Seeing your Honda accord blinking D light? Let us guess: some of you probably shrug and say that is no big deal; after all, it’s just a drive light, right?
Unfortunately, the dilemma is not as straightforward as it seems. A flickering and dysfunctional D light indicates other severe issues within the engine compartment or auto transmission gearbox!
Hence, we suggest you tackle such problems right now to avoid expensive repair in the future. Our guidelines below may offer some needed assistance.
Why Is My Honda Accord Blinking D Light? Emergency Questions to Ask Yourself
Why is the D blinking on my Honda accord? Inspecting these 11 issues: Recent automobile service, refueling, tank overfill, newly-installed electronic devices, driving through puddles, water leaks, animal attacks, illuminated dashboard lights, long idle periods without driving, the last driver of the car, and faulty transmissions.
These might shorten your search and bring you closer to the right solution.
1. Has Your Automobile Been Serviced Lately?
Ask yourself this quick question. If the answer is Yes, we highly suspect your mechanic is responsible for the blinking D light on Honda accord.
They might either overlook the sensor’s reconnection or do so improperly. Another explanation is that these specialists dislodge a connector by accident during routine maintenance.
For earlier Honda models, O2 sensors are often inserted under the oil filter. Let’s not rule out the possibility that the technician has contaminated these sensors with oil – an uncommon yet not entirely impossible case.
It often occurs when they try to wipe the grease off the sensor, damaging it in the process.
And what if the car has not yet been serviced? Then the reason behind Honda accord blinking D probably lies somewhere else.
2. Have You Refueled Your Vehicle Lately?
Loose gasoline caps (or their absence in the first place) will result in blinking D on Honda accord.
Keep in mind that all Honda gasoline caps feature a ratcheting mechanism to strengthen the seal without overtightening.
Also, when twisting the cap, confirm you can detect at least three clicking sounds, which implies you have applied the correct torque. Otherwise, the issue of D light blinking Honda accord will refuse to fix itself.
3. Have You Overfilled Your Tank?
Do you have a tendency to fill the gas tank to the brim? Quit it now, particularly if you own one of Honda’s latest models.
The tank reaches its limit when the pump nozzle turns off automatically; never try to exceed those boundaries.
Most modern U.S automobiles must retain gasoline exhausts for further burning and recycling in the engine compartment.
As a result, tank overfill causes the gasoline to leak into small vacuum filters and pressure switches, causing some emission devices to get clogged. Evap canisters are a case in point.
And of course, as these gadgets are submerged in gasoline, the blinking D light Honda accord will flash off a warning signal.
4. Have You Recently Set Up Any New Electronic Devices or Had Automotive Experts Do So For you?
Rear systems, backup cameras, roaring stereos, and remote vehicle starters, to name a few, are among the crowd pleasers when it comes to modern car accessories.
It’s quite likely that whoever installed them for you has blown a fuse, or worse, tapped into some wrong battery cables, causing the blinking drive light Honda accord to happen.
Check whether all your car electronics, such as the dashboard light, 12-volt power source, or the check engine light, are still functioning properly.
If they still are, we suggest you recheck the fuses with some help from scan tools or voltmeters. Should nothing work, the best thing to do is to return that car to the service center responsible for that job.
5. Did The Lights Turn On After You Drive Through Deep Puddles?
This issue is not a common case, but it still occurs nonetheless.
Most oxygen sensors are positioned underneath the car, within or close to the catalytic converter, where the internal temperatures might exceed 600 degrees.
After one or two hours of driving time on the expressway, the vehicle’s exhaust might boil over.
As a result, driving through muddy patches might cool the O2 sensor too rapidly, shattering all the material within. Sounds like your situation? Then take the vehicle to a dealer or a local repair shop.
6. Does Your Vehicle Suffer from Excessive Humidity Due to Water Leaks?
Water on the back and front carpet often originates somewhere near the car’s front, which then flows towards the rear due to frequent acceleration and rearward floor slopes.
