[James S]

Well tonight is a RED Letter Date in James S Acura Legend G1 History!

After almost 6 months of trying to figure out an ailing ingnition problem which left the car running after the keys where turned off and taken out of the car, and no way of stopping it until the injector fuses and battery power was pulled.

It all started years ago before I got my 95 LS Coupe, and sold it to my brother.

The car would just come to life on its own, and the big giveaway was the radio blarring with no one in the car locked and keys in hand. This would mostly happen at night for some reason.

After spending bucks on a new Ignition harness, which seemed to fix the problem. It crept back again

Everyone else thought it was the ignition cable harness the mechanical keylock system or the Security system, since most mechanics traced a possible short in schematics to that location.

It all started to come together when I borrowed the car and before pulling fuses and the battery power to get it to shut off
I started playing with the shifter (automatic transmission)

I noticed after I turned off the ignitition and pulled the keys out the car was running as usual, but this time I put it from Park to low drive, and than back to Neutral while sitting in the driveway with the brakes on, when amazingly everything went dead as its supposed to when turned off.

To my dismay, I started the car back up and turned it off and did the same motions trying to replicate the problems fix.

sometimes the engine would stop running, but all the ignition lights remained on.

So tonight we attacked it again and removed the center console and pulled the center Consoles Shift Selector Switch, took it apart and noticed wear in the connectors brass or copper slider contacts.

After reinstalling just the harness connection and not mounting the switch to the shifter, we could manipulate the switch with gradual movent to and fro, and viola! we got the engine and all ignition lights to shut off as they are suppose to when the key ignition is shut off.

So we replicated the problem, determined the switch that was causing all the problems, and now is going to be replaced with a new one.

The car at a 170 must have worn out those contacts (some more than others for some reason in the switch itself.

Atleast I now have beaten another UNKNOWN in the Acura Legend world, and now would like to pass this info on to all the other G1 Legend owners with high milage.

If your car acts this way, I suggest you inspect your Gear Selector Switch, before replacing ignition switches and harnesses.

I had no Idea this switch controled all this and or made the car act so wierd this way. Only thought it would (if defective) allow the car to be started in Neutral.

So pass the word!

I am including a picture of my 1988 L Coupe Legend in Florence Blue which I had the pleasure of owning and driving for 11 years!

(this was the day I was getting a Stromung Cat-Back Exhaust put on by my local Mechanic 'Rudy' In Melbourne Florida

Best Regards, James S.

 

[89LCoupe]

Lovely looking g1 - very straight!
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, it's always helpful to shortcut unneccesary repairs, probably the most important function of this board, other than the great feeling of sharing passion for these cars.

cheers

rich

 

[full_stealth]

sounds like CHRISTINE thanks for the info

 

[cdndvl]

Excellent car !!! I know I've said it before, but....

WOW... Never heard of something like that causing a problem like that !!!!! Good troubleshooting !! Did you tell your local dealer about that ?? They might cover the part cost if there was a shifter problem in that year !!

 

[James S]

Thanks for all your responses!

I got the new switch on order from Acura ($40.00)

it should be here by Friday

I will let you know for sure it this solves the ignition problem
once and for all!

Regards, James

 

[AcuraGuy]

WOW! congrats on your problem solving techniques! You must have been soooo happy when you realized it was your tranny switch! hope everything works out!

wait.. when you mean Shift Selector Switch, do you mean the big button you have to depress to get the stick out of Park?

 

[James S]

AcuraGuy:

No, its the switch located underneath the shifter console
and it has a big harness attached to it.

Regards, James

 

[James S]

#@$%#@$&*$#&** Som Bitc!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!

Well the switch came it this past Friday
and after hooking it up in the G1 Coupe
it still did the same thing and the engine runs on
with the keys out of ignition.

Believe me, its not the ignition, we seem to think the
cause could be a bad relay or relays sticking open or closed.

I need someones help with a G1 who has the HELMS Manual
for the Electrical Trouble Shooting guide to he me determine
where and what Relays are in-line with the Ignition system.

Anyone with a 1988 L Coupe HELMS Eletrical Manual please contact me, I think we will need this ASAP.

