Hi all,

I have a manual 1990 Accord DX. It just recently started an intermittent issue where the car will turn over but will not start. If the car is having the issue then the check engine light will stay on when the key is turned to the on position. Sometimes it'll go off for a half of a second before it comes right back on. I haven't found anything that triggers it so far. It doesn't seem to matter if the car has been sitting for several hours or several minutes. Turning the key on and off multiple times over the course of a couple minutes has worked. As soon as the check engine light goes off then it'll start up, and run, perfectly. I had replaced the fuel filter the first time it did it. The car actually died at a stop sign on that occurrence (after having the check engine, start up, issue). After replacing the filter, it didn't happen for about 2 weeks ... and then it happened 3 times today. Does anyone have an idea on this?

I appreciate it

 

Search for main relay issues.

Try this:
http://www.techautorepairs.com/mainrelaydefine.html

EDIT: sorry go to the top of this site and see the troubleshoot section.

 

Sorry ... I should have mentioned earlier that the main relay was replaced last summer. The problem definitely resembles the relay but it had never died after it started and was very consistent to have the issues shortly after it was turned off. I'll do some troubleshooting with it but if it is the relay again, do you know what could cause this?

 

Part of the testing will also look at the ign switch, elec part. Then there is, don't go there until ALL test have failed, the ECU. Yes the relay could have been replaced but one of the first tests is that the CEL does not go off with the key in the II position. Does the fuel pump get voltage? Then there could be an ICM issues. Go thru the tests., I jumped to main relay because of the CEL coming on and not going off...I just went thru some of this, I'm getting the 88 LXi back on the road and had to go thru all of this testing this weekend to find out I have another bad fuel pump...volts in, no gas out.

 

The CEL stayed on, so you should check for error codes. That tegger site has a pdf on how to get the error codes. I think on the 90 accord, you just have to turn the key to the II position and count the led flashes on the ECU under the driver's seat. Look up ECU on that tegger site to verify. Post the code(s) on here.

 

Thanks for the replies ... it hasn't happened again but I will try to reproduce the problem between now and the weekend and will re-post then.

 

Even if the check engine light is turned off, the code still should be stored in memory. I would check for codes to see what the ECU LED flashes.

 

I don't care if the main relay was replaced a week ago, they still have the same problem of bad solder joints.



you can take off the lower part of the steering column shroud and look at the solder joints on the back of the igntion switch

 

sorry for the delay. So I pulled the main relay and it definitely has bad solder joints. I would still like to check the ECU to see if it has a code for any other problem (e.g. when the car died after being started and driven to the end of the street) but it is not under my drivers seat. I also saw on a website that it could be behind the passenger side kick panel but it's not there either. Does anyone know where it is located?

 

BLUE 2 PIN jumper behind [near the top] the passenger side kick panel.
They come from the factory with the connector taped to the harness with BLUE tape.