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Honda Accord (1990-1993) Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • FukuyamaFukuyama Member Posts: 75
    the sellers name at ebay is mandigital

    very helpful guy....I paid 140 usd , i asked him to send it to Canada...all included, custom and stuff
  • mazjanjuamazjanjua Member Posts: 4
    1/20 starting prblem
    change all filter,distributer,coils,cup,plugs,wires,the problem is still there,why?
    one try leave 10 minutes then start?????????????????
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    When the enigne is cold, fill the radiator with 50/50 mix to the
    neck. Also keep the reservoir level between High & Low.
    You might have to refill a couple times.
  • mike12345mike12345 Member Posts: 1
    "i have a 1992 honda accord and recently you could be driving and all of a sudden you would loose all engine power, help---help--help."

    Have you or anyone found a solution to this problem?
  • astorastor Member Posts: 30
    Some 1990-1993 Honda Accords are known to have this problem. I had a problem with the driver side door not opening and took it to a Honda Dealer, he drilled out the lock and put in a new one. The labor cost was a killer and cost me $400+.
  • willielo29willielo29 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 91 Accord that cold starts fine and will drive for a minute or 2 but won't shift into the higher gears, it sounds like it's looking for the gears but not finding it and slowly stalls and won't go again fora few hours. A friend found that I was low in transmission fluid but said it's not making the type of sound that a transmission problem usually makes.

    I had the transmission flushed and fluids added and it drove fine for 2 weeks, then the problem came back again but the transmission fluid isn't low.

    Any ideas? Is it a transmission problem?
  • 94shadow94shadow Member Posts: 31
    I got my cars auto. trans. working but, sometimes it goes back to its old self. Doesn't shift correctly but when I remove the radio, back-up light fuse and wait about 20 seconds, the car starts to shift correctly for awhile. Then it does the same thing again.
    This car is driving me crazy.
    94shadow
  • scott56scott56 Member Posts: 6
    Have a surging idle after engine warms up. Sprayed carb cleaner around and found that the intake gasket is leaking. What is all involved in changing the gasket?
    Can it be done pretty easily in your driveway. How do you get to the bolts on the bottom side of the intake?

    Thanks, Scott.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    A little heads up here.

    You say you only get the surging idle AFTER the engine warms up?

    This is contradictory to the behavior of a leaking intake gasket. As the engine warms up, there is an expansion of metal, and so really the surging should be worse with a cold engine than a warm one.

    I only mention this not to contradict your obvious correct diagnosis of an intake leak, but only to suggest that this leak may not be the cause of your surging idle, or not the entire cause.

    You might *carefully* snug down the intake bolts --16 foot lbs ONLY

    The "book" says a 4 hour job for a professional mechanic, so without knowing your skill level, figure ALL DAY.

    Let us know how the "snugging up" does (use a torque wrench please) and if no good, let's talk further.
  • gojacketsgojackets Member Posts: 23
    Sound like you might have a problem with the shift-lock solenoid. Is the car doing things like blowing fuses when you step on the brake?
  • halochaloc Member Posts: 1
    I have a 92 accord with 195k miles and it has always started but woudn't today after sitting for almost 2 days in the cold.Battery is still good.....what do U think?
  • xhortaxhorta Member Posts: 2
    this is a great site and i appreciate the information.
    having trouble with 92 honda accord automatic trany. when put in drive, takes off very slowly. i have to shift to 2nd or 1st gear for car to take off more rapidly. in the meantime the "D" light on pannel flashes while i'm driving and when it's on park.i have read previous post and from what i gather the trany computer is trying to kick out a trouble code, or maybe the computer itself is malfunctioning. can someone tell me where i can find the numeric codes and thier translations. i tried a link that had been posted previously but it was no longer available. i have not attempted to get the codes by connecting a paper clip to the tranny computer yet, but will be sometime during the week. thanks for any tips, advice, information anyone might have.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    If the D4 light is on, continuously, while the shifter is in Park, you probably have a computer problem. If not, this website should help you trouble-shoot the problem. Good luck
    http://techauto.awardspace.com/transmission.html#troubleshooting
  • scott56scott56 Member Posts: 6
    Thanks for the reply. Checked the intake bolts this afternoon. All tight. Started the engine up cold and I could hear a sucking noise. Sprayed some carb cleaner between intake and head and I could hear the engine change speed in one spot.
    Touched that spot with my finger and could feel it sucking in. Leaking there for sure.
    What's the next step? Have worked on other cars, but ever a Honda.

