Hey good people! First off THANK YOU! This forum has literally saved my life & I'm so glad its here.
So,I need your help. I have a 2002 Honda Civic with only 155k miles, originally came from auction- I brought off street and I'm not sure if its worth saving with these codes that came up.
After a diagnosis I got these: PO118 ECT sensor (1 circuit high input) P1361 TDC sensor (1 Noise) PO128 Themostat Rang/Perf. (CAM & Crank Sensor)
I've had the thermostat changed once and still had problems with overheating. I had one mechanic tell me the line was too short, the engine was sending pressure to the radiator causing the overheating, there was nothing he could do and I should just sell it for scraps. Another mechanic (who gave me these codes) was willing to take the car in and do the work for $750. Seems a little over priced after doing my homework especially if the signal & ground are working properly. I'm split, what do you think?
felt out transmission: Automatic
Also, the check engine light is on, the car will start no problem but does idle a bit, gas meter will fluctuate, there are no leaks in the radiator, last thing that happened was an overheating on the freeway pulled off and got towed.. If my question needs more detail or someone has already asked this please do let me know or add link..
The work is way over priced. For P0128 and P0118, you probably need to check the wiring to or replace the ECT sensor. They cost $18.49 at AutoZone. P1361 is the TDC sensor. Check for tight electrical connections for this one and if necessary replace. AutoZone - $43.99. I cannot see any where near $750 for parts and labor on this job. Find somebody honest.
Exactly the price did not seem right to me. Thank you for your insights on what to check for, I appreciate it!
Do you know if it is a guarantee after fixing these issues that the car will work properly or should I retire it and look for something new?
So why the down vote??
There are no guarantees in this life.
It depends on your financial situation (which is nobody's business except your own). If you have to rely on someone to fix it for you, I think things could get expensive quickly. Since it's an auction car, you really have no idea about the history of it and what it has gone through. Prices for used and new cars have exploded due to the chip shortage, and it's not going to settle down for possibly a few years. Without any more information than what you have provided, here is my suggestion/opinion: A base Honda Civic is $21,900 and a Toyota Corolla starts at $20,075. Newer used versions of these vehicles are high enough to probably entice you to buy new. Also, you may be surprised at what you are offered for the 2002 as a trade in considering how expensive the used car market is. Check out what used 2002's are going for and use that as a negotiation tool. When sitting down with a dealer, focus on the price, not the monthly payment. Just my 2 cents.
