9.5
really awfulTypical Repair Cost:
$200.00
Average Mileage:
110,260 miles
Total Complaints:
37 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (36 reports)
- dealership replaced ignition switch (1 reports)
engine problem
Helpful Websites About 1999 Honda Accord shuts off while driving
2009Jul 16
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,576 miles
This time the engine disengaged while I was in the middle of a long bridge over Ft. Loudon Lake while on my way to work. I was cruising, so I shifted into neutral and restarted the engine.
While at work, the NHTSA investigator called to see if I had been contacted by American Honda as they had promised. He sounded upset that they had not called, although he admitted that they had called him saying they had made a mistake about the recall on my ignition. They said my model vehicle had never been recalled. I told the investigator that I probably still had the recall letter and that I would look for it. I was unable to find the recall letter, but I was able to find the invoice from the dealer where they installed an ignition repair kit under the recall back in 2004. I sent a copy to the investigator the following day, but did not hear from him because he said he was going on vacation for a week and a half. He said before he left he was going to ask American Honda to call me to explain why they weren't taking any action. They called me on 7/17 and said their legal department had reviewed my case and that the answer was the same (i.e. that identification and repair of my problem was my responsibility, not theirs). I notified the investigator and encouraged him to do something on the grounds that either the safety recall was not effective or that the ignition was not the issue. Either way there is still a potential hazardous condition that Honda refuses to admit and their dealers do not know how to correct. Again, I would encourage everyone with this problem to file a formal NHTSA complaint via this website or on the NHTSA website. It's easy to do, and they won't likely act until they have enough complaints to warrant attention or until you ask your congressman to have them investigate.
2009Jun 01
Accord EX 4 cyl Vtec
- Automatic transmission
- 163,000 miles
Just hoping to help someone out, not really ranting or griping.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Jul 15
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,505 miles
The car in front of me on the freeway slowed to 60 mph, so I started to pass. When I pressed the accelerator, the engine disengaged with a jolt and the key light came on. Needless to say, instead of speeding up I started slowing down. Fortunately this occurred before I entered the fast lane in front of oncoming cars. Since I didn't have the opportunity to change lanes, I was able to shift into neutral and restart the car while coasting. As is becoming the norm, the engine did not die this time but merely disengaged. Still no call from American Honda as they promised NHTSA.
2009Jul 14
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,478 miles
This time the engine disengaged at 65 mph on the freeway and the "key light" came on. I did the usual, shifting into neutral and restarting the car while coasting. Still no call from American Honda as promised to NHTSA.
2009Jul 09
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,371 miles
Let me preface this complaint with an update. I received a call yesterday from an investigator at NHTSA regarding my formal complaint. Apparently the letter to my congressman had its intended effect. The investigator had done some research, including reading complaints on this website, and had telephoned American Honda's legal department about my problem. They speculated that my problem was related to the existing recall on defective ignition switches and endeavored to determine if my ignition switch had ever been replaced. They said their research indicated that my ignition had not been replaced under recall as I had remembered, so they promised the NHTSA investigator that they would call me to make arrangements for recall-replacement of my ignition switch. I still believed that my ignition had already been replaced, and I also knew from reading complaints on carcomplaints.com that replacement of the ignition switch generally does not solve this problem, but I was thankful that some progress was being made in having the complaint investigated. However, things have not gone in a positive direction. Please see my previous entries for background, and see my subsequent entries for updates regarding American Honda's continued stonewalling on this issue.
One other update: A nice fellow named Chad who was having "our problem" sent me an email that he had replaced his gas cap with a $5 part from Wal-Mart and that his engine had stopped dying. Apparently there are vacuum-lock issues with the Honda gas cap, one of which causes the CHK ENG light to come on and is described in your owners manual. Upon receiving Chad's email, I immediately replaced my gas cap, but the car started dying again two days later as described below:
I was travelling 65 mph on the freeway when the engine disengaged with a jolt and the system immobilizer light came on (I describe this light in previous entries and shall henceforth refer to it as the "key light", which is more descriptive). The engine was still running but at 0 RPMS. I shifted into neutral and back to drive, which had no effect on the problem. I shifted into neutral again and turned the key. The starter began to grind because the engine was still running, but the engine re-engaged and I continued on my merry way. This was the first time the engine seemed to gear-down with a jolt when the condition occurred. On previous occasions when I lost power, it was as if I just started coasting and there was no jolt. I fear the symptoms associated with this problem are getting worse. My brother's Honda's Odyssey van was having this same problem, and his engine just burned up. He had no choice but to buy a new car (NOT a Honda).
