Apparently, our fits are finicky when it comes to putting after market parts!?! I ended up getting the OEM Honda alternator thanks to my extensive research and reading multiple posts saying it was the only way to go. I'm going to see exactly what brand he's given me for the ignition coil he did replace. Looks like I've got to bring her over to the dealership for further diagnostics so, perhaps they'll be able to better pinpoint this issue.

 

I'm betting it's one of the replacement coils is at fault. Still have the old ones handy? Swap them back in, see if it clears up

 

Thanks, Clay
I definitely appreciate your input and suggestions. I'll mention this to my mechanic. He is now at the point of telling me my best bet is the dealership since they have high tech diagnostics and technicians who are more familiar with these cars. I'll let you know, though.
You make it sound so easy!! 😁

 

The problem is either lack of spark or a lack of fuel for the cylinder. Unless the cylinder is damaged and won't compress which is unlikely right? Your problem should not be too difficult to track down since the third cyclinder is only indication right. Spark or fuel. Best of luck, Clay

 

Somehow I stopped getting notifications for this thread

I'm sorry to hear you're still fighting it. What did he say to the compression test proposition? I do get that as a wrench myself, sometimes I'm in over my head. A misfire though shouldn't be that hard. Who is this mechanic to you? Friend or relative, family friend? If so, I'd understand.. but if not, I'd be pretty upset at the premise of his taking your money and giving you back a non-operating car, then proposing further investment. Heck, I'd at least want a refund for the diagnostics - 1 hour's labor is the standard rate for a shop.

Keep posting up! We'll keep scratching our heads

 

I haven't yet had anything new to report since Saturday when my mechanic (neither family or friend but, whom I do trust for what that's worth) asked me to take to dealership for more advanced diagnostics. He barely charged me for my out of pocket expense routine maintenance which was all four new NGK spark plugs, air filter & cabin filter plus the one ignition coil on top of that (most likely because he knew the main issue I was originally there to see about fixing wasn't ultimately resolved). Plus, he did give me back the old ignition coil just in case.
My warranty coverage paid for the fuel injector and labor for that.

I think that CEL misfire code and "limp mode" are due to the engine only firing on three cylinders. Limp mode keeps the vehicles RPMs down at around 2500 so as to prevent serious damage to engine or catalytic converter. Perhaps this pervasive code means the problem is related to the electrical signal never getting sent out or even could be "shorting out" before it reaches fuel injector for cylinder 3???

In other words, misfire is only happening as a result of the main problem that's occuring which is obviously "open circuit fuel injector 3" (code 0203)
Tomorrow is the day I take her over to the Honda dealership. Surely they'll check basic stuff like tightness of spark plugs and try unplugging the battery while they go through their diagnostic checklist.
It is a slight possibility (based on some other posts I read here) there exists some type of a computer software update they can do?? To make the connections all understand one another at the right time??
I've been reassured that even if; worst case scenario, I'm dealing with a situation where the power mosfets inside the ecu need replacing, my warranty coverage through the credit union would cover to have it switched over for an entirely new ecu.

At this point, I am thinking they'll be able to give me a clear answer as to why my car has this problem and what can be done to fix it. It could be as simple as a wire in there that needs to be fixed, too!!
Many of the potential fixes for other problems in this realm just didn't seem like they'd be valid in this particular scenario or applicable where it's still just "open circuit injector 3".

 

My dude (or lady dude, don't matter none), you've become an expert on your car's situation. And it sounds like you've been working with an awesome mechanic. As you can imagine, there are countless instances with forum stuff where, since we don't get to see the car or meet the people involved (sanity/competence check is somethin' that lacks a diagnostic framework, since even pros miss the mark), it's beneficial for all parties to scrutinize to the point of being obtuse..
How to do that is an entirely different skill set, unrelated to mechanical competence or "rightness".

Man, I picked up on that over a decade ago when I was enlisted as a tank mech. There was so much by-the-book methodology, but training at the time had us relying on crewmen for the initial assumption of the machine's problem. That was a problem in itself, and one that hobbled new mechs. While we were fortunate to have some talented senior staff familiar enough with the singular vehicle to be able to pick out a red herring.. many juniors never crossed the threshold into competence because of the lackluster diagnostic framework that relied on communication skills without ever mentioning them.

