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Comments
if it were me (and it's not - it's you), i'd probably remove power by disconnecting the battery, i'd hit the ignition switch with a bit of electrical contact cleaner (maybe available at Radio Shack) and let it evaporate/dry for a good 10minutes, then re-connect the battery and see if the operation of the switch became reliable again.
if not, i'd probably get the switch / lock assembly replaced.
If you don't follow thru and try to clean the lock, or cleaning it doesn't work, then you probably will need to have the lock replaced.
Mrbill
my contention is spraying a contact cleaner in is better in this instance than a graphite based product because graphite would have no-where to go...it would be what i would use if the lock were hard to turn with the key...but probably not my first choice if i suspected the assembly itself was gunked and in need of cleaning.
Thanks,
Joan
Thanks- sorry I know nothing about these things but it seems scary when it happens. :confuse:
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&cat- cgry1=Accord&catcgry2=1996&catcgry3=4DR+LX&catcgry4=KA5MT&catcgry5=COMBINATION+S- WITCH+%282%29
I did not think it was possible to engage the ABS however, unless the brakes are engaged. Is it possible that your friend is stepping on the gas & brake pedals at the same time (so the ABS thinks the wheels are slipping)?
Honda Accord 1998-2002 Maintenance & Repair
I have 97 Honda Accord 4 cylinders 16 valves.
I'm trying to change timing belt myself. The manual says "with the engine at TDC for #1 cylinder, remove the timing belt covers and the balance shafts belt for access to the timing belt".
It seems that "TDC for #1 piston" is a critic procedure for some of repairs near engine. Could anyone kindly explain to me why I have to do this procedure?
Ok, if I have to do as the manual says.
"The preferred method is to turn the crankshatf with socket and ratchet attached to the bolt threaded into the front of the crackshaft in order to bring a piston to TDC."
Where 'the heck' is the crackshaft located?
Sorry for the stupid questions. I'd get this going.
Thanks in advance.
shadingding2
The crankshaft (not crackshaft) the pulley that drives everything else, its the one nearest the bottom.
One tooth off on any of the belts, and you will have problems. Although changing the belt isn't rocket science, it's still recommended that you know what a rocket is. Are you sure your up to this?
Mrbill
Good luck...
2. However, we did look at a 95 black 4cylinder accord ex with leather stickered for the same price ($4800) and loved it It had all the options on my list except for not being a 96 & not being close
3. It has a stock cassette tape and cd changer in the trunk. Does any1 know how to work it? I know it may sound sad that i mention it but why spend $250 on another cd player and changer when it has 1 properly installed. I hear it shuffling disks but not sure of how to play change ect. There is no remote and the buttons are not intuitive as to how to use it.
4. We put down a $100 hold fee(they'll keep it for 2weeks and keep it maintained and fresh) so we can pick it up in a week. My only gripes are what i listed above, plus the cracking of the leather behind the rear headrests :confuse: , the ac taking 15mins to blow cold air and then 15 mins to get the car cool 75º'ish (despite being in miami on a hot, humid spring day of 87º outside), the un-tinted windows, not having a of the spoiler, and the leather coming off the rear armrest bottom when up.
Although the people in the background look like they are tampering with the car, he's actually washing it. He does a great job
The white honda i bragged so much about
isn't this a hard decision
So for me -- it's a no brainer.... The dealer would HAVE to fix that car in ANY case, if he ever wants to sell it... And Also, that car has an EXTENDED emission warranty from Honda, till 150,000 miles, which covers a LOT of issues (check about it here on this very board)....
As to the CD changer in the back, it's working nicely. I am not too familiar with it, 'cause mostly my daughter drove that car, but I know she used that player all the time. Yes, you can change the CD, the tracks on each CD, and anything else that you expect from a CD player. The only disadvantage is, it's less accesible, than a CD on your dash.
That's as far as my mechanical knowhow allows me to contribute....
I agree, if I'm losing fluid, adding fluid would only be a temp fix. I'm not sure i'm necessarily losing fluid; I just know my current level is just at the "low mark". Could the low-level of fluid be my issue? I'm not sure if its losing fluid or not; I just know I lose brake pressure once every hundred stops or so (although the last time I drove it I had to pedal-to-floor instances within 5 miles; I let off the pedal when it does that and reapply the brake and pressure is there and firm.). It leaves me wondering if the only problem is a low brake fluid level (say from the dealer not filling it properly a while back). Just curious as to if the inital lack of fluid would have anything to do with me losing pressure sporadically (i'm guessing not).
that is not an issue you can avoid.
have you ever had the brake system serviced? brake fluid should be replaced on a periodic basis (I think the recommendation is approx every 2 years or so). it can pick up moisture and contaminants that will affect it's compressibility (ability to transmit work/force from the master cylinder to the brake calipers) and also ability to prevent part corrosion.
