Honda Accord (1994-1997) Maintenance and Repair

elroy5

Some of you guys may want to save this link in your favs. It describes "in detail" cleaning the EGR ports. Like the link says, it will need to be done, sooner or later.

http://members.troublecodes.net/hondadude/95AccordEGR.htm

elroy5

OK, who can give me battery specs for a 96 EX? Group size, Cold cranking amp, cranking amp, reserve power. Whatever. Thanks in advance.

mrbill1957

Web sites like:
http://www.autobatteries.com
have lookup tables for auto batteries.

Mrbill

hudgika

Ok guys I am back. Just an update with my recent alarm problems is that if I want my car to start I have to unlock it with the key fob.I have been living w/it. Now my alarm is going off when I unlock the car or when turn the car off. Can anyone please tell me how to disarm or disconnect the alarm or if that is even possible?? I am not sure if the alarm is stock or after market, is there a way I can tell? It is a 1996 Honda Accord Lx and I have had it about 2 years. Thanks

yuewang97

I just saw your message, are there two extra copper connecters to the bottom tank of the radiator? Is the transmission oil going through it? The radiator for my 96 Accord has those two. Thanks!

94accord_lover

Hey, I've got a 94 Accord LX coupe (read my name) that has a contrary gas gauge. I can fill it up to completely full and the gauge only goes up to halfway between 3/4 and full, and will be on empty by about 280-320 miles, and I average about 28 mpg. That figures up to be anywhere from 10.5 to 12 gallons per tank, but my tank is 17 gallons. I also noticed that the gauge will go up slightly when climbing a hill, parked on incline, e.t.c, but will go down slightly when downhill or a hard stop. I know it is lying to me when it says it is empty, but i still get nervous to run it that "low". Once it stays on E for so long, the low gas light will come on, and I will stop to fill up in fear of running out. The fillup ends up being about 11 gallons on average, and then it's full. I know how far I can run it, but it is very frustrating to see the gauge on half when I only have driven 130 miles :mad: . Anyone have this problem or know what to do about it :confuse: ? I love my car and this is the ONLY problem so far. BTW I just turned over 80k!! On a 94!! :shades: I LOOOOVE MY CAR!

user777

a GREAT car!

i had a '94 that i loved too. i had a "non-linear" fuel gauge. it would read full when filled, but drop pretty quickly and not a function of how much fuel was actually in the tank. this didn't bother me much. i always computed miles driven (via ODO) vs. fuel pumped.

then, knowing the size of the tank (capacity) and my fuel economy, i knew how much i could realistically and safely go once the light came on. i was in the habit of resetting my ODO between fills, and always filling.

if you are really bothered by it, call or take it to an independant. he can probably put a new sender / meter unit in the fuel tank or re-calibrate the existing metering unit.

see part #28 here:
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&cat- cgry1=Accord&catcgry2=1994&catcgry3=2DR+LX&catcgry4=KA5MT&catcgry5=FUEL+TANK+%28- 1%29

techman41973

I have a Honda Accord with 200K miles.
Over the past year, I have had two different brands/sets of directional tires (Yokohama Avids & now Michelin Exalto A/S tires). I keep experiencing erratic handling, mostly noticable on the freeway. Road texture, especially grooved pavement seems to trip up the car's handling, causing erratic lateral movement as if the car riding on rails. In the past year, 3 mechanics checked out my steering and suspension system and found nothing wrong. My alignment has been checked many times over the year and is fine. I did have new Monroe Sensatrac strutts installed before these sets of tires. This was my second set of Sensatracs, where the previous set were fine. I have the stock alloy rims. Not sure if old age or corrosion on wheels could cause this problem.
Rotating the tires front to rear seems to change the handling behavior somewhat. I did hear from one mechanic that directional tires are more prone to these type of handling problems. I wonder if anyone else has experienced these type of handling issues. Thanks

neeper_97

The radiator that I got had the two connectors at the bottom, but I didn't need to use them because my 97 EX has a manual trans. I checked my 97 LX with an automatic trans "just to make sure" and the two connectors are hooked up to the trans cooler lines. I checked the carpartswholesale.com site and they have it for $91.10 with free shipping. They even have a 110% lowest price guarantee if you can find it cheaper. It's been almost two years in the hot AZ sun and the radiator I got from them is still working fine. Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck!

