1997 Honda Accord car would not shut off

DEMI DOYLE

MEMBER
1997 HONDA ACCORD

Engine problem
1997 Honda Accord Engine Size unknown Wheel Drive Type unknown Automatic 150, 00 miles

Today when I turned the car off the engine would not shut down. It continued to run for 5 minutes then stopped running. Steam started coming out from under the hood. These may be unrelated but I had told my mechanic a few weeks ago that the car smelled hot to me. Several of my family members also noticed it. It did not smell hot inside the car but outside the car. It began as soon as I started the car and continued all the time as I drove it. About three months ago I had to have a starter put in.I'm wondering if a defective starter could have caused the smell and also is related to the car not shutting off. The car has been towed, looks like battery is shot and It smells burnt. Mechanic is afraid to start it thinks it might cause a fire. Worried about the electrical. Need help in possible diagnosis. Thanks Demi

1 Reply

BRUCE HUNT

MECHANIC
3,754 POSTS

Sounds like three issues taking place. #1 is the heating problem. That is the first and most important consideration. You could have a leak, say at the radiator or a hose. But it could be a head and head gasket issue. The starter and battery are another issue. I suspect the ignition switch for the engine not wanting to kill. However, the switch could be the cause of the other problem with the starter/battery.

Troubleshoot the overheating first. It could make the difference between needing some work, needing a lot of work or disposing of the vehicle.