***Intermittent no start saga -1996 Accord ***
 

Hi All,

This is my first post. I have used the knowledge in this forum many times and appreciate all your help greatly!

The saga started about 5 months ago when the accord would not start, it would turnover but not start. The mail relay was only clicking once in key position II and the fuel pump would not prime for 2 sec as it should. I tested the main relay and it was good so I thought it was the fuel pump and replaced it. It ran great for about 2 months and then would failed to start again. Similarly it would turn over but would not send power to the fuel pump. I checked all fuses both under the hood as well as the driver kick panel. As I was testing I noticed that I if I jiggled the key I could get the main relay to click a second time and the fuel pump would prime and the car would start. Because of this I thought it was the ignition switch so I replaced it -- the car ran great for another couple months until recently.

A week ago, I try to start it the day after the first rain of the fall without any luck. It will turnover but the main relay only clicks once and the fuel pump will not prime. I tried jiggling the key without any luck. I checked every fuse again, all were good. I bought a new main relay, just to make sure, and it did not help. I cleaned all grounds I could find in the engine bay (although I am sure I missed some) and made sure I found and cleaned the main ECU ground. I also looked over the ECU circuit boards to make sure there was no visible issues with the solder points--all looked good and dry. The CEL was not turning off and there are no ECU codes when I jumped the blue connector under the glove box. Then today as I had the fuel pump unplugged I checked again if there were ECU codes and there were still none but after I pulled out the jump wire and turned the key to position II the main relay clicked twice paused and then again as it should with out the CEL light...I was shocked! I plugged the fuel pump back in and it worked, and the car started. Since then I have been testing it a bunch and sometimes on first key try after sitting a bit it will not prime the fuel pump but if I jiggle the key the relay clicks and the fuel pump primes.

I wonder if there is a humidity factor because the weather has been nice since the rain. It seems to be related to the jiggling of the key now but did not work the day after the rain.

Is there another component related to the key/ignition switch I should test? This is the part I have already replaced: eBay - Page Not Found

Could it be a bad ground or intermittent ECU issue?

What test do you recommend?

Thank you all for any help you can offer...I am so frustrated it is keeping me up at night!

My 2001 EX has much the same issue. Main relay has been replaced as has the ignition switch. Starts are still a crap shoot. My mechanic has given up and sent the car back home with a get well card.

What I have found is that if I wiggle the wiring under the dash, I can get it to run. Sorting out which wire bundle attached to which device is the next challenge.