But if the water is only on the back, its source must be around the vehicle’s rear.
Windshields are often a common source of water leaks, particularly those you have recently rebuilt.
As they spill water into the Engine Control Unit (ECU), circuit box, or other control compartments, the ECU will fail to operate, leading to glowing check engine indicators.
7. Are You Living in Rural Regions with Lots of Small Animals?
Animals create more automobile issues than you think, two of which are wiring damage and foul odors.
Squirrels, chipmunks, rats, and mice are some notorious culprits, wreaking havoc on any electrical system they can access.
Given the right opportunity, they even set up nests and stockpile foods for winters, chewing on wires to sharpen their teeth for effective hunting.
Several manufacturers do provide wiring harnesses with tape that can repel mice. They are not always effective, but at least that’s a great start!
Signals of animal attack are:
- Pee smell in the AC system
- Nuts, acorned, dried dog food stashed in the engine bay or glove box
- Nibbled carpets
- Loud AC or heater sounds
8. Are There Other Warning Lights Illuminated On Your Dashboard?
Sometimes, the reason behind your flashing D4 light might lie in other control system components, such as the dashboard.
Still, flaring dashboard lights do not always mean your car is in deep trouble, so no worry! Sometimes, the root cause might be a very minor issue, such as the generator not charging or overcharging.
It produces either too low or too much voltage in the network, resulting in collective check light illumination.
9. Has The Car Stayed Idle For Long Without Any Driving?
Parked vehicles are vulnerable to a bunch of attacks and technical problems.
Critter invasion, dying battery, broken shift solenoid, and rusted brake rotors can cause severe pulsation in brake pedals and trigger the check light to illuminate.
Since no one was there to keep an eye on the car, it is quite a challenge to pinpoint the exact issue here. We recommend you count on trustable mechanics in such cases.
10. Who Was The Last Driver Of This Car?
Was that you? Your answer is No – and the light is still up for mysterious reasons?
Then it’s time you started asking around. It could be a careless friend or relative who accidentally spilled coffee or soda on the console when using your car.
For some Honda models, the PCM/ECM (powertrain control unit/engine control unit) is placed directly under the center console. As a result, sugary beverages will totally destroy this costly control unit.
11. Is There Anything Wrong With The Automatic Transmissions?
Poor tranny oil levels might spark the glowing of your drive light – a direct result of car transmission faults caused by insufficient mechanism pressure.
Checking the tranny fluid level is nothing complicated. All you need to do is to locate the probe (often going with a label), remove it and wipe it clean. Once done, reinsert the probe and detach it one more time to assess the measurements. Is the fluid level too low? Add some more to see if that helps.
Lack of automatic transmission fluid is not the sole problem here. Other related issues, such as damaged gearboxes or transmission slipping (especially after fluid changes), might have also pulled the trigger.
Fixing all of them, and the light is still blinking? Maybe the problem is more stubborn than what we saw at first glance. Bring your automobile to a car transmission service for further evaluation.
What Should I Do to Fix Honda Accord D Light Blinking?
Replacing faulty automobile parts is all it takes to tackle the problem.
Let’s say the engine control module is broken; then you simply need to install a new one. Or if the windshields’ constant water leakage is the primary cause, have a professional fix them for you.
In most cases, the expensive cost is not due to the replacements themselves – but rather the time required for experts to spot the issue in the first place.
Still want to find a one-size-fits-all answer instead? Then your best bet is to erase the transmission codes entirely, which resets the light to its original state.
However, we must warn you that this second solution is not always successful. Make sure to write down those codes before your deletion so that you can still remember what they were if the problem recurs.
Conclusion
This article has examined all relevant facets that might explain the Honda accord blinking D light.
Damage might be less obvious during the first few weeks, luring you into a false sense of security. But in fact, with no on-time treatment, your car might encounter serious safety problems.
Tackle the dilemma immediately, and feel free to contact us for more assistance if needed.