2003 Accord 6 Cylinder EX No start

[Gito]

Friends Honda Accord, 6 cylinder, EX will not start, this after pulling into a gas station to add fuel. Will crank but will not start.

He says the check engine light stays on after turning the ignition to the ON position (without cranking) and then shortly there after the check engine light will flash 5 times, then repeats the 5 flashes.

He decided to switch out the fuel pump and car still did not turn on. He replaced the main relay and still doesn't want to start.

He says car will start and turn off when using carb cleaner.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted by Gito


He says car will start and turn off when using carb cleaner.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.


Time to do some electrical troubleshooting to the fuel pump, it may be something as simple as a fuse blown from a failed pump that has now been replaced.

 

[Nukeman7]

He needs to try another Main Relay. I put a new aftermarket one in an Accord and the new part was defective from the factory. Returned it to the parts store and bought a new one from Honda dealer that immediately resolved the no start issue.

 

[rubberchicken]

Is this one of the cars that has an emergency shutoff if it gets hit ?

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted by Nukeman7
He needs to try another Main Relay. I put a new aftermarket one in an Accord and the new part was defective from the factory. Returned it to the parts store and bought a new one from Honda dealer that immediately resolved the no start issue.


Just jump the wires to the relay, if it works the relay is defective. I am sure it has a pump fuse or a fusible link (I have no idea what Honda uses) also.

 

[kc8adu]

just open the original and resolder it.
this has fixed every one i have done.
this skips the garbage part lottery too.

 

[Gito]

My friend wanted to resolder the main relay but said that when he went to remove it he noticed that it was small, blue in color, and not the main relay that he was used to resoldering from 90's Hondas. He said that the relay didn't appear that it could be popped open like you could with your typical 90's Honda relays.

Wonder if he actually pulled the right relay out.

 

[AC1DD]

GIto

Why not go to auto zone and have them check with their scan tool for codes?

Have him get the codes and go from there.


When the check engine light flashes five times it indicates the emissions systems are not in the ready for inspection state, but I don't think this is what is causing the problem.

It is possible that the ECU has dead or dying electrolytic capacitors, after 17 years these things can leak or dry out and it will cause all sorts of weird issues with the car usually engine related or driveability related. This can be repaired by someone that has reasonable soldering skills. If you open up the ECU it possible you will see evidence of leaking caps or burned resistors.

One last possibility is that there are ground problems, you should check that all major engine grounds are clean and tight.

 

[kc8adu]

no he did not get the right relay.
the pgm-fi relay is on a branch of the wiring harness under the drivers side of the dash.
and its failure will not set codes.
they usually go intermittent but can go all at once.
one of my friends lost one on the interstate on her vacation.
i talked her through walking to walmart for a soldering iron and solder.
and doing the job on the side of the road running the iron with an inverter.
only dealer within 100 miles told her she was screwed as it would take 2 weeks to get one.
30 minutes to do it including the walk.

 

[Gito]

Originally Posted by kc8adu
no he did not get the right relay.
the pgm-fi relay is on a branch of the wiring harness under the drivers side of the dash.
and its failure will not set codes.
they usually go intermittent but can go all at once.
one of my friends lost one on the interstate on her vacation.
i talked her through walking to walmart for a soldering iron and solder.
and doing the job on the side of the road running the iron with an inverter.
only dealer within 100 miles told her she was screwed as it would take 2 weeks to get one.
30 minutes to do it including the walk.


Looking for the correct fuel relay and can't find it. So far, the only one that we have found is the blue small relay that's made by Mitsuba.
Anyone have a part number?

 

[Olas]

pull a spark plug and smell it. can you smell fuel?
If no, diagnose fuel system.
If yes, diagnose ignition system.

start with a test light to see where you do and dont have power.