I have a 91 accord ex. my check engine light is code 20 eld (electronic load detector...for those learning). I used my multimeter to test the voltage. red on black/yellow and black on black...wire. heard some things click and pop. car wouldnt start. checked the ecu fuse and it had popped. i replaced it and car starts again. did this pop because there is a positive wire on this circuit grounding out? also i would like to mention that the wire connector has never been plugged in as long as i know. i purchased the car from a mechanic that did a tune up and new battery in order to get the car running again. I wish to resolve this issue if possible but curious if its affecting my engine performance.

new member
thanks

 

You did not cause the short while measuring voltage (resistance of meter too high). If you tried to measure amperage, you might have caused a short. Blk/Yel to Blk should measure

By "wire connector" do you mean the green 4-wire plug that plugs into alternator. We're not mind readers here!

good luck

 

thanks for your reply!

i was attempting to measure voltage. i set the multimeter at 12v. the connector i was referring to is the connector i measured. three wire connector that plugs into the engine compartment relay/ fuse box. this connector has x1 black wire. x1 green and red wire and x1 black and yellow wire. I measured the blk/yllw wire and black wire for proper voltage according to haynes 91 repair manual. did i set the multimeter wrong?

thanks

 

The connector you describe should be the Electronic Load Detector connector. Not sure what happens if removed, but there should be no harm in plugging it in, if the wiring harness is good. That is probably why you're getting code 20, since Grn/red wire goes to ECM.

good luck

 

if the wiring harness is bad could this damage a sensor or blow something? Im afraid to plug it in in fear something will go wrong. perhaps i should just leave it alone since this is my only transportation to and from work. what do you all think?

thanks

 

I would take a close look at the ELD electrical connector and any wiring you can see. Make sure that there are no pinched wires or worn insulation.

Do the same thing at the alternator electrical connector.

I doubt that your volt meter would have caused the problem, but anything is possible.

 

If the electrical connector to the ELD was left detached like you said, then the mechanic you bought it from may have left it off due to some electrical problem (e.g., like a short somewhere or an alternator output problem).

The code 20 may just be due to the connector left unplugged to the ELD, or some other wiring problem.

Whatever he did probably caused the alternator to always be in full output mode; but, will shorten the life of the battery and alternator. See this other thread regarding the ELD:
https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...-bypass-32726/

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The following is Honda’s narrative regarding Opens and Shorts:
"Open" and "short" are common electrical terms. An open is a break in a wire or at a connection. A short is an accidental connection of a wire to ground or to another wire. In simple electronics, this usually means something won't work at all. With complex electronics (such as ECM/PCMs) this can sometimes mean something works, but not the way it's supposed to.

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Check the wire insulation and connectors for the Black/Yellow wire and the ground wire that leading to ground location G251.

G251 is directly underneath the underhood fuse box.

With the 3-P connector unplugged from the ELD - If you do the test again; but, this time check for voltage at the Blk/Yel terminal and the body ground of the car’s chassis (not the Blk terminal on the 3-P connector). If it doesn’t blow a fuse, the Blk/Yel wiring is probably okay.

If you repeat the identical connections like what you described in your first post (i.e., Blk/Yel terminal and Blk terminal on the 3-P connector terminals) and it blows the fuse, then this may indicate the short is at the ground wire leading to Ground Location G251.

Many inexpensive meters require you to manually select the correct measurement and range for the test you want to do. More expensive auto-ranging meters are available to handle range selection. All car batteries provide DC (direct current) voltage, most often in the range of about 10 to 16 volts. If your meter is not an auto-ranging meter, then select DC volts, with a maximum range of 20.

I’ve attached pictures of the following:

• Charging System
• ELD unit in under hood fuse/relay box
• ELD testing procedures
• Example of two different multimeters