check engine light

[snowlady]

We have a 99 Honda Accord. About six months ago the check engine light came on. We took it to a foreign car repair (the nearest Honda dealer is 130 miles away, and this repair shop has a good reputation), and he said he couldn't find anything wrong. He hooked it to his computer, and nothing showed up. He said the light was off when he pulled it into his shop, so it apparantly went off by itself. About two or three weeks later the light came back on. Back to the shop, and this time when he hooked it up to his computer he got codes that the oxygen sensor needed to be replaced. Ok, we did that. Then three months later the car started running rough, and the light came on again. This time the code said "misfire #2 cylinder. He pulled the plug and said it looked good. He replaced the spark plug wires. Now it's two months later, and the check engine light came on again. Before it came on, it was missing and running rough for about three or four days. He looked at it and said that he couldn't tell from the codes what's wrong. He turned the light off, and suggested that we continue to drive it, and if it comes on again, to make note of engine temp, weather, how had the engine been running? Did I just get gas?

Does anyone have any experience with this, or know what might be causing the light to keep coming on, and the car to run rough?

[accordztech]

coil? i hate problems that are like that...u should go to the root of the problem...at least with the cylinders...sorrie if i didnt help...but it is a thought.

shoot...if u bring that crap to honda...they will be like 'normal wear and tear' and they cant identify the problem exactly too.

good luck.

[BullShifter]

Do you know what codes # were retrieved? 4 cyl or V6?
Leaving the gas cap loose will cause a check engine light - then reset itself after a while - but not cause it to run rough.

[vassil3427]

Did he even bother to check the fuel injectors?? They can run a test and see if ones going bad, from the sounds of it, that's what going on. Go buy some good fuel injector cleaner, with the cheap stuff that companies call gasoline these days, it tends to clog fuel injectors over time.

[ctimb]

Ok im driving down the road and the damn engine shutters for like 2 seconds and the ABS light comes on and the Check engine light. Being the retard I am...i thought my engine had just died so I click the keys and the ABS light goes off and im stuck with the check engine light. I already ran the gas cap check and the oil check and neither of these solved my problems. Any other little self checks I can do before i spend 300 at honda.
BTW the car seems to be fine except instead of idleing at around 1000 rpm it seems to be ideling between 8-900 rpm.

[BullShifter]

Loose gas caps only effect '98 & newer models. 1st thing reset the ECU by pulling the hazard fuse under hood, start engine & re-check for light.

what make/model?

[ctimb]

Its a 99 accord...im going to have the codes read today and see if anything comes out of that and ill try and pull the fuse and try that. Thanks for the help.