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Honda Accord (1994-1997) Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • luth1334luth1334 Member Posts: 1
    I am happy I foudn this board I have a problem I need advice with. I drive a 1997 Honda Accord LX with 145,000 miles. My check engine light came on a few weeks ago as well i have started to notice temprature fulxuations on my temprature gage. Driving up hills or sitting idle in traffic the needle gets right up to right before the red, like 90 percent up there. Moving again after being idle, going steady, or going downhill the needle drops back down to between the halfway 50 percent reading to about 65 percent. Sometimes the drop is not a steady descent but a very sudden drop of the needle.

    Also when I turn the car off the fan continues to run for 5-10 minutes, I am guessing to cool down the car. When I feel as if the car is going to overheat up near the red I will turn the heat on in the car, but the needle does not fal but the air doesn't seem to be any hotter than if I normally turned the heat on in the winter. Sometimes I check the hood when I reach my destination and it does not feel extra hot to the touch but the fan will run. When the fan runs the air comming out from the engine smell real metalic. I just got the oil changed a month ago and still have atleast a thousand miles till my next change. I have checked the coolant levels in the reserve tank per the Manual instructions and that seems to be right where it should be. if anyone has any ideas they would be much appreciated!
  • montijomontijo Member Posts: 15
    first off check fluid in the radiator itself the reserve tank could be full and still have no fluid in the radiator itself. second thing go to auto zone and have them read the code for the check engine light. then post back. do not let your car get to hot
  • omarromarr Member Posts: 88
    Down load the FSM that is referenced in relpy #1478 or other referenced at website.
    The FSM will tell you how to bleed the air out of the cooling system
    The system will air lock and not pump correctly or contact the fan thermostat.
    I agree with montijo.
    This link may help http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1g/bl899g.htm
  • thelemonthelemon Member Posts: 4
    Hello there Accorders,

    *** Note: I have been advised to post this there (props to replier) so sorry if you have seen my Edmunds first post already ***

    If you have a moment, I wanted to do a quick run-down of my experience with my 1995 Accord Wagon, my current situation, and any advice that you might have. Please be gentle as this is my first post.

    I purchased a 95 Accord Wagon LX at a very decent price in 2006 and have had a load of issues with it ever since. I buy cars to keep and kept my 90 Toyota Corolla for 13 years before I bought the Accord ... and had about 5 times the problems with the Accord in three years as I did in my 13 years of owning my Corolla,

    In 2006, I replaced the:
    - gas lines (rusted)
    - brake lines (ditto)
    - a couple of other items... I think a ball joint and brakes ... all to safety the vehicle

    In 2007:
    - exhaust intermediate pipe
    - winter tires
    - front brakes
    - front calipers

    In 2008:
    - timing belt and water pump (due)
    - valve cover gasket
    - daytime running light module
    - summer tires
    - exhaust pipes (minus exhaust intermediate pipe)
    - muffler

    In 2009:
    - windshield
    - radiator
    - catalytic converter (for emissions ... passed for two years)

    The total over the three years is pretty scary at over $8500 (this includes the tires and regular maintenance oil changes) ... the car has also been Krown rust proofed every year on top of this since 2006.

    Well ... now it has a rusted (leaks included) gas tank, worn rear brakes (to be expected) and "internal (hidden) corrosion and a hole 'bigger than my mechanic's hand' "

    My mechanic, who I trust despite all of these repairs, told me that the car is not worth fixing ... especially since I had him look at it now for me SELL it. My wife and I had to buy a minivan for our expanding family and her business. I had planned to sell this car for some much needed home renos (yeah, smaller project) and now am left with this 'thing'.

    What would you do with this car? Fixing it to sell it is not worth it given its value as a 95 Accord. My cousin sold her 95 Accord for 4K but this thing is obviously not going to give me much of an ROI. Sell it for parts (if so, how)? Take a sledgehammer to it?

    I also wonder when I should have given up on this car. I mean no disrespect to Accords as my friends and family have a few of them ... it just seems that I have the 'special one'. I would not go into financial woes as I am sure that many of us have them but it seems like I really got burned on this car.