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Jul 03
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,175 miles
This time I was turning left across traffic on an extremely busy 4-lane highway when the engine shut down. I coasted across the intersection, barely avoiding being broadsided by oncoming traffic. This is precisely the type of incident I have feared since the car started this bizarre behavior in April. After entering the side street, I was able to shift into neutral and restart the engine. Please see my numerous other accounts of this ongoing problem.
2009Jun 25
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,883 miles
This time I was decelerating at a stoplight when the engine shut down. The light turned green and I was almost rear-ended because the car behind me sped up but I could not. As quickly as I could, I shifted into neutral and restarted the vehicle. Please see my numerous other accounts of this ongoing problem.
2009Jul 05
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,244 miles
This time I was pulling out of a parking lot across two lanes of traffic when the engine shut down. If there had been more traffic, I could have easily been broadsided. This is a potentially dangerous problem. I still cannot believe that American Honda is not concerned about this issue. Please see my numerous other accounts of this ongoing problem.
2009Jul 05
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,259 miles
This time I was decelerating on the freeway off-ramp when the engine shut down. I shifted into neutral while coasting and restarted the engine. Please see my numerous other accounts of this ongoing problem.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Jun 18
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,653 miles
This time I was on a surface street travelling at 45 mph when the engine shut down. Engine was restarted in neutral while coasting and travel resumed. See my numerous other accounts of the same problem.
2009Jun 17
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,563 miles
This time the engine died 200' after pulling out of my driveway in a curve going downhill. That's a perfect place to have no power steering and limited braking. See my multitude of other occurrences.
2009Jul 07
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,314 miles
This time I was traveling on a surface street at 40 mph when the engine shut down. I shifted into neutral and restarted the engine.
UPDATE: I mentioned previously that I filed a formal complaint with NHTSA about this problem, but that I had never heard from an investigator. As a result, I wrote my congressman asking him to contact NHTSA on my behalf. He must have done so, because today I received a call from an NHTSA investigator. I missed the call, so I don't know what they plan to do for us. I will provide an update after I speak to them tomorrow. This may be an effective way to draw attention to this problem, if anyone else would like to try it.
2009Jul 03
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,196 miles
This time I was stopped at a traffic light when the engine shut down. I tried to restart the engine, which immediately died again. On my second attempt, I had to rev the engine to keep it running until the light changed. Please see my numerous other accounts of this ongoing problem.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Jun 29
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,012 miles
This time I was braking to stop at a traffic light on a busy city street at lunch hour when the engine shut down. I was able to shift into neutral and restart the vehicle without incident. Please see my numerous other accounts of this ongoing problem.
2009Jun 18
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,658 miles
I had just left the office and had entered a hairpin s-curve on the route home when the engine shut down. I lost power steering and had difficulty negotiating my way out of danger. Because I had to steer, it was not possible to shift into neutral to restart the vehicle until I got back on the straightaway. I could have easily driven off the road or into oncoming traffic. Or, as the car slowed down, I could easily have been rear-ended. I have been lucky so far. Let's hope the luck holds until Honda sees fit to identify and rectify this problem. See my numerous other accounts of the same problem.
2009Jun 17
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,565 miles
The engine had died two miles earlier on the same trip but had restarted so I could continue my trip. By now I was going 45 mph on a surface street when the engine shut down without warning as usual. I shifted into neutral and restarted the vehicle. See my numerous other accounts of the same problem.
