My car is tripping -- help? Honda Accord

lotas · Post by **lotas** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:34 pm

I have a 99 Honda Accord. I was involved in a minor accident recently, the roads were pure ice and I slid forward into a snow bank at about 10mph. It wasn't a very hard hit, but it was about 15degrees out so the snow bank was more like a ice/rock bank, so it rattled the car pretty well, did some minor damage to the front bumper.

Anyways just today my car started doing something weird. I'd seen it do this a few times: when the car tries to idle, it will rev back up to about 2500rpm and then drop back down to idle and then back up, consistently, like a drum beat, evenly spaced intervals.

The weird thing it started doing is now it does that every time I drive the car, and when the RPM falls below 2000rpm or so, the speedometer panel will blink all of the lights (as if the car key was turned to ACC position), and it will blink fast, but in spurts.

Then a mile from my house the lights started dimming. Then the tachometer stops working, my audio starts distorting and sounds like its clipping so i flip that off, and the instrument panel is non responsive. It's snowing so I hit the windshield wipers and they barely move. After about 30seconds like that (I was on a busy busy road and couldnt pull over) the car suddenly buzzes back up, lights brighten up, radio comes back on, tachometer works again.

Possessed? What in the hell is going on? thanks guys

smoker · Post by **smoker** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 6:15 pm

voltage regulator?

falkenbd · Post by **falkenbd** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 6:25 pm

Autozone can usually check if your car has thrown any codes - and tell you what they are.

I'm pretty sure they do this free of charge. Could give some insight.

cargodz · Post by **cargodz** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:05 pm

Pretty sure Midas gives free code checks too.

JeremyC · Post by **JeremyC** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:10 pm

Yeah my S10 did something like that before too. Ended up having to get the alt worked on.

Start the car, and hook up a volt meter, and start turning things on putting the alt under a load. if your voltage starts freaking out then its time to swap out your alternator (or regulator) if there seprate.

William from NOLA · Post by **William from NOLA** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:27 pm

Also make sure that no wires are loose relating to power. A 10-15mph hit isn't exactly small.