Well, that's enough rambles.
I think your conviction to damaged wiring or a potential ECM problem is justified and well-reasoned. I wish you the best of luck in navigating dealership waters. If you get a diagnosis outside your expectations, or several stapled to a large bill, be sure to post up. We may be able to help you parse through irrelevant/non-urgent stuff (like discoloration present around sealing surface of driver's side strut with image -- or residue present at inspection plate of transmission bell housing)


​​​​​​Now here's a tip of the hat to you for trusting your intuition and experience!

 

Humbly accept your hat tip ~ truly honored, my 'dude' (strong sense you are)! I'm a "lady dude" for the record; however, it don't matter none to me, either! Here's something I genuinely ponder: can robots or even AI be programmed to have (or somehow 'learn') what we consider to be "common sense"? I do wonder about that. If not, then careers will absolutely continue to exist that stand no risk of being replaced by this type of technology!

Unsure whether 'sanity' or 'competency' applies on my end or not, although I've certainly learned so much about ignition systems as well as my car specifically through this experience. Effective communication is always a goal I strive to attain ~ an element of life which I value greatly. Interesting what you said about book knowledge & how diagnostic problem solving ultimately requires skills that are not explicitly stated within the literature!!
Like yourself, I tend to scrutinize and hypothesize over all aspects of a situation. Then, I go through millions of potential possibilities! It can be exhausting honestly & I've always attributed this characteristic to my adhd/ocd tendencies but perhaps they benefit me at times. I do think it's important to understand all details of most scenarios ~ especially for communication & respecting each viewpoint.
Something such as auto mechanics does require knowledge, for example of what's already been done (which is why I always keep every single receipt for my records from oil changes to any major repairs and even replacement light bulbs). Information pertaining to whatever may currently be happening even something that seems obscure, unrelated or like it's an unnecessary detail could actually turn out to be the missing link which leads to a solution!

My friend, I am truly grateful for all of your input & contributions to the conclusions I've been able to reach. Just so you know, I don't I consider ANY of these discussions 'rambling'... it's actually the opposite. I thoroughly enjoy these 'talks' also knowing what you've experienced. I've even found myself at various times reading back through entries from years ago in attempt to comprehend.

I'm actually super impressed you worked as a tank mech! What branch of the military was that for? Talk about high stakes!! You were enlisted!?? That's fabulous (at least, it sounds like it would be for the most part). I can imagine you picked up a wealth of knowledge and experience during that time along with trying not to get too frustrated with those newbies!! 🤣

Well, I sure wish my "Honda Fit Misfire Mystery" update was better news overall than it is but honestly, it's a mixed bag ~ as much of life tends to be. Not to focus too much on the fact that I let her sit in the driveway for darn near a week before driving her back over to the dealership after the first fix was done. Where exactly on that list of problem solving and diagnostics does 'procrastination' fall??!!! 😁

So, first the Honda dealership after checking out all other possibilities (AKA 'multi point inspection'), determined my vehicle actually did have a FAULTY ECM/PCM which they REPLACED at NO COST to me since my warranty coverage paid for it.....over $2k so yes, I am thankful that I am paying a little extra every month for the coverage. I thought it was helpful when I got the alternator replaced back in January!

Got the car home and just a day later, my CEL was on as I went to drive my son to work (this time not flashing just steady). Messaged my contact at the dealership and he said to drop it back off for them to look at and see what was up. ~ Procrastination ~ .......

They've now said it's either the FUEL INJECTOR (perhaps my own mechanic could replace it again since they did it originally and would have the warranty on that specific part) or it needs a VALVE ADJUSTMENT. While they're in there doing a valve adjustment, they said they would check the fuel injector to verify if I did go that route.

I decided to keep my car there & get the VALVE ADJUSTMENT done (which is routine maintenance so not covered by my warranty but, my car needs it regardless). It clearly didn't make sense to jump back over to my mechanic only to potentially /likely end up back at square one again. Especially considering the fact that my mechanic doesn't do valve adjustments.

Oh, and the "injector circuit open" code is GONE now , so that's a plus. The only code remaining is still that MISFIRE on CYLINDER 3. I suppose it's very possible I was dealing with two problems at the same time which getting the new ECM only fixed one of those issues??

