Hi, I am having the exact same problem...same car same year same mileage....my TCS light and check engine light just started coming on, going off, and coming back on again...Did you ever find out what the problem was? I didn't notice anyone replying to your question...
I found 1 item on the NHTSA website ODI # 10128266 that had the same problem. I phoned the NHTSA to report the same problem and because I live in Canada she gave me the phone# for Transport Canada. I gave my incident and when I told him about the NHTSA incident he said that whenever there's an accident like that they all say the brakes failed.
So I brought my car to the dealership. One of his first questions was why did you report this to Transport Canada. The delear couldn't find any codes but did agree to keep the car for 4 days, the Honda Civic rental that they gave us only has a 4 day agreement.
Basically the dealer has been all output and no input. I did phone the dealer that's reported on the NHTSA report they wouldn't tell me anything. Initially the dealer would not call the dealer in the States. After the dealer grilled me for 1/2 hour with questions I asked the dealer to phone the other dealer. I had to give them the phone#. I offered to go for a test drive to show him what I believe is the sequence of events. They close at 6pm so I said I'd show up at 5:30 that was too late for him. He doesn't believe that the door locks could cause the brakes to fail because there on different systems. However I asked about the Security system.
To end this they still have the car but with there attitude I don't think their willing to find the problem.
I think I just experienced your problem. However I couldn't wait to see if the brakes came back, I was heading towards another car. I moved into the other lane and put the car in Park to stop it. The only thing I did differently was I used the automatic doors locks and the driver's side door was locked. After I lifted the door knob manually the car went back to normal.
Thanks user777. I'm noticing that my battery is in need of replacing. It drags a bit in the morning when cold (it's been in the teens here at night). I haven't had any more problems with it since that day. During that one moment of problem, I remember that it wouldnt start at first when I dumped the clutch at an intersrection and tried to restart it. You know how the clutch has to be depressed in order to turn over. It was like the clutch was not depressed but it was. I should also mention that when i was shifting and the grinding noise was happeneing it was actualy shifing just fine. I was speed shifting it so the clutch was disengaged as little as possible. When the clutch was depressed is when it made the noise but I'm possitive it wasnt the gears. Didnt sound like gears nor could i feel it in the shifter. RPM's were up and didn't go very low at all. Everything seems to be normal at the moment other than a slightly low battery. I'm thinking I will just hope it was a glitch of some kind and deal with it if and when it ever happens again. I really like this forum btw, lots of good info. While I'm here.....is it normal for it not to want to go into a gear (1st and 2nd mainly) when its cold? After it warms up it goes into those gears just fine.
I also recently bought a 2006 Accord with automatic V6 engine and have found that the shifting of the transmission is fairly noticeable at around 20 to 25 mph both when letting off the accelerator and when gradually applying the accelerator. If I accelerate moderately (or strongly), it's not as noticeable. I would guess that it's just the way the transmission shift-control logic was designed, but I'm just speculating.
Unfortunately, I'm driving an AT Accord now. My MT Accord which I just loved went to Engine Heaven when my crank shaft fractured in a rather bizzare manner, I attribute to poor Timing Belt / Chain maintenance.
As I recall, shifting the MT Accord, I never had a problem in downshifts, but once in a very rare while, had trouble with upshifts out of neutral (warm or cold day). In a decade of ownership, maybe happened 4 or 5 times? If I'm not mistaken, I would return the stick to netral and re-engage the clutch. I don't believe this happened in the higher gears. It may be an attribute of the Honda MT, or something with the clutch mechanism. Don't know.
Theoretically, I believe you could shift the Honda without even clutching, but I wouldn't do that. Or maybe that was the VW I used to own. Oh well.
When you said you heard grinding which you were SURE wasn't the transmission (and I believe you), I was thinking maybe a frozen bearing on something off the accessory pulley.
That said, I also had a few times in that decade of ownership not gotten completely into reverse, and heard a high-wind pre-cursory grind. Oooops. Bad shift.
You know, when I lived up north and drove my VW, I did have to run through the gears with the clutch in before I started the car and got going on really really cold days. Is that what you are talkng about?
The MT never gave me a moments trouble, even with several years of stop and go on crowded highways, downshifting to get engine braking, rapid upshifts when I was pushing it (but not overdoing it). It was a very economical and reliable ride.