I would be willing to Trade a 1993 G2 Acura BOSE DECK for this if the book can be somekind of help.

Cannot afford some electical Mechanic to go through the car at 45+ dollars an hour!

Regards, James S.

 

[Rick90Legend]

Sorry to hear that the gear slector switch (aka shift interlock switch, neutral start switch I believe) didn't correct the problem. However, EVERYONE should be aware of this switch. I replied to numerous problems in this and the old forum with the idea that it could be that switch giving them problems.

If you have a problem with the tranny shifting oddly, not letting the key out of the ignition (my problem), light on the dash not indicating what gear you are in, check and replace this switch. My problems only occur in cold weather. I understand very few mechanics and dealers will ever suggest this as a remedy.

 

[stsrus]

Don't know if this is of any help, but my 88 would run with the key off and out of the ignition if the headlights were on. I had ran a seperate power source to the fog light relay, in order to turn on my fog lights without the headlights on, and had left the original power source hooked up. Some how it was managing to back feed through the light circuit and keep the engine running. Turning the headlights off would kill the engine. I disconnected the original power source from the foglight relay and solved the problem
Good luck

 

[Hartman]

I have an idea that your problem could be the main relay. It closes the curcuit for fuel and ignition when you turn your key on. If the contact in the relay is sticking, when you turn the key off fuel and ignition will still be supplied wth power keeping your car running. Its just an idea you might want to explore, good luck!

 

[James S]

I have an idea that your problem could be the main relay. It closes the curcuit for fuel and ignition when you turn your key on. If the contact in the relay is sticking, when you turn the key off fuel and ignition will still be supplied wth power keeping your car running. Its just an idea you might want to explore, good luck!

Hartman, If you would be so kind as to post and email me the exact location of this Main Relay in the Legend Coupe, I would be very thankfull. I just past on these comments you all have been so informative to my brother, who says they too think it may be in the Main Relay today while I was at work, and wanted to know if it is infact that big rectangular silver box that hangs off the fire wall in the engine compartment about dead center.

If anyone else can let me know, I will have this checked out and if its the culprit, I will get this replaced or attempt to clean it out or repair if possible.

I can be reached via email at [email protected]

Thanks in advance for your help

Best Regards, James S.

 

[Hartman]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but to the best of my knowlege the main relay is under the drivers dash to the left of the steering column in the coupe,(I have a sedan).

 

[James S]

SOLVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, its been awhile since I have got back to this, but I just found out what the problem was of this Electrical Phenomena.

Believe it or not it the culprit was the fush box located inside
the car down at the left foot kick panel.

I have suspected this for quite some time, but it was hard to prove it until I ended up getting my hands on a used fuse block
for $30 or so compared to new at $120.

Now everything works just fine as the car did before all this happended!

I want to post some pictures of what I am talking about to show you where the corrosion build up took place.

Im not too sure how the moisture or water build up came from, but many years ago, I did have some body work done when having a cracked windsheild replaced which when removed exposed alot of rust at the base of the window which water intrusion must have been getting through and running down the left side by the fuse box area. It was corrected and fixed and a new windsheild was installed.

If any of you are exeriencing this problem, I suggest you remove your fuse box which is only held on by 2 bolts inside the car and remove all the fuses and connectors, and this unit can be taken apart for inspection/cleaning if necessary. I found it odd that this fuse box does not really have a good seal design to keep water intrusion out.

Who knows! it might has been back when my sunroof was leaking and the drain pipe that runs down the piller was leaking onto the fuse box some how. I will need to do a water check to see if there is still a water intrusion problem for the fuse box inside the car.

All and all both me and my brother (Owner of this Coupe) are very pleased to say the least!

I just wish I found this out before replacing the ignition harness and the shifter box.

Also everyone was telling me replace the main relay, but mine if fine.

Well, thats about it for now

Regards, James

 

[chriskeg]

The main relay is below the steering column to the left. I believe that kick panel must be removed to access it. Let me know how hard this is to do...I need to replace the one in my 90 Sedan, because my mechanic thinks it will cure my hot start problem.

Chris