I had just gotten back from some photography work downtown and was at a gas station filling up, got back in my E, turned the key and...nothing. No clicking, no indication of anything happening, just nothing
However, I've been through this before (unlike my catalytic converter theft) so I'd already done a ton of research. The last time this happened it turned out it was something else but I'd done the research on the "nothing" scenario
I got a push start with help from a guy at the station and made it home. Lucky me, not stranded in the wilds of the Big City
I zeroed in on the "clutch safety switch" aka the "safety starter switch". It's a Rube Goldberg-esque contraption under the dash, in conjunction with the clutch pedal. You press down on the clutch and magically the safety switch is activated allowing current to go to the starter. It's a safety thing, for good reason
Yellow arrow is what I dealt with, Red arrow is how the safety switch is actuated (and is a very hard to get to area---why does Honda do this to us?)
Here's a pic looking up into the clutch pedal area. The thing with the Yellow end with wires coming out is the clutch safety switch. That part is "easily" accessible. I just popped it off. Guys who dealt with the Red arrow area told tales of taking the clutch pedal assembly off to get access!
What I was going to do was to not replace the switch nor get back up into the Red arrow area
I know the safety switch is there for a safety reason but I've never attempted to start my E unless the clutch is fully depressed and it's in neutral. So what I did was short out the yellow end with the wires with a paper clip
I knew I'd done this before but that was years ago. I fumbled through my tool boxes and came up with this, thinking this is what I used last time
But no, the wire is too fat to fit into the tiny holes in the yellow piece I took off the switch, so apparently this was an early failed experiment. I rounded up a paper clip, stuck it in, taped it to stay in place and...it started
The original problem years ago had to do with the ignition switch and various relays not allowing enough juice to get to the starter. The starter and safety switch were fine. My mechanic at the time told me it was a very tough diagnosis and fix but he got it done
However, I've been through this before (unlike my catalytic converter theft) so I'd already done a ton of research. The last time this happened it turned out it was something else but I'd done the research on the "nothing" scenario
I got a push start with help from a guy at the station and made it home. Lucky me, not stranded in the wilds of the Big City
I zeroed in on the "clutch safety switch" aka the "safety starter switch". It's a Rube Goldberg-esque contraption under the dash, in conjunction with the clutch pedal. You press down on the clutch and magically the safety switch is activated allowing current to go to the starter. It's a safety thing, for good reason
Yellow arrow is what I dealt with, Red arrow is how the safety switch is actuated (and is a very hard to get to area---why does Honda do this to us?)
Here's a pic looking up into the clutch pedal area. The thing with the Yellow end with wires coming out is the clutch safety switch. That part is "easily" accessible. I just popped it off. Guys who dealt with the Red arrow area told tales of taking the clutch pedal assembly off to get access!
What I was going to do was to not replace the switch nor get back up into the Red arrow area
I know the safety switch is there for a safety reason but I've never attempted to start my E unless the clutch is fully depressed and it's in neutral. So what I did was short out the yellow end with the wires with a paper clip
I knew I'd done this before but that was years ago. I fumbled through my tool boxes and came up with this, thinking this is what I used last time
But no, the wire is too fat to fit into the tiny holes in the yellow piece I took off the switch, so apparently this was an early failed experiment. I rounded up a paper clip, stuck it in, taped it to stay in place and...it started
The original problem years ago had to do with the ignition switch and various relays not allowing enough juice to get to the starter. The starter and safety switch were fine. My mechanic at the time told me it was a very tough diagnosis and fix but he got it done