Scroll down for the pic of the location of this PITA! If you have the following symptoms this may be the thread you're looking for!

Radio shuts off by itself randomly, going back into anti-theft mode.

Power port does not work, but fuses are all good.

When adjusting a side view mirror, radio will shut off.

Pressing mute actually shuts the whole radio off.

 

i would check the engine bay fuse box... not totally sure though bc i havent looked at my car in a while. but as for the 4 or 5 pin. what kind of relay is it. standard car relays are 5 pin 85, 86, 30 , 87 87a but i have seen honda use 4 pin before.

 

The relay is called the accessory power relay. It's connected to the mirrors, radio and power port. Having issues with the radio and power port, and I've seen a thread where someone replaced this part and it was fixed. Tried to get one from rock auto but they sent a 4 pin so I'm trying to find where it is on the car to see if its a 4 or 5 but I'm just having a hard time to find it. Hoping someone can stick a camera under the dash and point it out so I know what I'm looking at.

 

Guessing no one knows where this relay is? I REALLY miss search

 

It's located under the driver's dash, to the right of the steering column, behind the big stupid metal support bracket. There is a group of relays in the same area including the fuel pump and ignition relays. It's a gray 5-pin connector that only uses 4 pins.

Normally a 4-pin relay has 2 for the coil and 2 for the contacts, which are normally open. They close when you apply power to the coil. A 5-pin relay has 3 contacts - common, normally open, and normally closed.

The acc relay uses the common and normally closed contacts, so power from the ignition switch (when it's in ON or ACC) is always sent through the relay to the acc socket and radio. The relay coil is only powered when you crank the engine, which causes the contacts to open, removing power to the acc socket and radio. They do this to prevent voltage spikes from the starter from possibly damaging the radio or any electronic accessory you have plugged into the acc socket.

If your replacement relay has only 4 pins it may still work, as long as the 2 contact pins are the ones that are normally closed. Your relay must have pins 1,3,4,5.

I think the pins look like this from the bottom
.

 

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! The relay they sent is missing 4, so I guess it's going back. Search is back too! cthree was in Mexico for the week.

You rock bro, and so does your site! I'm going to pick up a new HU and am definitely getting the pnp harness, and the oem control adapter from ya.

 

I'm having issues of the same. Does anyone have a part number? It would save me alot of stress. Thanks.

 

Hey guys, ever since I purchased my s2k two years ago, I've been having electrical problems. Could this be it? My accessory power (cig lighter) doesn't work (charge), but when I do plug something in it, it shuts off my stereo. Also, from time to time, my mute button turns on and my whole stereo shuts off so I have to turn it off and wait a few seconds or even minutes. Also, the stereo shuts off when I use the mirror adjusters..

 

i think this may be my problem...anyone have a part number and picture of the location of the accessory relay...???

 

FIXED!!! Thanks to modifry for the general description of the location. Part number is Mitsuba RC-5102. When I bought mine the description was for a civic but trust me its the same thing.

Symptoms resolved:

Power accessory plug not working: FIXED!
Radio doesn't turn on right away with anti-theft light still lit: FIXED!
Radio shuts off at random going back to anti-theft mode: FIXED!
Adjusting side view mirrors turns off radio: FIXED!
Pressing mute shuts off radio: FIXED!

Pic of location...

The metal conduit on the left is the steering shaft. The black plastic with the holes is the A/C vent. This is under the driver side dash. There are two of the same relay in this picture, you want to replace the one closer to the firewall.