just got a 88 honda accord DX for free

[Suprman]

so of course it has some problems right?

since i've had it (about 3 weeks)
needed brakes, did the just brakes $99 thing.
has a terrible shake in the steering wheel as well as being a bit out of alignment.
sometimes idles high when you put it in park
put new speakers in it and after a week the aftermarket cd play is working normal except i get nothing out of the speakers unless i turn them up high and i get like a buzzing/crackling noise.

and the BIG problem:
today the taillights stayed on after i got back from lunch so it drained the battery so when it was time to go home i had to get a jumpstart, the taillight will not turn off the stay on all the time even when the car is turned off, i had to dissconnect the battery when i got home and i will be using another car to get to work tommorrow.

so how do i fix these problems? also after i get everything working right what are some free/cheap mod to get better performance/fuel milage out of this thing, i mean i get like 30+ on my commute but more is allways better!

thanks

[A18A]

well to me it sounds like you got a awsome deal, free car, cant complain about that :) the so called BIG problem would only be minor compared to other problems, and that sounds like you need to adjust your brake pedal switch, should be able screw it out a bit so the lights turn off, if they dont, just get a new switch from a junkyard or disconnect it alltogether which would mean no brake lights at all. better to get new brake switch.

:welcome: to the site btw :)

[Civic Accord Honda]

:welcome: sweat a free honda sounds like one of my good dreams
hope you get taht fixed soon so you can start driveing it again:rockon:

[Civic Accord Honda]

oh and for the speakers try new speaker wire and make sure the pos and neg are not touching each other or touching the body of the car anywhere

[MessyHonda]

yeah overdosed is right i had the same problem but mine was when i turn on my lights the fuse would pop....something was touching ground. but yeah the first thing to check is the break pedal switch. well hope you enjoy the free car. give it a wash and take some pics so you can show us.

[ghettogeddy]

so of course it has some problems right?
since i've had it (about 3 weeks)
needed brakes, did the just brakes $99 thing.
has a terrible shake in the steering wheel as well as being a bit out of alignment.
sometimes idles high when you put it in park
put new speakers in it and after a week the aftermarket cd play is working normal except i get nothing out of the speakers unless i turn them up high and i get like a buzzing/crackling noise.
and the BIG problem:
today the taillights stayed on after i got back from lunch so it drained the battery so when it was time to go home i had to get a jumpstart, the taillight will not turn off the stay on all the time even when the car is turned off, i had to dissconnect the battery when i got home and i will be using another car to get to work tommorrow.
so how do i fix these problems? also after i get everything working right what are some free/cheap mod to get better performance/fuel milage out of this thing, i mean i get like 30+ on my commute but more is allways better!
thanks
damn did u pay a shop 100 bucks to do your brakes damn i paid 115 for brembo oem replacements and aem pro pads but ha u def cant beat a free car

[jayton]

and the BIG problem:
today the taillights stayed on after i got back from lunch so it drained the battery so when it was time to go home i had to get a jumpstart, the taillight will not turn off the stay on all the time even when the car is turned off, i had to dissconnect the battery when i got home and i will be using another car to get to work tommorrow.


Brake & clutch pedal (http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Accord&catcgry2=1988&catcgry3=4DR+LXI&catcgry4=KA4AT&catcgry5=BRAKE+%26+CLUTCH+PEDAL)


I have found that in most cases where this happens, it is the little plastic piece that pushes the button on the brake light switch that goes bad rather than anything wrong with the switch or pedal itself. These little plastic things rot out over the years and break. You may even find the pieces in the floorboard. You may need item number 7 off of that link.

[BITESIZE]

Nice find fellow hatchie brotha!

[import racer]

hey what year had the dead pedal?

[Dr_Snooz]

Congrats dude! I dug mine out of my brother-in-law's shed. It had been abandoned for dead, but I resurrected it.

Have your wheels balanced and your rotors turned to fix the shake.