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Civic intermittent start faults PO602 & B1168

Electrics 
3K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  Jose Maria Fernandez 
#1 ·
Hi Guys,


I have a honda civic 2.2 diesel 1998, currently facing intermittent starting problems, when not starting, EML light followed by VSA and AIRBAG warning light comes on. On cooler days the car seems to start as normal with no faults on dash. Scanner reveals codes PO602 and B1168. I've put in a new battery and cleaned all earthing points, also disconnected and reconnect the ECU, but the problem still persists, any help welcome as this car is now driving me bonkers.



Regards
Danny
 
#2 ·
Did you delete these stored fault codes? They aren't 'real' until they come back!

Did the starting problem begin at the same time as the VSA and airbag warning lights issue?

Anyone done any work on your car that may have made this happen?

Is this a 2008 8th gen model?
 
#3 ·
Hi Jon thanks for your reply, yes faults deleted multiple time but it keeps coming back. I’m somewhat clued up with cars but this one has got me scratching my head. Once the lights appear on dash it doesn’t start and but when it doesn’t it starts up 1st go. Yes 8th gen
 
#5 ·
As you obviously already know, a bad connection/earth somewhere seems to be a possible cause. Unfortunately this may be inside an ECU and is somehow affecting the CANbus system (the engine, airbag and ABS/VSA do not use the same ECU).

It's a rare problem but I see these error codes do pop up in search results on other Honda forums. The trigger incident of replacing the car battery might seem like an unlikely cause, however Civic ECUs are known for suffering damage due to the electrical surge caused by the wipers freezing to the windscreen, or connecting up a jump-start with the ignition turned on. So they are vulnerable in this regard.

I wish I could be more helpful.
 
#10 ·
Hi Jon thanks for your knowledgeable response.

The car had been parked up for two months plus. The battery went flat, so her neighbour helped her jump start the car, not sure if the key was in the ignition at this point.

They couldn’t get it started so called for recovery, they also had a stab at it, no luck.

Once in my possession I took it as a simple flat battery as the vehicle had been standing for so long. So fully charged the battery as it was cranking over very slowly. Next day cranked over with a charged battery but it went flat within seconds. Two cells were bubbling so had to replace the battery.

Now the car turned over nicely but didn’t start when EML was on. However I did notice a pattern it started up on cooler days like 1st thing in the mornings. And yes on 2nd turns it sometimes fired up, but rarely.

I have so far cleaned all earth points I could find, including checked and cleaned fuses. Also removed ecu plug to check for connection issues but still no luck. Even opened up the ecu to see if I could see any dry joints internally, obviously taking extra care from static.

I’ve taken your advise and will be sending the ecu for testing, I’ll report back on its verdict.

Thanks for all your responses guys
Hi guys I'm new on this forum. I read all problem what Danny007 had last year in 2018 with his Honda. I have excatly same now with my 2009 cdti and don't know what is wrong. If this about ECU software? Thank you

I have the same problem but I changed the ECU for a second-hand one and it only worked for 3 days, then it reappeared again.

Have you done something different or a cloning of the second-hand ECU?


I read that it can be a fuse housed in the part of the wipers ... my car does not even start or has communication with the ECU
 
#7 ·
Hi Jon thanks for your knowledgeable response.

The car had been parked up for two months plus. The battery went flat, so her neighbour helped her jump start the car, not sure if the key was in the ignition at this point.

They couldn’t get it started so called for recovery, they also had a stab at it, no luck.

Once in my possession I took it as a simple flat battery as the vehicle had been standing for so long. So fully charged the battery as it was cranking over very slowly. Next day cranked over with a charged battery but it went flat within seconds. Two cells were bubbling so had to replace the battery.

Now the car turned over nicely but didn’t start when EML was on. However I did notice a pattern it started up on cooler days like 1st thing in the mornings. And yes on 2nd turns it sometimes fired up, but rarely.

I have so far cleaned all earth points I could find, including checked and cleaned fuses. Also removed ecu plug to check for connection issues but still no luck. Even opened up the ecu to see if I could see any dry joints internally, obviously taking extra care from static.

I’ve taken your advise and will be sending the ecu for testing, I’ll report back on its verdict.

Thanks for all your responses guys
 
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