A frozen bearing or something to that effect makes sense. Really because thats the only other logical explanation. My alternator bearing has a (whine) to it anyway and from what I've read, this is a common problem because of the belt tensioner being too tight on these cars. see http://auto.consumerguide.com/Auto/Used/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/2047/act/usedcarreviewre- liability As far as running through the gears before I start it, I think that is good advice. I do that at the first stop light I come to sometimes but not before I start the car. I think it will help. I can understand how yuo would miss the MT. Sometimes it's a pain in the city but still fun if you like to DRIVE a car like I do. Thanks for the reply user777
It is VERY common for an S2000 to burn oil, there are even TSBs that mention this. The last generation of preludes also burned oil. You can visit any S2000/Prelude message board and find out yourself.
However, I was not expecting that my accord would burn this much oil in this manner. The oil gets changed around 7000 miles (per normal recommended schedule) by the dealer. One would hope that they use the correct oil, but I will ask them next time about it.
around 7000? did you go long and add oil a few times? was there any caking of oil on the stick or on the top of the inside of the oil filler cap on top of the engine? do you have a bad engine temp sensor controlling the radiator fans? have you got a stuck PCV valve? these are other things to consider.
Why did you trade in your '03 for an '06? Did Honda revise the transmission design and I am unaware of it? You are definitely a gambler, I would never buy another V6 Accord. 6-8 years of transmission failure history is enough for me to know that Honda has a problem. My next sedan is an Avalon or redesigned '07 Camry.
I am still considering trading my '00 Odyssey for a new Odyssey in '07. All '00-04 Odyssey's have trannny problems like the V6 Accords so I won't buy it until more feedback comes in on the '05,'06's. Not much history is available, since most of these cars still have low mileage.
Honda if you're listening, why is it so difficult to manufacture a reliable V6 transmission? GM & Toyota figured it out.
Hi, I am a total idiot about cars. Can someone please help me with some very basic questions?
After my 15K checkup (I have around 45K miles on my Accord), my sleazy Honda dealer tells me that my "engine filter" is very dirty. He tells me that it needs to be replaced. What is he referring to? The air filter? It can't be the engine oil filter cuz the 15K checkup should already replace that. Does anyone have a guess if air filter is the right thing? or is there some other type of filter?
Second question: The dealer also recommended me to replace my brakes. I distinctly remember I have replaced the front ones 15K miles ago. He said both front and back brakes have worn to the minimum.
Can I check the brake pad thickness myself? What is the cheapest way to find out? Can someone at a tire center measure the pad thickness for me?
"...I would guess that it's just the way the transmission shift-control logic was designed..."
It's all that and a bit more. ALL automatic transmissions are under electrical control of their hydraulics by a computer these days. The manufacturers went a step further by instituting "adaptive learning" in the algorithms to accomodate the owner's driving style. Your tranny computer is still "learning" yours. (That, and all make ATs have their specific shift quirks under certain load conditions.)
Your timing belt should be replaced around 75K... Some will tell you 60K, some will tell you 90K.
As to your previous question --- go see a reputable independent mechanic! I never trusted those dealerships. I have established a relationship with my own mechanic, and have taken all my cars to him. He'd be less expensive than the dealerhip, to begin with, and if needed he will get the original Honda parts. Giving him a tip is an extra bonus, helping with our relationship...
See, I like to stay around my car when they check or repair it, and since small shops don't have a "customer waiting room" anyhow, it's more natural to do so...
...Just as you establish a relationship with your dentist, or doctor.
Hoping to get a little help from those in the know. When it comes to cars - that ain't me. Had car inspected today and was told I needed new tires. Have 2002 Accord with 33K miles and OEM Michelins. 3 of 4 tires definitely in distress - serious cracking, one had a screw buried in the sidewall, a couple other nails. Running through Philly & New York will pick up some trash. Anyway decided to get 4 new. Questions:
1 - Goodyear store was out of stock on the 195's so they told me that the 205's were an upgrade because the wider tires would give me better traction. Is this true?
2 - When I got home I checked the tires out and found that I got three 205/60/r15's and one 205/65/r15. COmon sense tells me that they should all be the same size. Should I be concerned???
3 - Paid $65 + $10 (balancing, valves, etc) for the Kelly tires that Goodyear promotes. Does this sound about right?
I'm pretty cheap. I tried it out with some kleenex first to see if this is my problem. For the first couple of days, it seemed to work. Then the noise came back. Maybe kleenex is not good for this purpose.
I still want the dealer to fix it, so I took it to the dealer Friday morning. After 1.5 days, they said they couldn't figure it out and blamed the cold weather, and said it's "NORMAL". Excuse me, the same noise was also there in summer. :mad:
When I picked up my car this afternoon, I refused to sign the work order, because they wrote on it that this noise is "NORMAL". I said "What!! Your mechanic heard the noise, and spent 1.5 days to try to figure it out. Then the mechanic couldn't figure it out and concluded it's normal. If it's normal, why you spent 1.5 days on it. Are you self contradicting??".
