Main relay on a 1991 Acura Legend?

Answer 1

DIY for Main Relay FixI cant post this in the DIY section so if someone could move this to the DIY that would be great. Thankx

my car was getting the usual symptons from the main relay failing so i thought i

would tackle the job myself instead of having a mechanic horribly overcharge me 80bucks

for the relay and 100bucks for labor. ok well first of all i just want to say that removing

and resoldering the main relay was way less complicated than i thought it would be based

on what other people had said.

You will need some very basic tools to get started. Your going to need a Phillips(cross)

screwdriver to remove the various screws that hold on the trim pieces and the air

conditioning tube. Next you will need a flathead screwdriver to pry the tabs back of the

relay case so you wont need to unscrew anything to remove the relay. You will need a

soldering iron something that will melt the solder so it can reflow. I used a desoldering

iron because i could'NT find my regular iron it works fine. A couple items that you might

need along the way would be a roll of solder and possibly some small wire cutters.

Start this whole project by removing the two screws that hold the kickpanel below the steering wheel

column. Once the two screws are out you slowly slide the panel down and forward so that the four tabs

come out of the slots. At this point watch out not to pry the panel out too quickly , there is a clip

at the back center that I bent trying to get the panel off.

Now that the panel is almost out and tilted down you have to remove four connectors: on the left is

a connector for the floor light , next to the left is two connectors for the rise up control box, Next

is another connector for the windshield wiper riseup switch. The Blue arrow shows where that clip is.

I found it easy to simply pinch together the clip and take it out of its retainer. Or you can forcefully

pull it out , it's your choice just don't break your panel.

Now there is an air conditioning duct that is in the way and makes it impossible to work where the relay

is so you must remove the duct by simply removing the two screws where the red arrows are and pop the duct

out.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 655x480 and weights 36KB.

The red square shows exactly where the main relay is all you have to do is look up and youll see the

bottom of the relay which is a wierd red color. The arrow in blue shows the main relay's connector

which I have disconnected to remove it the way that I think is easier than unscrewing stuff out.

this shows the botttom of the main relay. The two arrows show where I inserted the flathead screwdriver

to make the two little tabs that are hold the relay in bend out so i can pull the actual relay out.

Be careful to not insert the flathead all the way in. You Should NOT insert the screwdriver more than

a couple millimiters you only need to make the tab bulge out so it doesnt hold the relay. Same goes

for the right side of the relay.

Once you have the tabs out the relshould come out easily , all you need to do is maneuverit out of the

plastic case and around that green fuseholder next to it. The relay should look like this , while the

black plastic top part still being attached to the car. The top part wont be needed.

Now that you have the relay out things should go really smoothly. First get your soldering iron to its

normal operating temperature. Once the iron is realy hot you can proceed to melt each solder joint Be

extremely careful not to bridge any of the contacts that arent already bridged. By briding I mean

accidentaly shorting out the contacts by letting the solder run to another joint. That WILL DAMAGE

your relay and possibly wiring and other things in your car. On some joints you might have to add a

little solder if it seems to need some but again be careful not to let the solder flow onto any other

contacts.

Once you Are done reflowing all the joints it should look pretty much the same as originaly but now the

joints are essentially new and will last you for a long time to come depending on the quality of your

soldering job.

Now all you have to do is let the relay cool down and reverse the disassembly process. Before you

reassemble everything you should quickly connect the relay to its connector. turn the key to the on

the on position and see if you hear the humming noise from the fuel pump in the back. When you are

listening for the fuel pump hum turn off your radio so that you don't hear the hum from the motor of the

power antenna. If it works then all you have to do now is Reinsert the relay back into its cap that

is still in the dash of the car. reconnect the relay connector, Reinstall the air conditioning Ducting.

Reconnect the cables to the accessories on the kickpanel. reinstall the kickpanel and screws and you're

all done

Now lets all have a cocktail. Cheers!!

DIY for Main Relay FixI cant post this in the DIY section so if someone could move this to the DIY that would be great. Thankx

my car was getting the usual symptons from the main relay failing so i thought i

would tackle the job myself instead of having a mechanic horribly overcharge me 80bucks

for the relay and 100bucks for labor. ok well first of all i just want to say that removing

and resoldering the main relay was way less complicated than i thought it would be based

on what other people had said.

You will need some very basic tools to get started. Your going to need a Phillips(cross)

screwdriver to remove the various screws that hold on the trim pieces and the air

conditioning tube. Next you will need a flathead screwdriver to pry the tabs back of the

relay case so you wont need to unscrew anything to remove the relay. You will need a

soldering iron something that will melt the solder so it can reflow. I used a desoldering

iron because i could'NT find my regular iron it works fine. A couple items that you might

need along the way would be a roll of solder and possibly some small wire cutters.

Start this whole project by removing the two screws that hold the kickpanel below the steering wheel

column. Once the two screws are out you slowly slide the panel down and forward so that the four tabs

come out of the slots. At this point watch out not to pry the panel out too quickly , there is a clip

at the back center that I bent trying to get the panel off.

Now that the panel is almost out and tilted down you have to remove four connectors: on the left is

a connector for the floor light , next to the left is two connectors for the rise up control box, Next

is another connector for the windshield wiper riseup switch. The Blue arrow shows where that clip is.

I found it easy to simply pinch together the clip and take it out of its retainer. Or you can forcefully

pull it out , it's your choice just don't break your panel.

Now there is an air conditioning duct that is in the way and makes it impossible to work where the relay

is so you must remove the duct by simply removing the two screws where the red arrows are and pop the duct

out.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 655x480 and weights 36KB.

The red square shows exactly where the main relay is all you have to do is look up and youll see the

bottom of the relay which is a wierd red color. The arrow in blue shows the main relay's connector

which I have disconnected to remove it the way that I think is easier than unscrewing stuff out.

this shows the botttom of the main relay. The two arrows show where I inserted the flathead screwdriver

to make the two little tabs that are hold the relay in bend out so i can pull the actual relay out.

Be careful to not insert the flathead all the way in. You Should NOT insert the screwdriver more than

a couple millimiters you only need to make the tab bulge out so it doesnt hold the relay. Same goes

for the right side of the relay.

Once you have the tabs out the relshould come out easily , all you need to do is maneuverit out of the

plastic case and around that green fuseholder next to it. The relay should look like this , while the

black plastic top part still being attached to the car. The top part wont be needed.

Now that you have the relay out things should go really smoothly. First get your soldering iron to its

normal operating temperature. Once the iron is realy hot you can proceed to melt each solder joint Be

extremely careful not to bridge any of the contacts that arent already bridged. By briding I mean

accidentaly shorting out the contacts by letting the solder run to another joint. That WILL DAMAGE

your relay and possibly wiring and other things in your car. On some joints you might have to add a

little solder if it seems to need some but again be careful not to let the solder flow onto any other

contacts.

Once you Are done reflowing all the joints it should look pretty much the same as originaly but now the

joints are essentially new and will last you for a long time to come depending on the quality of your

soldering job.

Now all you have to do is let the relay cool down and reverse the disassembly process. Before you

reassemble everything you should quickly connect the relay to its connector. turn the key to the on

the on position and see if you hear the humming noise from the fuel pump in the back. When you are

listening for the fuel pump hum turn off your radio so that you don't hear the hum from the motor of the

power antenna. If it works then all you have to do now is Reinsert the relay back into its cap that

is still in the dash of the car. reconnect the relay connector, Reinstall the air conditioning Ducting.

Reconnect the cables to the accessories on the kickpanel. reinstall the kickpanel and screws and you're

all done

Now lets all have a cocktail. Cheers!!