98 CRV unstable voltage

The voltage on my Honda has been jumping back and forth between 11 and
14 volts. This does not happen smoothly. It jumps instantaneously. This
goes on at about a 5 second period.

My battery does not run down and it always starts. I had the generator
replaced a year ago, but this did not fix it.

I wonder if anyone has any thoughts about this?

Michael

 

Does the "D" or "D4" gear indicator dim when accelerating? Do the dash
lights or the headlights flicker?

Is the Check Engine light on?

 

There is no check engine light on. The headlights and all other lights
dim and get bright each time this voltage fluctuation occurs. This is
not related to accelerating, at least not much. The voltage is more
likely to drop suddenly when I take my foot off the gas. It appears that
lower engine rpm is more likely to produce higher voltages.

Michael

 

It's the Electrical Load Detector (ELD). Common fail point.

The ELD is either under the engine-bay fuse box, or is a plug-in module
inside of it. If it's under the fuse box, it's part of the fuse box and the
whole box needs to be replaced. If it's a plug-in, just buy a new one at
the dealer and swap them.

 

Thank you very much for that information Tegger. You have been very
helpful.

Thanks

Michael

 

"Trying to find this part"? What does THAT mean? Techline doesn't know?

I think your car is old enough that the ELD is part of the fuse box, but
Techline should be able to confirm that to your dealership's tech.

That fuse box, new, is $200. Yikes! Get thee hence to a wreckers!

This is a non-binary group, so you shouldn't be posting images here. Use
one of the many free image-hosting Websites to post your images, then post
the URL here.

 

I called a Honda dealership in a town about 40 miles away. They had
never heard of an ELD. They could not even figure out what to do with
the picture I sent them. They sent it to Honda. Honda refused to sell
the ELD. They will only sell the fuse box for 233 bucks. I have wrecking
yard within 100 miles.

At that price however, it might be worth it to drive the 100 miles if
they actually have that fuse box.

Michael

 

That's because American Honda can only sell what the Honda home office in
Japan sells them. And the Honda home office only sells the ELD as part of
the fuse box for your year.

Have you tried NAPA or other aftermarket place? They may sell a separate
ELD.

Call first. Then bring tools so that you can install the box on-the-spot.
That way if it doesn't work, you can try another one from another wrecked
CR-V, or get your money back then and there.

I do believe the ELD is the same for the Civic, and I'm sure there's a way
of transferring the ELD from one box to another, but I've never tried that.
Time for some creativity on your part!

 

Thanks Tegger,

I am working on it. There is a chain autoparts in town. They informed me
that they could not get the part.

I will try to get creative. If I knew what was in that brown little box,
I could probably make one. I am a retired electronics engineer. I just
don't know what it is. If someone had ever made a schematic of what was
inside it, I would simply make one. But I sincerely doubt anyone has
ever done that.

Thanks again

Michael

 

Tegger,

I hate to admit it, but I think my problem was just me. I started
looking at the fuse box and how all the loads for the car went through
the ELD. I had some driving lights hooked directly to the battery with a
relay to turn them on.

I removed the extra wires from the battery. I hooked them up inside the
fuse box on the load side of the ELD. The varying voltage went away.

My bad,


Michael