neeper_97

I run directional 215 45ZR 17 tires on my 97 Accord EX and had the same thing happen when I switched to Kumho tires. I've ran Fulda tires and not had this happen as noticeably as with the Kuhmo's. The Fuldas "my favorite" I drove on the autobahn in Germany and they gripped the road around curves like velcro at 120 mph. The problem was they would wear out in one year because they are "soft" tires. The Kuhmos are "harder", don't grip as well, but I am on my second year with them. The stiffer sidewall or "harder" the rubber of the tire will affect how you "feel" the road. Since your car has been given a clean bill of health by your mechanic, it is probably just the type of tires you have.

cs89

My EX coupe engine knocks pretty consistently. My mechanic who works on Honda/Acura cars only, suggested that I first try a fuel system cleaner. I tried it three different times without any noticeable change. The pinging noise happens as usual: during accelerations after engine warms up. I checked the coolant temperature; it does not even reach half way up (~ 3/8s of the way up). I just switched to premium fuel, which seems ridiculous to me, and it alleviated the problem a bit, but it did not fix it. Engine still pings if to a lesser extent. I don't know what else to try. My mechanic has suggested that I bring it to him again for another look if the situation persisted (after adding the fuel cleaner), but he did not seem overly concerned with the problem. Well, this seems disconcerting at least.

I would very much appreciate any tips or advise on what to check for. Thanks in advance

94accord_lover

Hey, I appreciate the help . I've been using my tripometer as a gauge, and can pretty much predict how far I can go and how much a fillup will cost. It's not a huge problem, just an annoyance. I am just glad to know that I am not the only one that has had the problem. I didn't really know what was wrong if I did want to get it fixed, so thanks for that info. It's really too expensive to fix now, and it being a minor problem, I won't mess with it. Thanks for the advice.

thegraduate

I checked the coolant temperature; it does not even reach half way up (~ 3/8s of the way up).

This is absolutely typical.

My 1996 Accord LX has never gotten above that 3/8ths position except when it actually overheated due to a cooling fan motor failing, which caused the temp gauge to rise when I would stop.

toolow4me

i'm new to this site so first off i'm just going to say HI! I just recently got my 95 Accord totaled. i was attached to it so i bought another, 97 instead of 95. the previous owner did some work on it.. all of it is fine with one exception. he lowered the car about two inches give or take. looks nice, especially with the rims... until you walk around to the rear of the car and look at the wheels.. the rear right wheel is leaning in more at the top and out at the bottom (its torn up the back tires)... i talked to one mechanics at my work and he said i need to put aftermarket adjustable camber kits on it. what i want to know is.. does anyone know of anyway to adjust the stock cambers, or can i replace them with the stock cambers from my 95 and be safe to drive until i can afford the adjustab;e camber kits? i asked him that as well but he said he doesn't work on hondas so he doesn't know for sure. any advice is appreciated.. thanks!

neeper_97

Your rear tires are butterflying. In other words the tires are not properly aligned and are wearing out on the inside tread of the tires. This is a common occurance with a lowered car. The last owner changed or modified the stock springs to lower the car. I know this because I lowered my 97 EX 2 inches with sport lowering springs. This affects all 4 tires, not just the rear. You will either have to get an aftermarket adjustable camber kit because stock Honda cambers will not adjust enough to fix this problem or you can replace all four springs with your stock springs from your stock 95 Accord. If you replace the springs with your 95 springs you will fix the problem and can take your car in to get a proper tire alignment correcting this problem. Your stock springs will raise your car 2 inches and give you more wheel well space. If you don't mind changing the look of your car and the handling characteristics by raising the car back to stock, go for it. If you want to maintain the look and the handling you have now, then you want to get the adjustable cambers. Be aware that as the lowering springs get older the car will set lower and need all 4 cambers adjusted during every alignment. This is why putting your 95 cambers on your 97 Accord will not fix the problem, even temporarily. Also, if the right rear spring on the 97 Accord butterflys that much more different than the one on the left, you may need to replace all 4 of those springs.It's up to you. If you don't do any of these things you will have to buy new tires every year because of the tire wear. You make the choice. Let me know if you have any other questions.

