Engine Warning Light - very low rev's/cuts out - any ideas?

[guest1926]

Hi everyone 

I've got a Jazz on a 55 plate and for a short while the engine light has been showing intermittently.  The car would start off ok but when slowing up for a junction or at lights the engine would start 'hunting' or just struggle to rev at all; then when pulling away it would become very sluggish and sometimes just cut out all together.

Anyway I took it into my local garage (not a Honda one though as there isn't one local to me) and it was diagnosed as a fault with the throttle body.  Long story short we've put a new throttle body in and its worse than ever. Now I daren't even take it off the driveway.  It won't rev above 2000.

I wonder if anyone has any ideas for me?

Thanks in advance

Wispy

[JazzyB]

Could be the EGR valve?

Try cleaning it and then give the Jazz a good blast up the motorway!

I personally think a lot of these 'running' problems are caused by a lot of short journeys and what is needed is a good blast up the motorway or fast 'A' road at the legal limit.

Hope that helps.

[guest1926]

Hi - thanks JazzyB.

My other half took the EGR valve out & cleaned it but no different and he's tried making a gasket as per another thread on here but the car is still struggling & cutting out.  So it doesn't seem to be the answer. Shame 'cos we got quite excited when we saw your answer.

I've seen an IAC referred to on another forum - but that was on a Civic, is it a possible cause?

Thanks again.

[JazzyB]

Have a look at the spark plugs and just check they are all fine. Remember there are '8' of them and many garages fail to spot the ones at the back!

Surprised you needn't a new throttle body. What kind of mileage is the Jazz?

Also has it been maintained and fully serviced?

Is the engine warning light still showing?

[guest1926]

Hiya - it's high mileage 100k+ but I'm only 2nd owner and it had full service history. I've had it 2 years but for the last 8 months or so it has mainly been short stop journeys; the intermittent engine light started a few months ago but everytime I got near a garage it was always off - like it was playing hide & seek! 3 weeks ago the light became permanently on so we booked it in for a check. The garage said the fault that registered was for the throttle body. So we went with that. That said it seems worse now then before (

It's a pain as I live in a village & my teenage kids are always wanting to be somewhere or other!
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Meant to add that all 8 spark plugs have been out & checked.

[JazzyB]

Also worth checking is all the wiring under the bonnet especially were there are connectors and the hoses too.

Other than that I am at a loss as to what else you can check.

Maybe somebody else on this forum has any other ideas?

You could try another trip to a garage maybe a Honda one this time if you can.

[guest1461]

9 times out of ten if the light has come on then the code is stored even if the light goes out again.
Sounds like the egr valve to me (a common problem).
Have never done a throttle body on a jazz. Would recomend a trip to honda for a proper check.

[guest1926]

Thanks JazzyB & poolmaster.

Looks like it'll have to be a trip to the Honda garage - if I ever get the car out the drive anyway! Nearest one is bout 20 miles away though so keep your fingers crossed for me!

Thanks again

[guest1926]

Hiya - bit of an update for you.  I had the car into the garage - had to get a breakdown truck to take it in.  My mechanic hooked it up and it still said 'throttle body'  He worked on it over 3 weekends, tried a new throttle motor (which he had to pay for & keep) and just couldn't get to the bottom of it - he searched all the forums for clues but no luck.  The nearest he got was that the ecu wasn't putting out any voltage to the throttle body but if he bought one to fit and it wasn't that he'd be stuck with that (£500+) In the end he said - take it to Honda as I can't do anything else.  Only charged me one hours labour even though he spent ages on it. (Did get him some beers though to say thanks)
Went to Honda late Friday night & left it with them - 10am Sat they rang & had found the fault - a bunch of wires running from the ecu to the throttle motor had corroded and split - can't believe he found it so quick - unless its a commonly known fault to the Honda mechanics - as 2 different garages hadn't been able to find it.
Its running just as new now & luckily Honda's charge inc diagnositcs was around £200.
So I'm on the road again!