Thanks for posting. It's good to learn of the happyoutcome.

 

I am currently in the same boat.

A few weeks ago it was very cold here and my car would not crank over. I just purchased the car maybe 2 months ago used. The battery looked pretty old and corroded terminals. So I ended up putting a nice Optima Redtop in there with new terminals. The weather turned around and started to warm up a bit and they car was starting right up.

Well 2 days ago it was cold again. Same situation would try to crank but no fire. I sat in the car a few minutes cussing and tried to crank it over. Every time I tried it seemed to almost get there. Finally after about 5-10 minutes maybe 12 cranks it started. I was a little confused. But it gets worse. I was then driving for maybe 5 minutes and the heater was on high and started getting really low and kinda of cutting in and out. So a quick thought maybe the blower motor was going out or something. Next thing I know I am making a left hand turn at a stop light and the car just dies. I am coating threw traffic and all the sudden like a light switch the car starts back up. With me doing nothing more than trying to turn it to the side of the road. So it turns itself and I try to keep going. Nope 1 more time it goes off and back on. I turned around turned everything I could off. I made it home safely. So I left it all one until today the shop I was sending it to was booked until today. I went out this morning and tried to start it and
same story, just wouldn't crank. I called a towing truck and they would be here in a hour. Well about 45 minutes later I tried to start it again and go figure the thing fires right up. I still had it towed.

I am still waiting to find out whats up with the car but the mechanic said it sounded like the ignition switch. I found this old thread in the search for ignition switch so I am hoping it is something that minor to fix.

Anybody else have any input let me know. Sorry about the novel [sm=icon_blah.gif]

 

Well, it's been 1 year, plus 1 day, since I started this thread. Qutie amazingly to me, we have not had this problem a single time since that day.

Should the problem happen again, a brand new distributor is still sitting in our garage, waiting patiently for installation.

 

Hi, new to the forum here, and new to having an Accord (purchased a '98 EX in black currant pearl this past thursday). I was having the start and die issue, so I went to Autozone and picked up a switch this afternoon. Bingo, car seems completely normal again. I had noticed that when I had the switch in the ON position it had enough play in it that it was easy to make the dash lights all go out. Put the new switch in and all seems fine now, I took it out and drove it about 10 miles and started it about half a dozen times with no issue. Thanks to this forum, I think I managed to find the problem and fix it on the first guess! One thing, the little plastic cover over the back of the switch was a booger to get unsnapped, and I actually broke mine and had to super glue it back together. If anyone has the secret to actually getting that cover out with some sort of ease, you should post it here to help others out.

 

Welcome & we're glad you were able to fix it.
That's why it's nice for you & others to post back & explain what worked & how you fixed it.

 

I just began having the same issue on thursday. Go to start the car, it starts and stalls immediately- no sputtering, no sound, nothing. I try again and it starts with no problems. Then- for the next couple days nothing happened. Now today, I was out and about, and went to start the car and it stalled immediately. Tried again and it started. It has NOT stalled while I've been driving. And it doesn't stall every time. Went to the gas station to fill up, took me 3 tries to get it running. Got home, turned off the car- and tried restarting with no issue. Tried 3 more times- no problem. I don't know what to do. I know nothing about cars- and most of these posts sound like greek to me. My question is, it seems like but I do not want to be out driving with 2 kids with me and have my car just die in the middle of the freeway or something. You guys solved your problem- can you direct this woman with no car experience on what to do first?

 

Hi Scrappy, that's exactly how mine was when the ignition switch started acting up, but it didn't take long for mine to get bad. Take your key out the the car and put it in and turn it over to the ACC position (which is when the radio and fan come on and the guages light up. Now, wiggle the key back and forth just a little, making sure not to turn it far enough to trip the starter or turn it back off. Does the radio/fan quit at any point while wiggling the key? If so, that's a sure sign the switch is worn out. It isn't that hard to replace the switch, but I would reccomend you get the Haynes book or a service manual before you start. There are directions in the Haynes manual that show and tell you how to replace the switch. The only thing not described in the Haynes book is how to get the cover off the steering column... it just snaps apart and then comes off. The little plastic cover over the back of the switch was a booger for me to get off, I actually broke mine and had to super glue it back together, but once I got to the switch, the worst of it was getting my head under the dash far enough to see where the switch plugs into the electrical system. Took me about 45 minutes to do the job, and I had never worked on my Accord before. Now that I have seen it done, I could probably swap a switch in 20-30 minutes. It shouldn't cost you a ton to have someone change it if you don't want to venture trying it yourself, since it's not all that much labor involved. I don't know what Honda gets for a switch, as I bought mine at a local car parts place, and it cost me either 60 or 70 dollars, or thereabouts. I can't remember now exactly what I paid for it, but it wasn't that expensive. Anyway, if your radio/fan and dash lights stop at any point when you are wiggling the key around, then I'd just have the switch replaced because it has play in it, and I'm betting that's where your trouble is. Good luck, and let us know if/when you get it fixed.

Jon

 

In the same amount of time it has taken to make all these posts, you could have dropped off the steering column shroud [3 screws underneath] and then looked at the solder joints on the back of the ignition switch to see if they look to have been overheated. [frosty looking or melted solder joint].

CAN WE GET ABOUT 1/2 DOZEN MORE THREADJACKERS IN HERE TO COMPLETELY CONFUSE THE ISSUE??

 

For what it's worth, mine did not look like it had been overheated at all, but it still shorted out, which is why I told them to wiggle the key. Is it common for them to look like they'd been overheated? I just assumed it was a wearing out issue.....

 

Well, it had been well over two years since we had the start-stop issue. Yesterday, the car exhibited the same symptoms that I described in my first post.

I've had a wicked cold for the last two weeks, so I was only able to get into the car myself this morning.

I started the car, and released the key as normal procedure. The engine died instantly.

I then started the car, but only backed off the key until the starter disengaged. Car remained running. When I released the key, the engine quit.

I repeated the cycle, but this time the engine remained running. Etc.

I explained the test procedure to my wife, in case the thing happens again when she's using the car. We both started the car several more times and the engine remained running each time.The problem has apparently gone into hibernation again.

I think the switch is indeed the problem, but, whatever it is that is malfunctioning inside the switch, it is only mainifesting itself intermittently and it definitely is related to cold temperatures. I think it might be the lubricant problem, as I speculated in my original post.

As a prevntative measure, I want to replace the ignition switch, but I've never replaced an ignition switch in any car I've ever owned, so I've taken a quick look at the Haynes manual.

Before I start the job, I don't want to do anything that is unnecessary, so I have a couple of questions.

1. Do I really have to remove the steering wheel?

2. The "tumbler" is the part of the ignition switch that the key engages, correct?

3. Can I replace the switch without replacing the tumbler and, therefore, NOT need a new key?

4. Are there aftermarket ignition switches available for 92 Accords and, if so, are they as reliable as Honda parts?

I'd welcome any other advice that I have not specifically asked for.

Thanks for the information.