    Thanks!
  • montijomontijo Member Posts: 15
    JB weld the gas tank so that it dont leak and sell it
  • hondatech2hondatech2 Member Posts: 6
    It seems that most the items you repaired were maintance type of items. I don't know how many miles it had on it when you brought it, but knowing if and when a timing belt was replace, will tell you when you buy it, to expect to have to spend that money. The radiators crack I give you that, I just replaced mine on my 97 coupe, but I did the work myself and it cost me $100. Exhausts rust, ball joints go bad, a windshield has nothing to due with whether it is a honda or a toyota. I have no idea what the deal is with summer/winter tires, maybe buy all season tires and you won't have to buy eight tires. If you would have just replaced the whole exhaust when the intermediate went bad, you wouldn't have spent all the additional labor replacing on component at a time. If you spent $8500 for those items you got robbed.
    And please don't do what the other guy said, and JB weld it so the next guy can find out down the road.
  • montijomontijo Member Posts: 15
    JB weld is awesome. I had a huge crack in my tranny like 3 inches long running 4 directions ten thousand miles later and it still runs great! Dont knock the Jb it is great stuff lol
  • thelemonthelemon Member Posts: 4
    Thanks montijo and the others for your replies. I had the receipts yesterday and maybe I have been robbed ... but it is true ... I did buy 8 tires and four rims as part of that. The brakes/gas lines and c. converter labor was expensive.

    I would not feel too good about the jb weld if I am passing the problem to somebody else (which from my first few items seems to be what the seller did to me). If I did not just want to toss this car to a junkyard, I guess that I could just sell it for parts. I am speaking with a friend's brother who is a Honda mechanic today. Perhaps he can just take it away from me and strip it for himself.

    Thanks everybody! This is a very useful forum!
  • thelemonthelemon Member Posts: 4
    Oh ... sorry ... the car had about 170K on it in late 2006 when I bought it. I now have it at 220K.
  • fw_manfw_man Member Posts: 18
    Hi,
    I just bought a 95 Accord with 90k miles on it. It looks good overall, but upon undercar inspection, I see that driver side steering rack boot is torn into 2 pieces.
    Also, the owner tells me the AC compressor needs replacement.

    My questions to the global wisdom:
    1. Can I replace the steering boot myself (quite handy and not afraid to tackle new jobs)?
    1a. If yes, can someone recommend procedure for changing it?
    2. Can I replace the AC compressor myself and have the system evacuated/charged by a mechanic?
    2a. If yes, again can someone post a procedure for doing this?

    Thanks very much for advice.

    fw_man
  • TrhenningTrhenning Member Posts: 15
    To Question 1 -
    I believe if you replaced this with a 1 piece boot you would need to pay to have an alignment done after you finished anyway. Also I have needed to replace my tie rod end on my 94 accord 2 out of three times when I have taken the steering apart.

    To Question 2 -
    If you live in a state that sells R134a you may be able to replace yourself and charge. Just make sure to follow all instructions in a Chilton's or Haynes book, replace any O-ring seals that get exposed, and be very careful when putting it back together (those aluminum parts are expensive!). One more thing to think on - I did this myself, it is a bit of a job and a few other parts need to be removed. If I remember correctly a specific bracket gave me a little bit of frustration. However it is still very satisfying to have the job done yourself.

    If it were me, the AC I would tackle myself. The Steering boot, I would find a local mechanic that has an alignment rack, see if you can negotiate for them to put a new boot on for $10-20 more than the cost of the alignment.
  • fw_manfw_man Member Posts: 18
    Thanks Trhenning for advice.
    I guess, there may exist split boot for steering? If yes, since this is not rotating, this could be an option for me?

    For AC, what about "evacuation"? How will the system perform if it has not been cleaned out?
  • montijomontijo Member Posts: 15
    after you replace the ac compressor you need to pull vacuum on it. some auto zones will lend you a vacuum pump. you need to pull about 30 pounds of vacuum and make sure it holds it. ie no leaks
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    When you evacuate the system, you not only remove air that entered the system, but more importantly you remove moisture. If you don't the moisture mixes with the oil and creates a corrosive sludge that attacks the aluminum components.