This dealer is really BS. :mad: They then changed the work order and removed the conclusion that this noise is normal, but still blamed the cold weather. I'm not going to argue with them anymore.
Another thing I want them to check is the rattle from the center console near the cd-changer. As expected, it's "NORMAL", even though the mechanic heard it and tried to fix it. Another BS.
I didn't ask the dealer to do any regular maintenance, and they did a type A for me and wanted me to pay!!! I refused to pay, and they made it a freebie.
Actually, mine needs more than just a type A, should be type C service. First, I didn't ask, and they did a type A for my car. Second, the mileage indicates my car needs a type C, and they screwed it up with a type A. What a service advisor. :P
I'm going to put a foam tape into the run channel and hope this is the ultimate cure. I'm sure foam tape is much much better then kleenex.
Here are the filters that need changing in your Accord: engine oil filter @ 2 oil changes (I'm conservative here: oil filter is new every oil change), engine air filter @ 30k miles, and cabin pollen & dust filter @ 30k miles (Accords before 1998 may not have this).
Your mechanic may have been refering to the engine air filter, a $20 part that takes 5 minutes to replace.
On brakes: the Accord's, including most if not all other cars', brakes give off a scratchy but non-damaging noise when backing up if the brake pads need imminent replacement. One has between 500 to 1,000 miles before the pads totally wear down to bare metal, at which time they'll damage the brake rotors.
Unless they're making that noise, there's no need to replace them early. An exception is when, before making a long 800 mile or so roadtrip, the car has about 45k miles just like yours: you'd want to just change the pads before the trip.
Go get the correct size tires. 205 MIGHT be an upgrade if the tires were at least equal to OEM, but I wouldn't consider any Kelly tire an upgrade over the Michelins. And it is IMPERATIVE all tires be the same size. Get back to that place ASAP.
Hi! User777; My car is Honda Accord V6 EX 2005. I make oil change around 7,500 miles as suggested by user's manual ( around 4 months). I use full synthetic oil 5w-20. I change oil myself. I don't need to add oil at all.
well, my post was in reply to someone else's problem who was burning oil. i don't have an issue with someone taking their vehicle to 7500 on synthetic, but on non-synthetic, i don't think i would be doing the same.
Recently (about 3 weeks ago), my Honda Accord '97 SE decided to weird out with my brake light.
The brake light would work only about 2 out of 3 times I pressed on the brakes.
Recently, I noticed that if I listened carefully, everytime I pressed the brake and the brake light actually WORKED, I heard a 'click' sound under the place where you switch gears.
It's an automatic with 150K miles on it and we've been recently having rainy weather (not sure if that's a contributing factor).
About 2 weeks ago, my car would not start and when I tried starting it it made a 'click click click clik' sound but after I jumped it with a friend it's worked fine since.
There was a lot of build up on the top of the battery so today we are getting a new battery. I tried cleaning off the top of the battery VERY thorougly and the brake problem still kept happening.
Is it something wrong with my brake light fuse or is there some switch that is bugging out on me that I can fix?
I am hoping to get this resolved myself so any pointers would be very helpful.
"1 - Goodyear store was out of stock on the 195's so they told me that the 205's were an upgrade because the wider tires would give me better traction. Is this true?
2 - When I got home I checked the tires out and found that I got three 205/60/r15's and one 205/65/r15. COmon sense tells me that they should all be the same size. Should I be concerned???
3 - Paid $65 + $10 (balancing, valves, etc) for the Kelly tires that Goodyear promotes. Does this sound about right?"
1> - Yes - a wider tread tire distributes the car's weight over a broader contact area - improved grip, lower wear rate. The "60" series tire also results in a very slightly greater overall diameter, but it's only around 3% - no problem. You might notice mild tread scraping against the inner plastic fender when negotiating sharp turning onto a driveway incline above a certain speed, but probably not. Hondas can usually accept at least a one size larger tire without interference issues. You may even notice the slightly wider tires subtly improve on your Accord's already excellent road manners.
2> - You're right - the installer or stocking guy screwed up. Don't panic, but do get the odd one replaced with a 205/60/R15 ASAP.
3> - The Michelin MXV4+ M&S tourers that come standard on Accords are not Michelin's best effort, though they are servicible in normal driving if somewhat noisy. (I have 'em on my '03 Sonata, and had 'em on my '96 Accord.) Kelly-Springfield (once an independent tire company, but now a division of and made by Goodyear and fully up to the performance and life of entry-level Goodyear brand tires, but with a modified tread pattern for product identification) is a perfectly acceptable M&S substitute tourer that'll deliver equivalent performance and quieter running. If you bought from a tire shop, $65.00 was probably about right. A discount chain such as WalMart or Kmart might've been a few bucks cheaper. The discount pricing on the Michelin MXV4+ tire in your size is around $80.00 - purely because that's what Michelin knows they can get because of "name" reputation.
