Electrical Guy I need your help

[3rdgeneration]

today i go to start my car,,, start it up put my headlights on,,,my aftermarket gages light up my stereo went on,,head light where on but my front and rear running lights,and my guages(mph,tach, gas...etc) , never went on untill i waited about ten minutes,,i checked the fuses all is well,... whats the problem? :dunno: this happend ever night since a friday.

[IN_ONE_ACCORD]

Check your belt on the alternator and if that's ok, have alt. checked.

[Mike's89AccordLX]

So your saying all your lights don't work for like ten minutes? If that's the case you will need to get your Charging System Checked out.

But, if only some of your lights work and others do then you probably have some weird electrical problems. Please give us some more info about it.

-Mike

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

You may want to check the illumination controller that is attached to the dash access panel right under the steering column. It deals directly with interior lights and may have an effect on your running lights. I am not sure if there is a relay for the lights, but if there is, it may be failing.
So the items I would check are:
1.) Illumination controller (download the .pdf shop manual files from Paul's site and find the testing procedure in it)
2.) Locate the relay for the lights if it does exist and try replacing it.

P.S.: There are several relays on the back of the fuse box. The lights relay may be back there.

Hope this helps.

[3rdgeneration]

thanks guys ill check it out

[3rdgeneration]

everything lights up except the exterior running lights the little oranges one on the corners in the front and the lights in the back that are suppost to go on when u turn your head lights on,, me headlights still work,,but my mph guage pannel dosnt go on either,,,they eventually turn on after about 10 minutes

[Mike's89AccordLX]

I would download Paul's Shop Manual and find out the wiring for the exterior lights and clean up all of the grounds it seems like they are maybe a bit corroded and not getting enough power.

-Mike

[HostileJava]

everything lights up except the exterior running lights the little oranges one on the corners in the front and the lights in the back that are suppost to go on when u turn your head lights on,, me headlights still work,,but my mph guage pannel dosnt go on either,,,they eventually turn on after about 10 minutes

I'm sorry to say that it's the combo switch that is used to turn the runninglights/headlights on. It's broken and needs to be replaced ASAP if you drive at night since you won't have tailights unless ur braking. It's a bitch to replace but can be done in about 30min to 1.5 hours depending on your skill level.

[HondaBoy]

that sounds like a messed up relay. i'd check that out. if you can get the ones that works the headlights, gauges and running lights, like from a junk yard, try that out. thats a quick way to make sure the relay isnt messed up. i think the dash lights and running lights are on a relay system as are the headlights.

[Mike's89AccordLX]

Hostile I don't think it would be the combo switch b/c that would affect the headlights and he says his headlights work fine. I've had to replace my bad combo switch and let me tell you when that goes bad you won't have headlights so it's not that.

I'm still thinking its a badly grounded circuit.

-Mike

[HostileJava]

Hostile I don't think it would be the combo switch b/c that would affect the headlights and he says his headlights work fine. I've had to replace my bad combo switch and let me tell you when that goes bad you won't have headlights so it's not that.

I'm still thinking its a badly grounded circuit.

-Mike

Play with the switch, see if they come on if you jiggle it around alot. I'm pretty positive that's what it is. That's experience talking btw, My headlights worked just fine but my dash/running/tailights didn't. Ask stevedx89, he was with me when I got pulled over for no tailights :( I was able to replace that switch and everything started working fine, you actually have to pull the wheel and the wiring from the switch all the way down into the dash.

Edit: After driving with the car for a little bit sometimes the motoin of using the turning signal and the vibrations of the car would cause the lights to come back on, but if I drove long enough they eventually would go out again.

[Mike's89AccordLX]

Hmmm.... that could be, but I was talking from experience too. So maybe you're right about it.

-Mike

[SteveDX89]

Play with the switch, see if they come on if you jiggle it around alot. I'm pretty positive that's what it is. That's experience talking btw, My headlights worked just fine but my dash/running/tailights didn't. Ask stevedx89, he was with me when I got pulled over for no tailights :( I was able to replace that switch and everything started working fine, you actually have to pull the wheel and the wiring from the switch all the way down into the dash.

Edit: After driving with the car for a little bit sometimes the motoin of using the turning signal and the vibrations of the car would cause the lights to come back on, but if I drove long enough they eventually would go out again.

Haha. That was kind of funny at the time. I heard the siren and saw the lights and I knew you were :owned:. Funny how the damn things started working again 30 seconds after we got moving again.

On another note - I was having the same problem with my lights. I checked the fuse and it was blown. Replaced it and it didn't help. I swapped out the dimmer unit and that fixed the problem.

[HostileJava]

Haha. That was kind of funny at the time. I heard the siren and saw the lights and I knew you were :owned:. Funny how the damn things started working again 30 seconds after we got moving again.

On another note - I was having the same problem with my lights. I checked the fuse and it was blown. Replaced it and it didn't help. I swapped out the dimmer unit and that fixed the problem.


There you go then, it could be a couple things, but at least now you know what to go after :D

[lostforawhile]

it's your combination switch,thats the only common link,that also how the dimmer control gets it's power,thats why your dash lights don't come on. the reason your headlights come on is that those are two seperate circuits there are two different contacts in the switch. the contacts that are supposed to come together when you turn the switch on are worn out,after a while they make contact again from vibration. as far as a relay there is none,it's directly controlled from the switch,the only relay control is in the high beam circuit. it might seem confusing that your aftermarket gauges come on,but my guess is they are wired to the headlight circuit.DON'T EVEN SAY IT,JUST SAW THE DATE,I'M TIRED IS ALL