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Never messed with a Prizm, but I doubt it is much different than most modern cars. I’ve replaced these switches on two different Accords, a Nissan Maxima, Geo Storm and perhaps one or two other cars. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
You are thinking old school get out the steering wheel puller, and be prepared for a royal pain in the rear end messing about in a tiny column.
Modern steering columns are NOTHING like that. I’m thinking you will find this to be an easier job than you are expecting.
Since the headlights come on when you manually move the relay contacts, you already know you are getting your 12v constant at the relay. You’ve also replaced the relay with a new unit, making it pretty unlikely that your relay is the problem.
My money is on the headlight switch in the steering column. Test for ground at the appropriate pin in the relay connector with the headlight switch on, then replace the bad switch and be done with it (do test it first though, just to verify).
Since the headlights come on when you manually move the relay contacts, you already know you are getting your 12v constant at the relay. You’ve also replaced the relay with a new unit, making it pretty unlikely that your relay is the problem.
My money is on the headlight switch in the steering column. Test for ground at the appropriate pin in the relay connector with the headlight switch on, then replace the bad switch and be done with it (do test it first though, just to verify).
Or are you referring to the rack it’s self moving relative to the firewall / chassis as you apply pressure to the inner rod end? The later is what I thought you were talking about, and would likely indicate a problem with the mounting bolts / bushings. Side to side movement, as long as the steering wheel, and other tire are moving at the same time, I don’t think is a problem.
Or are you referring to the rack it’s self moving relative to the firewall / chassis as you apply pressure to the inner rod end? The later is what I thought you were talking about, and would likely indicate a problem with the mounting bolts / bushings. Side to side movement, as long as the steering wheel, and other tire are moving at the same time, I don’t think is a problem.
Of course, once you have determined that one of your cooling fan motors is bad, you should really replace the motor. There is a reason why the car came with two cooling fans. Running with only one will put your car at a significant risk of overheating, which could lead to further problems, including the possibility of a blown head gasket.
Of course, once you have determined that one of your cooling fan motors is bad, you should really replace the motor. There is a reason why the car came with two cooling fans. Running with only one will put your car at a significant risk of overheating, which could lead to further problems, including the possibility of a blown head gasket.
I want to commend both Eric, and ToyotaKarl here.
AC is a difficult thing to work on, and there are some risks, to the environment, to the car, and to the person doing the work if things aren’t done properly. Because of that, most of the people who know about AC systems are not willing to share any of what they know, which makes it difficult for anyone to learn.
Rule number one, if the system has been low enough on refrigerant that it won’t cycle on, you need to be looking for a leak. Since you’ve messed about with it, I would have the system evacuated, draw a vacuum on it, close up the valves on the gauges, and see if the system will hold 30 inches of vacuum for half an hour. If it does NOT, then you need to be looking for a leak.
If it does, then in all honesty, I would get a new receiver / drier, open the system back up to install that, and then vacuum it again. With that done, then I would go ahead and charge it with the proper amount of gas and see if it works.
At that point, if the compressor still isn’t engaging, then it is time to look for other problems, such as a blown fuse, bad clutch, bad relay, etc.
I want to commend both Eric, and ToyotaKarl here.
AC is a difficult thing to work on, and there are some risks, to the environment, to the car, and to the person doing the work if things aren’t done properly. Because of that, most of the people who know about AC systems are not willing to share any of what they know, which makes it difficult for anyone to learn.
Rule number one, if the system has been low enough on refrigerant that it won’t cycle on, you need to be looking for a leak. Since you’ve messed about with it, I would have the system evacuated, draw a vacuum on it, close up the valves on the gauges, and see if the system will hold 30 inches of vacuum for half an hour. If it does NOT, then you need to be looking for a leak.
If it does, then in all honesty, I would get a new receiver / drier, open the system back up to install that, and then vacuum it again. With that done, then I would go ahead and charge it with the proper amount of gas and see if it works.
At that point, if the compressor still isn’t engaging, then it is time to look for other problems, such as a blown fuse, bad clutch, bad relay, etc.
Sounds like almost exactly what my Accord was doing . . .which turned out to be a bad ignitor (ignition module / ICM) in the distributor. There is a testing procedure you can go through to narrow this down. Many folks will swap in a dizzy from the scrap yard and call it a day. I put a new ignitor in mine (aftermarket, surprisingly, it has worked for 3 years now)
I’m not 100% sure your distributor is the same as mine. My dizzy is ’94 external coil. This is the procedure for testing the ICM for my car:
remove distributor cap, rotor and leak cover
disconnect wires from ICM
turn ignition switch on. Check for voltage between the BLK/YEL wire and body ground. There should be battery voltage.
