Not really happy about making this post:

This past Friday I noticed some hesitation in first gear and maybe a little in second. It seemed to diminish as the car warmed up. Saturday it got worse and Sunday the CEL (check engine light) came on. Today I took it 3 miles to the dealership to have it looked at and almost felt like I barely made it - Accelaration was hesitating/sputtering more and more, ticking noises, and I noticed a smell from the car when I got there. They are not able to look at it until tomorrow and I have to leave it with them until Friday since I am leaving for the Gator Bowl tonight. They are supposed to call tomorrow after they have had a chance to look at it.

Background history: MYOO, bought used with 28K on it, got the 30K service and all the Mobile 1 oil changes, now has 43K. Checked the oil this AM before I took it in and the level was fine.

I thought I bought a HONDA?!?!

Any ideas?

 

I'm not able to help you with this, but to offer you this sympathy and hope nothing as bad as it sound.

I've heard that '00 has some problems with engine hasitation, there's a TSB on this regard. The previous owner might have naver taken care of it, and I hope that all it is.

Best wish to you from another Mid-A owner. Hope everything goes well for you, man.

 

Matt,

Do a search on the Map Sensor.

I think that is a possibility

George

 

I agree with gfacter on the MAP sensor. Especially since the problems seems most prevalent in 1st gear, sometimes in 2nd. Sound like from there on, it's OK?

Well, hopefully, that's all that it is.

 

YOu said there was a smell. A smell of what?

 

Until they pull the code, any advice is a "best guess".
As already asked: A smell of what?
I have an '00 with about the same mileage as yours. It has been S/C'd since last March. It has never had any issues of an engine nature. I think rumours of problems with MY'00s are greatly exagerated by virtue of the fact that this was the first MY for this continent and they are the oldest cars running around out there. We are now beginning to "hear" stuff more and more about '01s, '02s. And even '03 owners have reported the "clutch buzz". We've all "heard" things. That does not necessarily make it true. Such things should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

pull the codes.

 

Thanks for all of your input on my car. I will try doing that search on the MAP sensor as suggested above. I'm not sure how to describe the smell from under the hood - Maybe a burning smell but I do know it didn't smell good.

As far as the previous owner, I could tell that he took VERY good care of this car (middle-aged, married, anal retentive, and apparently only had it out in the rain a couple times) and had it serviced at Page Honda in Northern Virginia.

This might be a stretch but any chance of a bad tank of gas?

I hope to hear good news (or I'll settle for not so bad news!) tomorrow. The next post I make will probably be Friday or Saturday when I get back from Jacksonville ~

 

This "could" be part of the problem, but it's not likely to throw a CEL.
More "best guesses": Besides MAP, Secondary Air Injection system, O2 sensor, vacuum leak, misfire, bad injector, fuel leak causing bad fuel pressure.

(In other words, get the codes.)

 

Don't forge the IAT sensor.