    Scott
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Your next step is to order a workshop manual from Amazon (I think you could easily pick up a used one, shipped in two days, for $10--$15 bucks).

    In general though, aside from getting everything back correctly after disassembly, your biggest challenges, which are easily overcome, are:

    1. cleanliness. The new gasket won't take if it is put on a dirty surface

    2. Is the intake manifold warped? You should straight-edge it with a large metal ruler.

    3. Be careful of the type and amount of sealant you use. Remember, any debris or extra goop is going right into your combustion chambers.
  • cybercoolcybercool Member Posts: 117
    hi all,

    Will it be expensive to have my power window motor on driver side fixed? Window was going up and then it got stuck 3/4 way up. Is this a DIY type of work?

    Thanks
    Jim
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Book says about $215 for the motor from the dealer and 1.4 hours labor to R&R. So if a pro mechanic can do it in 1.4, you should be able to do it in 4 or less.
  • fhortafhorta Member Posts: 7
    92 honda accord---after pulling out the carpet, partially, i located two connectors to what i believe are the engine and transmission computer trouble connectors, on the passengers side, under the dash, under the foot well. i disconnected both connectors from the board. my question is, which one of the two is the transmission connector, and how do i jump that connector to retrieve the codes. do i just stick one end of the paper clip to any one of the pin holes and the other end also, or is there a particular pin hole that the wire should be connected to. the "D4" light is flashing and i want to get an idea of what the trouble is. thanks
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    You have the wrong connectors. The trouble code connector is only two prong, and there is nothing plugged into it. It should be blue, and located under the passenger side kick panel (in front of the passenger door speaker). This link may help also. Good luck
    http://home.earthlink.net/~michaelpkeefe/HowTo_Codes.htm
  • fhortafhorta Member Posts: 7
    thanks. i tried doing the paper clip method to the service connectors. i found that there are 2 connectors to the transmission computer. i tried the paper clip method on both of them, but i am getting no codes from D4 light. when the car is on and on park, or drive, the D4 light flashes constantly. at this point i guess it could still be the computer or maybe a selonoid. when taking off froma dead stop, seems as if the car was taking off on third gear. once it gets going its fine. it shifts properly until i come to a dead stop again. appreciate your help.
  • fhortafhorta Member Posts: 7
    correction on my last post. i actually posted before reading the reply about having wrong connectors. ok, well i guess i had wrong connectors. that makes sense now. i now found the connector which i think is the right one. i did paper clip method. i get flash, but from the ABS panel light. the flash is 2 short flashes, a pause, then another short flash. thanks again.
  • fhortafhorta Member Posts: 7
    assuming i have the right connector, i think the code (2 short flashes, a pause, then 1 quick flash) is 21, and according to code translation, seems that the problem is with the vtec solenoid. my question is; where is this solenoid at, and what would be some of the things i'm looking for when inspecting the solenoid. also, if the vtec solenoid was the issue, would the rest of the gears still work fine. the only problem i'm having is that car will take off slowly, as if it was taking off in second or third gear. once it gets past that it's fine. it will go through it's normal shift procedure until i come to a complete stop again, then the process repeats again. i have read on previous posts that report problems with their solenoids also report symptoms of gears shifting sporadically from high to low or low to high while driving. those are not the symptoms my car is having, so i wonder if it would eliminate the solenoid as apossible problem or if it would still be something to consider. thanks for your help.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    It's definitely not Vtec. The 92 Accord does not have vtec. Read the troubleshooting in this link. It has a lot of helpful information, including removal/cleaning the solenoids.
    http://techauto.awardspace.com/transmission.html
  • fhortafhorta Member Posts: 7
    thanks for the post. it is very helpful. i'm just confused as to why i got codes from the the ABS light, and not the D4 light. evidently, i'm having trouble with the transmission and i expected to get a code read from the D4 light. i should mention that the BRAKE panel light has been on for some time. i think it has to do with the brake master cylinder. i've been having issues with the brake fluid. it is dissapearing to i don't know where. i don't see any signs of it being leaked on the cement floor where i park the car. anyway, could that be why i got an ABS code? could it be that this brake problem is causing the computer to go into a safe mode. or would the panel brake light have its own service connector to draw codes from. is it possible also that i am not getting a transmission code, but yet have a transmission related problem? i appreciate your help and patience. i would be completely clueless with out this assistance.
  • fhortafhorta Member Posts: 7
    replaced out the shift solenoid. test drove and car takes off on first gear now. it then goes thru normal shift procedure. seems problem is fixed. thank you for your support. i guess that the major thing i learned from this experience is that the symptoms and conditions of the problem do not have to match exactly in trying to deduce what the problem might be. the symptoms the vehicle was having indicated more of a computer problem than a selonoid problem, though the solenoid problem was still a possibility. it did end up being a a soelnoid problem after all.
    i also got the d4 light to give me the code. how i did it was sort of by accident. disconnected the shift solenoid connector and jumped service connector. this is what gave me 8 quick flashes. although, according to code translation, an 8 code has something to do with crankshaft position, top dead center sensor problem (fuel injection), or ignition coil signal (carburetor). nothing to do with tranny or solenoid. oh well, maybe the source of where i'm getting the transmission code translation is not very accurate.

