Honda engine quit

[pdplot]

Wife was driving our '02 V6 Accord when it just stalled out suddenly. Engine quit. Warning lights were on so no battery problem. She coasted to a stop, turned the key off, waited a few seconds, started it up and everything was fine - like it never happened. Any ideas?

[Bayless]

Is there a Microsoft computer in there somewhere?

[Boink]

Might see if there are any codes.

[LarryK]

Might check battery, no codes and warning lights doesn't mean battery good. Engine needs 9volts to keep computor running. Once engine is off, sometimes a slight rest raises voltage to start. This will be a problem if you check codes and there are none. As this would be an off an on problem that a shop would find hard to trace until it fully stops and doesn't restart. Also, check altenator with engine running for 13-14.5volts. My sis in laws Honda flat out died when 6 months old due to bad ecm.

[pdplot]

This is an '02. If it has codes, I Never saw any. I believe the battery is about 6 years old and car sits outside in all weather for 9 months of the year. Last time I checked - about 2 months ago - the battery was at 12.5 volts and the alternator was charging at about 14 volts.The car will also need new tires and the transmission is a little dodgy but this is probably the best and most trouble-free car I ever owned. Hard to believe we've owned it for 17 years. Leased it then bought it when the lease was up at a favorable price. Tiny bit of rust in a rear fender that had gotten hit. I dread having to spend the money on another car. These things have gotten very expensive but they do last a long time with minimum care.

[gonzo]

Agreed. In addition to battery load test, check alternator output is to spec (13 to 14.5V). Also check for good battery and chassis ground and wiring.

[pdplot]

I drove it today. Except for a somewhat jerky transmission - which will eventually head south - and some humming noise from the rear wheels/tires (wheel bearings going?) it ran fine. This thing has about 160K miles on it and is still on the original shocks & struts and will pull away from our Subaru from a dead stop. I still love a 6-cylinder engine.

[pdplot]

Ok - it stalled again, this time with me at the wheel in heavy traffic. Luckily we were on a hill and I was able to coast into the apron of a church driveway and out of harms way. On a slight downgrade, the engine suddenly started to stumble and shake for about 10 seconds then stopped dead. All warning lights were on. I waited about 30 seconds on the apron, turned the key and it started right up as if nothing had happened and ran perfectly all the way home. To me, it seemed like fuel rather than ignition. It was almost like that problem we've seen a few times with TR6's - something falling into the gas tank and clogging the outlet. I don't see how anything can get into the tank of this one. Since this is my wife's car, I'm concerned that this might happen again - perhaps on I-95 or downtown in heavy traffic. The battery is old but still strong and the lights down't get brighter when I gun the motor - which, BTW, will not rev over 5K - seems to be governed. What else might it be?

[pdplot]

I went online and found many, many sites devoted to this problem - apparently very common. Main culprit seems to be the ignition switch. I started the car and wiggled the key - the sure test. Nothing. It was fine. Another prime suspect is something called the main relay - a$50 plus part. I don't know what it is or where it is. Many owner have replaced it only to have the problem continue. Other culprits include the crank sensor, the distributor, the alternator, and those good old battery cables. At least that's something I'm familiar with. Does anybody work on these cars any more? I raise up the hood and look down. If I don't see the ground - the hood gets slammed down.

[pdplot]

In 33F degree weather, Honda started instantly as it always does. I checked the battery before starting. 12.5 volts. Engine started - voltage reads 14.92. Ground connection- ok. Battery cables tight - slight corrosion on red terminal. No obvious loose wires or hoses under hood. Wife just took car to run to farmer's market. I told her to take her cell phone. Meanwhile, ran the Alfa downtown. No problems. The Triumph comes later.

[LarryK]

My nephew just had the same problem in his Toyota. Wound up being an intermittent problem in the alternator. Might put in a temporary voltage gauge and see if it cuts out, kills car and resets on refire. Couldn't find it until car died completely on busy 6 lane bridge, and had to be towed. I bought a gauge off Amazon for $7 and run wires through fender to door gap and laid on dash.

[pdplot]

Update. Took car out to mail some letters. Ran it up to red line in low gear. No problems. There is apparently a rev limiter when in neutral so as to avoid blowing up the engine. Won't go over 5K. Others report limiter cuts in at 5,500K. Both ignition switch and alternator seem fine. Now we wait for the other shoe to drop.

[glemon]

Looking into a problem like this makes our old LBCs seem pretty simple, doesn't it? I had a similar issue with a 99 Maxima several years back. All the internet sleuthing I could do pointed me to one of two sensors. Turned out to be the cam position sensor, a relatively cheap and easy to access part. Unfortunately sounds like you have more options, most of the new stuff is either works or it doesn't bolt on a new black boxy kind of part repairs. So it is either bolt on fix roulette, or find a good used car mechanic.

I know you said you inspected the battery cables, but I would give the a couple twists back and forth on the terminals and tighten them. Most of the newer cars I have had lately have clamps that run out of adjustment a little short of what I consider properly tightened, and that has lead to issues on my older modern cars too.

Probably not it, but cheap and easy effort.

[pdplot]

Cables would not budge. Car has been running perfectly of course. Until it won't. Worst kind of problem for sure. Intermittent.

[glemon]

Your car does have codes, if you take it to most any chain auto parts store they will plug in an OBDII scanner (OBDII is on all cars built 1996 and later) it should pull a code for whatever went wrong, no guarantees, but should. The code may point to exactly what is wrong, or may just point you in the general direction, "intermittent ignition fault" for example, then you go online and see what causes an intermittent ignition fault (look up the code it pulls for Honda) which may be a number of things. Working on modern cars is like learning a new language, and it is not nearly as intuitive, but between the fault scanners, Google and YouTube really no harder than old British, just very different.

[pdplot]

Good suggestion. I know less than nothing about these cars - even less than I know about our LBCs. What little knowledge I had ended when fuel injection replaced carburetors and black boxes appeared. There are two Auto Zones and one Advance Auto here in town. I'll try one.

[pdplot]

It died again today - in a parking lot next to TJ Maxx where I bought a pair of gloves to replace the one I lost last week. Started it up; it began idling roughly and I knew what was coming. It died after about 10 seconds, like it was running out of fuel. Put the ignition on and the check engine light came on, then went out. Car started instantly and ran perfectly all the way home. I suspect the relay or sensor that controls the fuel pump so we'll have to take it to my indy repair shop after Thanksgiving. It might also be that the battery is getting weak although it tests 12.66 at rest.

[NutmegCT]

Paul- what's the latest? What results from the OBDCII readings at Auto Zone or Advance Auto?

What did your repair shop find after you took it in after Thanksgiving?

Tom M.

[dklawson]

I suspect the relay or sensor that controls the fuel pump so we'll have to take it to my indy repair shop after Thanksgiving. It might also be that the battery is getting weak although it tests 12.66 at rest.

As Tom asked... do you have an update?

I missed this thread prior to now. If the battery will still crank the engine after the car sits for a few minutes, I seriously doubt you have a charging problem, especially if it has 12.6V at rest. Still... it wouldn't hurt to have the charging system checked including a load test on that 6 year old battery.

The rough running, engine dying, and subsequent easy re-start make me lean towards your diagnosis of a failing fuel pump relay.

Inquiring minds want to know.

[pdplot]

Nothing new to report. Have not taken it anywhere yet. I've been busy. Of course its been running perfectly.