Honda Accord intermittent start problem

[gorthar]

Originally Posted by tyro

My first guess is your key isn't right and the immobilizer is engaged.

I've owned a 1999 LX for 14 years and only recently the ignition switch went bad where it would shut the engine off when driving.

My Acura TL was caught in a flash flood in a parking lot over the past summer and it somehow managed to screw up the immobilizer unit. It no longer recognizes either one of my keys. As in the original post car would just crank and crank and no start. After MUCH internet troubleshooting I realized that is what it was. The way you can tell (I am assuming an Accord would be similar to a TL) if it is the immobilizer is a Key idiot light will flash in your console while you are cranking the engine. There is a VIN specific bypass code you can get from the dealer OR you can get a new immobilizer/keys.

[t-tom]

I just bought the ignition switch so I'm gonna replace that first and then go from there. If that doesn't solve the problem then on to the distributor and the rest of the ignition system

[t-tom]

Turned out to be a bad distributor cap and rotor. It pretty much would not start when it was wet out. I popped the hood and had my boy crank it over, the cap had a crack in it and when it was damp out it would shoot the spark out the crack.

[afterburn 549]

common in high mileage engines.
Glad yo solved it.