hey guys, this happened while i was on my way home from work. my car just died while i was going 40 mph. i tried to restart it. it spins over but couldn't crank up. so i suspected the distributor gone bad. i swap a spare one this morning, but it still don't have ignition fire. everything else seems fine. this 95 gsr got 150k miles on it. it's completely stock. what could cause it won't crank? electric problems? i dont' know where to start. i spoke with a mechanic at dealer, he said it could be the main relay under the dash. what relay is he talking about? anyone knows what could've happend to my car? any idea will be appreciated.

 

I am also confident that it's the main relay, based on what I'm hearing from you.

So anyway, here's the lowdown on relays:

Relays are a type of high-power electrical switch, in which the heavier load circuit is closed by a low-power solenoid actuator. When the solenoid inside the relay fails, the circuit will open, preventing any electrical power from reaching the coil in the first place.

Look under your hood, near the battery tray on the passenger's side. On one of the black plastic fuse panel boxes will be a diagram of various high amp fuses and other relays. Replace the MAIN relay with an identically rated new one.

Oh, and if you've bought a Haynes manual for your Teg (you should), it will discuss the replacement procedure in more detail.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

And here, I always thought the main relay was located above the driver's kick panel. Buried up above where your left foot sits...

 

^ :doh: Whoops.

Mine's in the underhood fuse box- but the location may have changed for OBD II cars. Check the interior fuse box as well. :goodjob:

 

well, i found two relays under the hood nearby the battery, but they are cooling fan relay and something else, but not exactly called " Main relay". i also found three relays under the dash where those fuses are, is one of them call main relay? or is there any other place have relays that could gone bad? thanks.

 

Could be the PGM- FI relay, which supplies power to the fuel pump and injectors. :dunno:

According to my Haynes manual, the three under-dash relays control the turn signals and hazard flashers. It seems that it must be in the box near the battery, which makes sense.

 

to see if your main relay engages, stick your ear under your dash on the left of your steering column. if you peep your head under the dash with a flash light, you should see a small rectangular box that's either black or light gray about 3"x1"x1.5" (i'm approximating with my fingers :chuckles: ). there should be a plug on the bottom of it with about 7-10 wires of different thickness, some being as thick as your ignition wire and some being as thin as your... :rick: ...speaker wire.

once you've found it, make sure its plugged in, then turn the key to ignition and try to hear for a "click" noise. if it clicks, you are good, otherwise something is going on.

another sure way is to place your hand on it while you turn the key to ignition. you should feel a slight tap, which is the relay engaging. you might have to take out the kick panel under your steering wheel to do this. good luck :thumbup:

 

i looked for the main relay under dash just now, i saw a gray box with burgendy color inside, is this the main relay? if so, there are 8 wires connected with it, all same size. i couldn't found any wire like the size of ignition wire. i turned the key to ignition position, i am sure there is a "click" sound come from somewhere under dash, actually there are two sounds. i heard one right after i turn the key, then after one second, another "click" at the same time the check engin light went off. is this seems normal?
if the main relay is working, what else could cause the car don't start? i am not worry about fule pump or injectors yet, because there is no ignition fire at this time.

 

it could also be your starter, and a # of other things. My starter went bad the other day, and i still need to get it replaced. Actually I got a replacement but the bolts on the starter dont align correctly so When I put both bolts in the starter isn't inside all the way. I'm going to get it put in tomorrow. Is your electrical system working? If it is? Try push starting the car. That is how I start my car with a bad starter haha. I even went to school with it which is 30 miles away. I had to push it again to make it start after class, but hey it works =) Just push the car, put it in 2nd gear, hold the clutch in, turn the ignition key, and pop the clutch twice it should start =) good luck!