I was driving with my TSX like usual..I came to a red light, stopped and when it turned green I slowly accelerated and then BAM...all of a sudden the VSA, "!" and the Check engine light all came on!

I went a little farther and then when I pushed down on the gas the car started jerking! I pulled over, restarted the car but the lights were still on! I changed the gear to D to see if I can go anywhere but and the car just jerked! I put it to park again and turned off the car.

I waited about 5-10 minutes turned the car back on and only the Check engine light was on. I drove it for a bit and everything was okay only the Check engine light on but when I got back to my house and turned the key to turn off the engine ALL the lights came back on!

I have no idea whats going on.I have an '04 TSX... I am Effing scared. Someone please help me!

 

Time to get it checked out. If it's not drivable, get it towed to the dealer or a trusted shop.

If you have an OBDII scanner, you can get the error codes.

 

I would check the codes first (Check Engine Light means there's at least one code stored in the ECU). Go from there.

My first inclination is also to ignore the VSA and /!\ lights until you get the CEL (check engine light) fixed. The VSA and /!\ lights can come on when there's electrical or other problems with the car. Heck, mine come on temporarily when its cold outside and there's a full moon. (or so it seems. Next time I start the car, they're off and the systems are working again).

 

^ Really? I've never had the VSA light come on.

 

I've never had mine come on either. Weird.

 

I've seen some straaaaange things happen with idiot lights when there's an electrical problem. Ever have a dying battery that caused all sorts of other phantom problems? I've had this happen (twice) and have learned to ignore other problems and especially warning lights until the battery and alternator are checked out. Both times I've had strange problems have been the result of a battery on its way out. Replaced the battery, other phantom problems disappeared.

Now to my "VSA and /!\" lights coming on in MY car, I think there might be a lazy sensor somewhere but they are all way too expensive to care about replacing 'for the hell of it'.

 

Okay so...get an OBDII scanner, scan for error codes and ignore the lights..for now! Got it!

Any idea what the car jerking is? :\ I drove the car back to my house about 20 minutes away..throughout that trip everything was okay..even the CEL turned off.

 

LuvMyTSX and zguy95135: Ironically enough, I had the VSA and /!\ lights come on FOUR times in the past day and a half. I restart the car at a stop light and they go away until the next random time they feel like coming on.

I guess I should have touched wood after posting last time -- I jinxed it I guess.

 

^ You jinxed yourself! Hopefully nothing is actually wrong.

 

To the OP, if your car is stock, check your air filter (the one in the engine bay). If you got around to scanning the code, do share it.

 

It went on every time I drove the car today as well -- 4 outta 4 times AGAIN. Uh-oh. I'm scouring the Helm's but without a Honda-specific scan tool there isn't much I can do. I might top up the brake fluid and replace the brake switch for under $10 to see if those nearly-free and very simple things help -- they are the recommended fix for two of the 10 possible codes it can be, according again to the Helm's manual. The rest of the fixes involve new, very expensive parts like the yaw sensor or wheel sensors. No thanks!

 

Ah, crap. Well, try the cheap fixes first, like you said. Good luck!

 

AutoZone, if there is one in your area, will use their scanner for free. They won't reset the CEL (it's the law), but they can tell you a code...it mighht not be the exact Honda code (manufacturers are playing games on this and aftermarket OBDII scanners have to read all brands) but it's a start.

 

Two weeks ago vsa and cel came on whilst driving home on the highway. Note oil was reading 10%.
Thinking this maybe a warranty job took it to the dealer the next morning. They said it was because I was low on oil. Dealer didn't give me the cel code.Questioned why the vsa and they just said that during acceleration on the highway oil may have not hit a 'sensor'. They ended up charginging me $143.00 for code check and oil change !@#$% cel has never come on before on low oil and i've taken it below 0% though on this occassion have to admit didn't do a dip stick check. Tried to complain is the cel going to come on for all my oil changes now, next time we'll know what it is was their reply. Like I'm going back there for an oil change.
Whats annoying is that I have an OBDII scanner. Laziness and the cold weather cost me. No cel/vsa lights since the oil change.
Bottom line for you guys maybe check relation between oil and the vsa lights coming on .. GL.

 

Yay!! Got the engine scanned and it was just a loose wire! Something about signal not being able go through to the engine therefore it kicking every time I accelerate to 20mph!
The guy ended up not charging me!

Thanks guys! I probably would have spent lots of money checking every single thing in my car! Really made a girl's day

 

So did they tell you the actual code number that was scanned?

 

You should check you gas cap. Happens to me. Our fuel system is really sensitive to loss of pressure. Next time remove gas cap and then put it back on with 3 clicks or more. I eventually had to buy a new gas cap. Good luck.

 

He did! Right on the spot I can't remember it now...something Correlation?. was what it said on the scanner.

 

# P0016 Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation (Bank 1 Sensor A)
# P0017 Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation (Bank 1 Sensor B)
# P0018 Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation (Bank 2 Sensor A)
# P0019 Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation (Bank 2 Sensor B)
# P0068 MAP/MAF - Throttle Position Correlation
# P0069 Manifold Absolute Pressure - Barometric Pressure Correlation

Anyone of these? Always good to know which code people run into and the respective symptoms/resolutions.

My guess is one of the last 2, 68/69.

 

I can almost guarantee this is P0068. Unplug your drive-by-wire plug from your ECU and you'll throw all sorts of codes. Plugging it back in will cause DBW to be really jerky.

 

Same thing happened to my '04 TSX (6spd). 70k miles. Towed to dealer, they read the diagnostic and said it was the throttle position sensor. Also referred to as the accelerator position sensor. It's basically the drive by wire system not communicating correctly with the engine. They 'rebooted it' (according to the service writer) and it worked fine thereafter. At my next oil change I convinced them to just replace the sensor because I afraid it'd happen again. Covered under my extended warranty.