    You need to run the vacuum pump for at least 30 minutes to boil off the moisture. Just drawing a quick vacuum shutting off the pump and holding it for a while to check for leaks isn't good enough.

    Although replacing the A/C pump may be your fix, if the old pump had issues and it sent metal fragments down the line, you may need to replace more then just the pump. A/C systems also have filter/dryers and that may need to be changed when you replace the pump.

    Mrbill
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    First of all, it's not a steering boot. It's covering the drive shaft/CV joint. If the grease has all come out of the boot, the CV joint will not last much longer. If very little of the grease has come out of the boot, you may be able to get by just changing the boot with a two piece replacement. If not, I would change the axle/CV joint and the boot at the same time. It's not an easy job, but someone with reasonable intelligence, and a repair manual can do it.
  • fw_manfw_man Member Posts: 18
    Elroy5,

    It is a steering boot. CV boot is fine. Drive axle is fine too. It is a steering rack boot that covers the seal from steering rack towards the ball joint.

    Thank you to all who provided valuable insights.

    It seems that steering boot can be replaced by myself, provided I am very careful separating the ball joint and keeping the tread position of the tie rod end the same as before to try to avoid alignment.

    AC? I will try it myself. As far as evacuating, will a cheap pump like this work?
    http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96677

    Many thanks again,
    fw_man
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    It's a dice roll every time you buy used. I prefer to buy new then drive it forever.
  • montijomontijo Member Posts: 15
    that pump should work if there are no leaks. the only problem is that there is no gauge to obsere anyways once you have vacuum put in one whole can of refrigerant (with the motor running and air on high) because the compressor wont start working till then, then put in the rest good luck
  • juandoejuandoe Member Posts: 2
    My 1997 Honda Accord 4cyl. condenser fan began to run continuously (even after engine was shut off) after cycling the A/C temp. selector from hot to cold. I disconnect the condenser fan to avoid draining the battery when car is not in use. Now the condenser fan is intermittently working and no cold air is available with temp. select. in cold position. I serviced the A/C with R-134A and didn't seem to work. Hot works fine. Any ideas?
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    Is the A/C compressor spinning (clutch activated)? Is either A/C lines going into the firewall cold?
    When you turn the selector knob on the dash from hot to cold, is the in-line water valve on the heater hose opening/closing?

    Mrbill
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    I haven't tried the Harborfreight pump, looks interesting. I doubt the pump comes with any A/C lines. That style of pump requires a constant supply of compressed air. The manual says it needs 4.2 CFM @ 90 PSI. Do you have a compressor that can keep up?

    You may want to purchase one of their A/C manifold gage sets as well. That will give you the needed lines as well as a gage to monitor for leaks.

    Mrbill
  • juandoejuandoe Member Posts: 2
    Mr. Bill, I'm on it...I'm checking as we speak. More to follow. (Also, it briefly blew cold air yesterday but then went back to warm air with temp. select knob in cold position.)
  • omarromarr Member Posts: 88
    Check the hot water hose cutoff valve.
    The hose supplies hot water to the heater coils and if the valve does not shut the hot water off during the cooling mode you will get warm air and think the air conditioner is not working correctly.
    The valve is located on passenger side near the fire wall. It can be seen from the top side behind the motor. On position, the lever on the valve is inline with the hose. Off position, The lever on the valve is 90 degree to the hose. You can reach the valve from the top side and make sure the valve is completely 90 degree to the hose.

    Been there done That ;)
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    One more thing you might be able to check. If your vintage of Accord uses an A/C receiver-dryer with a sight glass in the top, you can see if there is any refrigerant passing through the receiver dryer. A low system will show fluid with alot of bubbles. The dryers are usually mounted near the front of the car, around the condenser.

    Mrbill
  • fw_manfw_man Member Posts: 18
    Back to the subject of steering boot torn.