My fingers are crossed and saying a prayer that doing this valve adjustment will rectify the misfire mystery situation & I can be done with this particular chapter of repair requirements! COMPRESSION TEST was done which came back normal which is the other reason I came to the conclusion it made sense to take this step.
Understanding sometimes we are faced with a circumstance in which we participate in a "process of elimination" to get to the root of a problem. We do what logically makes sense (and hopefully is least expensive) first. I will absolutely let you know how it all works out. Again, my gratitude for your insight and encouragement.
~Nia
​​​​

 

P.S.
My vehicle (even though CEL had come on) was actually running fine from what I could tell.
Didn't drive much other than home from dealership that first day then drove my son to and from work; however, couldn't notice any difference in how the engine sounded or in the feel as I was driving my car.
Everything felt & sounded totally "normal".

 

Hi, Clay,
They did a compression test at the dealership and apparently there's nothing wrong in that realm.
It ultimately turned out to be a faulty ECM and they had to replace it. Thank God I have a warranty that covered the job.
So, now my CEL is on again but steady not flashing. It seems like replacing the computer fixed the "injector circuit open" code but I still have the "misfire cylinder 3" code. Dealership is going to do a valve adjustment & while they're in there check the fuel injector that my mechanic had replaced (which was the original 'solution' to this whole problem).
Hopefully the valve adjustment will do the trick!! I'll let you know how it goes!

 

Glad to hear your engine is sound. That can be a problem!

 

Howdy there, "lady dude"

You know what? I actually got to learn a little about AI and its development through my partner's picking up a side-hustle a while back! Task.. something. She was a "tasker", issued writing prompts for super random things. "Explain the following poem in 500 words" is the only one I can remember, but they could vary greatly. Identifying a tablespoon whether it's on a countertop, surrounded by baking ingredients, or in a toilet. They compile these mountains of human data for recognition and reasoning from people all over the world, and sell the lumps of data to tech companies to use for whatever application.
When you think about AI as an abundance of human responses to the same stimuli or question, it seems possible they could develop common sense. Somebody's common sense, anyways! So long as they keep tuning out the errors, eventually they'll be pretty dang smart!

As a fellow overthinker, I'm inclined to recommend my favorite book (so far) to you. It was also the hardest book I've read, by far -- I was constantly looking up words and struggling to finish pages. Kissinger's "Diplomacy" is a compilation of beautiful analysis of complex situations on a scale beyond my humble imagination. I wasn't sure what I'd find therein, but it turned out to be mostly a history book.
What a thought. To understand a thing, place, or person, begin with its history. If only my brain worked better!

Good on you for keeping records I haven't done so well myself. I only just recently bought some maintenance log books -- I'm trying to remember to fill them out but.. I've been doing so much around the house.. it's hard to remember logging when you're fighting your way through learning unfamiliar tasks. Should it interest you, I've found to be beautifully laid out for logging automotive repairs. Just enough room for a thorough summary, and they look nice on a bookshelf, too!

As for service stuff, I was in the Corps. It wasn't anything too outrageous. A reservist gig, largely disillusioning. But hey! If you can break a 3 million buck hunk of metal and get stuck putting it back together regardless of whether you know what you're doing yet, why not try elsewhere? It all starts with a complaint or an "uh-oh". Then yuh isolate it! Once that's done you can start studying. Oh, and not sleeping and getting yelled at all the time can turn anyone into a jerk/goof. I wasn't the worst, but I wish I'd been better..

Don't feel bad about the procrastination! Life's exhausting

And it's interesting that the fault seems to have improved since replacement of the ECM. Have you driven much since its replacement? I'm not wholly convinced that was the problem since it didn't fully resolve the matter, but I may be surprised!! It's just. You can go through troubleshooting procedures for a thing like that and check resistances of parts.. and they may read a little out of specification. Procedures may then have a mechanic full-stop and replace the part. Then the brand-new part reads a little out of spec just like the former
We may have to see if the fault comes back after some driving. Maybe not! Either way, it could be said with a significant degree of confidence that the scary and expensive problematic ECM fault is ruled out. No more bad brain

The valve adjustment should make the car run even better regardless of whether it fixes the fault, so while I'll be crossing my fingers with you, it won't be for nothing either way!! I'm confident the dealership will get to the bottom of the matter. As it's been said (assuming compression -- which we can do thanks to the compression test) air, fuel, and spark are all that's needed to make the magic happen. So one of them will be the cause.
Have you noticed the engine hiccuping at any specific time? I'm pretty deep in this reply and can't remember. Say, at idle, or on the freeway, at a certain rpm or mph. After driving a while, or on a cold morning. Anything like that could be useful so be sure to keep an eye out!

It's nice to meet you, Nia. It was a real pleasure reading your kind and thoughtful reply. I'm sorry you're still dealing with this dang fault, but the company is cool.