Q&A

 Rookie

I have a Honda '02 CR-V EX w/o daytime running lights and I have a problem with leaving the headlights on. There is no indication that the HL's are on when I turn the car off. I looked over the wiring diagram in the Hayne's manual and thought I found a fix. By inserting a (SPST) relay into the ignition wire and connecting it to the HL circuit, I figured I could make it so that the HL's will only come on when the key is in the 'ON' or 'START' position. I put the relay in, and it worked beautifully, except that I didn't get ignition. The starter cranks no problem (no surprise), but the engine won't start. When I take the relay out and reconnect the ignition wire, it starts. When I put the relay back in, it doesn't. Any idea of why this happens? Does it have to do with the rise time on the relay coil (which I think is ~5-7ms)? Or something with the PCM? With the headlight circuit connected to the switch side of the relay, I get about 100 ohms across the primary side terminals. Don't know if that has any bearing on the problem.

Thanks for any thoughts on this.