No, it's 105,000 miles or seven years for that timing belt.
I wouldn't paint all of "those dealerships" with the same broad brush. There are a lot of lousy independants out there too who seem to do a lot of guessing when faced with a tough problem.
My 03 Accord LX 5-Speed MT was totaled exactly a week ago (other guy, driving without a license, was at fault). I was offered a generous cash value settlement, and quickly decided to get a 2006 Accord SE with automatic transmission without test driving it enough, especially in freeways which require quick acceleration and merging. Now I'm regretting my decision!
This 2006 Accord SE is weak and slow to accelerate in short-ramp fast freeways. This wasn't a problem with my 03 Accord with manual transmission. Now, even making sharp turns is a struggle with this auto transmission -- I have to really press on the gas pedal to keep the car moving. And I hate the elevated engine noise when making these turns. Even in stop-and-go traffic, I have to press on the gas more than I am accustomed with my stick 03. Now I understand why a manual transmission is more fuel efficient.
Except for the above "complaints", the car runs smooth, and the interior/exterior quality is awesome.
Saturday my daughter started up our old '95 Accord, and shut it off withing 5-10 seconds (she was not aware that we're suppose to drive the other, new '05 Accord). The car was not driven since.
This morning the car simply REFUSED to start... Even though we had a very cold night, the battery was fine, and the starter kept crancking like crazy, but the engine would not "catch". I kept pushing the gas pedal all the way down, till finally the engine was able to "catch" and slowly, caughing, it started running... I drove the car for 10 minutes and it was driving fine, and later started up fine again.
This happened to me in the past with my Volvo 850, and in a warm day, so it seems like it has nothing to do with weather, or the kind of car...
What I don't understand is -- TECHNICALLY, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
Hi guys, I don't usually go to this forum, but my GF is driving an old honda accord lx 1988 model and she had some problems with the car in the snow yesterday after a snow storm passed by. Her car slipped twice when she was using the brakes and not using the brakes. What tires would you guys recommend for her specific car since it is quite old. And no, getting a new car is not gonna help, she's a med student with lots of loans, a cheaper solution would be preferred. Thanks.
Thanks, guys, but I don't think any of the 2 ideas proposed here are right:
A. I never have ANY problem starting up the car, even on these freezing days. The tank was full, which is supposed to prevent problems on freezing weather. Also, the same exact thing happened to me on my Volvo, and it was on a warm day, I think in spring.
B. If the car did FLOOD (I thought only Carburatered car flood...) It sure had time to dry since Saturday till this morning, no?
I'd keep a bottle of gas line anti-freeze around it's $2. I think it works pretty fast. As for your Volvo the fuel pump could have been going. Usually when the car is flooding you smell gas.
I have a 97 Honda Accord LX 4drs sedan. I try to fix things myself, like changing timebelt, water pump, brakes and so on. Any manuals (or books) you recommend for this specific model.
Not sure I understand the question, but I drove the car for 10 minutes AFTER I managed to finally start the engine, simply to get the engine to run smoothly, and "clean" it from the excessive smoke that came out from the tail pipe.
I don't think my Volvo had a fuel pump problem, 'cause I kept it for a couple years after the incident, trouble free.
It seems that once you FLOOD the car, and you don't drive it even till couple days later, it will STILL be difficult to start. Which to me sounds weird, since yu expect the "flood" to evaporate by then...
Why does my accord 93 4cyl front end shakes when I do hard braking on hwy? The frontwheel & steering wheel shake with obvious vibrations felt by hands. The brakes work just fine. I am bother by shaking motion. Are there any components worn out? I already replaced engine mounts.
Hello everyone, my clutch gave up on me the other day so I am looking for a clutch master cylinder for a honda accord 2.0i Vtec year 99 reg V chassis number SHHCH7740YU001178 i THINK THE PART NUMBER IS 46920584AO1 I do not want the later version which ends in AO2 as this requires some sort of kit to make it fit. or does anyone know another way around this problem.... thanks for any assistance... Depla
"It seems that once you FLOOD the car, and you don't drive it even till couple days later, it will STILL be difficult to start. Which to me sounds weird, since yu expect the "flood" to evaporate by then..."
