Ok, so my friend (female) owns a 2004 Honda Accord (4 banger, auto, 90K+ miles) and she's having some issues.

Her main issue with the car right now is that when she comes to a stop, the car either stalls or chokes like its about to stall. She gets the same problem when she puts the car in drive and tries to give it gas.

I could only come up with either a dirty fuel filter (original factory filter) or possible bad EGR valve. The other problem I could come up with was a possible bad vacuum somewhere.

Since I suck at checking the vacuum lines and I've never messed with EGR equipment, I thought I'd ask you guys to see if you can help me pin point the problem.

Yes I know I'm asking about honda diagnostics in a Nissan forum, thing is, I trust you guys (the real technicians, not the posers) over other forums.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

A leaking vacuum line on a honda will cause an erratic idle up and down up and down, so probably not it.

Could be TPS, idle adjsutment, throttle body adjustment, little soft close valve next to the trottle body, map sensor, ignition problems, bad gas, etc.

Check for engine code first. Also does it drive fine and idle fine normally and only have a problem when reving down? Did the problem start suddenly? Did the problem occur after you changed something?

 

well lucky for you i went to honda school and was a honda tech for 4 years lol if it was the egr it would have a code imo it wounds like he IAC Valve

 

also never seein a clogged egr do that to a honda. anyway does it have a code?
IAC Valve does throw a code too

 

To my knowledge, the car had regular oil changes... It just started recently and it only occurs when she tries to accelerate from a stop (sorry for the confusion Charles). Once she is driving, its fine.

I havent checked for codes yet, I had a feeling I should have sent her to my cousin's shop to check for codes.

If its the IAC valve, how much would that run her in repairs?

 

im not sure how these newer obdII setups are in honda's.... but you should be able to locate a code sheet online and run the diagnostic yourself bro.... very simple..

you can run the diagnostic with the car in the ACC position and then with the engine on. You will get a code for sure... Sounds like IAC to me also... when doing B18 swaps etc....... i always had to pull that thing apart and adjust the valve.. every time lol.

as for cost HOnda tech Batt would be able to help you

Dealer=ALOT
"Good" local shop=less than dealer
Her buying part and you installing it=cheaper and you will get some cookies also

 

my wife has a nissan sentra and that was happening to her car too. I wasn't sure what it was so I just searched online to see if other were having the same problem. Everyone said to just clean the MAF sensor. I tried it and it worked. I had to get a cleaner from an auto store though.

 

She's rollin up to meet me at my cousin's shop tomorrow, hopefully we'll find out. If it is the IAC, how do you fix that? or replace if need be?

 

like i said bro fsm is your best bet.... i have not worked on the new cars but if it like most other honda engines i worked on... its located on the back of the Intake Manifold. very simple to remove and replace.

 

well at the dealer i just replaced them lol was it a v-6 or I-4? also not sure how much they charge the customers i only know how much i got payed was like 1 hour dealer cost is $115 an hour

 

So I had my friend meet up with me at the shop today... It didnt really stall, just surge.

My cousin pulled the tranny dip stick out and found the possible culprit. Whom ever did the last tranny flush, replaced it with regular trans fluid and not the honda cherry juice. So right now, we're thinking that could be the reason why her car surges.

I should not listen to her explanations when she's pretty much tipsy, nor should I be asking her technical questions at that time... I guess if you dont use honda trans fluid, it causes the car to surge randomly.

If you guys ever come through norcal, dinner's on me! LOL

 

Not sure why tranny fluid would have anything to do with how the engine runs... i would suspect coolant temp sensor, 02 sensor, map sensor

 

When someone first told me about the tranny fluid issue, I never really believed it. Apparently, honda uses something in their fluid that works for their trannys only (hence the surging)

I was thinking there was some other issue, but we're gonna flush out the regular fluid and putting honda fluid in on Monday for her. Then see if that will cure the random surging.