[Shaggy77]

Just went to the Majestic Honda website, as they have a fairly extensive list w/diagrams of OEM Honda parts, as I wanted to see if under-dash fuse panel was listed and at what price. No such luck, but I might have been looking under wrong category. I'll have to see what our local dealer says regarding price for this item.

 

[Some Mook]

Gotta look under 'control unit - cabin'
part # 4

It is as awkward for a technician to replace as it is for DIY. Not terrible to do, a bolt and then slide it down from the bracket and start unplugging connectors.

The risk of getting cut is pretty high, but that is typical of anything you'd do under a Honda dash...

 

[Elementery]

I also struck out last nite at majestic's site as I had no real idea what I was looking for. Some Mook's advice worked perfectly. $113.24 plus sounds very good to me. I will check with the independent I am dealing with for a quote on replacing fuse box/multiplex unit complete. Do we know if anything else needs to be done if fuse box is disconnected and reconnected.(of course battery will be disconnected for this repair) I too will probably change out unit my self. Thanks for heads up on cuts.

 

[Some Mook]

Plug-n-play.

Just to clarify, without actually testing the vehicle and reviewing available scan data, I am offering a "best guess" solution here, right? It may be a $114.00 shot in the dark if you choose to go ahead and try this....

Take a really good look at any connectors you unplug for corrosion or loose terminals while you are in there mucking around...

Good luck!

 

[Shaggy77]

Oh yeah.... I see the fuse box assembly. Thx, Mook. My brain must have seized up there for a minute due to the cold weather. So the multiplex control unit is part of the fuse box assembly? If so, and as long as the ECU doesn't have to be touched or reprogrammed, then this should be a fairly straight forward job to replace the fuse box and Majestic's price of $114 is reasonable. I think I'll wait to see if the car acts up again before I do this, as I just put the new battery in the Element and I want to make sure the problem is still there before I drop another $100+. Something tells me that the problem is still there, but just want to make sure. Elementery: Pls update us on progress if you go ahead w/this repair and if it works. Thx!

 

[Elementery]

I answered my own question by looking in my shop manual to page 22-55 for procedure to remove/ reinstall fuse box. Nothing we can not do our selves. I have done the ecm/pcm procedure when I overhauled my throttle body. Will certainly observe SRS procedures,etc.
My incident pattern is once a week for this problem. Actually last monday and thursday, so I am due soon. In the mean time I will check with independent shop and probably order fuse box from Majestic shortly after next incident. Shaggy77's plan sounds like the way to go for them. I fully understand that replacing fuse box unit is best (guess) way to go.
On page 22-148 of my shop manual, "wake up and sleep" description includes door being unlocked as basic function covered by multiplex unit. Some Mook's advice certainly is right on. I am good with it.

 

[ramblerdan]

Some Mook wrote:
> review the grounds for the circuits that become powered as a result of
> unlocking and opening the doors, especially if it is a common ground for
> a control module. Perform voltage drop tests on these grounds ...

Elementery and Shaggy77, have you attended to this part yet?

 

[Elementery]

I have not attempted to buy part yet. Waiting untill after next incident. Thanks for your interest.

 

[ramblerdan]

Sorry, by "attended to this part" I meant "done the procedure that Some Mook suggested," quoted above.

Wonky grounds cause all kinds of crazy problems, and they can often be repaired at no cost. Honda tends to cluster ground connections together, making it easier to service them.

Would be a shame to buy an expensive part and then find out that wasn't the problem.

 

[Shaggy77]

Ramblerdan: I have not done these procedures yet, but they are a very good idea. I just acquired the Honda Electrical Troubleshooting Manual right before the 1st of the year, so I suspect that once we get a decent day here temperature wise (I'm in Michigan), I'll grab my meter and take a look at the ground connections involved. I hate to say it, but electrical work is my one weak spot when working on cars, but guess it's time to buck it up and dive it. Are we having fun yet? By the way, does your avatar show you popping out of a Rambler engine compartment? It's a bit small for me to make out in detail

 

[Some Mook]

(I'm in Michigan)

Yooper or troll?


