Mk4 prelude blower motor and dash light issue.

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Tue Apr 19, 2022 4:34 pm

I have a jdm car with the digital climate control and the blower motor hardly ever works. When it does its very weak even in the most powerful setting. Going over bumps sometimes makes it work.

Before I start pulling my dash apart is there a common issue that causes this. I'm temped to just use a little 12v SLA battery and hook it directly too the blower motor terminals too see if the motor is working fine and go from there!

My next issue is the back light too my cluster and dash just goes to the dimmest setting as soon as I turn then sidelights / low beam on. I removed the little panel to find the dimmer is not plugged in. But the spare plug is not the correct one for my dimmer switch. Did the orginal JDM dimmer fail and someone has tried to fit a European one? Is the wire hidden somewhere or located elsewhere?

Excuse the mess, just trying to make it work as it should first!

Then I can get on too why the central locking does not work, why the interior lights are not working off the doors (I think someone has taken the feed for the alarm), why the radio does not turn off with the rest of the car, why the antenna does not work as it should, why the fog lights don't work.... But the cruise control works that's all that counts right!!!

Scott560 · Post by **Scott560** » Tue Apr 19, 2022 4:45 pm

Indigo wrote: ↑
Tue Apr 19, 2022 4:34 pm
Going over bumps sometimes makes it work.

Before I start pulling my dash apart is there a common issue that causes this. I'm temped to just use a little 12v SLA battery and hook it directly too the blower motor terminals too see if the motor is working fine and go from there!

That's exactly what I would do. Generally if it works with a knock or bump, there is a good chance the brushes are worn out or worse still the commutator. I'm not sure on the 4th gen lude, you might be able to retrieve the blower without much dismantling. I seem to recall taking it out of my old 5th gen quite easy (3 screws mount it to the bottom of the airbox assembly behind the glove box, I'm not sure you even need to remove the glovebox).

You can probably replace the brushes with anything similar, might need slight filing to fit them in. If the commutator is really scored or burnt then it will only last a little while in my experience. I'm sure someone will be breaking a 4th gen or they will be available online. Perhaps the motor is similar to the 5th gen (I seem to recall i sold mine recently so can't take any pictures).

Regarding the dimmer - I do recall there is a difference in the loom between JDM/UK models , there is a fairly detailed post on here semi-recently about it.

As for the rest of the issues - rip the old alarm out first (This is normally the first job after picking up an older honda), and go from there.

Post by **vanzep** » Tue Apr 19, 2022 7:01 pm

The dimmer switch is for 1994 onwards 4th gen with el rev counter/speedo - think your is 1993 so doesnt have el dials and shouldnt need a dimmer switch - what normally goes there is the front fog light switch so that should explain why the front fog lights dont work. You need to get a fog light switch. The ariel maybe doesnt work because its plugged into the wrong connector so try both connectors and see if it works.

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Tue Apr 19, 2022 10:48 pm

It took three hours to remove the immobiliser and bits still are not done, but I pulled so many wires out if it. It was a £500 fancy kit and they wired in most the optional extras.

Pulled out a random amp behind the dash for the antenna. Threw the windscreen fitted dab antenna away too. So much weird stuff added.

Pulled out the radio and it was wired in incorrect, someone had ran the permanent feed to the stalk feed and somehow that kept it always on... Odd. Then I just fitted my radio I fit to most cars and suddenly the electric antenna (mostly) started working. And it dimmed with the rest of the dash lights.

Turned the fan on and have the fan motor a kick and it came to life. I guess it is the motor for sure. I Don't think it's even the orginal one fitted.

Yeah it seems like when you turn the lights on it just goes to one dimmer setting. Seems a bit naff but oh well works fine at night, just not great at dusk.

4ws has stopped working now but the bulb is not on. Maybe someone removed it. Will need to look into it but still keeping busy doing simple stuff first!

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Wed Apr 20, 2022 1:11 pm

Looking at this car, https://carfromjapan.com/cheap-used-hon ... 41bc2b0a43
It looks like @vanzep was correct. It has the front fog light button down there and up on the dash there is a blank plug on the left.

Someone has fitted a ukdm rear fog button up on the dash and wired it up how it should be.
Then the front fog button and lights have been removed and a dimmer has been put in its place for some weird reason. Oh well, now I want to buy that Japanese one!

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Wed Apr 20, 2022 10:37 pm

Drivers door loom is completely wrecked. Believe it or not this car has had multiple alarm systems fitted! Everything except the central locking works so I will just ignore it! Only two doors to worry about.

The last super annoying thing Is the interior lights don't turn on when the doors are opened. Anyone know where diagrams for one of these are?

Post by **vanzep** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 12:38 am

You could download the manuals from here on the forum
kb/viewarticle?a=10

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 9:16 am

It appears I have a UKDM door on my JDM car. And the loom seems to be half of each of them spliced together.

it's red on the inside black on the outside. The central locking system between the two is different so I will just forget about it!

The diagrams were helpful. My issue with the lights is something to do with the safety indicator. It might be easier to just bypass the whole indicator unit and wire the switch direct too the light feed.

Will probably find the wiring has been tampered in there as well!

Scott560 · Post by **Scott560** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 10:03 am

The joys of owning old hondas! Sounds like you are making good progress, even if its not the progress you want.

Cars for breaking come up from time to time on here, so you can probably pick up a door/loom at some point in the future hopefully.

Indigo · Post by **Indigo** » Thu Apr 21, 2022 7:49 pm

Blower motor swapped... The one fitted was out a civic! But now it all works.

Removed both the cluster to find them all smashed up and damaged but worse of all. The abs and 4ws bulbs have been removed. Just driven to halfords and replaced them and both systems apear to have faults not the bulbs are fitted. Oh well will work on that soon, for now I'm going to cut out the loom wiring for both doors and wire them direct to the cluster as somewhere in between they have been cut!