toolow4me

thank you. i didn't think swaping out the stock cambers would help but i thought id ask now i know.. im planning on buying the aftermarket adjustable cambers... i already bough new tires and swapped the wheels from my 95 because they were almost brand new when i wrecked. i figured that would give me more tread to work with until i get the camber kits... he used the eibach sportline springs to lower the car... im not sure how long he's had them on... but the springs themselves are holding up really well... the ride is smooth and handleing isn't bad at all... well at least considering how bad the rear right is butterflied. i like the lowered look. as for adjusting the cambers for every alignment, thats not a problem... i work at a saturn dealership and can do all my own alignments, rotations, and most other inor maintnence work... Thanks for the advice!

toolow4me

speaking of buying the adjustable cambers... i was wondering if you or anyone else knows about www.tasautoparts.com ? its strictly for 94-02 accords. if you need stock replacement parts, aftermarket, or performance parts... this is a great place to try.. thats where i'll probably be getting the camber kits. it might be more pricey or cheaper depending on what you want. just thought i'd let you know about it if you didn't already.

yuewang97

Thanks for your info, I finally replaced my leaking Radiator with one of my friends help. The two extra copper connecters are hooked up to my 96 Accord Auto-transmission cooler lines.

Re-connecting the engine coolant lines was pretty straight forward but re-connecting the Auto-transmission cooler lines was a little bit tricky. The ‘bowl’ type surfaces of the copper connectors must be positioned and tied properly to prevent transmission fluid from leaking.

monkey100

Do I need to drain the coolant to change the T-stat on my 94 Accord EX? Any other advice?
148K miles and the T-stat is weak, not warming up properly.
Thanks!

elroy5

You will probably loose some coolant if you don't drain it first. Have a bucket underneath to catch whatever drains out. There is a procedure for draining and refilling the coolant. If you drain the coolant, and don't do it right, air can become trapped in the system, causing all sorts of other problems.

speed420

I have a 97 Accord that was over heating fast and sucking up transmission fluid, like a bottle per drive. I was told to get an oil change, because I might have had dirty oil and that might be the reason why my car was overheating. When I went to get the oil change, the guy told me that I have a whole in my line from the container to the transmission and I also was leaking oil from my engine. He said all I had to do was change the head gasket and seal it for the leak in the engine and get a new hose for the leak going to the transmission. Easier said than done, right now funds are tight and was wondering if I could get some advice on how to fix this problem without spending a lot of cash.

elroy5

Unless you can change the head gasket and line yourself, it will cost you quite a bit. (Cost will vary widely depending on who does the work). The gasket and line probably are not to bad, cost-wise. The labor will be the killer. Changing a head gasket is a lot of work.

Caution: if you let the engine overheat too much, you will damage the engine.

accord95ex

Hi All, My Accord 95 EX 220k, makes a noise (like humming) every time the transmission is shifting gears from 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 while I accelerate, if I accelerate very slow, it does not make the sound but quick acceleration does, the noise is coming from the front right of the car under the hood.
Also after 80kph it constantly make the sound.
I don't think that it is from transmisson as it shifts smoothly and the noise is also from the right side of the car,

Any idea would be appreciated :confuse:

elroy5

Sounds like a wheel bearing to me. I would jack the car up, turn the wheel by hand, and check for grinding feel or sound. You should also give the wheel a bear hug, and jerk on it, to check for loose suspension parts. While I was under there, I would also check the cv joint boots for cracks and damage. Good luck
Warning: Always use jack stands! if any part of your body will be under the car.

autoboy16

I have this same problem. It especially comes in around 2-4k RPM (Meaning a reoccouring tone on the highway say, every 40 seconds).

