2016 CVT EX, about 115k miles. Japan made

On her way back to Cleveland for work and she calls.

Background:

Bought a new battery about 6 weeks ago (51R) due to slower starting. About 4 weeks later had starting troubles (weak crank or no start). Has been jumped (lithium jumper box), but no major issues with running (25 miles to work and back).

She went home this weekend (as did I...I'm working out of the area). Tested EVERYTHING I could. Bought a new battery, just in case (even though the other one was new, tested fine, and even the local interstate guy did a load test and said it tested fine. I gave her a cigarette lighter adapter (USB charger) that displays voltage live to have in the car.

Ran a digital battery tester. Charging system OK. Puts out 14.2V on first start. Crank system OK. Battery tests fine. No parasitic draw (and no aftermarket stuff on the car)

I cleaned the battery connections (the clamp around the post, and the metal connection just next to it..the negative 'nut' was a bit loose, so I paid attention to that part). Even pulled the ground off the body and cleaned it.

Then it started fine, so I figured it was the poor ground.

Now, as she's driving the 6 hours, she tells me about 1.5 hrs into the drive that the voltage is reading 12.3 at idle while she's getting coffee in a drive through. No driveablity issues. Have her turn the AC on when she's up to highway speeds, and the voltage jumps to 14.2. High beams on drops it a bit (14.0). Everything off is about 12.5-12.8ish.

Sounds about right for an ELD?

Then...4 hours into the drive, the voltage is down to 12.3 at highway speeds and 'a bunch of lights' comes on. TPMS, Traction Control, Electronic Steering. Drove fine. I had her get off, and use the air pump she has to check tire pressure...all fine.

Had her read codes: P300 (multiple cylinder misfire), P301 (cylinder 1 misfire), P302 (cylinder 2 misfire) , P219A(air/fuel mixture wrong)****. Nothing related to the ELD.

(****she's had the a P0420 and P219A for a while, and she's trying to get in to the Honda Dealer out there to get it tested for the fuel injectors and see if it falls under the extended warranty, the cylinder misfires are new).

That was 15 minutes ago. She restarted (started fine) and is driving, but the lights are still on (but it's driving fine)...after sitting to use the bathroom and check the tire pressures, etc...the voltage is 14.3.

I'm stumped. I have (in my car) a Reman Alternator I ordered before we both went home (Rock Auto) just in case her Alternator was bad (since locally they're $600, Rockauto was $135).

Any ideas? ELD going bad? I know low voltage can throw a bunch of warning lights that aren't 'real', so I'm assuming it was a voltage drop.

If she can get to Cleveland (staying at a friend's house for work), She'll keep the battery on a charger, and I'll either go there (4+ hr drive) or meet her at my Brother's place 3 hrs for her, 2 for me this weekend to fix it.

Where is the ELD in the Gen 3? All the stuff I see is for the Gen 1 or 2.

Anyone know the proper part number (or even part name to look it up on a Honda parts site)?

If the injectors aren't under warranty, I'll probably do them to save her some money. Need both the injectors and the fuel rail? Anything else? Reasonable place for parts?


Thanks for helping. I'm annoyed that I didn't figure it out at home, worried she'll get stuck somewhere, and extra annoyed as I told her about 5 years ago (it was a CPO from a Honda Dealer) she needed a reliable car due to her having to travel for work...figured Honda would do her well, it wasn't the first year of the new Generation, had low miles (36k when she got it), and was 'existing' tech (same engine for a while).

 

I looked up the Dash Light issues...turns out it could easily be the Injectors causing all that (and the ELD/Alternator is working, but I can't exclude that as a separate problem either).


Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks!

 

Honda 38920-T5A-A02

Battery Sensor Assembly....the black box attached to the Negative battery clamp? Is that the ELD in Gen 3?

This pic came from another Post on here.

 

Yes, that black box is the ELD sensor. And you may be right about the injectors causing those lights, (from what I've read).

I wanted to ditch my ELD a few years ago for a new terminal and cable. I tried finding info but, didn't come up with much. I guess the ecu monitors the sensor readings then lowers alternator output by bringing it down from 14+ volts to 12 something volts to conserve when under a minimal load. Some have stated their volts come down often. Personally, I monitored mine passively for over 3 years and had only observed it come down a few times, then in less than a minute, it went back to over 14 without me doing anything.

There's a short video on youtube where a guy gets specific codes for the ELD when it was bad.

Edit: Maybe it's your alternator for starting problems?

 

Original Alternator.

Today, she parked it at 8am, and just now (6pm) tested the battery Voltage at 12.7V before starting and 14.4 right after starting. I'm tending towards the poor ground as the starting issue. She'll keep an eye on the voltage to be safe (and I ordered a replacement ELD to be safe, but won't install it unless it starts giving problems).

Now just trying to figure out the injector stuff.

 

I had a weak ground on my battery with a different car OBD1, years ago. It didn't cause starting problems or anything, but it did cause other problems/codes, like injectors and sensors and idled a bit rough. I swapped out the terminal and cable and everything went away.