    If I succeed in separating the tie-rod ball joint and knuckle, could I then slide the new boot onto tie rod without having to unscrew the tie rod alignment nut, thus avoiding a need for subsequent alignment?

    Or will the new boot not fit around the ball joint?

    Is there anything I need to put inside the new boot before installing? I think not.

    Thanks again,
    fw_man
  • athaoathao Member Posts: 1
    http://s331.photobucket.com/albums/l442/Afong79/?action=view&current=Picture005.- jpghttp://s331.photobucket.com/albums/l442/Afong79/?action=view&current=Picture0- 03.jpghttp://s331.photobucket.com/albums/l442/Afong79/?action=view&current=Pictu- re004.jpg

    Hi i was just wondering if any of you guys ever replaced a Heater Core for a 1994 Accord. My accord doesn't have heat. It blows and all but no heat. I checked my temp switch and turns out it was broken. Got a new one and turns out when i turn it to the hot mode(right).. It turns back to the left cause its not strong enough to stay there. somethings wrong with the part (on the bottom where the temp cable hooks onto) i kinda noticed it when i inspected it. So i kinda cheated. What i did was i popped my hood and adjusted the temperature switch to open and threw a tie strap on there so it wont shut the valve. After i did that i turned my engine on and left it running to see if any heat would come. After 17 minutes didn't noticed anything different. Same old air. The only different thing that i noticed was that if i set it into the defrost/blower mode i can feel a little warm air coming out of the LEFT driver side. But then the center blowers and the passenger side blowers blow regular cool air. So i figured its a possibility that it might be my Heater core so here i go....30 Minutes before it turned dark i got the dash out and the center console piece disassembled. Looking at the pictures this is where im at right now. Was just curious....Do i have to take out the round metal bar (which connects to the steering wheel-see image) that runs from passenger side to driver side? Because when i try to take the top piece off...It moves but wont come out because it keeps hitting the bar. I'm assuming i would have to take that part off and take the steering wheel out or down???
    And 1 more thing....Is the heater core located in the bottom of the center console (see picture) because that's what im thinking cause thats where the inlet/outlet hose come in & out. This is my 1st time doing this so any help and Tips (regarding heater core removal) would be appreciated. Thanks and sorry for so long
  • jewls1jewls1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1994 honda accord and it started shutting off while driving and when it shuts off the dash lights will stay on but there is a clicking noise coming from under the dash. The car will restart but you must turn the ignition off and crank again . then it will shut off again . I replaced the main relay and was ok for a couple weeks but now it is doing it again. also now the speedometer stopped working and light will start flashing around the d on dashboard . any ideas?
  • lodusblossomlodusblossom Member Posts: 1
    My cigarette lighter has become loose and it's hard to get anything to charge with it now. Can this be fixed? Or do I need to replace the it? I've removed the console before and can get back there. I'm just not sure what to do with the lighter once I'm there. I've search online and see that others have had this problem, but I haven't seen anything about how to actually repair it. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
  • chrysachrysa Member Posts: 1
    When I first bought the car about 6 months ago, the heat was working, but not too well. Then after the summer when I put the heat back on after not using it, it completely stopped working and only blows cold air. The AC also doesn't work, but I don't care so much about that, because I don't really need AC, and when I bought the car the guy told me that AC wasn't working and there was a part that he had bought for it that I have in the trunk. My question is, is there anyway I can fix this myself, because I really don't have much money to get it fixed. Now that winter is coming and it will be freezing I am going to need heat! Can anyone offer me any advice? It would be much appreciated. Thank you.
  • TrhenningTrhenning Member Posts: 15
    Check your coolant (antifreeze) level. A lack of this will cause your heat not to work. make sure to check both the overflowtank and radiator (when the car is cool!).
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    My guess would be the knob on the dash isn't opening/closing the inline water valve. If you look near the firewall, you will see a cable operated valve installed on one of the heater hoses. Take a look at the valves position, move the dial on the dash to the opposite position, and look at the valve again to see it's actually moving.

    Another possibility would be a plugged heater core.