And recently, i noticed my car thuds when sitting still. My dad recommends octane booster or mid grade gas. Have a full tank so i can't try anything now but i'll report back. Other than that, I got all the other problems fixed:

-Bubbling Tent - New Tent - $90 ($30 for removal)
-Squeaking wipers - New wipers (The non $3 kind)
-Check Engine light - New O2 sensors -Free

The only unresolved problems are the squeal, slow power windows, and now the thudding.

-Cj♥Accord

autoboy16

Add power antenna to that list. It stuck up and won't go down. Now I remember why I wanted a 1996... . Just another minor problem. <$50 should fix this issue.
-Cj

jwm5

I have a 94 accord wagon that just failed emissions for CO.
The NOX and HC numbers were fine. This age vehicle in my state (PA) still requires an actual tail pipe measurement. The mechanic is telling me that I need to replace my catalytic converter. An expensive repair (labor and parts about $500). The car has 152,000 miles on it. There were no fault codes in the computer. I asked about the O2 sensor but he thought there should have been a check engine light or code come up if this was faulty.

I had changed the oil, air filter and ran a can of fuel system cleaner through prior to inspection. This probably explains why the HC and NOx were good. When I picked the car up, I forgot to ask for the actual printout with the ppm readings, so I am not sure how much over I was for CO.

Any inexpensive things I can try first before spending all that money on a cat? I have read adding some denatured alcohol can help. This sounds kind of scary and where I live the fuel is already 10% ethanol so I am not sure how much this will actually help. Is it worth changing the O2 sensor? How hard are these to change? Thanks.

user777

http://ca.autos.yahoo.com/maintain/answer.php?emission_control_answer2.html

i suppose i'd see if the air flow sensor was working properly, and also put new plugs in the vehicle if they haven't been replaced in a while, maybe adjust the idle if it is high.

i suppose if you can safetly put the car on ramps you should be able to replace O2 sensors, but i'm not sure how you test to see if they are OK. i mean if the system isn't reporting they are not working properly, then i presume they are OK.

have you priced an OEM vs. aftermarket CAT?

if you can use a socket wrench, i doesn't seem like it should be too bad.

the oem CAT seems pricey:
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&cat- cgry1=Accord&catcgry2=1994&catcgry3=WGN+LX&catcgry4=KA4AT&catcgry5=EXHAUST+PIPE+- %282%29

aftermarket (for example) is much more reasonable:
http://www.racepages.com/rp_custom/cc_basket.php?makeid=15&modelid=360&year=1994- &catalog=catalytic_converter

hope it's useful.

austin302

I just changed the t-stat in my 97 Accord (185K) that has been maintained strictly with Honda coolant. There was not an ounce of corrosion in the t-stat housing. It actually failed due to the rubber seal around the valve came loose. My point is 185K and no corrosion. I highly recommend using Honda coolant when you refill the system.

natedeardorff

hudgika,

how much did you try to start the car before you left it at the gas station?
if your 96 is a 5sp man, it could be that the clutch switch is dirty, and just needs to be cleaned, or that it is sticking sometimes. I have been having the same problem on my 97.

natedeardorff

Hey everyone.

I have a 97 5sp man LX with 151k miles. Driving down the highway, sporadically something mechanically will begin to create a slight vibrating sensation, kind of like a flat tire feels, but not nearly as extreme.

it has been doing it off-and-on but yesterday it got significantly worse. Any speed between 65 and 85, it would do it, but ONLY when I would press on the gas. The car doesnt pull one way or the other, so i dont think it is the tires, or the alignment.

anybody know what may cause this!?!