2009Jun 29
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 105,017 miles
I was traveling slowly up the washed-out driveway of a rural cell tower, behind a locked gate and miles from anywhere or anyone when the engine shut down. Had I not been able to restart the car, I would have been in quite a predicament. My profession requires use of a reliable vehicle, which this Accord is proving not to be. Since American Honda denies the problem and their service departments don't know how to fix it, it seems the only solution is to buy another vehicle. I think not. That is not a reasonable solution. Honda has sold us what they claim to be a highly reliable vehicle. Those of us with this complaint must find a way to force Honda to identify and repair the problem. Please file a complaint with NHTSA. There's a link on this web site, or you can search on NHTSA and their web site will come up. If you don't hear from them in a timely manner, write your congressman asking him/her to contact NHTSA on your behalf. I expect if enough of us do that, it will eventually generate the enthusiasm we need to get this problem resolved.
2009Jun 22
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,741 miles
This time I was traveling at 40 mph on a surface street when the immobilizer system light came on and the engine disengaged. I shifted into neutral and restarted the engine while coasting. I should mention this each time, but the AC was off if anyone is curious.
I mentioned previously that I had filed a formal complaint with NHTSA on 6/8/09. They immediately acknowledged my complaint but by 6/24/09 they I still had not been otherwise contacted. So, as promised, I wrote my congressman asking him to contact NHTSA on behalf of other NHTSA complainants, and any other Honda owner who has been victim of this problem. I will keep you posted.
In the meantime, please see my numerous other accounts of this ongoing problem.
2009Jun 03
Accord LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 149,253 miles
I had the same problem with the honda accord '99 car. I just went 2 miles & the car went off at 40 mph. I went to Honda Service Station & they diagnosed & said that it has an ignition problem. I fixed it & the problem continues. It is really very bad that no one is able to figure out the problem (not even the Honda people). I think there is some problem with the relay as one of the mechanic told that if the engine gets very hot, then close the car & open the front shutter & get the engine cold air. Start it after some time & it may work. So i want to know from u guys - has any one replaced the relay of the engine and had the same problem?
Let others know about this.
If any one has got a fix then please let others know about this.
2009Jun 05
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,532 miles
I went shopping over the weekend and took my ailing Honda. I don't have a choice as it's the only car I have. I had driven about 25 miles with two brief stopovers and surprisingly the car hadn't died. As I suspected, though, it was too good to be true. Sure enough the car died when I pulled onto the off-ramp about a mile from my house. I had to stop for another car at the end of the off-ramp, by which time I had shifted into neutral and restarted the engine. Please see my multitude of other complaints. By the way, I sent American Honda 29 pages which summarize various formal and informal complaints I found on the internet about this problem. So don't let them tell you they are not aware of the problem if you contact them.
Update from Jul 8, 2009: I also filed a formal complaint with NHTSA on 6/8. If I don't hear from them soon, I will also write my congressman.
2009Jun 05
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,504 miles
This time I was driving about 45 mph on a surface street when the immobilizer system light came on, followed by the engine dying and several other lights flashing. I put it in neutral and restarted the engine while coasting. Please see my multitude of previous complaints.
2009Jun 04
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,475 miles
This time I had driven about a mile from home when the engine died suddenly without warning while traveling 20 mph on a surface street. The AC was off. I put it in neutral and restarted the engine while coasting. Please see my multitude of previous complaints.
2009Jun 03
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,458 miles
Same problem as usual. This time I had driven about 5 miles and was traveling at 40 mph with the AC on when the immobilizer system light came on and the engine disengaged. I put it in neutral and restarted the engine while coasting. It's a good thing the engine restarted because this was a narrow road with no shoulder. Please see my previous complaints.
2009May 31
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,420 miles
This is the 10th complaint I've filed on this site, documenting about 14 similar incidents so far. I've also filed an NHTSA complaint, of which there were already at least 23 others. I'm ready to get my Congressman involved to put pressure on the NHTSA to do something. I urge everyone with this problem to do the same.
On this occasion I had driven about 2 miles when the immobilizer system light came on at about 50 mph. The engine did not die this time but disengaged (i.e. dropped to 0 RPMs). When I shifted into neutral and then back into drive, the light went off and normal driving resumed. Usually the engine dies and I have to restart it while coasting. My immobilizer system light had only come on one other time, after which I immediately began using a new key in case the chip in the old one was going bad. So a bad key can't be the problem and my ignition has already been replaced under recall. If this really is an ignition problem, which the warning light indicated, Honda's recall did nothing to solve the problem. In reviewing other complaints, I notice that many others have purchased new keys and/or had their ignition switches replaced to no avail.