Any unburned fuel left in several cylinders whose valves are closed is in a closed environment - no where to evaporate to. By pressing the accelerator to the floor, you were able to clear the excess fuel out of any affected cylinders with the leanest possible mix during a cold start. Once enough cylinders were "firing" so that the engine could sustain itself, any remaining fuel would be blown out and the engine would've settled down to a smooth idle as it warmed. If the smoke you noted was BLACK, that, alone, cinches that one or more cylinders were flooded with raw gasoline. Your daughter may have inadvertently contributed to the problem if she had partially depressed the accelerator pedal when she started the car. It was probably partially flooded when she shut the engine down so quickly after starting the engine. Most (all?) owner's manuals advise not pressing the accelerator at all when starting electronic fuel injected engines, or only if necessary, FULLY depressing the accelerator pedal in extremely cold circumstances.
Any reasonably competent mechanic can obtain a rebuild kit and probably make your present clutch master cylinder like new again. If moisture got into the fluid (really brake fluid*) corrosion would be the natural outcome. The slave cylinder that directly actuates the clutch probably also needs to be rebuilt, too.
*Though it may "feel" oily, brake fluid is actually a polyglycol alcohol and extremely soluble with water - soaks it up like a sponge. Given the age of your car it's just about a dead certainty there's moisture present if the fluid hasn't been flushed every two or three years.
Thanks, haefr. I guess that's what's happened. FLOOD.... And, no, the smoke looked white inside the garage, but that's also because the temp. was very low, about 10 degrees (this is gonna be a harsh winter, it seems)....
And, no, my daughter started up the car without pressing the gas (she was actually sitting in the passenger side), and I never touch the gas pedal when starting up my cars.
Hi I have a 2005 Accord EX Auto with 11K miles. The engine makes noises like a diesel motor at start up in cold weather(below 55F degrees). It sounded like valve tap or something is slightly loose in the exhaust system and is rattling. This noise only last up to 10 minutes until the motor is completely warmed up, after the first 10 minutes, the engine is nice and smooth. The noise is more noticeable after you shift from Park to Drive after start up. Inside the car at light throttle it sounds a little like engine knock(using 87 octane on a motor that requires premium). Any suggestion would be appreciated.
When you start a car in a cold weather, it drains a lot of cranking power from battery. That's why you need to let the engine run a few minutes so the alternator can recharge the battery. If you don't drive the car often, when you start the car and immediately turn it off, you will have a problem starting the next time (with an old battery). I think that's what happened to your 95.
Last week I bought a 2005 Honda Accord EX-L with 8K miles on it. It replaced a 2005 LX which had been totalled. I will slightly editorialize that the EX-L is so worth the extra money, it feels like a different car.
Anyway, I'm trying to activate the XM radio. The owner's manual says to turn the XM radio to channel 0 to get the radio ID and then call the XM people with that. I call the XM people and they say the same thing, they need the radio ID.
So I click the XM button and get to XM-1. It's channel 247 (the 24/7 emergency station). I click Tune to go up or down and it doesn't. I click scan and it goes through the presets, all set to channel 247. I click the XM button again to get to XM-2 and this is on channel 1 -- the preview channel. I again click tune and no channel change happen. When I click scan, it again goes through the presets which are all set to channel 1. So I can't seem to get to channel 0.
Has this happened to anybody else? I have called the dealer and they say I must bring it in. I would prefer not to do this because they are way over on the opposite end of town. How do I get the radio ID to activate the XM radio? Help!
I have a '92 Accord EX with 140k miles. Last night, the D4 light came on and has stayed on. The transmission won't shift on its own, but I can start out in 2 and shift it into D3. There doesn't seem to be any slippage, it just isn't shifting.
I spoke to a mechanic who thinks it is a solenoid and wants to look at it. Does that sound plausible?
FYI, this is the first automatic (and maybe last) that I've ever owned, so I appreciate any input.
is your vehicle a 4 speed? don't you always just leave it in D4?
i presume that in the past you had, but last night, you put it into D2 and shifted it into D3. 2nd can be used to start out in snowy or icy conditions.
so it sounds like from zero speed, when you put it into D4, you don't make it into 1st, or transition automatically between the other gears.
Comments
So I brought my car to the dealership. One of his first questions was why did you report this to Transport Canada. The delear couldn't find any codes but did agree to keep the car for 4 days, the Honda Civic rental that they gave us only has a 4 day agreement.
Basically the dealer has been all output and no input. I did phone the dealer that's reported on the NHTSA report they wouldn't tell me anything. Initially the dealer would not call the dealer in the States. After the dealer grilled me for 1/2 hour with questions I asked the dealer to phone the other dealer. I had to give them the phone#. I offered to go for a test drive to show him what I believe is the sequence of events. They close at 6pm so I said I'd show up at 5:30 that was too late for him. He doesn't believe that the door locks could cause the brakes to fail because there on different systems. However I asked about the Security system.
