It's a 10 yr old car....

 

I just bought a 96 EX with 150K miles on it this past saturday for $2K. The car is in great condition less some cosmetics. Nothing a new coat of paint couldnt fix. All these post are a great source of information. Thanks to all.

BTW,
how do you remove the rear speaker grills?

 

i had to take out the entire back panel to remove the speaker grills. i have a 94 it might be diffrent on your 96.

 

>>>I believe the answer is the door lock actuator.>>>

That is correct. As for the dealership not knowing what you were talking about, that's rediculous on their part... it's been a common problem for a long time. The actuators went out in the rear doors on my 96 at 40,000 miles. When I would press the lock button, the front doors would lock but the rears would make the 'whining/buzzing' noise you described.

>>>>door lock motors make that loud spinning noise. ABS units leak (expensive fix) front motor mount breaks.>>>>

Forgot about the motor mounts. I had to replace the rear mount on the 96 at about 50k miles. I never did have a problem with the ABS system, but it was also a common problem area on both the 4th and 5th gens.

I also forgot about the oil seals, call HOA and give them your VIN# to find out of if the vehicle was repaired via the recall. The oil seals on the F22 engines had a tendency to 'pop' out and drain all of the oil instantly. There is a retainer kit that can be installed that prevents the seal from failing.

96-97s (and 95s if it's a V6) are under an extended 14 year/150k mile emissions warranty that covers quite a bit of stuff. Between 75k and 150k, you are entitled to one free tune-up and oil change. The warranty covers most things that would trigger the SES light and also covers the SES light diagnostics. Your local dealership can give you a print out of everything that is covered under this warranty.

 

Do you mean the SRS light? Mine came on over two years ago. Took it to the dealer, they charged me $90 to diagnose a 'defective SRS control' and said it would cost $900 to replace. I declined. Is this something covered under the extended warranty? Do you have a link to the warranty info, by chance? Thanks

 

Could this problem about the a/c spill water on the drivers side floor?Because mine is wet or damp all the time and I have no idea what is.

 

no, only ur heater core leaking will cause that

or ur front driver door's weather seal is bad

 

mine just went out for the 5th time in last 2 years. (i've been replacing them w/ used ones)

never buy a new one off of ebay (the cheap shit) ur Auto button wont work and the steel wires they use are too shitty, they break w/ in a few months.

 

Do you mean the SRS light?>>>

Only the check engine light (which is just an amber colored engine indicator) The SRS light refers to your air bag system which is not emissions related, and not covered under the emissions warranty.

My 96 Accord now has 204,000 miles and still no problems from the original ABS system. The air conditioner, alternator, P/S pump, suspension, etc. have also never been touched.

 

I have a 94' coupe LX 5 spd. Best car I've ever owned! Inherited it from my mother in law @ 89K miles. So far I've done all the maint since she owned it. Oil change faithfully every 3000 miles, brake pads, Both CV joints, two driver side window regulators, and tires. still has the original clutch @ 197,000 miles. I did miss my bus (procrastination) with the timming belt and had to rework the valves and head @ 189,000. My Bad!! Never seen an engine in better shape internally with such high milage. Like absolutely no wear (rings, cylinders) she still holds 140 lbs compression on all 4 cylinders. I'm going to drive this girl till her wheels fall off!!! Besides a little dulling wear on the black paint she still looks great. A little TLC goes a long way in keeping your girl on top in return.