    my next project is finding out where the brake fluid is going to. the brake pedal goes pretty low, i am having to refill with brake fluid every two days, and the fluid is not leaking. so it's going somewhere in the car. the brake light on the panel is also on. i will try to find how to retrieve the brake codes, if possible. thank you again and if you have any tips/advice/info on this new issue i'd greatly appreciated.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    There are rare cases where you can actually burn the brake fluid through the vacuum power brake booster.
  • shoffshoff Member Posts: 1
    My daughter owns a 1993 Accord EX and is not ready to trade yet so I thought I would give it a good tune-up and make it another year. Here's what happened. The car began to have spells when it would not crank, wait a little while then crank fine. I also noticed a stumble on acceleration. Two months later, a new distributer, a new coil, new injectors, an overhauled vaccum system, plugs and wires and a valve cover gasket set. Still stumbles and now has developed a dead miss on #3 cylinder. Took it all back apart tonight checked compression,good, fuel delivery to the injectors, good, spark, good. Could not check injector and didn't think about rotating them. Any Ideas. Thanks in advance.
  • juliomjuliom Member Posts: 1
    This might sound silly but I have a 1993 honda accord ex and when I drive it it's not a smooth shift no lights are flashing for the transmission but my question is does your Honda do it?
  • 94shadow94shadow Member Posts: 31
    Hello all,
    Here I go again.
    I replaced my TCU, Shift solenoid valve assembly (lower) and the NM or NC sensor, the one close to the radiator on the right side.
    Car ran fine for awhile, then went back to my initial problem.
    Car starts off in D4 from a dead stop.
    When I put the gear shift in 1st gear (it actually is in 2nd gear) it starts to go in then when I upshift to D3 it shifts into high gear (D4).
    When I remove the shift solenoid and clean it then reset the computer by removing the radio fuse then reinstalling the fuse, the car runs normally for a while then it reverts back to its old self.
    My D4 light does not come on at all and check engine light comes on after I travel for a short distance and stays on. When I turn the engine off, and check for a code with my jumper wire nothing flashes or blinks.
    The check engine light stays on but the D4 light does not come on at all.
    When I start traveling again, it starts in D4 and I have to manually shift the trans.
    The D4 light doesn't come on, the check engine light comes on after awhile. The car runs fine while cruising, everything works. Easy starting, runs well after I get going, A/C works fine.
    This car is driving me nuts. I'm ready to drive it into the Pacific Ocean.
    Suggestions?

