Bought a Prelude...2 days later the check engine light's on...
Hey guys, just registered...first post!
Anyways, last wednesday I bought a white '98 Prelude. It's got 121,000 miles on it and it's in tip top shape...
Well..almost.
Two days after I bought it the check engine light came on. I took it to Advance Auto Parts so they could run that test on it and they said it had to do with the transmission. Two trouble codes came up, one having to do with the transmission and the other having to do with the torque converter.
I searched the web and read many horror stories about people having to replace their trannies cuz they crapped out on the SS preludes. But all those stories involved Preludes with less than 100k miles on it.
The car's acting fine, it's not slipping, it's not slamming into any gears or anything. Everything seems perfectly normal.
I took it back to the dealer and they ran their little test on it and they said something about the TCC circuit or something. By the way them dealers are sketchy. The ECU cover was off when I first test drove the car, but I didn't think twice about it. Now I know that they obviously erased the trouble codes before the sold me the car.
Anyways, anyone have any idea as to what kind of problem it could be? Is there any kind of common problem that happens with Preludes? Cuz I really love the car and I can't really afford to shell out 1g or more to get the tranny fixed.
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: P.S. I really like the OEM lip kits...can I still purchase them new or do I have to buy them from ebay or something?
Last edited by qweedleguy; 08-25-2006 at 03:14 PM.
The ECU cover was off when I first test drove the car, but I didn't think twice about it. Now I know that they obviously erased the trouble codes before the sold me the car.
You test drove a car with the passenger floor all undone so that you could see the ECU and DIDN'T ask the dealer about this???
While it is possible the dealer erased the trouble code....they wouldn't have done it by uncovering the ECU. They would've just plugged into the OBD2 port to do it.
You test drove a car with the passenger floor all undone so that you could see the ECU and DIDN'T ask the dealer about this???
While it is possible the dealer erased the trouble code....they wouldn't have done it by uncovering the ECU. They would've just plugged into the OBD2 port to do it.
Well, when I test drove the car, I didn't know anything about Prelude's at all, that particular car just caught my eye. I didn't even know it was the cover for the ECU that was on the floor board. I didn't even know the ECU was on the passenger's side.
It's funny, because when I took the car to the dealer's today to inform them about it, they got out their little thing to scan it...and he got in on the driver's side with it and looked down by the petals and asked me, "Oh it's on the other side isn't it?" Clever little bastard.
hopefully its just a sensor on the trans.....but you better go back to where you bought it from and raise hell....cause they could have changed codes because of a bigger issue.....maybe you should do a car fax also.......
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Well I took it to AAMCO so they could do their free diagnostic check on it. They kept it for a few hours while I went to work and I called when I got off and they said that it had a bad computer and it would cost $475 to put a new one in. =-o
So what I'll do is just take it back to the other place I took it so they can see what they can find. Cuz I'm sure I probably don't need an entirely new computer. :-\
Oh and I did a carfax. Biggest waste of money! haha It came back completely clean!
Ha true. I wouldn't know how to put one in though. I know nothing about working on cars. And I don't know anyone that does know how. Sucks to be me! =p
Ha true. I wouldn't know how to put one in though. I know nothing about working on cars. And I don't know anyone that does know how. Sucks to be me! =p
Easy easy fix
Do you need the transmission computer or the engine computer. On the "SS" Their are two computers on the kickplate. I can sell you a transmission computer for $100 shipped if you need that one.
EDIT: I can also give you detailed instructions on how to put it in or you can take it somewhere and pay $60-$120 labor
Do you need the transmission computer or the engine computer. On the "SS" Their are two computers on the kickplate. I can sell you a transmission computer for $100 shipped if you need that one.
EDIT: I can also give you detailed instructions on how to put it in or you can take it somewhere and pay $60-$120 labor
Hmm...well I'm not sure. The guys just said "computer." My wildest guess is since Auto Zone got a transmission trouble code then maybe it's the transmission computer. I'll call Aamco tomorrow and ask them, you think they'd tell me? haha
Hmm...well I'm not sure. The guys just said "computer." My wildest guess is since Auto Zone got a transmission trouble code then maybe it's the transmission computer. I'll call Aamco tomorrow and ask them, you think they'd tell me? haha
That doesn't make any sense though. If you were missing the transmission computer, the car wouldn't drive or shift. I have yet to see a auto computer just die for no reason, so I don't get that either.
The bigger issue nobody seems to be talking about is: why would you let the dealer get away with screwing you over? It's pretty obvious the dealer knew something was up. I would make sure he knows you want restitution. Small claims court is the place where you can make that happen if it needs to go all the way.
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That doesn't make any sense though. If you were missing the transmission computer, the car wouldn't drive or shift. I have yet to see a auto computer just die for no reason, so I don't get that either.
The bigger issue nobody seems to be talking about is: why would you let the dealer get away with screwing you over? It's pretty obvious the dealer knew something was up. I would make sure he knows you want restitution. Small claims court is the place where you can make that happen if it needs to go all the way.
i would be going back to the dealer, and letting them sort this out...
im pretty sure they have some type of 5 day warranty or someting
wait did u buy the car off the deealer or did you buy it from a personal person?
That doesn't make any sense though. If you were missing the transmission computer, the car wouldn't drive or shift. I have yet to see a auto computer just die for no reason, so I don't get that either.
The bigger issue nobody seems to be talking about is: why would you let the dealer get away with screwing you over? It's pretty obvious the dealer knew something was up. I would make sure he knows you want restitution. Small claims court is the place where you can make that happen if it needs to go all the way.
His computer could be messed up; section burned out, etc. This happened to my old rav4 and the area of the ecu that went out controlled cylinder #3. My 4 cylinder went to a 3 cylinder until I replaced the ecu.
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