My local Honda dealer acted as if this is an unusual problem. And, while they have no problem charging me for analysis, they have been unable to diagnose the problem. When I discovered all these complaints on the internet, I printed them and offered to send copies to the Honda dealer via voice mail. I asked for a return call from the service writer I have been dealing with, but after 4 days I have still not been contacted. Perhaps the dealership is afraid to get involved.
2009May 30
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 104,218 miles
This time the car died without warning while braking to a stop. I had driven approximately 6 miles when the incident occurred. See my multitude of prior complaints.
2009May 28
Accord EX 4 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
This time I backed out my garage and started up the driveway. When I pressed the accelerator, the engine promptly died, which has never happened since I bought the car. I shifted to Park and restarted the engine, which promptly died again. I started the car for the third time and gave it extra gas. This time it kept running. I revved the engine for a few seconds and drove away. So far I have added complaints on 4/20/09, 5/15/09, 5/18/09, 5/19/09, 5/20/09, 5/22/09, 5/25/09 and 5/27/09. In these cases the car was moving (fast, medium or slow) or coming to a stop when it died. I could easily have been injured or killed in a couple of these cases. I'm not sure how many others are experiencing this problem, but there are 15 similar complaints for 1998 model Accords. The dealers don't know what to do about this, but Honda needs to look into it. I may refer to the NTSB.
2009May 27
Accord EX V4
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
This time there is a slightly new twist to my problem. I had driven about a mile from my home and was traveling on a surface street at 45 mph. Suddenly the immobilizer system indicator light came on (page 55 in your owner's manual) and the engine seemed to shut down. I shifted into neutral while still moving and tried to restart the engine, but it grinded as if still running. After a couple of seconds, the light went off and the car began running normally. The owner's manual says this light comes on when you have inserted an improperly coded ignition key. However, as indicated in a previous complaint, the Honda dealer says I do not have an ignition problem. In fact, my ignition has already been replaced under warranty-recall. Just in case the chip in my key was going bad, I switched to my spare Honda key (it came with the car, it's not a cheap immitation). However, the car continues to die unexpectedly so I'm guessing that's not my problem either. See my previous complaints on 4/20/09, 5/15/09, 5/18/09, 5/19/09, 5/20/09, 5/22/09 & 5/25/09.
2009May 19
Accord EX V4
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
This time the car died while pulling into the turning lane for accessing a freeway on-ramp. There was a break in traffic so I should have turned left across traffic onto the on-ramp, but instead the car died. I am lucky not to have been rear-ended by the car on my tail, who anticipated that I would make my turn and that he/she would follow. After coming to a stop, I put the car in neutral and restarted it. I pulled onto the freeway at the next opportunity. See my previous complaints on 4/20/09, 5/15/09 & 5/18/09.
2009May 15
Accord EX V4
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
This time the car died while trying to merge into heavy freeway traffic. This situation almost caused an accident, but thanks to alert drivers behind me I was able to shift into neutral and restart the car while coasting before being rear-ended. See my previous complaints dated 4/20/09 and 5/13/09.
2009May 13
Accord EX V4
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
My car began dying while driving on 4/20/09 (see previous complaint). This happened at various speeds under various conditions until I took it to the Honda dealer for evaluation on 5/6/09. They could not diagnose a specific problem but recommended fuel cleaner in case the fuel system was dirty. This has done nothing to resolve the problem. On 5/13/09, the car died at freeway speeds while going up a slight incline. I shifted into neutral and restarted the car while moving.
2009May 18
Accord EX V4
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
This time the car died while trying to pull out of my subdivision onto a busy street. I had just started the car and had driven maybe two blocks down a 60% grade to the intersection. Because this intersection is unusually busy, I planned to come to a "rolling stop" and then pull on out if there was a break in traffic. However, the engine died and I was barely able to stop before ending up in the intersection with no control over the vehicle. I could easily have been injured or killed in this situation. Since Honda can't seem to fix my problem, I have learned to creep up to intersections to avoid loss of control at a critical time. See my previous complaints on 4/20/09 & 5/15/09.