    Mrbill
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    If your temp control knob springs back on you, the knob is cracked. Take the knob off, and look closely. What happens is, when you turn the temp knob, the cable binds, and since the knob is the weakest link (plastic) it will crack where it goes into the dash, over the little rod. I bought two new knobs for my old Accord, before I figured out what was happening. When you try to turn the temp knob too fast, the cable binds, but if you turn it very slowly, it doesn't bind up. You can prevent cracking the knob again by turning the knob slowly, or you can turn it half way (or until you feel resistance) then release the knob for a couple of seconds (letting the cable release the tension), then turn it all the way to heat. I thought about taking the dash apart, and trying to lube the cable, but the turn one-half-at-a-time method always worked for me, so I never did.
  • erock64erock64 Member Posts: 5
    Hi. New here. My accord EX has120,000 and I love this car!! I'm having two problems. #1 After about ten minutes of driving from a cold start, my tach drops to zero then it bounces around for a bit and then corrects itself. Also,SOMTIMES the engine either stalls surges while the tach is bouncing. #2 The trannny has held third gear at about 4000 rpm and not shift into overdrive(4th) This has only happen twice in the 50-60mph range. I have heard of this 98-081 TSB related to the speed sensor that may help me get my car fixed for free?
  • erock64erock64 Member Posts: 5
    Hi. My accord has 120,000. The tach drops to zero after about ten minutes from a cold start, bounces around and then corrects itself. Also the engine stalls a bit during this but not always. Is this covered by the TSB 98-081? Can I get my car fixed for free?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The warranty extension relates to the following conditions:

    1.The MIL comes on and the cause is traced to an emissions-related component.

    2 The vehicle requires an emissions-related repair because it failed a mandated emissions test.

    3 Any emissions-related component fails.

    The warranty extension is 14 years or 150,000 miles.

    It's hard to say whether you are covered or not, but it's certainly worth a shot.
  • erock64erock64 Member Posts: 5
    Thanks, It's free to ask!! What's is the MIL?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    MIL - Malfunction Indicator Lamp

    CEL - Check Engine Light

    :)
  • jgirlhbjgirlhb Member Posts: 1
    I went into Starbucks for my morning coffee...came out and green fluid was leaking out of the front of my car. Asked a guy in a truck next to me what was happening. He said it's radiator fluid, the stuff that keeps your car from over heating. The temp gage isn't at the half way mark when driving. Do I need it look at by a mechanic.

    Thanks much~
    JgirlHB
  • erock64erock64 Member Posts: 5
    YES!! If you lose your coolant,you lose your engine. Are you sure that it was your coolant and NOT the previous car parked in that parking spot? Which side is leaking from?
    My 97 is leaking coolant now@120,000. Checked hoses and gave a visual inspection,cant find anything. Appears to be leaking from the passenger side. Not driving the car and its going to the shop friday.
  • propwash49propwash49 Member Posts: 38
    Make sure you check the coolant level in your car. It is possible that the level is so low that the temp sensor is no longer submerged in the coolant. If this is the case, it may not send the correct signal to your gage. You might have an overheated engine with the gage reading lower than normal. If you check and find the coolant level low, you can probably fill the radiator with water and be able to drive to a mechanic (if it's not too long a distance.) You don't want to take any chance that the thing might overheat. That can really be the start of some serious problems. Get it looked at as soon as possible.
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    Leaks can be anything from a worn hose to the radiator core rotting out. As others have said, not something you want to wait around on.
  • TrhenningTrhenning Member Posts: 15
    Hi all,

    1997 Accord EX 2.2L Manual
    Check engine is throwing code 71 (Cylinder 1 misfire)
    I replaced my plugs and wires at first, reset the codes and went on my merry way.
    Drove fine for about 1,000 miles, Check engine light came on. Reset the ECU Again. Came back after about 600 miles.

    This seems to happen only on drives of over two hours and usually when I am fifth gear cruising along the highway.

    Took the car from Chicago to St Louis tonight. CEL is again throwing code 71. I reset this alongside the highway, came back about 5 minutes later. Tomorrow morning I will reset it when cold and see if it comes back right away.

