92 Accord LX won't start in summer, D4 blinks

[HondaZombie]

I have a '92 Honda Accord LX with 198k miles on it. Only in the summer time does my problem occur. I'll try to start the car, the engine won't turn over, the check engine light comes on and the D4 light blinks. I'll attempt to start it over and over, stop, and wait it out for 30 minutes to an hour, but depending on how hot it is, it sometimes takes up to 3 hours before the car will start again. Also, sometimes when I try over and over again to start the car, it'll start but the D4 light will remain blinking even while I'm in park. I'll attempt to drive but I find I have to floor it in order to move the car at all. So I've stopped attempting to drive the car when the D4 light is still blinking. What I'll do is turn it off and try to turn it on again. Sometimes it'll turn on with no problem at all and no blinking D4 light, or it'll continue the same problem.

No one I know and no one I've brought the car to knows what the problem is. The only two ideas I've been given are that the transmission modulator chip needs to be replaced or that the ignition switch needs to be replaced.

Any thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated!

[jeffcoslacker]

Before doing a slash and burn trying to find the cause, try this:

When it does that, hold the key all the way over to start, then push the shifter all the way forward with your other hand, and if nothing happens, try moving the shifter around and even to nuetral and see if it starts...

It's possible the shift cable or neutral safety switch is just misadjusted...metal parts expand in warmer temps, and if the adjustment is just at the threshold of working or not, a little extra heat can put it over into "no go" territory...the flash from the TCU could just be stored code from something related...like sensing nuetral while in drive or something like that...

[AngelouS]

If D4 is flashing u have some codes being stored in the on board computer - pull the p/s kickpanel of and hook a paperclip to either side of the blue connector then turn the ignition to the on position and start counting flashes of the check engine light. the long flashes represent the first half of the number and the short flashes are the second half. ex: ______ ______ __ __ __ =23 post your results and I will tell you whats going on.

[Radio Wolf]

I know there are a ton of potential causes to these issues, but maybe someone else has experienced something similar and has a potential fix.

My father's car (same year, 1992) has been having a very similar issue for about a year now. The "D" light will start flashing and the car will not start for anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours before he can get it going again. Is the car sensing that the tranny is in DRIVE, thus not allowing the ignition to work??

He's had it to several mechanics, the dealer, etc. The same items keep being mentioned -- TCM and neutral safety switch. He's tried 2 or 3 different TCM's, had the neutral safety switch bypassed, and a few other remedies. Nothing seems to help. Either all the TCM's he's tried were faulty, or its more likely that this is not the issue.

In a few threads on here, I have read fuel relays may be the culprit, but their light that was blinking was an "S" light. Dad's is the "D" light. Same difference???

Now, just the past week or so, the car will just shut off / stall on him while driving. Sometimes fires right back up, sometimes takes a little while. Can these items be related? (I know it is impossible to tell over the internet LOL). I am just thinking out loud.

My advice to him it to get a new car, but he's stubborn.

Any thoughts? Thanx in advance.

[somick]

Do not wake up old threads! If you need help/advice start your own...