So I have a list of problems that my civic is having. It still hasn’t passed inspection and I’ve already received 2 tickets because it has no inspection sticker. I love the car mainly because I’ve done most of the work on it since I’ve got it but its killing me that it won’t pass inspection and I still want to keep it.

The car is from Cali and I live in NY. I was cleaning the center console out and I found a business card from a shop in Mexico. The kid I got the car from had legal issues and that’s how I came into becoming the new father of the car. So I’m mainly having a wiring/computer issue with the car. but with no information on what’s been done and what’s been tweaked I’m starting with blanks and getting info on what some things might be from my local advanced auto parts.

So to start with the wiring issue and where I think most of the problems are coming from. The radio worked in the car when I picked it up (it’s an aftermarket radio) they took the original harness out and straight wired it from the radio to the car. It was grounded with the cigarette lighter. The radio is no longer in because it no longer works and I’m not a radio guy so I have put another one in.

The speedo has no light, like behind the instruments (mph/rpms/gas) but the lights for the seat belt, trunk, check engine, all the little lights works. The gauges do work as well. The check engine light is not on.

The head lights where the next situation. The driver and passenger light socket was all fried up and melted so I clipped them and wired new sockets on. When I went to put the light bulbs on one would work and the other wouldn’t. If only one bulb was in it worked on both high and low beam. If the other was connected only one would work on high and the other would work on low. I just left that situation alone and suddenly one day it started to work. Then a bulb went out and I went back to having the problem. I took it to a guy I know and he wired the passenger light to work off the driver side so I wouldn’t have an issue and it worked. Also with the headlights they are pointed up and I don’t know how to tilt them down.

The main issue I’m having for the car is that it won’t pass inspection. The computer keeps resetting every time I turn the key to the off position. Like if the cars battery went dead. The battery is good and the ground connections look fine. The car lately has been a little rough to start in the morning but I don’t know if it has anything to do with it being cold as of now. I’ve taken the car to the shop after I’ve driven it like 60-70 miles and the computer only shows that 2 lights are on which still means it passes in NYS but when they go to put it on the main computer they turn the car off and then the computer resets.

The car has spliced wires here and there in the car. One set of wires is next to the trunk release and gas release.

The next issue, sometimes when I put the clutch down it sounds as if the gears are grinding. When that happens I can’t put the clutch all the way down to change gears. I can still change gears when this happens I just have to not press down too far or else it makes that grinding noise.

I went to the local junkyard and took out the radio harness from a 98 civic. I was wondering if this is going to work in my 00 civic so I can at least resolve the radio issue. I clipped the wire all the way down past where it separates for the connector for the lighter "thingy". So I have on the wire the radio connection and also the connector for the lighter.

So I have some issues what do you guys think fix it or start looking for something new? And any tips to fix this would be very helpful and also where can I find a wiring list so that I can make sure I have all the right things connected to where they need to be.

 

Computer reset is because the "back up" power circuit is not working. This comes from a fuse in the box under the hood. The power also goes to the radio (white wire with blue stripe), thus it is very likely the fuse is blown due to messing with the radio wires. The computer status is stored in RAM so it needs power from the battery constantly (on that white/blue wire) to remember codes.

The 98 is basically the same as the 2000 model, especially the radio plugs have been the same for a long time.

Messing with the radio wires can also blow the fuse for the dash lights. On most aftermarket radios with no lighting circuit, the red and red/black wires in the radio plug should not be connected to anything. Grounding out the red/black will blow the fuse. Also check that the tail lights on the back of the car work. The same circuit from the light switch goes to the dash light fuse. If the fuse is good and getting power (both test points on top of the fuse live with the light switch on), check the dimmer control. Pry the control out of the dash and unplug it. Jumper the solid red to solid black wire in the plug. The dash lights should come on full bright. If they do, replace the dimmer control. If they don't, it is quite possible that every single bulb is burnt out. That will happen after driving for years with them on full bright.

Head lights (and anything else that has been jury-rigged) you should wire everything back as stock and then troubleshoot. I can never remember if it has the older 4 fuse system or two fuses and the high / low switches the ground side of the bulbs. Anyway there is a fuse for each side, possibly two.

The aim of the headlights is adjusted with a gear mechanism. Open the hood and find the little pockets that have a gear in them on the back of the lights. From the top, insert a #2 philips screwdriver into the pocket, when you rotate it the gear should turn and the light angle change.

 

yo man thanks for the help! i read your stuff and my face lit up i appreciate the help and advice!