To end this they still have the car but with there attitude I don't think their willing to find the problem.
P.S. The car is a 2005 ACCORD SE V6 not EX.
As I recall, shifting the MT Accord, I never had a problem in downshifts, but once in a very rare while, had trouble with upshifts out of neutral (warm or cold day). In a decade of ownership, maybe happened 4 or 5 times? If I'm not mistaken, I would return the stick to netral and re-engage the clutch. I don't believe this happened in the higher gears. It may be an attribute of the Honda MT, or something with the clutch mechanism. Don't know.
Theoretically, I believe you could shift the Honda without even clutching, but I wouldn't do that. Or maybe that was the VW I used to own. Oh well.
When you said you heard grinding which you were SURE wasn't the transmission (and I believe you), I was thinking maybe a frozen bearing on something off the accessory pulley.
That said, I also had a few times in that decade of ownership not gotten completely into reverse, and heard a high-wind pre-cursory grind.
You know, when I lived up north and drove my VW, I did have to run through the gears with the clutch in before I started the car and got going on really really cold days. Is that what you are talkng about?
The MT never gave me a moments trouble, even with several years of stop and go on crowded highways, downshifting to get engine braking, rapid upshifts when I was pushing it (but not overdoing it). It was a very economical and reliable ride.
Geesh, I miss that car. My wife does too.
However, I was not expecting that my accord would burn this much oil in this manner. The oil gets changed around 7000 miles (per normal recommended schedule) by the dealer. One would hope that they use the correct oil, but I will ask them next time about it.
I guess it's time for a leakdown test.
Thanks everyone!
I am still considering trading my '00 Odyssey for a new Odyssey in '07. All '00-04 Odyssey's have trannny problems like the V6 Accords so I won't buy it until more feedback comes in on the '05,'06's. Not much history is available, since most of these cars still have low mileage.
Honda if you're listening, why is it so difficult to manufacture a reliable V6 transmission? GM & Toyota figured it out.
After my 15K checkup (I have around 45K miles on my Accord), my sleazy Honda dealer tells me that my "engine filter" is very dirty. He tells me that it needs to be replaced. What is he referring to? The air filter? It can't be the engine oil filter cuz the 15K checkup should already replace that. Does anyone have a guess if air filter is the right thing? or is there some other type of filter?
Second question:
The dealer also recommended me to replace my brakes. I distinctly remember I have replaced the front ones 15K miles ago. He said both front and back brakes have worn to the minimum.
Can I check the brake pad thickness myself? What is the cheapest way to find out? Can someone at a tire center measure the pad thickness for me?
Thanks so much!!!
At what mileage should my 1997 Accord change the timing belt? Is it at 60K or 100K?
Thanks again.
It's all that and a bit more. ALL automatic transmissions are under electrical control of their hydraulics by a computer these days. The manufacturers went a step further by instituting "adaptive learning" in the algorithms to accomodate the owner's driving style. Your tranny computer is still "learning" yours. (That, and all make ATs have their specific shift quirks under certain load conditions.)
Your timing belt should be replaced around 75K... Some will tell you 60K, some will tell you 90K.
As to your previous question --- go see a reputable independent mechanic! I never trusted those dealerships. I have established a relationship with my own mechanic, and have taken all my cars to him. He'd be less expensive than the dealerhip, to begin with, and if needed he will get the original Honda parts. Giving him a tip is an extra bonus, helping with our relationship...
See, I like to stay around my car when they check or repair it, and since small shops don't have a "customer waiting room" anyhow, it's more natural to do so...
...Just as you establish a relationship with your dentist, or doctor.
1 - Goodyear store was out of stock on the 195's so they told me that the 205's were an upgrade because the wider tires would give me better traction. Is this true?
2 - When I got home I checked the tires out and found that I got three 205/60/r15's and one 205/65/r15. COmon sense tells me that they should all be the same size. Should I be concerned???
3 - Paid $65 + $10 (balancing, valves, etc) for the Kelly tires that Goodyear promotes. Does this sound about right?
Appreciate your help.
I still want the dealer to fix it, so I took it to the dealer Friday morning. After 1.5 days, they said they couldn't figure it out and blamed the cold weather, and said it's "NORMAL". Excuse me, the same noise was also there in summer. :mad:
When I picked up my car this afternoon, I refused to sign the work order, because they wrote on it that this noise is "NORMAL". I said "What!! Your mechanic heard the noise, and spent 1.5 days to try to figure it out. Then the mechanic couldn't figure it out and concluded it's normal. If it's normal, why you spent 1.5 days on it. Are you self contradicting??".
This dealer is really BS. :mad: They then changed the work order and removed the conclusion that this noise is normal, but still blamed the cold weather. I'm not going to argue with them anymore.
