimes if I wait just a minute or two, suddenly it turns completely freely. This is very distressing in cold weather when you risk being stranded, or when you need to leave the car and can't do so since the key won't come out.

It happened to both cars during the very cold season this past winter.

During the summer I have no trouble at all.

Does anyone else have this problem? Can anyone help? thanks!

My 89 Accord does this. I think I have fixed the problem but will not know for sure until this winter.

Following would occur after parking when the temps get below freezing for last 4 winters:
1-key stuck in ignition, will not turn
2-car stuck in park
3-gear selector indicator lights on dash OFF even when engine running

It looks like 3 was the key. Car does not know it is in park so it will not let me take the key out. After a few minutes with the heat blasting, the "P" light on the dash comes on again and then all is well.

Took apart the center console, found a little spring loaded ball that hits a detent for each gear. The assembly is swimming in dusty grease so thick that the spring can barely push the ball into the detents to make contact. I verified that the ball not sliding into position prevents the indicator lights from coming on.

So I cleaned it all up, regreased it, stretched the spring a little so it will have more tension and in a few months I will see if that worked.

Cheers

[lakeguy]

Said the starting problem has been coming up a lot lately and they resoldered the main fuel relay. Hasn't died since but it's only been a few days. Not really too hot anymore either.

[pippin24]

My 99 Accord began to have the 'hard-to-start problem' this July (2005), and since then it would happen occasionally (once every two weeks). And I noticed that it would only happen on hot days as well. I took the car to a Honda dealership, but they couldn't do anything to it, saying that 'they couldn't reproduce the problem'. But three days after coming out of their shop, I had problems starting the car again. Two days in a row!

Just like others said, the car sounded normal when you first tried to start it, but then it just cranked, and wouldn't start. I had to turn off the key and turn it back on, and repeat the step several times, and crank the car several times, and every time when I was panicked, the car would start.
In the latest occurrence, I noticed my car actually first got started, and then in a second, it went dead, and then it was the 'fully routine' of turning the key on and off, on and off, hoping the car would start.

I am getting frustrated, and at first my husband wouldn't believe what I said about the car. He thought I didn't start the car right. After I found this link, he started to believe me, and we thought it might be caused by a dirty fuel filter, since we have never had it cleaned or replaced.

I am very disappointed by Honda's service. If so many Honda cars (especially Accords) are having similar problems, the dealer's service department should have known better than just saying that 'we couldn't reproduce the problem'.

I wonder whether all of us here should write a petition together to send to Honda's headquarter, so that they could take the problem seriously, so that they could train their technicians better and fix the cars for us. The biggest fear I have now is that my car might stop dead right in the middle of the road!

Just didn't expect a car from Honda with problems like this. Very disappointed!

[CroCivic91]

Read the FAQ on information how to resolder your main relay. It is a known problem with Hondas.

To make sure it's a bad main relay, do like this:

Turn the key to II, listen for a humming sound from behind you. It is a fuel pump working. You should hear a click from under the dash after it. It is a main relay click. If you do not hear a click, your car will not start. If you do hear a click, your car will start.

Fix is to take the relay out, resolder the joints and put it back in.

[pippin24]

Thanks! We will look at the time relay this weekend. I will update the result, if the problem is fixed.

[CroCivic91]

No problems... just one thing: it's a MAIN relay, not a TIME relay.

[ed c]

It's so nice to know that I am not alone with my 89 honda accord turning over just fine but not starting my question is where is the fuel pump relay and whad do you mean by "soldering the joints"

[CroCivic91]

Read the FAQ. Everything is in there. 90% of information (if not more) about Civic's problems are the same for Accord problems (of same years).