First, thank you mk378...The alarm wiring seemed to be OK and the wires on the thermostat housing were good as well but there was a ground problem with the wires from the Main Relay to the ECU. The mechanic working on the car couldn't isolate the wire so he ran a new ground wire to the ECU. The car finally starts up and runs well, however, somehow the SRS light on the dash now stays lit. The mechanic says not to worry but I wonder if he's right or not and whether or not I now have another potential problem with the airbags ? Hopefully not, at least I'm back on the road (for now)

 

The SRS light on means that the air bags may not open if you crash. On the older models there might be a DIY way to read out why the light is on, Ron could do us a favor and look it up.

 

I think that as soon as I sell my house, I'll give this car back to my daughter and get a much newer Civic for myself. I love this car for the way it handles and the great gas mileage but I guess a 14 yr old car will always have "little" problems now and then. As I drove home from work late tonight I found out that the cruise control no longer works.The button is lit on the dash but it doesn't set or keep speed anymore...Oh well, again, thanks to all of you that have helped me narrow down the important problems...