Electrical problems 98 civic

Hi guys. I have a 1998 Honda Civic DX, which I love dearly, even though it was made without an air conditioner and I live in Houston. I have had this car for about 3 years and it has always run perfectly but I have an electrical problem that is getting progressively worse.

When I first got the car it had an aftermarket radio in it. I noticed the radio would turn off and come back on randomly. I thought the radio was bad. New radio, same problems.

Then it went to radio turning off, speedometer dropping to zero and bouncing back up, and later headlights dimming and car bogging down.

This does not happen all of the time, I can drive to the store and it’s fine on the way there but once I start driving again things start going haywire and vice versa. It does not happen every day.

I have put a lot of parts, time, and money into this car on preventive maintenance. The alternator, battery, and terminals are new and have good connections. A friend/so-called mechanic recommended we change the ignition switch and now I have 2 different keys and that did not solve the problem.

The past 2 days when I go to start the car, I push the clutch all the way in and turn the key. Nothing. Dash lights come on and the beeping starts just like normal but it won’t even turn over. I hear a low humming sound. I turn the key off, try to start it again, same thing. Take the key out, crank it and starts right up.

I need to know if the ongoing problems and new problems with it not starting are related, and what the issue(s) could be.

Any help will be appreciated, I am so frustrated with this car!

Well, if you are living without AC, you can live without a radio, but my first inclination is to have the battery checked, if it is ok, then lose the radio.

I have taken it to auto zone and had the battery checked, it’s fine. The radio is new and was installed by a technician. I did not explain that correctly, it got worse before and after the new radio. In other words, the new radio made no difference.