89 accord question and problem

[demar]

I have a 1989 Accord LXi, and I was wondering if someone could please
tell me what the handle under the steering wheel is for. I bought the
car used and it didn't have an owners manual. Forgive my stupidity,
but this is the first Honda that I have ever owned, and I have never
seen this pull handle in any other car. It is below the steering
wheel, on the left, and it pulls stright out.

Now, on to my problem.
Under normal conditions, my car does a fine job. But, at high RPM,
(about 4000) every light, including headlights, gets brighter, and the
battery light comes on. I have had the car for about 1 1/2 years, and
this has never happened before. It started about 2 weeks ago.

Thank you for any help.

 

[N.E.Ohio Bob]

Now, on to my problem.
Under normal conditions, my car does a fine job. But, at high RPM,
(about 4000) every light, including headlights, gets brighter, and the
battery light comes on. I have had the car for about 1 1/2 years, and
this has never happened before. It started about 2 weeks ago.

Alternator work on these cars is not for the faint hearted. Diagnosis
may be easily done by taking the car to a parts store, and having them
run some output tests on the charging system.
The alternator is mounted on the 'back' of the engine. To remove it.
the left drive shaft is going to have to be removed, not an easy job.
Good luck ! bob

 

[noway]

Now, on to my problem.

Under normal conditions, my car does a fine job. But, at high RPM,
(about 4000) every light, including headlights, gets brighter, and the
battery light comes on. I have had the car for about 1 1/2 years, and
this has never happened before. It started about 2 weeks ago.

Have your battery, and charging system tested. When a battery starts going
bad, it can sometimes cause strange problems. Of course it could have to do
with the charging system also.

 

[Randolph]

Now, on to my problem.

Under normal conditions, my car does a fine job. But, at high RPM,
(about 4000) every light, including headlights, gets brighter, and the
battery light comes on. I have had the car for about 1 1/2 years, and
this has never happened before. It started about 2 weeks ago.

This is a typical symptom of a bad voltage regulator. The voltage
regulator is built into the alternator, on some cars it is replaceable,
on others you have to replace the whole alternator.

If you replace the alternator or voltage regulator, check your battery
also; A weak battery is very hard on your alternator, and you don't want
to ruin your new alternator with a bad battery. If the battery is more
than 4 years old, I would replace is as a matter of course.

 

[Robert Bodling]

I have a 1989 Accord LXi, and I was wondering if someone could please
tell me what the handle under the steering wheel is for. I bought the
car used and it didn't have an owners manual. Forgive my stupidity,
but this is the first Honda that I have ever owned, and I have never
seen this pull handle in any other car. It is below the steering
wheel, on the left, and it pulls stright out.

Thank you for any help.

Funny hearing you ask that question, I had to post the exact question
a month or so ago... I thought it was an ejection seat lever and was
afraid to pull it out with my wife sitting in the passenger seat. I
thought if I was to pull it out, she might have disappeared all of a
sudden... ;-)

 

[Robert Bodling]

This is a typical symptom of a bad voltage regulator. The voltage
regulator is built into the alternator, on some cars it is replaceable,
on others you have to replace the whole alternator.

If you replace the alternator or voltage regulator, check your battery
also; A weak battery is very hard on your alternator, and you don't want
to ruin your new alternator with a bad battery. If the battery is more
than 4 years old, I would replace is as a matter of course.

This problem sounds familiar, my 1987 Accord seems to dislike the
battery. When I start the car either in the morning or late afternoon
(after work), the battery light will come on and stay on for about
15-30 minutes, depending on how fast I might be traveling. If I
happen to have the RPMs up to about 4 on my techometer, the light will
go out as if the battery is being recharged and once it flickers out,
it stays out till I start it back up after work. I have swapped the
battery out with ones I've had in other vehicles I've gotten rid off
(before having them towed away, I removed their battery), but the
problem seems to have returned. I don't know how good the replacement
batteries were, probably no better than the one that was in the car
when I got it used. Could this possibly be caused by the same problem
he might be having with his car to? Or might it be that the batteries
I keep using are weak themselves?

[email protected]

 

[Tom]

This problem sounds familiar, my 1987 Accord seems to dislike the
battery. When I start the car either in the morning or late afternoon
(after work), the battery light will come on and stay on for about
15-30 minutes, depending on how fast I might be traveling. If I
happen to have the RPMs up to about 4 on my techometer, the light will
go out as if the battery is being recharged and once it flickers out,
it stays out till I start it back up after work. I have swapped the
battery out with ones I've had in other vehicles I've gotten rid off
(before having them towed away, I removed their battery), but the
problem seems to have returned. I don't know how good the replacement
batteries were, probably no better than the one that was in the car
when I got it used. Could this possibly be caused by the same problem
he might be having with his car to? Or might it be that the batteries
I keep using are weak themselves?

Those symptoms are typical of worn brushes in the alternator. Expensive
job at the dealer who typically wants to replace the alternator and
requires removal of left driveshaft to remove.

Brush set is about $12 and can be done of the car if handy(or Houdini)
and you have ample access.

 

[Kal Eide]

I have a 1989 Accord LXi, and I was wondering if someone could please
tell me what the handle under the steering wheel is for. I bought the
car used and it didn't have an owners manual. Forgive my stupidity,
but this is the first Honda that I have ever owned, and I have never
seen this pull handle in any other car. It is below the steering
wheel, on the left, and it pulls stright out.

Now, on to my problem.
Under normal conditions, my car does a fine job. But, at high RPM,
(about 4000) every light, including headlights, gets brighter, and the
battery light comes on. I have had the car for about 1 1/2 years, and
this has never happened before. It started about 2 weeks ago.

Thank you for any help.

Pull out the lever and push it down... don't worry it won't break....
it allow's you to move the steering wheel... I owned my 89 lxi for 2
years b4 I knew I could do that!! Luckly the last owner was taller
than myself!

 

[demar]

Have your battery, and charging system tested. When a battery starts going
bad, it can sometimes cause strange problems. Of course it could have to do
with the charging system also.

thanks to all who replyed.
as it turns out, it was the battery.
i had it tested at autozone and they said it had a dead cell.
i replaced it, and now the car is fine, but i do have another
question/problem.

every so often, my car will not start.
the engine turns over just fine, and sometimes it will try to start,
but never will. if i leave the car alone for a few hours, it will
start right up and run great. it only does this about once or twice a
month.
it has happened after driving the car and trying to restart it, and it
has happened after the car has been sitting for a few days.
it seems to happen at random.

thanks

 

[William Burke]

Probably a bad Main Relay. You can remove it and resolder the
connections, or just replace it.

 

[Callan Bleechmore]

I have a '90 Accord and it does the same thing. It turns over fine but just
doesn't fire. I think it could be fuel related problem.

Mine's only done it 3 times, and it bloody annoying when it doesn't start.

CB