Hello All,
RE: 1998 Honda Accord 4 cylinder 2.3L 4dr. Color: smurf-blue!
First of all, I am new to the forum so thanks for the invite...and please let me know if I am incorrectly posting something or not following proper forum etiquette.
I recently had my front and rear engine mounts replaced due to a rough idle and when I got my car back, I noticed my keyless entry fob would only work sporadically---sometimes all morning, sometimes all evening, but not both! After a few days, the key fob stopped working totally. But further experimenting revealed that it worked 100% of the time as long as I was a few inches from either the driver's or front passenger door. When I am this close, everything works: all doors, the trunk release, and arming the alarm.
I have tried logical things first: new fob battery, thoroughly cleaned the fob circuit board, checked all fuses, re-programmed the fob (actually, both of them), and checked the wiring for door lock/window multi-switch. I didn't suspect the driver's door actuator, but I replaced that anyway. (I changed the driver's actuator since it controls all the others, right?) By the way, my car battery is a couple of years old and is pulling 12.59 volts in the morning. I believe this is withing normal range at rest. Anyway, none of this worked.
I believe the keyless entry receiver is not properly accepting the key fob's signal. The car radio signal seems to work properly. I pulled the radio and checked the radio antenna as I believe the keyless entry may be tied into that. It looked properly plugged in. I clicked away and discovered the strongest signal being accepted under the glove box or behind the radio. I pulled out the glove box and passenger lower panel looking for perhaps a loose keyless entry receiver antenna wire or ground connection to no avail. I believe I've found two relays behind the passenger fuse box--I'm not sure. They do click when the fob works. But my next step was to swap them out but I am unfamiliar with the symptoms of a sticky relay. Perhaps this is it?
I have not yet checked the antenna booster coil in the trunk, nor tracked the antenna wire under the center console towards the trunk. It seems like a lot of work for that.
Short of all this, any ideas on what I can do to further diagnose and fix the problem? Any thoughts of diagnosing if both key fobs are just bad? Will a sticky relay cause my problem, too? Is there anything in the engine such as a ground that could have come loose or left unconnected after the front and rear mounts were replaced?
Any help is appreciated!
Thank you,
Fred
RE: 1998 Honda Accord 4 cylinder 2.3L 4dr. Color: smurf-blue!
First of all, I am new to the forum so thanks for the invite...and please let me know if I am incorrectly posting something or not following proper forum etiquette.
I recently had my front and rear engine mounts replaced due to a rough idle and when I got my car back, I noticed my keyless entry fob would only work sporadically---sometimes all morning, sometimes all evening, but not both! After a few days, the key fob stopped working totally. But further experimenting revealed that it worked 100% of the time as long as I was a few inches from either the driver's or front passenger door. When I am this close, everything works: all doors, the trunk release, and arming the alarm.
I have tried logical things first: new fob battery, thoroughly cleaned the fob circuit board, checked all fuses, re-programmed the fob (actually, both of them), and checked the wiring for door lock/window multi-switch. I didn't suspect the driver's door actuator, but I replaced that anyway. (I changed the driver's actuator since it controls all the others, right?) By the way, my car battery is a couple of years old and is pulling 12.59 volts in the morning. I believe this is withing normal range at rest. Anyway, none of this worked.
I believe the keyless entry receiver is not properly accepting the key fob's signal. The car radio signal seems to work properly. I pulled the radio and checked the radio antenna as I believe the keyless entry may be tied into that. It looked properly plugged in. I clicked away and discovered the strongest signal being accepted under the glove box or behind the radio. I pulled out the glove box and passenger lower panel looking for perhaps a loose keyless entry receiver antenna wire or ground connection to no avail. I believe I've found two relays behind the passenger fuse box--I'm not sure. They do click when the fob works. But my next step was to swap them out but I am unfamiliar with the symptoms of a sticky relay. Perhaps this is it?
I have not yet checked the antenna booster coil in the trunk, nor tracked the antenna wire under the center console towards the trunk. It seems like a lot of work for that.
Short of all this, any ideas on what I can do to further diagnose and fix the problem? Any thoughts of diagnosing if both key fobs are just bad? Will a sticky relay cause my problem, too? Is there anything in the engine such as a ground that could have come loose or left unconnected after the front and rear mounts were replaced?
Any help is appreciated!
Thank you,
Fred