7.2
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $40
- Average Mileage:
- 156,650 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 12 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (10 reports)
- refurbished main relay myself (1 reports)
- replace master relay (1 reports)
After I replaced the distributor and the intake manifold gasket my car would only start if I jumped it off so I went ahead and replaced my battery...no luck. So I replaced the starter last week and it still won't start! I am tired of spending money on this car! Someone please help me and tell me you have a solution! I am so aggravated with this car!
- chrisswoman, Jesup, GA, US
I know nothing about cars, so I was hoping that someone could steer me in the right direction. As of Thursday, my car will start but then immediately dies. I start it again and it stays running with no problems. Today- it's happened 3 - 4 more times. I got home, and was in the garage - decided to shut it off and try and restart it and had no problems. Tried 4 times, no problems. Not sure what to do here.
- lilbitscrappy, Medford, OR, US
My car just started having a problem recently, where at first the engine chokes for 30 seconds or so and later it will start .. It's been getting worse; I went to pump gas after work, filled up the tank, got into the car try to start it up and tried for about 30 minutes without starting. I played with the spark plug wires to no avail (usually that works), so I let it sit for another minute. I stepped on the gas and turned the key and then the engine finally started running again.
- nitelite215, Seffner, FL, US
Probably a old issue but very helpful to those that hate their non starting Honda.
Don't ask me why but it seems to occur on a hot day. A good Honda dealership will tell you it's the Master or Main Relay.
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/startproblems.html
There not too expensive but kind of hard to locate. Typically way up under the dash above the fuse box. I replaced mine and instantly fixed it.
Other issues are worn out coil, faulty distributor part. Sorry can't remember which.
I've done a lot of research so check the link above.
Hope this helps someone.
- ludedude25, Dunkirk, IN, US
Lately i've been having other problems. when i'm driving, my car seems to loose power after it shifts into fourth gear. i give it some gas and it backfires a little. then my check engine light comes on and everything is fine, until i turn the car and start it up again. i dont know whats wrong with it.
- Anthony N., Durant, OK, US
Car shuts off while driving, then cannot start it again, until you wait 10, 15 minutes or more. Changed fuel pump, fuel filter, distributor cap, rotor, spark plugs and wire set. Ran without problems for a day (yesterday), tonight, took it for a spin before giving it back to my wife, and went dead suddenly, 5 minutes after I left the house for a test drive. Took almost 20 minutes and dozen or so start attempts. An online mechanic suggested testing the main relay terminals for continuity. Will perform test whenever I find that main relay switch!
- Fernando C., Jacksonville, FL, US
The car was running fine, except the RPM's jumping around at idle. I parked the car at work. When it was time to go home, it started, then died.
Attempts to start failed. It will crank, but no ignition. The igniter has been replaced, with no success. The timing is fine and it seems to be getting fuel. I originally thought a problem with the injectors, but no I'm baffled.
- Kathi M., Carson City, NV, US
Difficulty starting on a hot day, but would always eventually start. Current solution is to loosen the gas cap in the morning and then tighten in the evening and it starts right up. I believe there is a pressure problem when the fuel expands due to the heat that is either flooding the engine or preventing gas to get to the engine. I have replaced the gas cap with no success. Still looking for the real fix.
- dwess, Portage, PA, US
My car has a hard time starting sometimes. It turnes over, but will not start. I leave it sit for a few minutes and it starts. Have tried ignition switch and fuel filter. I am now going to try the Main Relay and see what this does for me.
- troyca, Orange, CA, US
Same problem as described (doesn't start on a hot day!). Upon replacing the Fuel Pump, Distributor Kit, Ignition Module/Control Unit, Fuel Filter, Fuses, and a major tune-up, my car still did not start.
I researched everything I could that lead to the fuel not being properly distributed and noticed that the fuel-pump had a main relay (fuse) that I had not checked. Well, turns out that this relay is under the dash just below the change drawer on the driver’s side.
I took a long, somewhat heavy screwdriver and tapped the relay a few times to jar things loose (or situated in this case) and turned the ignition. Guess what? It started right up!
It was a PITA to remove since it was in there pretty good. A 12-pack later I eventually removed it and took it indoors to inspect it under my laboratory lamps. Okay, under the kitchen light! It’s a little black, plastic box that says “MITSUBA RELAY ASSY MAIN” on it. That’s how you know you pulled the right one out.
I pried it open using an intricate technique… okay a butter knife was used. I inspected the solder points inside and noticed they were severely dry. I pulled out my soldering iron and resoldered all the dried-up points and did a beautiful job to boot.
After snapping the box back together, I burnt six holes on either side of the relay box. This was to prevent the solder points from getting too hot inside that little box. When I replaced the relay (I didn’t mount it just yet) I fired up the car and it started right up!
After replacing everything back to its normal setting and happy that I actually accomplished something without relying on a mechanic, several days later, my car would not start.
Unbelievable!
Only this time my common sense decided to kick-in! I figured; upon repetitious ignition turns, something had to go bad within the ignition.
I then ran a digital meter to check continuity within the ignition harness and found a dead link in the number III position.
I replaced the ignition harness and viola… this helped resolve my initial no-start problem!
Hope this info helps you people! Only I know how much I despise a dishonest mechanic, and that’s all I’ve come across in my crusade to getting my car running.
An unfortunate circumstance in my honest opinion!
~PT
- Phil G., Santa Monica, CA, US
It's awful, I have to call AAA insurance a lot because I wear the battery down trying to start it. After a long while it starts. It runs fine after starting. Also the problem only occurs when it is parked in the hot sun, or extreme cold weather.
- Frederick E., Dracut, MA, US
My 1991 Honda Accord EX, with 145000 miles suddenly developed starting problems. It will crank but not start for a while, and if you let it sit and come back it may or may not start the next time. Usually if it starts you can drive it around the block, but sometimes it starts then dies. Other times it will just crank and not start, and later it may start quite normally. It seems like it is more likely to happen when it is hot outside. I have not done anything to fix it yet or had diagnostics yet.
Update from Oct 22, 2015: After replacing the main fuel relay located under the dash on driver side, the problem went away.
- awbritto@live.com, Silver Springs, NV, US