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Car Forum / Honda Cars / September 2005Signs of a bad ignition switch?
My wife went out to goto work this morning in her 90 Accord LX and her car would start and then immeditaly die, I had read somewhere in the group about holding the key between the on and start position to see if it ran there, it does, but as soon as I go back to the on position, it dies. In the on postition, the radio plays as well as I can put the windows down (power), so it may be getting some current through it. The local dealers do not have the part in stock, so this will give me a couple of days to try different things. If not the switch, what are the other possibilities? TIA Kevin > In the on postition, the radio plays as well as > I can put the windows down (power), so it may be getting some current > through it. Then it's not a bad ignition switch. > My wife went out to goto work this morning in her 90 Accord LX > and her car would start and then immeditaly die, I had read somewhere [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > TIA > Kevin Sounds like the main relay (the portion of the relay that assures that current continues to flow to the fuel pump after starting). They can be repaired by resoldering. Here's a very good explanation: http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/startproblems.html#mainrelay I had the main relay changed out a couple of weeks ago for a hard starting issue with the car, like Teggers web site I felt the relay and did get the 3 clicks from the relays inside it. All of the gauges go dark when in the on position but if held between the on and start position they light up, I still have the old relay and may give that a try. Kevin UPDATE: I took my old relay and repaired it as the web site shows, and changed it out with the new relay, still does the same thing, so it is looking more like the ignition switch. Kevin > UPDATE: I took my old relay and repaired it as the web > site shows, and changed it out with the new relay, still > does the same thing, so it is looking more like the > ignition switch. > > Kevin oops -- just noticed your follow up post. Right -- check the ignition switch. It usually is a dual (or sometimes even more than 2) pole switch so one pole must be bad. You can probably hotwire it with some clip leads to make sure your switch is indeed bad. Remco On 9/13/05 5:43 PM, in article 1126651386.694114.247540@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com, "Remco" <whybcuz@yahoo.com> wrote: >> UPDATE: I took my old relay and repaired it as the web >> site shows, and changed it out with the new relay, still [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Remco If this ignition switch is anything like the ones they were using in '95-'96, you can take if off, pop it open and clean up the burnt contacts. You might be able to clean them up enough to make it run again for several more days until the dealer gets the part. > I had the main relay changed out a couple of weeks ago for a hard > starting [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Kevin Ok, that's a very good clue. That points to the ignition switch to me - forget what I said about the main relay. Maybe see if you can hotwire the switch to make sure it is bad. Remco > > I had the main relay changed out a couple of weeks ago for a hard > > starting [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Remco Just done mine. It (the ignition switch assby.) was held on to the key mechanism with two bolts. I popped it open and found a load of burnt crud where the contacts rest in drive. I cleaned up both contacts and away it went. You can operate the switch with a cross-head screwdriver to test it before reinstalling. Actually the ignition switch sub-harness on a (UK spec.) 92 accord is only about 3 feet long and plugs into the footwell fusebox, with only one other two pin plug for the key illuminator lamp. I took the whole section out and cleaned & tested the switch on the bench. I could probably source the harness section from a breakers if becomes necessary again. Good luck  SignatureChris Notton Replace "nospam" with my surname to reply by email Sostituisca il "nospam" con il mio cognome per rispondere }<////(*> Thanks for all of the replies, do I need to pull the steering wheel to get to the switch or just the plastic housing around the column? Thanks! Kevin On 9/13/05 8:37 PM, in article 1126661821.308850.25060@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com, "Kevin in Iowa" <kevininiowa@aol.com> wrote: > Thanks for all of the replies, do I need to pull the steering wheel > to get to the switch or just the plastic housing around the column? > Thanks! > > Kevin It should be accessible if you take off the plastic around the column. > Thanks for all of the replies, do I need to pull the steering wheel > to get to the switch or just the plastic housing around the column? > Thanks! > > Kevin =========================== Kevin, are you aware that Honda replaces a few million of those ignition switches worldwide in a recall a few years ago? It covered '95, '96, '97, '98 and maybe more of ACcord, odyssey, CR-V, etc. Here's directions for a '97 CR-v for popping the cowl apart. . .Might help with yours. http://www.hondasuv.com/pdf/crv/firstgen/crv_01_securitysystem.pdf When our switch first manifested, the cruise control just disengaged itself on the highway . . five minutes later the engine died and tach dropped. Car restarted OK. Two weeks later it stalled in an intersection with traffic coming. Dealer replaced it free, but it was a '97 CR-V. Ours had 200,000 Km on it at the time. 'Curly' I wish that this one was covered by the recall, but too old. I took the cover off of the column and was able to remove switch, one thing that I found when removing the plastic column housing was a BIG gob of melted solder that had melted off of the Bat lead on the switch, I took it apart and cleaned the contacts, put it back together and still no contact between the Bat and IGN lead when in the run mode. I then took it back apart and put a layer of solder on the contacts and was able to make good contact between the Bat and IGN lead, reinstalled in car and was able to use a screwdriver to start the vehicle and let it run like it should. I am going to still replace the switch and will take pictures and put on my website when done. Thanks for all of the help! Kevin > I wish that this one was covered by the recall, but too old. > I took the cover off of the column and was able to remove [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Thanks for all of the help! > Kevin Glad you got it semi fixed. You may want to mention your fix and findings to John (Tegger) -- he might want to put it in his FAQ. It sounds like a very useful thing to have there. Remco >> I wish that this one was covered by the recall, but too old. >> I took the cover off of the column and was able to remove [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > might want to put it in his FAQ. It sounds like a very useful thing to > have there. Excellent idea! All I've got now are schematics from the manual. Actual photos of somebody actually fixing an actual problem would be scrumptious indeed. Nothing like good photos to convey ideas. SignatureTeGGeR® The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ I'll do that, I ordered a new switch today, and will have photos this weekend. It is the ignition switch. My 90 accord did the same thing last year. I'm the guy who suggested holding the key halfway between the start/on position. I drove home about fifteen miles with my son sitting in the passenger seat holding that switch position. Replaced the switch, problem solved. >My wife went out to goto work this morning in her 90 Accord LX >and her car would start and then immeditaly die, I had read somewhere [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >TIA >Kevin |
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