If there is no battery voltage check the BLK/YEL wire between the ignition switch and the ICM for breaks / shorts
If there IS battery voltage check for voltage between the (BLU wire for F22B1 engines, GRN wire for F22B2 engines, or WHT/BLU wire for all other engines) and body ground. There should be battery voltage.
If there is not battery voltage check the ignition coil, or the above wire between the coil and the ICM.
If there IS battery voltage, check the YEL/GRN wire between the tachometer and the ICM for continuity.
Check the BLU wire between the tachometer and ICM for continuity.
If all tests are normal, the ICM is bad, replace it.
Hope this helps.
Sounds like almost exactly what my Accord was doing . . .which turned out to be a bad ignitor (ignition module / ICM) in the distributor. There is a testing procedure you can go through to narrow this down. Many folks will swap in a dizzy from the scrap yard and call it a day. I put a new ignitor in mine (aftermarket, surprisingly, it has worked for 3 years now)
I’m not 100% sure your distributor is the same as mine. My dizzy is ’94 external coil. This is the procedure for testing the ICM for my car:
remove distributor cap, rotor and leak cover
disconnect wires from ICM
turn ignition switch on. Check for voltage between the BLK/YEL wire and body ground. There should be battery voltage.
If there is no battery voltage check the BLK/YEL wire between the ignition switch and the ICM for breaks / shorts
If there IS battery voltage check for voltage between the (BLU wire for F22B1 engines, GRN wire for F22B2 engines, or WHT/BLU wire for all other engines) and body ground. There should be battery voltage.
If there is not battery voltage check the ignition coil, or the above wire between the coil and the ICM.
If there IS battery voltage, check the YEL/GRN wire between the tachometer and the ICM for continuity.
Check the BLU wire between the tachometer and ICM for continuity.
If all tests are normal, the ICM is bad, replace it.
Hope this helps.
I don’t recall the rack in my Accord moving when I removed my inner rod ends, and I’m going to say that any movement in the rack will lead to wandering in the steering. See if you can get a helper to look over the rack while you are moving it, or to move the rack while you look it over. Sounds like there might be loose, or broken mounts, or perhaps there is some sort of rubber insulator between the rack and chasis that is worn out. I would definitely find the source of that movement, and correct it.
I don’t recall the rack in my Accord moving when I removed my inner rod ends, and I’m going to say that any movement in the rack will lead to wandering in the steering. See if you can get a helper to look over the rack while you are moving it, or to move the rack while you look it over. Sounds like there might be loose, or broken mounts, or perhaps there is some sort of rubber insulator between the rack and chasis that is worn out. I would definitely find the source of that movement, and correct it.
Alternators and batteries are a team, and all together too often, they die as a team. A bad battery, if not caught pretty quickly and replaced, will often end the life of an alternator prematurely. The same is true for a bad alternator. If you keep jumping the battery, and recharging it, then running it down to nothing because the alternator isn’t getting the job done, the battery will soon follow in the alternators footsteps.
Moreover, bad connections in the system can kill both of them over time. When ever you need to replace an alternator, it is a good idea to make sure the battery has a full charge, and load test it. When ever you need to change the battery, it isn’t a bad idea to go ahead and test the alternator as well.
Finally, when ever you service either the alternator, or the battery, take a minute to go through those battery cable connections, at the battery, fuse box, engine, starter, and body. Make sure all are clean, and tight, and your charging system will thank you by being dependable.
Alternators and batteries are a team, and all together too often, they die as a team. A bad battery, if not caught pretty quickly and replaced, will often end the life of an alternator prematurely. The same is true for a bad alternator. If you keep jumping the battery, and recharging it, then running it down to nothing because the alternator isn’t getting the job done, the battery will soon follow in the alternators footsteps.
Moreover, bad connections in the system can kill both of them over time. When ever you need to replace an alternator, it is a good idea to make sure the battery has a full charge, and load test it. When ever you need to change the battery, it isn’t a bad idea to go ahead and test the alternator as well.
Finally, when ever you service either the alternator, or the battery, take a minute to go through those battery cable connections, at the battery, fuse box, engine, starter, and body. Make sure all are clean, and tight, and your charging system will thank you by being dependable.