[BrilliantBastard]

So recently bought a European 1992 Prelude 2.3 with 4WS.
The seller made in May a movie of the dashboard where no lights were coming on.
Due to registration issues I have barely been able to drive the car (getting a French 1992 car registered in Belgium is a pain when Honda Belgium can't deliver a certificate of conformity), but now the registration is OK and expecting license plates any day now.
However, the times I did drive the Prelude or started it in the driveway, I had following issues:

• 4WS sometimes worked, sometimes it didn't. Sometimes it failed immediately after starting, sometimes it took a bit longer.
• Handbrake light comes on. I do notice it changes in brightness when I pull up or down my handbrake lever, so it is detecting that.
• ABS light is on. Brakes are working fine, passed the inspection for road legal.

Last week I did the resoldering of the 4WS relays described here.
I think it solved the issue a bit: light is of after starting the car and it works. However, after driving for 5 to 10 minutes, the light comes on again.
From my limited sample check (3 short drives), it seems to be lighting up always after the same time.
I'm thinking some timeout in the software because the ABS light keeps coming on? Could that be?
I'm hoping all the brake lights and 4WS light are related and fixed with a simple change.

So other issue: ABS, brake light and handbrake light coming on.
I've looked at these posts:

ABS light and parking light come on....

So my parking light would come on and stay on for about 30 seconds after a sharp corner if I accelerate hard, now its staying on after and my abs light is also on. Upon restart they go away until the next fast corner. So my question is what can it be? Bad brakes? Bad sensors? Bad wheel...

www.preludepower.com

Insteresing ABS Light issue

Interesting ABS light issue I wanted to share my abs light issue that I've been having, I recently experienced my abs light coming pretty consistently after driving for a couple minutes. So when I came home I pulled the code and got a 2-1 which the the service manual indicates - The parking...

www.preludepower.com

I have no mechanical background, so I'm thinking of leaving this up to my car guy.
But I do want to give him the best support on Honda Preludes I can give, with your help.

So I want him to do a full service of the car and I want to give him a step by step plan to tackle the brake light issue and this is what I came up with:
1) Check brake fluid level -> to me this seems quite high, but I'm no expert
2) Check ABS sensors

Other things that can be checked before taking apart the whole dashboard?

 

[Vtecmec]

You can pull the error codes for both the 4WS and ABS systems, the procedure is in the manual or a quick google will show you how. Doing this will narrow down the issue.

My money is on a rear speed sensor which would show a fault on both systems and usually only pops a warning light on after the vehicle moves.

The handbrake could be related, or could be low fluid (or faulty sensor connection), a dodgy handbrake switch, or a faulty alternator can also cause multiple warning light to come on on the dash board.

 

[BrilliantBastard]

Will try that.
When searching for procedure, I found a manual with first 32 pages from Knowles and the next 1000 pages from Mitchell I think (don't know if I can post a link here).
Anyway in the Knowles section on 4WS it states that error code 74 is for driving the car with the parking brake on and the 4WS light will come on after 5 minutes.
That seems to correspond to what I see: handbrake thinks it is on, therefor 4WS will be triggered after 5 minutes.

 

[Vtecmec]

Yes, could well be that, I'm sure its not a huge fix, the handbrake switch seems likely.

The best manual is Hondas own:

https://www.ludegeneration.co.uk/kb/viewarticle?a=10

Yes, 74 is : Temporary Driving Conditions: Driving with parking brake ON

https://www.ludegeneration.co.uk/kb/viewarticle?a=2

 

[BrilliantBastard]

Tried to short circuit the connector under the dash.
First with a paper clip, then a wire from an Arduino set.
Is it correct that when it is short circuited the orange engine light goes on?
Because the 4WS nor the ABS light flashed any code, they just went off and stayed off.

The Brake Lamp Indicator light (most right light) and Parking Brake and Brake System Indicator light (most left light) went out for a short period when starting the car.
But next time I started the car, they came on again after a second or 2.

So no codes for 4WS or ABS. Is it a good assumption that it is then limited to the handbrake or brake system (without ABS)?
I doubt a bit that the handbrake switch is broken, because the Parking Brake and Brake System Indicator light goes a bit brighter when I pull up the handbrake.

Problem is that my insurance messed up the request for license plates, so I'll probably have to wait another 2-3 weeks before I can drive the car.

 

[Vtecmec]

Systematically, I would start at the handbrake switch, test it for operation and then follow the wiring if that proves OK.