    What I am wondering is:
    What are some of the most likely parts or conditions that may cause this? (EGR valve? Overheating Ignition Control Module?)
    Is anyone familiar with this type of problem?
    Could this be a timing belt issue?

    Thanks!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'd switch gasoline to a brand name fuel, and also add fuel injector cleaner and see what happens.

    However, a 5th gear misfire does suggest a momentary breakdown of the ignition system.
  • sogomimi1029sogomimi1029 Member Posts: 3
    Hello! I have a 1997 Honda Accord Lx 4-cylinder 4-door. Manufacturing it is during the final year so it is close to 1998. Recently I've seen significant cracks on four of my tires. Just yesterday, I saw some of the tire traction are chipping off. (Looks like dry skin that are wrinkly and can easily scrub off....) I have a concern over safety so I bought it to get some quotes on the tire prices.

    Quotations from Costco:
    - Michelin Energy ($121.99 each w/ their $70 off promotion = Total is $529.24)
    - BFG Touring ($86.99 = Total is $381.24)

    Quotations from Les Schwab:
    - 86H SS-657 All Season Blackwall ($66.73 + Wheel Spin Balance + Valve Steam + Siping + Tax = Total $418.56)
    - 86H Zexius XI-427 All Season Blackwall ($83.47 + Spin Balance + Valve Steam + Siping + Tax = Total $491.55)

    Note: I am currently using Michelin from Costco, and it has been 4 years since it was new.

    Questions:
    1) Which of the tires above / listed are my best options?
    2) Are the price / quotations I received reasonable?
    3) Have been using the current tires for a little over than 4 years, is it time to get them replace?
    4) What causes my tires to start crackling at the very first place?

    Thanks!!!!!! Hope to hear more opinions from you all.
  • sogomimi1029sogomimi1029 Member Posts: 3
    I think the price is not my priority concern at the time. I am still wondering why they would want me to replace the whole rotor instead of just the pads. I just had a feeling they were lying to me about my rotors were damage and need new ones.

    Thanks for all of your replies!! I am so glad to have second opinions. Now I guess I will take that as a lesson and start going to mechanics friends would refer to, at least I know they wouldn't trick me into something costly.
  • TrhenningTrhenning Member Posts: 15
    Thank you very much. I did the fuel system cleaner, This morning I reset the ECU yet again. I took about an 80 mile drive (expressway, 5th gear) before the problem popped back up. approx 63MPH it the CEL came back on. Again this is a 71 code (has been every time. Only code that seems to pop us is cylinder 1 misfire, not any of the others. Do you think this points to EGR, Ignition Control Module, or somewhat else first and foremost?

    All the best,

    Tim
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    This is an incomplete code, I guess a generic code from Autozone or some such?

    This code could signify a gazillion things. It's not much to work with. So you have to get a Honda trouble code on their scanner or a deeper scan and/or more diagnostic work.

    If you want me to guess at this point, and I didn't have a scanner, I'd check for vacuum leaks at the manifold and then I'd clean the MAF sensor and see what that does.

    This misfire could be caused by so many other components, is the problem.
  • TrhenningTrhenning Member Posts: 15
    I believe the autozone code is P0031 OBDII, I did have it scanned the first time around. Cylinder 1 misfire. I got the 71 code by jumping the troubleshooting connector and counting the long and short flashes on the CEL. According to the book, it is the same code. The problem I am having with figuring out what to replace is that it doesn't happen all the time. Just after the car had been running at highway speeds for a continued period of time. I know an EGR is $100, an ignition module between 60-70. Trying to save replacing more than what is required. Maybe a set of bad wires perhaps, but I did just replace them. Wondering about an overheating part too.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    no, 7-1 (if that's what you got by counting flashes) is not a Honda misfire code. That's an air bag code according to my book.

    There's P0171, lean fuel mixture, which does indicate possible 02 or EGR problems.

    P0131 is also an H20 sensor code.
  • TrhenningTrhenning Member Posts: 15
    I ran up to autozone before it closed. OBDII States P0301 Misfire Cyl. 1
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