"tonyrama" <yo@yo.com> wrote in news:117tdcgqb9jcf4d@corp.supernews.com:

> Hey all
> Just got a '92 Accord Coupe through my aunt's estate. I've never had a
> Honda before, so I was wondering if there is any website or something
> like that that I can get info from? Looking for stuff like known
> problems, issues, recalls, stuff like that.


www.tegger.com/hondafaq
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/tsb


>
> Aside from the brakes, which is a wear item, are these things that
> normally fail on Hondas? I'd always thought of Hondas as one of the
> most reliable cars around,


Oh they are, especially if you take care of them.



> was I wrong, or is this just a really bad
> apple?


I think you just picked up the results of somebody's severe neglect.

There are some really good people in this group. Most of your problems
should be fixable with their help.

By the way, did you check the coolant level in the rad or just in the
reservoir?


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

 

> Aside from the brakes, which is a wear item, are these things that normally
> fail on Hondas? I'd always thought of Hondas as one of the most reliable
> cars around, was I wrong, or is this just a really bad apple?
>

Um, it is a 13 year old car with an unknown maintenance history.
Brand is not an issue here!

John

 

"tonyrama" <yo@yo.com> wrote in news:117ug847pep3fcd@corp.supernews.com:

>
>
> Well, the car had already been driven for several miles to the place
> where I picked it up. And I did test the brakes before I took it. My
> aunt had been driving this thing all over the place as late as a
> couple months ago, so it didn't seem like too much could go wrong.



You would be absolutely amazed what people consider "normal", even when
very serious problems are happening down there. Some people are totally
oblivious to what their car is telling them.

My local dealer told me recently about a customer that brought his car in
because a signal light wasn't working. While the tech was driving the car
50ft from the parking space to the garage door, he knew instantly that
something was seriously wrong with the suspension: The steering had 3" of
play at the steering wheel. It was so loose it felt like it was connected
with string.

When he got it apart, he saw the ball joint was rattling around in its
socket like a pill in a pill bottle. I saw and felt that ball joint. The
customer was /completely/ unaware, even though the steering had about 3" of
play. He had been driving it like that for months.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

 

"tonyrama" <yo@yo.com> wrote in news:117ufvmc5vntu9e@corp.supernews.com:

>
>> By the way, did you check the coolant level in the rad or just in the
>> reservoir?
>
>
> Oh, the engine temp was off the charts, so I decided not to open the
> radiator :) Yesterday was poruring rain, so I didn't go out to check
> it once it cooled down. But if the reservoir was full, wouldn't the
> rad be also?



Nope.

Certain problems, from a bad rad cap to a blown head gasket to some other
kind of leak, can cause the rad to be low and the reservoir to be high.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

 

> Before driving (any) disused vehicle, you should read and understand the
> manual, then perform the inspections described. What if the brakes had
> completely failed (I guess we wouldn't be having this discussion, eh?)
> The bottle of antifreeze should have tipped you off to look under the
> hood and be sure all was OK. Overheating the engine could destroy your
> 'inheritance' rather quickly.


Well, the car had already been driven for several miles to the place where I
picked it up. And I did test the brakes before I took it. My aunt had been
driving this thing all over the place as late as a couple months ago, so it
didn't seem like too much could go wrong.


>
> If you didn't get a manual with the car, your Honda dealer will be glad
> to get you one, for a fee. :-)

It did come with a manual, but that wouldn't tell me why the switch failed,
or why it overheated, unless Honda makes better manuals then everybody else
:)

Tonyrama

 

> By the way, did you check the coolant level in the rad or just in the
> reservoir?


Oh, the engine temp was off the charts, so I decided not to open the
radiator :) Yesterday was poruring rain, so I didn't go out to check it once
it cooled down. But if the reservoir was full, wouldn't the rad be also?

Thanks for the website, I'll have to check that out.


Tonyrama

 

tonyrama wrote:
> Hey all
> Just got a '92 Accord Coupe through my aunt's estate. I've never had a Honda
> before, so I was wondering if there is any website or something like that
> that I can get info from? Looking for stuff like known problems, issues,
> recalls, stuff like that.
>
> I drove it home today, and it's in much worse shape then I had originally
> thought. First, the idle is uneven, as if someone is repeatedly goosing the
> throttle. This happened on start-up, and went away by the time I got home,
> about ten miles away. At about eight miles though, was when I saw smoke from
> the engine compartment, and then I noticed that the temperature was
> redlined. Seeing that there was a jug of antifreeze in the front seat, I
> figured that it was low, but it wasn't. So I left it, and came back a couple
> hours later to pick it up, and there's a really bad belt squeal from
> somewhere.
>
> I think the brakes are shot, as they're making a lot of noise, no power to
> the radio, the power mirror switch seems to be stuck in the far right
> position, because the mirrors will only go right, and the only way to stop
> them is to turn the side selector switch to neutral.
>
> Aside from the brakes, which is a wear item, are these things that normally
> fail on Hondas? I'd always thought of Hondas as one of the most reliable
> cars around, was I wrong, or is this just a really bad apple?
>
> Thanks
> Tonyrama

------------------------------

Before driving (any) disused vehicle, you should read and understand the
manual, then perform the inspections described. What if the brakes had
completely failed (I guess we wouldn't be having this discussion, eh?)
The bottle of antifreeze should have tipped you off to look under the
hood and be sure all was OK. Overheating the engine could destroy your
'inheritance' rather quickly.

