Hi everyone - Just joined the forum, wanted to say hello, and compliment you guys on lots of helpful info - looking forward to perusing. I have a question regarding our '97 LX 5-spd, which I proudly inherited this week when my wife and I swapped cars - long story.

Anyway, she's had the car since new, so it's beautiful & in perfect mechanical condition (of course). All stock, 80k miles, original clutch. My issue is that that starts in cool weather are getting difficult. Seems that the usual clutch-to-ignition communication that lets the car start with depressing the clutch and turning the key isn't working well. I.e., I have to play with depressing the clutch a few times to allow the car to start. Restarting the car is not a problem.

Is there an adjustable/replaceable relay in the clutch pedal assembly that I can fix?? Has anyone else had this problem and/or know the name of the appropriate part?

Thanks in advance!

J

I think this is a common problem and has something to do with the main relay. I have this problem occasionally but not enough to warrant a replacement yet. I normally keep the key twisted and it will start within 3 seconds.

The clutch uses a micro switch like the brake pedal does to signal the brake lights. The clutch has one to kill cruise if you shift while cruise is activated. I'm thinking the same switch does dual safety duty for the starting interlock for manual tranny cars. Sounds like it could be sticking. Maybe a strategically placed shot of WD40 will help things or replacing the switch. The switch might be be adjustable. Could be a quick fix or at the least, a much less expensive fix than a major problem. The switch (#9 below) lists for about $25.00.

#8 below is a switch but its listed as a 12mm "inhibitor" ?? Not sure what that is.

*Note: The below pic is for a 2003.

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/catimgs/13sda01_b23.gif

sorry for asking another question from this thread, but it is very similar. the cruise control on my 91 hasn't worked since i got the car, whatever, there's a lot of problems with it, but i also noticed that you can start the car without depressing the clutch. i just assumed that that year didn't require it, but thought it was strange. so am i right in assuming that my clutch swith is stuck on depressed?

Our 86 Accord started without clutching in too...it may have only been added later. If you get underneath the dash and look up you'll see for sure if your clutch has a little switch sensor thing.

so, i just checked it out. i have a switch, and it's been rewired. but the part that really took me for a spin, and kept me from fixing it yet, is that i noticed alot of taped and hanging wires from the whole under-dash area. so i cut the zip ties that were holding them together and followed some of them around. apparently i've had an alarm system hooked up ever since i bought the car and didn't know about it. what are the odds?

anyways does anyone think it's worth trying to unwire it? or should i just leave it the way it is and hope it doesn't decide to arm itself?

scratch that, i removed it allready with no problems so far.
also have cruise control now :)

thanks for the replies, especially the exploded diagram - btw, how did you find that and can i get one for my '97? if its really just a $25 part, then i'm definitely gonna take the time to figure this out.

i'm gonna take another look down there to compare it to the diagram, knowing that there will be differences based on year - last time i checked, all i saw was a bolt/spring mechanism attached to the pedal and it didn't look easy to remove.

thanks again!

If you go to the 7th gen FAQ (even though your car isn't a 7th gen), there's a list of Honda online part sources. Most of those part sources have blow up diagram when you click on regions of the car you're interested in (ie. front door panel). It's a little tricky to find the region of the car that you really want to look at (so front door panel does not actually list everything that is attached to the front doors), but with a little practice you can find anything on the car. In this case, the picture would be located under Chassis > Pedal...try hondapartsdeals.com too. I tried both and hondapartsdeals.com is better/easier in this case. Looks like #14 or 16 in this case

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/catimgs/13sv40_j16.gif

A note about Hondapartsdeals... their pictures sometimes don't match the descriptions. They use the wrong picture sometimes. Try hondaautomotiveparts.com or slhondaparts.com for diagrams and part numbers, then buy your part from hondapartsdeals.. They could usually beat the competition's price by a fair margin even after S&H.