Mr_Shiftright

I would check motor mounts and CV axle joints and, of course, tighten up your wheel lug nuts.

mamamia2

Not that I think this is your fix for the problem BUT.... Too many drivers failed the emission test because they were not aware....

If the test station is close to your home (which it is in my case...) you need to drive the car A GOOD 1/2 HOUR (better on the highway) before getting into the test station, to let the engine get well into its operating temperature....

neeper_97

I would also check the tread wear on your tires. I had this problem with a bad set of Goodyears last year. You may have lost a weight on one of your tires and a simple tire balance could fix this. Just giving you more ideas. Hope this helps

natedeardorff

Mr Shiftright,

thanks for your suggestions. Do you think if it is either of those thiings you said, or maybe even the transaxle I need to worry about it immediately? I dont drive much--pretty much once a week a drive 80 miles round trip to indianapolis and back.

Like I said, it is very sporadic

the problem is that I am a poor college student and at this point i cannot afford a mechanic. Should I avoid going to Indy until I can get the problem fixed? should I not drive at all?

what do you think?

thank you

Mr_Shiftright

Well at the very least before you go have someone (or you) tighten up the lugnuts on all four wheels and also check the tire pressure.

thegraduate

Is there any way to tighten the connection in the pedal/throttle cable realtionship to eliminate this play in the pedal? Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated by me, and maybe others. I can see there is a little room on the throttle linkage under the hood, as if I put a little piece of felt or something it wouldn't have this slack. If anyone knows a fix, let me know!

elroy5

Ok grad, the throttle cable is supposed to have 3/8" to 1/2" slack in it. I will look in the service manual to see how to adjust pedal free play.

elroy5

As far as I can see, the accelerator pedal has no adjustment for free play. I may have time to post the throttle cable adjustment page for you later today.

tankbeans

Hello all-

I am new to this discussion, so please forgive me if I'm asking a question that was already answered. Anyway, about a week ago I had my timing belt replaced in my car, a 95 EX, and because I am not the original owner I asked the dealer to check my spark plugs and all of the fluids to see if they are due for replacement.

The dealer didn't really tell me anything about the fluids, but the dealer did inform me that the spark plugs were incorrect for the car. Now I had asked my brother before I even took it in to do the timing belt if this could be a contributing factor to the lower than average fuel economy of about 22 mpg. I have been in the habit of checking my fuel economy at every fill-up and it has been at 22 since I got it back in April of 06.

I've checked the tires and the air filter and have changed the oil every 3500 miles or thereabouts. My question after this long winded set of paragraphs is, could the lower fuel economy be due to the spark plugs? I have already bought the plugs and want to put them in so that I can start clean on those things.

Many of the questions that I commonly get when I post a question of this sort is what my driving style is like and I have never really written it down very completely. Generally I drive around in town, but most of my driving is on the freeway going to visit with my brother. Since I drive mostly in town I keep the revs under 3000 for normal acceleration and occasionally get it above 3500 during passing maneuvers and attempts to make a light before it turns. On the freeway I keep the revs at about 4300 for normal acceleration and generally cruise around 75 mph, occasionally 80 to pass.

I have also post similar questions in the Honda Accord: Engine questions discussion and the Honda Accord: Real World MPG numbers discussion. Again sorry for a repeat if this is a question that's already been answered.

Thank you for any response to my questions.

tankbeans

Once again I am new to this discussion and as such have not read everything contained in some of the older posts. Now when it is very cold, lately in Minnesota about -10 to -15 for a while, and when I turn either left or right the steering wheel squeals. It sounds sort of like a rubber squeegy running across a dry window. Now this doesn't worry me, but am wondering if I should have it looked at.

Thank you for any responses.

elroy5

Spark plugs definitely can be a contributing factor in fuel economy, after all they are what burns the fuel. I recommend NGK plugs, which are original equipment on Hondas. There are many things that can cause poor fuel economy though. Too many, to list them all.

mamamia2

Of course, you forgot to tell us one crucial piece of information, you have a '95 EX? Nice, but WHAT ENGINE? Is it a V6 or a 4-banger?....

