Q: Car motor shuts down while driving

In 2002, about 1,000,000 Honda vehicles, including the 1997 Accord, were recalled because the electrical contacts in the ignition switch could degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started. A consequence was that worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning. During the recall of these 1,000,000 vehicles dealers were to replace the ignition switch. Owner notification began June 14, 2002. If your vehicle was in the group recalled, and the switch was not repaired, obviously that would be the very first step to take in resolving the issue you are writing in about.

If your switch was replaced, and is still functioning without fault, in all probability the cause of the stalling is an intermittent electrical fault in the fuel or ignition system. There are only a couple strategies to deal with that. You could install data logging equipment which will "catch" and record the fault, thus allowing you to pinpoint where the repair must be made or you could trace and test the entire fuel and ignition system "manually" using standard diagnostic, and other, tests until the fault is pinpointed, obviously a very laborious process. In your circumstance, perhaps your call was recalled and the switch was not replaced. That would be a lucky scenario for you because that might suggest your problem is the ignition switch. If that turns out to be the case, and Honda will not replace the switch at this late date, I suggest you request a switch inspection from YourMechanic and get an estimate of the cost to replace the switch. Alternatively, if the switch was already replaced, the best thing to do is schedule a stalling diagnostic during which the certified mechanic will pinpoint the problem.