in my experience on two vehicles, having to pump the pedal or it going to the floor means air in the lines (and in one case, a drastic cut in the brake lines due to salt corrosion).
your observations could be the result of a low level to begin with, but that in turn is probably due to a leak somewhere, perhaps in the master cylinder assembly itself.
whose to know without it being inspected? i'm just speculating right.
if it were me, i *WOULD NOT* merely add fluid and hope that all was fine. i would spend the money to have the system inspected, flushed, and new fluid added. i would also have my pads front and rear replaced if they were worn. a dealership or independant specializing in hondas is where i'd take my vehicle.
money is probably an issue. perhaps i'd add additional fluid to the resevoir per the specifications in your owner's manual, but that would be a *TEMPORARY* thing while i saved the $$$ to bring it in for repair. in the meantime, i would ask my dealer or independant to give the system a quick (free) look and quote how much to fully service the system. a good time to do this is when they have it up in the air (or they are under it in a pit) changing the oil.
a brake system flush and refill isn't going to be cheap, and if you have a bad master cylinder or other part to boot, even more expensive.
good luck.
My pads are new (less than 30,000 miles) but I still have the original brake shoes on the rear (160,000 miles on those drums; I'll have them look at them.) .
*Sigh* Money is an issue, but I can at least afford to get it fixed now; hopefully no other issues will arise in the next month or two, though!
When you replace front pads, the brake calipers have to be forced open (using a C-clamp) to their widest position before removing the pads and replacing them. This would push back on the brake cylinder, and can cause the brake fluid to overflow (this happened to me before). Then with the pads replaced, and calipers returning to "normal" position, one would have to check the fluid level in the reservoir and top it off.
If your brake issues seem to coincide with when your front pads were changed, it might be worth it to just replenish the fluid and observe a while. Do a thorough visual inspection to see if there are signs of leakage around the master cylinder and inside the wheel.
If you don't need a master cylinder, then you're just blowing $300.
With pad wear, the fluid level in the reservoir will drop gradually because the pads needs to be pushed closer to the rotors, requiring more fluid in the line and out of the reservoir.
Either way, if it were me, I would run my $4 experiment first, unless you really think your mechanic would pass up on an opportunity to make $300 by saying "yeah, the MC was leaking."
I just tried this "stop leak" thing for my radiator/cooling system. I was slowly losing coolant (did not know where--nothing dripped)--and to my delight, the coolant loss seems to have stopped (for at least couple of weeks for now).
They have these "stop leak (that's what it's called)" products for brake systems too. It comes in a bottle/can at your local Pep Boys (maybe Walmart too) and you just add it as you would brake fluid. It's only recommended for superficial leaks when no obvious leaks are detected. Give it a try.
The reason I call my pads new is that they lasted me 131,000 on my stock set. I realize that most people get closer to 50,000, but I do a fair bit of highway driving these days, so 75k or 85k shouldn't be too far out of the question I wouldn't think. I still have the same drum shoes.
I really appreciate all the input and help you guys are giving!
I'm new to the Honda forum..yesterday, while trying to make a u-turn in the parking lot of Wal-Mart, I bumped into a light standard..I am waiting for an estimate from the body shop..I wonder if it's better to pay the insurance co. $500 deductible, and let them pay the rest, or if it's not too much over $500 for me to pay out of pocket..thnx
You can also try this to test your brakes:
With the vehicle in park & engine running (so the power assist is working), apply a firm pressure on the brake pedal--as far as it would go (pump the pedal once if you have to) and then keep applying the pressure and see if you notice a gradual fade in the brake pedal (i.e., the pedal gives and drops further into the floorboard).
If the pedal drops further, then you definitely would need your mechanic to check it out (see if there's anything leaking underneath the car or inside the wheels at that point).
I don't know if you do any downhill driving on the hwy, but if your brakes get too hot (due to "riding" your brake down a long hill, for example), you can lose pressure momentarily. The fluid can boil and form air bubbles, which can then be compressed further--which would feel like you're losing brake pressure.
Good luck
Possible moisture in your system? (seen heavy rains recently?). Water would boil much easier (at a lower temp) than b-fluid, and with warmer weathers, it's easier for pads to get hotter. There are moisture removal additives for your brake fluid, too.
Okay, I'm out of ideas now. Back to work
GREAT DEAL (except for the radio begging for the code)!! We called the other dealer and he's refunding us the $100 hold deposit. Hopefully the v6 is worth it. It was a good ride on the unmatched tires but i'm still suspicious of the potenzas figuring the bad reputation.
Can someone tell me a how the v6 accord (A)is on tires (B) average mpg and (C) the tire brand you would recommend.
Radio code you should be able to get from ANY Honda dealer (assumng you didn't purchase the car at a Honda dealership), based on the VIN number, but you'd have to go there, they won't give it to you over the phone, for safety reasons...
