On my way to work a few days ago my 93 Honda Accord quit running twice. The first time I was able to pull off the freeway and get the car to start again using some starting fluid. The second time I didn’t make it off the freeway, nor was I able to restart it so easily.
My car has stalled while travelling only once before, about a month ago under similar conditions. It seems to happen when I let off the accelerator to slow down for traffic ahead. To make matters worse, my car has been having starting issues for the past few years. If the first attempt doesn’t start the car, it will not usually start for 5 to 10 minutes. After being temporarily stranded a few times and at the suggestion of a AAA service driver, I purchased the starting fluid.
The starting fluid came in handy the first time my car stalled that day. I loosened the air filter and sprayed some fluid in the intake and then went around and start the car again. It worked pretty good and I was shortly on my way. So much for the restarting difficulties. I stayed off of the freeway for a while in-case the stalling problem returned, eventually I got back on the freeway and not long afterwards my car stalled again under similar circumstances. This time I did not make it off the freeway. I pulled off into the shoulder lane partially in the grass. I tried starting it again with the starting fluid, it would turn over and start to run, but once the fluid was burned up the engine would stop. I tried this several times, but could not keep the car running.
I decided I wasn’t going to make it to work that day. Eventually a tow truck driver came and as we were about to tow my car to a shop I half-heartedly tried starting it one more the car once more, it started right up. I agreed to go back to his shop anyways so they could look at it to see if they could find a problem. It would be $75 for the shop to look at it, which would take about an hour. If I had some work done, that charge would be applied to the bill.
Unfortunately, the mechanic couldn’t connect to my car with his code reader; on this car you need to use a jumper wire to jump the service connections, then you count the flashes on the service engine light to get the code. My service engine light wasn’t coming on anyways, so we ended up talking and speculating on some potential causes of the problem. They only charged $30 instead of the $75 since they couldn’t do much for me and it didn’t take to long, the information I got was good information even if it didn’t solve my problem. Starting issues are either fuel, fire (spark) or air issues. Due to the special circumstances we assumed there may be a fuel pump problem. I drove home without a problem.
When I came home I started doing some Internet research on the fuel pump and replacing it. Replacing the fuel pump on a 93 Honda Accord turns out to be a little bigger job that I wanted since the gas tank has to be taken off. While researching this, I noticed some information on problems with the Main Relay. Having hairline fractures in the solder joints seems to cause a variety of odd starting behaviors. Since my car has been having odd starting behavior for some time, I decided to investigate this further.
After searching for a while in the car and on the Internet, I eventually found the Main Relay above the cruise control box, and took it out. After opening the relay, I saw the hairline fractures on three of the solder joints. I got my soldering iron and a magnifying glass and started repairing them (This site has excellent information on this issue and the solution: http://techauto.awardspace.com/mainrelaydefine.html).
Cruise Control Box on a 93 Honda Accord
Main Relay on a 93 Honda Accord
I reassembled all the parts and gave it a try. The soldering job wasn’t pretty but it worked and the car has been starting very reliably since performing this fairly easy job. So yes, there definitely was a fuel issue, caused by an electrical issue. However, I am not sure if this is the cause of the stalling issue. Nevertheless, fixing those solder joints definitely solved my starting problems. I’ll be doing some tune up work and replacing the fuel filter just to be sure, I hope I don’t have to replace the fuel pump. If I do, at least I can blog about it.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Jeremy // Sep 6, 2009 at 8:08 pm
I bough a 93 Honda Accord six and a half years ago. I had the same problem with starting. If it sat in the heat too long, I’d have to wait until dark to get it started and back on the road. Never had a Stall problem though. Found the same broken solder spots. Got them fixed and it has run great ever since.
Now I’m having the stalling problems you are. The garage told me to replace the main relay. It doesn’t have the cracks, so I’m assuming the the fuel filter is shot. I’ve have the car 6 years and put 90,000 miles on it. I’m sure it’s time to replace it. I hope this will solve the stalling problem. It’s so unpredictable.
Good luck with your car.
Jeremy Anderson
2 Christina // Sep 25, 2009 at 11:09 pm
I have to tell you how much your blog helped me get my car fixed. Over the summer I had the same problem with my 93 accord not starting after sitting in the hot sun. In the evening it started and I left it with a mechanic to find out what happened. It started for him with no problems but he suspected it was the relay.
Fast forward to Wednesday after I drove to the recycling center. It refused to start. I left it overnight and had a difficult time restarting it. I drove to the closest mechanic and after explaining it might be the relay, he said it didn’t sound like it to him and it would be $80 to find out, none of which would apply to the labor or parts if it was. I then drove to the place that said originally it might be the relay where they informed me they were too busy and couldn’t take care of it until the next day. Mind you, I live in the country and need my car.
I finally went to an honest Precision Auto. The car worked perfectly for them but I showed them your blog and they agreed to replace the main relay (with no guarantee it would work). How about the the maintenance required light changed from red to green after they finished !
Thank goodness for your blog and a company willing to work with me ! Now I can drive without the fear of being stranded.
3 Melinda // Oct 6, 2009 at 6:28 pm
I have a 91 honda accord that doesn’t want to start about once a month. I don’t understand what is wrong with my car no one can figure it out its like its possessed only starts when it wants to. Ive gotten the battery,starter,and alternator checked. I think it might be a main relay switch but Im not sure if you could give me some advice that would be very helpful. thank you
Administrator Reply: If the symptoms in this post seem to apply to your issue and you are uncomfortable with attempting this task, show this page to someone who does your repair work and have them investigate it.
4 Annette // Dec 13, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I have a 93 Honda Accord that all of a sudden started stalling out as I am driving. Also when I slow down in traffic or come to a stop. It starts right back up with no problem though. I’m thinking it’s the fuel filter and I’ve asked a few male friends and they think it could be the fuel filter also. Since I bought the car four years ago I don’t know if it was changed before. I think it would be the cheapest fix to start with. What do you think could also be the problem?
Reply - It could be, Ive seen stalling issues with hot fuel filters before, but this also sounds an awful lot like the main relay issue that has been known to occur on some older Hondas. Check out this post on How to Change the Fuel Filter on a 93 Honda Accord in addition to this one on the Main Relay Causing Starting and Stalling Issues on a 1993 Honda Accord for more information.
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