I don't have any experience with the I4, but I'd say for a V6, driving what you describe as your typical driving -- you're getting a very normal average gas mileage. And yes, driving with the wrong spark plugs would naturally affect your gas mileage. Just don't expect a miraclous improvement once you replace them with the right ones.

tankbeans

I do have the I-4. Naturally I'm not expecting something huge but just what would hopefully bring it up to the average of other drivers of the same car.

Thank you for your time in responding.

accord95ex

The noise problem of my car is fixed, the reason was loose exhaust heat shield, Thanks everybody for help.

Now I have 2 other problems:

1- Bad millage: Around 13.5 liter per 100 km (17.5 MPG) is this normal?
2- The oil engine smells like gas although I changed it as soon as I got the car last month, (I don't see blue smoke)

Any idea?

thegraduate

1- Bad millage: Around 13.5 liter per 100 km (17.5 MPG) is this normal?

Depends on your type of driving. What is your typical driving route (and be sort of specific)? Someone in the Corolla forum was concerned with their low mileage, until they mentioned they commute a short distance (only a few miles, 3 or so) but it took her 20-35 minutes to get there (averaging 5 MPH sometimes).

What is your commute like?

With a 4-cylinder 95 Accord, on strictly highway you should at least see 27+ MPG. I used to average around 29 MPG on 80% highway driving in my 1996 2.2L LX Accord auto.

accord95ex

Thanks for infos, I use my car only on weekends and around 40 miles per weekend day on the city and highway but mostly on city,
I remember I got 23 MPG in the highway last month and that was the best I got since buying this car.
I know that cold weather also promotes to bad millage but I don't know how much, It's very cold where I live.

thegraduate

I know that cold weather also promotes to bad millage but I don't know how much, It's very cold where I live.

Typically, cold season hurts mileage for two main reasons:

1.) The "Winter Blend" of fuel most companies use delivers lower mileage than the fuel typical of summertime weather. I noticed a 2 MPG drop across the board with winter season on my two Accords. I was seeing 29MPG in my 2006 4-cylinder and 28MPG on my '96 LX 4-cylinder. Now, those numbers have dropped to about 27.5 on average for the '06 and closer to 25 MPG for the '96. The '96 is more noticeable because I park it outside, and sometimes get the engine warming the interior to de-ice the windows before I leave, which leads me to issue number...

2.) Warming up your vehicle is a time when you are getting 0 MPG. I don't warm mine up unless there is ice on the windows. It isn't necessary to warm your vehicle to normal temperature before driving away, as long as you drive modestly (under 4,000 RPM or so)until the engine warms up to normal.

Maybe you are warming up your car some, since it is SO cold?

tankbeans

This isn't a maintenance issue, rather a question about defogging the back windows. I have the 95 Accord EX and was wondering if there is any real "trick" to defogging the windows on the back doors. The front windows defog pretty easily, but I always have trouble with the back. I do know that there are the vents beneath the front seats to warm the back seat, but don't think those are for defogging. Anyway, if there is a "trick" to defogging the back 2 windows it would be greatly appreciated, especially here in Minnesota.

In case you're confused I don't mean the window above the back deck that you see through the rear-view. Thanks for any advice.

thegraduate

Here's what I do when several interior windows are fogged.

1.) Set the system how you normally would to defog windows (You know the drill - set air/conditioning on, moderate amount of heat, and ventilation to FRESH AIR).

2.) Instead of setting the vent output to the "defrost" setting (the yellow-graphic button all the way to the right), set it to where the air comes out through the dashboard vents (the button all the way to the left). This way, fresh, dehumidified air can circulate the cabin most easily and quickly. Simply point your vents straight out, and air will flow to the rear, and begin defogging your side windows.

Hope this helps!