2009May 22
Accord EX V4
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
This time I drove to my daughter's house, about 10 miles. I parked the car for about 2 hours, so the engine was warm (not cold or hot). I backed out of the driveway and drove about 100 feet. I was going about 25 mph when the engine just died with no warning as usual. I shifted into neutral and restarted the motor. See my previous complaints on 4/20/09, 5/15/09, 5/18/09, 5/19/09 & 5/20/09.
2009May 20
Accord EX V4
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
This time the car died while trying to pull out of the Wal-Mart parking lot. When I pulled up to the exit, the car just quit, as usual with no warning. I shifted into neutral and restarted the engine so I could pull out before the cars behind me got more upset. See my previous complaints on 4/20/09, 5/15/09, 5/18/09 & 5/19/09.
2009May 05
Accord DL 4 Cy
- Manual transmission
- 119,540 miles
Someone has to have a solution out there!? Anyone? The Honda dealer we use doesn't have any idea but they are willing to troubleshoot at $150/hr with no guarantees. I have read one of the technical manuals that are very detailed and feel like this is so over my head. I'm Stuck. Any ideas?
2008Aug 01
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 126,000 miles
I am still trying to research what is causing the stalling on this car while I am driving. I have taken it to the dealership I bought it from, they could no duplicate the problem. I have take it to a Honda dealership shop so they can check it. There was a recall on the ignition switch and that was replaced, but that did not fix the stalling issues I am continuing have. I have replaced, spark plugs, ignition wires, distributor cap, the ignition coil was replaced and I am still having stalling issues. The only thing that I haven't done yet is to check and test the PGM-FI main relay. I am so frustrated there has to be a fix to this problem! I don't drive it often due to it stalling out of me on the highway going 75MPH and I work 45 miles from home. I can be in the city and it will stall out on me. When I do take it out I have to make sure I am near a shoulder or inner turning lanes just in case the vehicle decides to stall out on me and this concern is very stressful.....
2008Jul 06
Accord LX
- Automatic transmission
- 125,000 miles
Periodically, while driving my car, the entire system shuts off (I have never had this problem trying to start the car. For the most part, I would coast to the side of the road, put it in park, and take the key out of the ignition. While it would usually turn back on after a few minutes, this last time it resisted all efforts until I waited about 10 minutes, revved the engine past 4000rpm while trying the ignition.
The car has not been trouble free; I have had to replace a cracked engine, several radiator hoses and the battery since I got it a year and a half ago. However, I have gone to two different mechanics to get it fixed, and neither has figured out what is causing this.
Initially, I thought it was in the electrical system, since the first time it happened I had air conditioning, lights, radio, and wipers on (it was raining), and I assumed I had overloaded it/had an old battery. After replacing it, it happened again several times. With a new engine, I am pretty sure that is not the source of the problem, but the fact that the revving caused it to work, I am now guessing that there is some issue getting fuel to the engine maybe.
Any thoughts would be appreciated, since no mechanic will ever say "I don't know" without doing at least $300 worth of various labor first.
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2009Sep 14
Accord LX 4 cyl
I bought my Accord certified pre-owned in 2002 and have had the related recall replacement performed. In July 2009 I finally decided to have my transmission rebuilt, since I was moving out of state and didn't want it to finally give out in the middle of nowhere (I had been driving on a faulty transmission for at least a few years).
Soon after the transmission rebuild, my car started stalling at random times, usually when I was taking off from a complete stop while running the A/C. This was more of an annoyance than anything else, but had the potential to be deadly.
I tried shutting off my A/C for a while when taking off at intersections, and that seemed to help. The stalling stopped. But most recently, in the past week, my engine and electrical system shut off twice with the A/C off. The second time was when I was pulling onto a busy street. Fortunately the approaching car noticed me and had an extra lane in which to pull around me, but who knows if I'll be as lucky next time?
I always heard that Honda made the best, most reliable cars out there, but maybe they took 1999 off. I'm thinking about trying a tuneup, but the reports here don't indicate a lot of success with that. Still, I've never had a tuneup done on it, so it's probably overdue anyway. Here's hoping an actual solution emerges for this problem.
James B.
Tampa, FL, USA
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