If you didn't get a manual with the car, your Honda dealer will be glad
to get you one, for a fee. :-)

'Curly'

 

In article <117tdcgqb9jcf4d@corp.supernews.com>, "tonyrama" <yo@yo.com> wrote:

> Hey all
> Just got a '92 Accord Coupe through my aunt's estate. I've never had a Honda
> before, so I was wondering if there is any website or something like that
> that I can get info from? Looking for stuff like known problems, issues,
> recalls, stuff like that.
>
> I drove it home today, and it's in much worse shape then I had originally
> thought. First, the idle is uneven, as if someone is repeatedly goosing the
> throttle. This happened on start-up, and went away by the time I got home,
> about ten miles away. At about eight miles though, was when I saw smoke from
> the engine compartment, and then I noticed that the temperature was
> redlined. Seeing that there was a jug of antifreeze in the front seat, I
> figured that it was low, but it wasn't. So I left it, and came back a couple
> hours later to pick it up, and there's a really bad belt squeal from
> somewhere.
>
> I think the brakes are shot, as they're making a lot of noise, no power to
> the radio, the power mirror switch seems to be stuck in the far right
> position, because the mirrors will only go right, and the only way to stop
> them is to turn the side selector switch to neutral.
>
> Aside from the brakes, which is a wear item, are these things that normally
> fail on Hondas? I'd always thought of Hondas as one of the most reliable
> cars around, was I wrong, or is this just a really bad apple?
>
> Thanks
> Tonyrama

Tonyrama,
It's a great idea when you get a used car to have a complete tune-up. If
you know a local mechanic that you trust, take it to him. Otherwise, take
it to the local Honda dealership and have them do a complete tune-up. If
you have some extra money--also have them change the timing belt and
replace the water pump. If you need tires, watch for special sales in the
local newspaper. While at the Honda dealership, have them check the brakes
and suspension system.
Jason

--
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We do NOT respect the subscribers that enjoy criticizing people.

 

tonyrama wrote:
> Aside from the brakes, which is a wear item, are these things that normally
> fail on Hondas? I'd always thought of Hondas as one of the most reliable
> cars around, was I wrong, or is this just a really bad apple?

sounds like abuse/neglect to me. some people think "maintenance"
consists of filling the gas tank. its probably never had a timing belt
change, water pump change, or any of its fluids changed, ever. the
brakes should have been looked at when they first started making noise.

which leaves the power mirror switch, which is likely a fluke. its
already hit jalopy status.

 

"tonyrama" <yo@yo.com> wrote in message
news:117tdcgqb9jcf4d@corp.supernews.com...
> Hey all
> Just got a '92 Accord Coupe through my aunt's estate. I've never had a
> Honda
> before, so I was wondering if there is any website or something like that
> that I can get info from? Looking for stuff like known problems, issues,
> recalls, stuff like that.

www.cb7tuner.com

 

Hey all
Just got a '92 Accord Coupe through my aunt's estate. I've never had a Honda
before, so I was wondering if there is any website or something like that
that I can get info from? Looking for stuff like known problems, issues,
recalls, stuff like that.

I drove it home today, and it's in much worse shape then I had originally
thought. First, the idle is uneven, as if someone is repeatedly goosing the
throttle. This happened on start-up, and went away by the time I got home,
about ten miles away. At about eight miles though, was when I saw smoke from
the engine compartment, and then I noticed that the temperature was
redlined. Seeing that there was a jug of antifreeze in the front seat, I
figured that it was low, but it wasn't. So I left it, and came back a couple
hours later to pick it up, and there's a really bad belt squeal from
somewhere.

I think the brakes are shot, as they're making a lot of noise, no power to
the radio, the power mirror switch seems to be stuck in the far right
position, because the mirrors will only go right, and the only way to stop
them is to turn the side selector switch to neutral.

Aside from the brakes, which is a wear item, are these things that normally
fail on Hondas? I'd always thought of Hondas as one of the most reliable
cars around, was I wrong, or is this just a really bad apple?

Thanks
Tonyrama

 

> > Well, the car had already been driven for several miles to the place
> > where I picked it up. And I did test the brakes before I took it. My
> > aunt had been driving this thing all over the place as late as a
> > couple months ago, so it didn't seem like too much could go wrong.

I know that, and my aunt was one of those people. But I did figure that if
it were going to blow up, it would've done it already.

Talked to a guy at work, he said it sounded like a water pump failure. I
will be able to check that now that it's not raining.