Another thing I want them to check is the rattle from the center console near the cd-changer. As expected, it's "NORMAL", even though the mechanic heard it and tried to fix it. Another BS.
I didn't ask the dealer to do any regular maintenance, and they did a type A for me and wanted me to pay!!! I refused to pay, and they made it a freebie.
Actually, mine needs more than just a type A, should be type C service. First, I didn't ask, and they did a type A for my car. Second, the mileage indicates my car needs a type C, and they screwed it up with a type A. What a service advisor. :P
I'm going to put a foam tape into the run channel and hope this is the ultimate cure. I'm sure foam tape is much much better then kleenex.
Your mechanic may have been refering to the engine air filter, a $20 part that takes 5 minutes to replace.
On brakes: the Accord's, including most if not all other cars', brakes give off a scratchy but non-damaging noise when backing up if the brake pads need imminent replacement. One has between 500 to 1,000 miles before the pads totally wear down to bare metal, at which time they'll damage the brake rotors.
Unless they're making that noise, there's no need to replace them early. An exception is when, before making a long 800 mile or so roadtrip, the car has about 45k miles just like yours: you'd want to just change the pads before the trip.
Hope this helps.
Recently (about 3 weeks ago), my Honda Accord '97 SE decided to weird out with my brake light.
The brake light would work only about 2 out of 3 times I pressed on the brakes.
Recently, I noticed that if I listened carefully, everytime I pressed the brake and the brake light actually WORKED, I heard a 'click' sound under the place where you switch gears.
It's an automatic with 150K miles on it and we've been recently having rainy weather (not sure if that's a contributing factor).
About 2 weeks ago, my car would not start and when I tried starting it it made a 'click click click clik' sound but after I jumped it with a friend it's worked fine since.
There was a lot of build up on the top of the battery so today we are getting a new battery. I tried cleaning off the top of the battery VERY thorougly and the brake problem still kept happening.
Is it something wrong with my brake light fuse or is there some switch that is bugging out on me that I can fix?
I am hoping to get this resolved myself so any pointers would be very helpful.
Thanks!!
2 - When I got home I checked the tires out and found that I got three 205/60/r15's and one 205/65/r15. COmon sense tells me that they should all be the same size. Should I be concerned???
3 - Paid $65 + $10 (balancing, valves, etc) for the Kelly tires that Goodyear promotes. Does this sound about right?"
1> - Yes - a wider tread tire distributes the car's weight over a broader contact area - improved grip, lower wear rate. The "60" series tire also results in a very slightly greater overall diameter, but it's only around 3% - no problem. You might notice mild tread scraping against the inner plastic fender when negotiating sharp turning onto a driveway incline above a certain speed, but probably not. Hondas can usually accept at least a one size larger tire without interference issues. You may even notice the slightly wider tires subtly improve on your Accord's already excellent road manners.
2> - You're right - the installer or stocking guy screwed up. Don't panic, but do get the odd one replaced with a 205/60/R15 ASAP.
3> - The Michelin MXV4+ M&S tourers that come standard on Accords are not Michelin's best effort, though they are servicible in normal driving if somewhat noisy. (I have 'em on my '03 Sonata, and had 'em on my '96 Accord.) Kelly-Springfield (once an independent tire company, but now a division of and made by Goodyear and fully up to the performance and life of entry-level Goodyear brand tires, but with a modified tread pattern for product identification) is a perfectly acceptable M&S substitute tourer that'll deliver equivalent performance and quieter running. If you bought from a tire shop, $65.00 was probably about right. A discount chain such as WalMart or Kmart might've been a few bucks cheaper. The discount pricing on the Michelin MXV4+ tire in your size is around $80.00 - purely because that's what Michelin knows they can get because of "name" reputation.
I wouldn't paint all of "those dealerships" with the same broad brush. There are a lot of lousy independants out there too who seem to do a lot of guessing when faced with a tough problem.
And, a lot of good ones as well.
This 2006 Accord SE is weak and slow to accelerate in short-ramp fast freeways. This wasn't a problem with my 03 Accord with manual transmission. Now, even making sharp turns is a struggle with this auto transmission -- I have to really press on the gas pedal to keep the car moving. And I hate the elevated engine noise when making these turns. Even in stop-and-go traffic, I have to press on the gas more than I am accustomed with my stick 03. Now I understand why a manual transmission is more fuel efficient.
Except for the above "complaints", the car runs smooth, and the interior/exterior quality is awesome.
ramida
It almost sounds like something is wrong. These cars are FAST!
Here we have an excellent example of an unsolicited testimonial: - - - for the manual transmission..........
