2003 Honda Civic - Electrical smell and hisitates a little.

My wife has a 2003 Honda Civic LX, manual trans, that we bought new and
now has 39K miles on it. We live in New Jersey. For about two weeks
now, after we park the car and get out, we've been smelling a little
bit of a electrical burning smell when you walk past the hood. Of
course i opened up the hood and been looking around for the smell but
can't quite seem to locate it. The best i can tell it seems to be
coming from the area just behind the battery/under the intake. Possibly
near the starter, but i'm not sure!!!

Now starting just last night.... the car is doing something new. When
you are just starting out in first gear, moving just about 5 to 10 mph,
the car bucks a little and hesistates. Almost feels like the feeling
you get when you are starting out and hitting a patch of sand and the
tires are slipping and grabbing, but we are not. It does this every
time you start out. Otherwise, the car feels to drive normally.

The Maint. Req. light is NOT on, (i just held it in the button on the
dash to reset it becuase it was near the next 10k period.) The light
has not come back on, so it does not appear that the computer is
setting off any codes.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Ron Kavchok

wrote:
> My wife has a 2003 Honda Civic LX, manual trans, that we bought new and
> now has 39K miles on it. We live in New Jersey. For about two weeks
> now, after we park the car and get out, we've been smelling a little
> bit of a electrical burning smell when you walk past the hood. Of
> course i opened up the hood and been looking around for the smell but
> can't quite seem to locate it. The best i can tell it seems to be
> coming from the area just behind the battery/under the intake. Possibly
> near the starter, but i'm not sure!!!

the clutch is in that area...

>
> Now starting just last night.... the car is doing something new. When
> you are just starting out in first gear, moving just about 5 to 10 mph,
> the car bucks a little and hesistates. Almost feels like the feeling
> you get when you are starting out and hitting a patch of sand and the
> tires are slipping and grabbing, but we are not. It does this every
> time you start out. Otherwise, the car feels to drive normally.

manual trans. clutch slipping? you dont set your foot on the clutch
pedal as a footrest, do you?

>
> The Maint. Req. light is NOT on, (i just held it in the button on the
> dash to reset it becuase it was near the next 10k period.) The light
> has not come back on, so it does not appear that the computer is
> setting off any codes.
>
> Any ideas?

ever been in an accident? possibly bumped something hard enough to
loosen a wire harness and get it rubbing on something?

aftermarket alarm? aftermarket anything?

I don't think it is the clutch, but will definately consider it. She
drives the car well, does not rest the foot and babies the car. Any
chance on the clutch giving off an electrical kind of smell, instead of
the typical burning clucth/brake smell? I can probably answer that
myself by saying NO.

YES - The car was in a collison with a deer 14 months ago: see pics:
http://www.aromacandle.com/honda.htm I will start taking things off
the car and looking for the cause of the smell, maybe a loose wire like
you mentioned.

No after market items installed at all, the car is completly stock.

Any other suggestions?

Ron

wrote:
> My wife has a 2003 Honda Civic LX, manual trans, that we bought new and
> now has 39K miles on it. We live in New Jersey. For about two weeks
> now, after we park the car and get out, we've been smelling a little
> bit of a electrical burning smell when you walk past the hood. Of
> course i opened up the hood and been looking around for the smell but
> can't quite seem to locate it. The best i can tell it seems to be
> coming from the area just behind the battery/under the intake. Possibly
> near the starter, but i'm not sure!!!
>
> Now starting just last night.... the car is doing something new. When
> you are just starting out in first gear, moving just about 5 to 10 mph,
> the car bucks a little and hesistates. Almost feels like the feeling
> you get when you are starting out and hitting a patch of sand and the
> tires are slipping and grabbing, but we are not. It does this every
> time you start out. Otherwise, the car feels to drive normally.
>
> The Maint. Req. light is NOT on, (i just held it in the button on the
> dash to reset it becuase it was near the next 10k period.) The light
> has not come back on, so it does not appear that the computer is
> setting off any codes.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ron Kavchok


----------------------------

A bad Throttle Position Sensor will give the hesitation symptom you
describe, and (lucky for you) it's WAY more noticable with a manual
tranny. Usually shows up at the exact RPM that you cruise at, so in
first gear, you need to try slowly accelerating to the point that it
'bucks' and make a note of the rpm and speed. Try it in Second as well.
Try it hot and cold too. If it's the same RPM, it may be a bad TPS. Are
you still in warranty?

I'd try injector cleaner or gasohol if the dealer is not helpful.

'Curly'

wrote:
> I don't think it is the clutch, but will definately consider it. She
> drives the car well, does not rest the foot and babies the car. Any
> chance on the clutch giving off an electrical kind of smell, instead of
> the typical burning clucth/brake smell? I can probably answer that
> myself by saying NO.
>
> YES - The car was in a collison with a deer 14 months ago: see pics:
> http://www.aromacandle.com/honda.htm I will start taking things off
> the car and looking for the cause of the smell, maybe a loose wire like
> you mentioned.

thats likely it! i gently rear ended a 4 runner. no outward visible
damage to either car aside from the license plate getting bent.

1 year later, it started cutting out and acting weird. speedo went to 0,
lurched a bit, etc... took it to the dealer, they said a wiring harness
popped out of its holder and rubbed on a bracket creating a short. they
fixed it under warranty.

so yeah- id try to take the fuse box out and check all the wires running
to it underneath, as well as anything that looks like its attached to a
bracket.
>
> No after market items installed at all, the car is completly stock.
>
> Any other suggestions?
>
> Ron
>

I will start looking for wires the may have been rubbing and shorting
out; starting with the wires going to the TPS.

Thanks,
Ron