A problem popped up with my car 2 days ago:

Car: 1998 Accord, 4 cyl 2.3 liter.

The maintenance light flashes at me when I turn the car on, so I looked up the code. 10 flashes = IAT sensor. So I checked the OBD-II code and got a P0113 - Intake Air temperature sensor 1 circuit high input code. I ordered a new IAT sensor and checked it out today.

When I got the new part I ran a test on both the current and new IAT sensors with an ohmmeter, and both parts functioned the same. This wasn't the news I was looking for, but still I installed the new one in my car. I disconnected the battery cable to clear the codes, reconnected it 5 minutes later and turned on the car. As I suspected would happen, the maintenance light flashed at me 10 times again. Note that this was without even turning the engine on, just turning the power on to the car.

Now the car is telling me that the IAT sensor is off, but it does so even without the car running and everything seems to point to the IAT sensors I used are fine. I even unplugged the sensor to see if the wiring was bad, and when I did the check engine light turned on, indicating that it had been getting signal.

So basically I'm stumped and not sure what to do next. Does any of this ring a bell with anyone? The fact that it warns me even before I turn the engine on makes it seem like an electrical component is damaged, but I really dont know.

If it helps, some other issues popping up have been:

• An occasional P0420 Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1) error code that comes and goes.
• An occasional stalling problem when I drive slowly, like through parking lots. It will start to die, then accelerate, then stall, etc, until I punch the gas. Its not all the time though.

I spent a lot of time searching info on my IAT sensor yesterday, with not much result. Any help is appreciated.

UPDATE: I just decided to try a force reset on my light with the dash button (even though I assumed disconnecting the battery would be the same) and it went away. Haven't driven it yet though. Does this mean anything? I keep wondering if the above 3 issues are all related.

 

The maintenance light and the check engine light are different. The maintenance light is not used to read obd2 codes it used to tell you that you need an oil change. You can read your codes of the check engine light but you have to short the scs by jumping a pin in the data link connector to ground its not a common practice or very well known.


So first off how did you check the code?????? Did you use a code reader????

 

:doh:

maintainence light flashes = almost time for an oil change.

 

Yes, I used a code reader. I know they the two lights are different, however 10 flashes = IAT according to my research, and when I used an OBD-II reader and plugged into the data port, it specifically said "P0113 Intake Air temperature sensor 1 circuit high input" (along with the P0420), confirming that I read the flashes correctly.

The flashes haven't come back and I dont think the code has, but the car now has some slight idling problems when I drive, indicating that something new is indeed amiss thats associated with this issue. If its not my IAT sensor though, I don't know what other sensor or issue would cause that to be reported.

 

Reset the ECU

 

If your obd2 reader has a data list compare the iat reading with the out side air temperature thy should be the same engine off(cold engine let it sit a bit). If thy are you have no more iat problems. The p0420 is a bad cat code but I'm sure you know that. It should not affect idle.

Do some research on idle adjustment. You basically unplug the iac and set the idle with the air bleed screw to a specific rpm. You then do the idle learn procedure.

I think the 98 accords have a recall for this. Ya there is a recall for the air bleed screw. You can call your dealer and you may get it fixed for free you will have to give them your vin and have them do a vin static.

 

i still think he confused the CEL with the MIL.

 

Or maybe he confused the MIL with the maintenance required lamp.

MIL ("Malfunction Indicator Lamp") is the proper official name for the CEL (according to the Helm book).

Still, the original confusion was a coincidence. The maintenance lamp flashing 10 times simply means you're getting close to a maintenance interval. Just so happens that his actual error code was for the IAT.

jjcorreia...
In order to watch the check-engine lamp flash its code, you have to jumper the SCS connector. And the button in the cluster can't be used to clear a check-engine lamp.

 

ALL THESE FREAKING ACRONYMS!! :run:

 

IOW, ATFA!
LOL