IMHO these are far too few, suggesting that perhaps "shiftless" folk enjoy a superior breeding environment................
:P
..best, ez..
This morning the car simply REFUSED to start... Even though we had a very cold night, the battery was fine, and the starter kept crancking like crazy, but the engine would not "catch". I kept pushing the gas pedal all the way down, till finally the engine was able to "catch" and slowly, caughing, it started running... I drove the car for 10 minutes and it was driving fine, and later started up fine again.
This happened to me in the past with my Volvo 850, and in a warm day, so it seems like it has nothing to do with weather, or the kind of car...
What I don't understand is -- TECHNICALLY, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?
A. I never have ANY problem starting up the car, even on these freezing days. The tank was full, which is supposed to prevent problems on freezing weather. Also, the same exact thing happened to me on my Volvo, and it was on a warm day, I think in spring.
B. If the car did FLOOD (I thought only Carburatered car flood...) It sure had time to dry since Saturday till this morning, no?
Still mysterious to me...
GoodLuck
You can flood a fuel injected car. Especially when the car is cold and the computer is running the engine richer than normal.
I have a 97 Honda Accord LX 4drs sedan. I try to fix things myself, like changing timebelt, water pump, brakes and so on. Any manuals (or books) you recommend for this specific model.
Appreciate for your reply.
Shadingding2
I don't think my Volvo had a fuel pump problem, 'cause I kept it for a couple years after the incident, trouble free.
It seems that once you FLOOD the car, and you don't drive it even till couple days later, it will STILL be difficult to start. Which to me sounds weird, since yu expect the "flood" to evaporate by then...
I am looking for a clutch master cylinder for a
honda accord 2.0i Vtec
year 99
reg V
chassis number SHHCH7740YU001178
i THINK THE PART NUMBER IS 46920584AO1
I do not want the later version which ends in AO2
as this requires some sort of kit to make it fit.
or does anyone know another way around this problem....
thanks for any assistance...
Depla
Any unburned fuel left in several cylinders whose valves are closed is in a closed environment - no where to evaporate to. By pressing the accelerator to the floor, you were able to clear the excess fuel out of any affected cylinders with the leanest possible mix during a cold start. Once enough cylinders were "firing" so that the engine could sustain itself, any remaining fuel would be blown out and the engine would've settled down to a smooth idle as it warmed. If the smoke you noted was BLACK, that, alone, cinches that one or more cylinders were flooded with raw gasoline. Your daughter may have inadvertently contributed to the problem if she had partially depressed the accelerator pedal when she started the car. It was probably partially flooded when she shut the engine down so quickly after starting the engine. Most (all?) owner's manuals advise not pressing the accelerator at all when starting electronic fuel injected engines, or only if necessary, FULLY depressing the accelerator pedal in extremely cold circumstances.
*Though it may "feel" oily, brake fluid is actually a polyglycol alcohol and extremely soluble with water - soaks it up like a sponge. Given the age of your car it's just about a dead certainty there's moisture present if the fluid hasn't been flushed every two or three years.
And, no, my daughter started up the car without pressing the gas (she was actually sitting in the passenger side), and I never touch the gas pedal when starting up my cars.
All they know how to do is replace parts and maybe at today's labor rates it makes sense?
I remember "honing" out a master cylinder with a piece of sandpaper. The rebuild kit was only a couple of bucks, and it worked just fine afterwards.
Anyway, I'm trying to activate the XM radio. The owner's manual says to turn the XM radio to channel 0 to get the radio ID and then call the XM people with that. I call the XM people and they say the same thing, they need the radio ID.
So I click the XM button and get to XM-1. It's channel 247 (the 24/7 emergency station). I click Tune to go up or down and it doesn't. I click scan and it goes through the presets, all set to channel 247. I click the XM button again to get to XM-2 and this is on channel 1 -- the preview channel. I again click tune and no channel change happen. When I click scan, it again goes through the presets which are all set to channel 1. So I can't seem to get to channel 0.
Has this happened to anybody else? I have called the dealer and they say I must bring it in. I would prefer not to do this because they are way over on the opposite end of town. How do I get the radio ID to activate the XM radio? Help!
I spoke to a mechanic who thinks it is a solenoid and wants to look at it. Does that sound plausible?
FYI, this is the first automatic (and maybe last) that I've ever owned, so I appreciate any input.
is your vehicle a 4 speed? don't you always just leave it in D4?
i presume that in the past you had, but last night, you put it into D2 and shifted it into D3. 2nd can be used to start out in snowy or icy conditions.
so it sounds like from zero speed, when you put it into D4, you don't make it into 1st, or transition automatically between the other gears.
yeah, maybe a solenoid issue. good luck.