    Thanks for listening or reading my troubles.
    Any and all solutions would be much welcomed.
    94shadow
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Where did the computer come from? If it's used, it may have the same problem as the original. I would get the codes from the engine computer, if there are any first though. If you take the cover off the computer, and find black spots on the circuit boards, it is likely the problem.
  • 94shadow94shadow Member Posts: 31
    Thanks elroy5. My car does not give out any trouble codes. The D4 light has not come on at all for quite awhile.
    The check engine light comes on at a peculiar time.
    When I start the engine, The check engine light comes on then goes off in about 2 seconds. When I start to drive for awhile then the check engine light comes on and stays on. When I park the car and turn the engine off and install the wires to the check engine connector and start the car, the D4 light never comes on, the check engine light comes on then goes off normally without blinking but the car is still in its trouble mode. Slow take off in D4.
    I will take the ATC computer off and check the inside for any burnt or melted parts.
    I'll keep you posted.
    Thanks elroy5,
    94shadow
  • randy47randy47 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 1990 honda accord ex sedan how can I disconnect sport switch and get the S light off stuck in second gear
  • fhortafhorta Member Posts: 7
    my 92 accord ex shifts pretty smoothly. what i would do is take out the shift solenoid and clean it out with some carburator cleaner spray. check the condition of the gasket. you can wash it and reuse it if it looks ok.i would also change the trannny oil. if problem persists, then you'll know to look to other parts of the tranny functions such as the shift lever and solenoid assembly, or other related parts. i don't know if you noticed, but this vehicles have solenoids for this, for that, and that. it gets confusing. hope this helps.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    The check engine light may not be related to the shifting problems. If the D4 light is not on, or blinking, the problem could be mechanical or electrical (shift solenoids, shift position switch, etc.) This link may help diagnose it.
    http://techauto.awardspace.com/transmission.html
  • ironman11ironman11 Member Posts: 1
    i would like to adjust the alternator belt and the p.s. belt on my '93 10th anniversary accord...my question i see the 12mm nut on side of alternator which i will have to loosen but there is also two 10 mm bolts under alternator....the one on left side (facing engine from front) looks like it goes into slide adjustment on bracket and other on right side goes into the 12mm nut area..question, which one do i adjust tension on and what is the other for? also same question for the p.s. belt....thanks
  • 94shadow94shadow Member Posts: 31
    Elroy5,

    How do you drain the auto. trans. oil completely.
    I only know how to drain the oil through the drain plug.
    By the way, my car is not running.
    A car was in my way so I hit him from the rear.
    When I get my car back, I will change 3 things.
    1. The A & B solenoid.
    2. The shift selector switch.
    3. The TCU.
    I think all of this is contributing to my problems.
    The TCU I bought was from the recommendation from another
    member. I bought it from Mandigital who is listed on e-bay.
    Thanks,
    94shadow
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    There is a drain bolt on the bottom of the transmission. A 3/8" ratchet, or bare extension end, will fit into the drain bolt. I used a ratchet, and a short 3/8" extension to remove it (no socket). The washer is probably re-useable, but you may want to get one anyway (cheap). You can only drain about half the fluid out (some stays inside the transmission), so it's a good idea to use the same type, if you know what's in it now. You will need a little (very little) over 3 quarts , so you could probably get away with buying only 3. The drain plug has a magnet on it. Wipe the (hopefully small) metal particles and crud off of the magnet, before putting the drain bolt back in. The drain bolt is supposed to be torqued to about 35 ft lbs. but a reasonable amount of force, on a 3/8" ratchet would be close enough I think (no cheater pipe). How dark the fluid is, and how much metal is attached to the magnet, will give you an idea how long you can wait to change out 3 quarts again. If the fluid looks like crude oil, you may need to change it again right away. If it looks just a little dark, you can wait a while (30k miles maybe?).

    I would certainly try to pin-point the source of the problem, before just throwing parts at it. That can get expensive quickly.
  • StruhnStruhn Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone know why the intermittent wipers, rear window defroster and the cigarette lighter don't work. Check the interior/exterior fuses/relays and lthey look fine. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.
  • AndyDubinAndyDubin Member Posts: 5
    About two weeks ago, my '93 Accord DX (222,000 miles) started overheating. I have stopped using the air conditioner because it brings the needle up very quickly. I have been "controlling" the problem by running the heater pretty much constantly when driving. When I get too hot, I turn the heater off and drive for about a minute without it. Then the needle shoots up and I put the heater back on, which brings the needle right back to where it should be.

    I have replaced the radiator, thermostat, and the passenger side fan, but the overheating problem persists. I'm not sure what to do next. Could it be the temp sensor? Or something else?

    Thanks!

    Thanks!
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Did you bleed the air out of the system when you put the coolant in? This link has troubleshooting for overheating. It should help narrow the possibilities. Good luck
    http://techauto.awardspace.com/overheating.html
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Can you verify that your radiator cooling fans are working?
  • AndyDubinAndyDubin Member Posts: 5
    Thanks for the reply. My mechanic (a man I would trust with my life) replaced the radiator. I did not see him do it, but I have every reason to believe he did it correctly. He replaced the thermostat at the same time. That was about a week ago. It didn't solve the problem though. At the time that he replaced the radiator and thermostat, he noticed that the passenger side radiator fan was very loud. The bearings were going bad. He suggested that we replace it at the time, but he didn't have one to put in. Then two days ago, the fan totally siezed up. I went to Auto Zone, picked one up, brought it to him, and he put it in. The problem persists. When I put the car in park, turn on the air conditioning or heat and open the hood, I see both fans working. When I turn the car off, the passenger side fan comes on automatically and does what I think it is supposed to do. What I do not know is whether the fans do what they are supposed to do while I am actually driving. Like I said in the first posting, the temperature gauge can be controlled pretty well by my using the heat. But it's going to be winter for only so long...

