Honda Civic random Battery, SRS, ABS and Brake lights

[MTL_4runner]

Well, I haven't got the CEL sorted out from the previous thread, but now I have a new issue with it. I had my dash just lit up like a christmas tree while driving to work this morning. I had the Brake, SRS, ABS, and Battery lights all going off at once. Now the first thing that came to mind was that the alternator was bad since that was a common sign of a failing alternator (ie you get a dashboard X-mas light show). So I drove it to work with the expectation it may die along the way. It didn't, nor did it die on the way home (which I found funny since usually if the voltage is low enough to do the dashboard light show, you don't have long before the car dies completely because the battery runs out of juice). So first thing I did when I got home was to throw a DMM on the battery terminals with the engine at idle. Well, low and behold my issue wasn't a low voltage problem, it was an over voltage problem. The DMM showed about 16.13 volts at idle and would go to 16.67 volts if you increased the engine speed (normally it should NEVER be higher than 15.00 volts under any circumstances). So from what I can make out, the regulator is cooked and needs to be replaced. I have to make a few calls before I figure out which route to go, but I'm going to call and see which is cheaper: new regulator or a used alternator from the boneyard.

Here's another post I found outlining essentially the exact same problem: http://www.civicforums.com/forums/36-mechanical-problems-vehicle-issues-fix-forum/284166-dash-light-issue.html .....but of course no follow up saying what actually fixed it.

If anyone else had a similar issue with their Civic, post up.

[MTL_4runner]

Ok, I ordered a used (very, very low mileage, in fact it only has 13K miles on it!!!! :thumbup: ) alternator for $150 CDN which should be here tomorrow so I'll install it after work tomorrow and hopefully the charging circuit voltage goes back into the normal range. The regulator is definately blown and it was going to cost me $50 CDN for a new one from a local auto-electric shop (then who knows how long the bearings, brushes and stator would last) so in the interest of time I just went for the sure thing and I can muck around with rebuilding the old alternator later if I need a spare.

[MTL_4runner]

Funny thing happened on the way home today. I stopped at the auto parts store to get some vacuum line for the 4runner and when I left and started the car then went to pull back out into traffic nobody would let me in. So I decided to really rev it up to about 6k in first gear (my Civic is a standard tranny) and launch. Well, I made it into traffic fine but all of a sudden the dashboard X-mas light show went out. I was thinking great, this darn car decided to fix itself. So I tested it with the DMM again when I got home and the voltage at idle had dropped to only 15.18 volts (which is not enough to make the electronics to haywire, but still the alternator needs to be changed). Very, very strange IMHO. I want to see what the alternator looks like when I pull the old one.....if I find a failure mode I'll post it.

[MTL_4runner]

I finally put in the used alternator (darn Honda always trying to fit 20lbs of SH!T in a 5lb bag....under the hood so to speak) and it was a major PITA although not as bad as it used to be (older Hondas you used to have to pull the CV axle to get the alternator out!!!). Anyway the problem is now gone and I have a nice steady 14.38 volts on the charging system at idle. I haven't had a chance to pull the alternator apart and see what the issue was, but if I see anything obvious with the regulator when I do I'll post up. Now I get to fix the AC on it (hopefully it just needs a refrigerant refill).


*EDIT* I finally pulled the alternator apart and the issue was indeed the regulator, although I definately chose the right way to go by buying a used one because I basically destroyed the alternator in the process while trying to get it apart to look at it. If you live in the rust belt, I highly suggest you just buy a used one with low miles (50k miles or less) from a salvage yard.

[BennyTRD]

What year of Civic Jaie?? I had a 2000 SiR that ran flawlessly for 6 years. Untill I had an Acura dealership to the T-belt and royally screwed eveything up. After the changed the T-belt the car would barely idle. They checked, and re-cheched the timimg to make sure that that wasn't the cause of my problems. I changed the fuel filter, wires, plugs, cleaned the IACV, TB, eveything I could to try to cure the idle problem.

After a month of fighting with them, insisting that the timing was off, I went to the Honda dealer and had them diagnose. They found that the timing was out by on both cam gears by 1 tooth on the exhaust, and 2 teeth on the intake. So needless to say Acura paid Honda's bill for me!!

[MTL_4runner]

What year of Civic Jamie??


It's a 2002 Honda Civic LX-G (Canada). I don't have any issues or driveability problems with it except an incessant CEL and OBD code P1457 that you just can't get rid of. I suppose I could have just played parts replacement at my cost but with the car driving fine, it just didn't seem worth it.