I've had my 00 Accord for over a year now, and every time I start it up after it's been sitting over night or for a long time where it completely cools off I get a weird hesitation after a few miles. The colder it is out, the longer I have to drive before it hesitates. My friend who's a GM mech. says it's probably just the computer switching from closed loop to open loop. It seems to do it just as the temp is reaching the normal running temp. When it does hesitate it seems as if the motor was shut off for just a split second and then it's done. It use to be just a little jolt you'd hardly notice but now it's starting to get a little worse where it actually feels like the motor shut off for a split second.

It is a 2000 Accord LX 2.3L 5spd.

Has anyone had this problem or know what's causing it? Thanks for you help.

 

at what point does the hesitation occur? under WOT? is there a specific gear? or does it matter?

 

I'm usually in 5th gear when it happens, although I've noticed it in other gears, it seems to be most noticable when i'm just maintaining a steady speed in 5th gear, it's done it while i'm accelerating, but its not very notiacable then. I guess it seems like the slower the engine speed, the more noticable it is.

 

Do you know when the plugs were last changed? I would probably start there. Even if one is starting to go, would would definetly notice it.

 

This is a relatively old post, but i've got a similar situation. My car hesitates very slightly once after hours of sitting under coasting or very light acceleration usually in 4th gear (but it's happened in 5th as well) a few minutes after starting to drive. I changed my wires and rotor and dist. cap and plugs last year. They weren't top of the line or honda wires, but the plugs were NGK's. My problem hasn't evolved into what joe592 has described, but it sounds like his started the same way. I did a two doses of chevron injector cleaner into two consecutive tanks hoping that would resolve the problem, i am still driving on the second tank with cleaner in it, so i haven't . I thought perhaps it also could be that an air bubble developes in fuel line somehow after sitting for a bit. Is that a possible scenario?

1999 LX 2.3L 5-speed

 

What kind of cleaner are you using? I would suggest to only use BG44K, I know my Honda dealer here doesn't let me buy the stuff, but most dealers should have it. I just go to the Pontiac dealer across the street and buy it from them. Also, the wires that I have were made from sumitomo, I should get mine changed soon though they are still the original wires.

Its good that you posted this, cause I am now going to go to Honda for the tuneup. Always use the NGK plugs, everyone on this board told me that. I once switched to Denso Iridiums, and they didn't work well. Also, I played around with one of them, and the plug didn't tighten, and I was getting a huge misfire, so I had to have a friend put in a replacement Denso Iridium.

Anyways, I basically went back to the NGK Vpower (which are the spark plugs required for a 99 Accord), boy they work well! I notice my idle is bad during the day time, like when it is hotter outside. Not like bad but its not like 800-1000 rpms. Its usually around 500-600 rpms during the day.

 

Nevermind, Chevron techron won't be as good as BG44k, even though I hear its a great cleaner.

 

That BG44k stuff is $20 a can?! Thats stuff better do something

 

Yeah, but you don't use it all the time. Once every six months is good enough.

 

Hey accord4, what car do you have, what problems are you having?