To all the members who don't hold up their hand and point to where they live when asked, don't get excited. A "troll" in Michigan is someone who lives below the Mackinaw bridge.

 

[Elementery]

Looking at several different pages in shop manual and there are numerous uitems all with their own ground. Elect is not my strong point either. Went to my independent shop for suggestions on next step and possible cost for complete installation of fuse box. He could not come up with time estimate and they had never done job before. Looks like Shaggy77 and I definitely should do the repair ourselves if it looks like the next step. Independent shop suggested leaving car for a day or so and they would look at situation and test etc. They would also call in a lock smith that could read the test connection on the multiplex unit. So...., I will call around and see if I can locate a lock smith to do that for me. Will post results of call around and costs but not do anything until I can test all grounds as Rambler Dan and Some Mook have suggested.

 

[Some Mook]

. They would also call in a lock smith that could read the test connection on the multiplex unit. So...., I will call around and see if I can locate a lock smith to do that for me.

This thread is in danger of becoming silly.

 

[ramblerdan]

> there are numerous items all with their own ground.

Yes, but the physical ground connections tend to be ganged together, so one corroded body connection can intermittently mess up several different systems.

And I agee with Mook that a locksmith has no particular role in this situation.

 

[Elementery]

My E was parked in the garage and unlocked monday morning so it started normally. This morning, my E was outside, locked. I looked in the driver's side window and unlocked the door with the key. The immobilizer light came
on within two seconds of the lock clicking open. I inserted key in ignition and turned the key from off to the next position. Only a dim parking brake lite came on with the check engine lite symbol. I turned the key to start and the engine cranked over but no fuel and the CEL flashed rapidly. I returned key to off and CEL continued to flash rapidly. I immediately turned to start again, engine cranked for 20 seconds and started just fine. At this point, I had a dim parking brake lite with parking brake off, no cluster lights, no cluster gages. After approx 30 more seconds, things "woke up" and everything was normal. This was the best episode I have had with this intermittant problem.
My factory shop manual has only line drawings for electrical connections and grounds. Do I need to have the factory electrical trouble shooting manual to locate the actual places where these grounds are ganged etc?
Or do I just start taking the driver side door apart and start there? I realize this is a very basic question. To proceed chasing ground connections, presume I will need the manual to actually locate them or are they grouped/ganged under the dash board where I can find them? I see where Shaggy 77 has the electrical manual. Maybe he can tell me where the ground wires are actually located.:|

 

[ramblerdan]

The ground connections are more likely to be under the dash than inside a door. I don't have the electrical manual at hand so can't tell you where the connections are, but if you remove the fuse box cover and subwoofer case, and poke around a bit, you'll probably find 'em.

 

[Elementery]

I ordered an original factory '03 element electrical manual about an hour ago. Thanks for the info on where grounds may be. Looking foreward to the maunal when it arrives.

 

[Elementery]

Removed access cover to the fuse box area and subwolfer cover. Easily found one gang of five grounds up on right side. Do not see any others so far. Can you advise if there are others in the area while I await my manual.
The five I do see are clean and bright. I can slack off on fastener and coat with a very good foaming electrical contact cleaner. Thanks for your help!

 

[Shaggy77]

Well, our Element continues to act up w/the new battery installed, so I'll get under the dash and look at ground connections etc once we get a decent day weather-wise. If I can't find anything that looks like a potential problem, then I guess it will be time to change the fuse box.

Some-Mook: We be Trolls, but my wife's mother grew up north of the bridge.

 

[Elementery]

Shaggy 77, I experienced yet another "event" yesterday (Wed) morning at 0645. My pattern is every 7 to 8 days between events and always in the morning at 0645. Only exception during the past three months was 36 hours after having my after market alarm system removed.
I received my electrical manual and am slowly going thru the ground connections and so far have only found clean tight connections.
Does your problem have any kind of pattern? Mine is almost like clock work for first start in the morning every 7 or 8 days. Willing to chase grounds but looks like I will ultimately chage out fuse box with apparently flakey multiplex control unit.
Want to check all ground connections in the system and after another week or two, go ahead and order fuse box etc. Dealing with the problem has never left me stranded and currently I am inconvenienced for a max of five min. Good luck!