Tonyrama

 

> A Honda will mark 13 years of service more times than most "domestic"
brands.
>

No arguments there from me. I've only ever owned Japanese cars. Ok, that's
not true, but I've only ever bought Japanese cars. One is ten, the other is
twelve, but then I like to take care of mine.

Tonyrama

 

tonyrama wrote:

> I know that, and my aunt was one of those people. But I did figure that if
> it were going to blow up, it would've done it already.
>
> Talked to a guy at work, he said it sounded like a water pump failure. I
> will be able to check that now that it's not raining.

Out of curiosity, how many miles does this Accord have now?

If you can get a hold the car's maintenance receipts, look for the last
instance of the timing belt being changed. If it is the water pump that is
failing (and from what you have said so far, I tend to believe so), the
timing belt might as well be changed (if it hasn't been done recently) if
you're going to change the water pump. With belt-driven Honda engines like
this one, it is recommended that the water pump be changed at the same time
as the timing belt, as you have to remove a bunch of stuff to get at both.

Get the water pump thing done ASAP because if you put it off too long, a
failing water pump may cause the timing belt to break, thereby possibly
damaging the engine valves. And that means huge $ to fix.

 

> Out of curiosity, how many miles does this Accord have now?
>
> If you can get a hold the car's maintenance receipts, look for the last
> instance of the timing belt being changed. If it is the water pump that
is
> failing (and from what you have said so far, I tend to believe so), the
> timing belt might as well be changed (if it hasn't been done recently) if
> you're going to change the water pump. With belt-driven Honda engines
like
> this one, it is recommended that the water pump be changed at the same
time
> as the timing belt, as you have to remove a bunch of stuff to get at both.
>
> Get the water pump thing done ASAP because if you put it off too long, a
> failing water pump may cause the timing belt to break, thereby possibly
> damaging the engine valves. And that means huge $ to fix.

The car has 128,000 miles. Maintenance receipts will be likely gone, but I
doubt it's had anything in the way of preventative maint. for at least the
last few years. It's not really driveable now, so I'll definately get it
fixed before I start to use it.

Tonyrama

 

128,000 miles is nothing to a Honda, but 13 years might be, if that makes
sense. It doesn't sound like the car was maintained well, at least in recent
years.

Get it tuned up, have the timing belt and water pump replaced, have the
thermostat checked and check the hoses and belts (maybe a belt was
squealing? maybe a radiator hose leak?). Have the entire car checked out. If
the overheating didn't cause engine damage, you'll probably wind up with a
great car.

 

"Dee" <Nobody@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:B46ge.49660$AE6.4676@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> 128,000 miles is nothing to a Honda, but 13 years might be, if that makes
> sense. It doesn't sound like the car was maintained well, at least in
recent
> years.

Yes, that does make sense. It shows neglect all over.

>
> Get it tuned up, have the timing belt and water pump replaced, have the
> thermostat checked and check the hoses and belts (maybe a belt was
> squealing? maybe a radiator hose leak?). Have the entire car checked out.
If
> the overheating didn't cause engine damage, you'll probably wind up with a
> great car.

It is leaking antifreeze, I put cardboard under it so I'd be able to see it,
and it was soaked this afternoon. It's coming from the general direction of
the water pump, but there's a large plastic shroud under there, and the
coolant is dripping off of it. Will have to localize the leak though...
Tonyrama

 

<< > It is leaking antifreeze, I put cardboard under it so I'd be able to
see it,
> and it was soaked this afternoon. It's coming from the general direction
of
> the water pump, but there's a large plastic shroud under there, and the
> coolant is dripping off of it. Will have to localize the leak though... >>


You could always jack up the radiator cap and slide a new car under it.

Seriously, all these problems *might* be minor; the engine and transmission
may still be in good shape -- hope so. Good luck.

 

> You could always jack up the radiator cap and slide a new car under it.
>
> Seriously, all these problems *might* be minor; the engine and
transmission
> may still be in good shape -- hope so. Good luck.

Thanks :) I looked up the blue book on it, and in questionable shape, it
still said over $900, so as long as it costs less than that, it should be a
deal. Seriously though, I'm leaning towards the water pump thing. I'm going
to get it checked out soon, and we'll see how much it's going to cost to
fix.

Oh, thanks Tegger, that website was just what I was looking for :)

Tonyrama

 

"tonyrama" <yo@yo.com> wrote in news:1182f4uk3j00t08@corp.supernews.com:

>
>> You could always jack up the radiator cap and slide a new car under
>> it.
>>
>> Seriously, all these problems *might* be minor; the engine and
> transmission
>> may still be in good shape -- hope so. Good luck.
>
> Thanks :) I looked up the blue book on it, and in questionable shape,
> it still said over $900, so as long as it costs less than that, it
> should be a deal. Seriously though, I'm leaning towards the water pump
> thing. I'm going to get it checked out soon, and we'll see how much
> it's going to cost to fix.
>
> Oh, thanks Tegger, that website was just what I was looking for :)
>



You're welcome.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/