Gremlins... No Odometer/Speedo and check engine light, intermittent dash light failure/no start

micahfranz
Tue, 02 Jun 2015 01:49:29 +0000
Maintenance/Repairs

1991 Honda Civic DX 1.5L

Was having issues with my clutch interlock switch keeping the car from starting… fiddled with it this morning, tried to remove the sensor, had my hands all up in the dash. After awhile I realized that it was not the sensor but the pad, glued a penny to it, VIOLA everything was solved.

Car started up and drove just fine. However, the speedometer/odometer is disabled and a check engine light came on. Got home, let the car sit for 30 minutes or so. Went out to check the VSS connection had not been jumbled… checked a couple of plugs. When I went to start the car it turned over for a second then I heard a clicking noise under the dash and the dash lights went dark.

The car would not start, no power to CD player or dash, relay didn’t even click. I looked up under the dash where I had been working to make sure no connectors had been bumped… really didn’t do anything. Then, the car starts right up, no issues with dash lights or anything. I think it is likely a short somewhere, but really no clue where.

It’s weird because I have never had the car fail to start AND no dash lights/accessory power… any ideas of what this could have been?

I replaced the radiator this morning before I got up in the dash to fix the clutch switch, hoping it is not related but not too hopeful.

4 posts - 4 participants