    Is the temp sensor the next thing you would check/replace?
  • AndyDubinAndyDubin Member Posts: 5
    Thanks for the reply. When my mechanic (a man I would trust with my life) replaced the radiator last week, he put in a new thermostat at the time. That didn't solve the problem though. At the time, he noticed that the passenger side radiator fan was very loud. The bearings were going bad. He suggested that we replace it then, but didn't have one to put in. Then two days ago, the fan totally siezed up. I went to Auto Zone, picked one up, brought it to him, and he put it in. At first the new one was not working, but then we checked the fuse, saw that it had blown with the last fan, and replaced it. Both fans now spin well, but the overheating problem persists. When I put the car in park, turn on the air conditioning or heat and open the hood, I see both fans working. When I turn the car off, the passenger side fan comes on automatically and does what I think it is supposed to do. What I do not know is whether the fans do what they are supposed to do while I am actually driving. Like I said in the first posting, the temperature gauge can be controlled pretty well by my using the heat. But it's going to be winter for only so long...

    Is the temp sensor the next thing you would check/replace?
  • gojacketsgojackets Member Posts: 23
    Your mechanic has replaced a ton of things and not solved your problem. Before I spent any more money on this problem, I would ask him if he bled the cooling system (most cars do not have the two bleeders that those Accords have) - if he is not used to working on Accords, then he might not normally do it. I really question the need for a radiator replacement. Personally, I'd probably take it to the dealer now.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    No, actually at this point I'd be checking for a blown headgasket on the engine.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    My mechanic (a man I would trust with my life)

    Maybe you can trust him with your life, but I would not trust him with my car, and unlimited money to fix it. It seems he is just throwing parts at the problem, and not doing any diagnostic work. Guessing which part is the problem can become very expensive, when you keep guessing the wrong part. Maybe the radiator was bad, but it was obviously not causing the overheating. You may have paid for a radiator, and other parts, you didn't need. It's easy to guess parts, when it's someone else's money.
    Not trying to turn you away from your present mechanic, but he may not be the man for this particular job.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    With a car of this mileage, especially one that has been overheating recently, the mechanic should have immediately tested for a bad head gasket before chasing other issues.

    If the heater was working, the thermostat was working; if the fans were working, then no need to fix them at this point. The radiator can be flow tested or at least inspected. the radiator was the best of his guesses actually but not the right one.
  • 94shadow94shadow Member Posts: 31
    On and external distributor coil on a 92 accord 2.2L fuel injection engine, the connector has 3 wires to the coil.
    A yellow, black/yellow and white/black wires, what color goes where on the coil.
    I know the white/black is to the negative and both yellow and yellow/black wire is hot.
    What is the 2 wires yellow and yellow/black wires for.
    I have installed a MSD 5520 or 5540 multiple discharge ignition, I forgot the number on the
    ignition and a MSD blaster 2 coil.
    The ignition box has a heavy black and red wire to the battery, a red, white, grey, orange, black and a 2 wire connector with a purple and I forgot the other color wire.
    I have the heavy black and red wire connected to the battery terminals, but, where does the other colored wires go to.
    I am most intrested with the yellow and yellow/black wire and what they represent. I looked in the manual but was confused with the wiring.
    Any and all reply will be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks,
    94shadow
  • 94shadow94shadow Member Posts: 31
    My car is still in the body shop, so I have not
    done anything to my transmission. I hope to get it back early this week.

    Thanks,
    94shadow
  • cybercoolcybercool Member Posts: 117
    hi all
    I'm having exact same problem as fhorta and 94Shadow with D4, ABS and engine light. My 93 Honda Accord EX - D4 lights goes on first thing when starting up then goes away later on causing me to crawl at very low speeds then picks up normally. I read from one of the helpful links that repairing or replacing theTCM or ECM should be considered first before any major tranny work. Everything else works fine on my car, AC, windows, heat.

    Can someone direct me to a auto junkyard or store in Central florida where I can find a used TCM or ECM unit for low price?

    I'm ready to throw in the towel on my Honda if all else fails.
    Thanks - Cybercool
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