Tires? No special tires for Honda, just good quality tires... Why not drive thoe tires for a while and see? Gas mileage I don't really remember, but it's not the greatest, this is an older engine with an older transmission, not as efficient as today's cars. as much as I remember my averaga (mixed driving) was around 20 mpg.
What you need to check is whether the TIMING BELT was replaced, and when, and same about FLUSHING THE TRANSMISSION. These 2 are very important with the Accord. And be aware that the tranny fluid MUST be Honda's own fluid, not the generic one.
Oh, and one more thing: CHECK THE LEVEL OF BRAKE FLUID IN THE ABS MODULE RESERVOIR!!! That's the little clear-plastic reservoir on the left of the engine, next to the ABS system... It must be FULL. Otherwise you'll ruin your ABS system, and it would cost you well over $1,000 to replace.
you need to have your brake system inspected.
can i make another recommendation? i would avoid any stop-leak product. when i was young and cheap-minded, i tried same on a radiator... ha ha to me.
let's say a stop-leak product doesn't work in a radiator or brake system... what do you think that stuff is doing in that system? let's say it binds somewhere for a period of time...and seems to mitigate the leak, then let's say later it liberates.
rot's o' ruck.
as they say YMMV, but me? i'd stay *VERY* far away from those products.
Thanks to all who offered suggestions though!
On my 10-year old Accord, my Honda dealer wanted to replace my entire AC system & radiator because they were losing pressure and fluid ever-so-slowly, and they could not figure out where the leaks were. The estimate: $2000 AC + $1200 radiator (AC 2 years ago, radiator recently).
Instead I put in some AC lubricant ($12) and Stop Leak for radiator ($4)--and guess what--the AC's been running for 20 months now w/ no prob, and the cooling system (radiator, etc) stopped leaking for 2-3 weeks now. I've had 10 solid years on my Accord, and spending "pocket change" to keep it running a couple more years is well worth it.
Click and Clack (the guys on "Car Talk" newspaper columns and radio show) regularly recommend Stop Leak for aging cars for slow leaks w/ undetermined source. Their stance is if they work, great. If not, take the car in. I'd take these guys' advice any day.
Not bad, considering this is the only other repair I've done on this car besides a cooling fan motor that cost a similar amount ($295). 160k miles for $620 in repairs; I can't complain.
You may be elligible for a FREE repair, plus a FREE tune up from Honda.
right you are, and lucky in this case - very much so that he didn't try to add a can of stop leak something to the brake system (?) if something like that even exists... because, he'd probably be paying lots more than $300 something...that is if he was lucky enough to pay that is.
on the issue of AC lubricant, i predict this is a stop-gap measure but not a long-term solution. when it fails to help, you're likely to be looking at much more $$$ in repairs than a $12 can of lubricant. logically you know this right? you're just delaying the inevitable. i had a 10yr old accord and tried the exact same thing. been there, done that.
in my mind, there's quite a big diff between an AC system leak, and a coolant, brake, oil or other system leak.
i like those c+c guys... the show is very entertaining. if they lost the "shtick" they could be helping lots more people... but then there'd be no show right?
peace.
No, I don't follow your logic, Mr. Spock. Let me spell this out again. My AC repairs was billed for $2000 and I didn't have cool air. I tried $12 lubricant. and I didn't have to spend $2K for the last 2 years of cool air. Do I think my AC miraculously healed itself and is back to its former pristine glory? No. Is my AC going to last forever? No. Instead, I just may have extended the life of my current AC system ("delaying the inevitable" as you put it) as well as my radiator.
If the AC crashes tomorrow, I start driving with windows down and start thinking about putting $2000 toward a new Hybrid Civic. If my radiator blows up tomorrow, then the $4 experiment was worth it (it would have blown anyway). A new radiator costs the same either way.
And the 134a refrigerant you buy at the dealer to "recharge" your AC--guess what, it contains lubricant for keeping the seals lubricated and literally "stop gaps". I just put in a little extra can of that same lubricant (keep your eye on that pressure gauge while doing it), that's all. You think I'm risking extra damage. I think I made an informed choice.
...stop leak something to the brake system (?) if something like that even exists...
Well at least one of us has been to an auto parts store and knows Stop Leak for brake systems does exist. The manufacturers of these products do not claim this solves all your problems (alright, maybe some do)--but these products do work reasonably well at keeping leaky valves, seals and joints sealed *IF* that is where the leaks are. They do not claim to fix cracked AC compressors and brake master cylinders thrashed in an accident. Would you spend $4 to find out if your problem is due to bad seals before helping your mechanic make his boat payments (my apologies to all the scrupulous mechanics out there, all six of you
Remember "Stop Leak" is just brand monicker (I know, it's got that "snake oil" feel to it) for different substances--lubricants, heavy oils, coating agent, etc., many of which were developed at reputable companies like 3M, DuPont, etc.