How To Test The Ignition Control Module (1999-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V)

TEST 1: Making Sure The Ignition Module Is Getting Power

The wire that feeds the ignition control module with power is the black with yellow (BLK/YEL) stripe wire of the engine wiring harness distributor connector.

To find out if battery power is available in this wire, we're gonna' do a simple multimeter voltage test.

If the black with yellow stripe (BLK/YEL) wire indeed has battery voltage, then the next step is to see if the fuel injection computer is activating the ignition control module (ICM).

NOTE: If you need the ignition system wiring diagram, check it out here: 1999-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V Ignition System Wiring Diagram.

Alright, these are the test steps:

1. 1

   Disconnect the distributor from its electrical connector and turn the key to its ON position.

2. 2

   Connect the black multimeter test lead to the BLK/YEL wire of the distributor's connector.

3. 3

   Connect the red multimeter test lead to the battery positive (+) terminal.

4. 4

   Your multimeter should read 10 to 12 Volts DC if the ignition control module is getting battery power.

Let's take a look at what your test results mean:

CASE 1: The Ignition Control Module is getting battery power. This is the correct and expected test result. The next step is to make sure the ignition control module is getting a triggering signal from the fuel injection computer. For this step, go to: TEST 2: Making Sure The Ignition Control Module Is Being Triggered.

CASE 2: The Ignition Control Module IS NOT getting battery power. This tells you that the ignition control module is not working due to a lack of 12 Volts.

Your next step is to repair and restore power to the connector. Once the 12 Volts are restored, the ignition control module should function again and the engine should start.

TEST 2: Making Sure The Ignition Module Is Being Triggered

As mentioned in the previous test step, the fuel injection computer in your 1999-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V is the component that activates the ignition control module.

When the ignition control module gets the ICM control signal, it now starts to activate the ignition coil (and the ignition coil starts to spark away).

So, to find out if the ignition control module is bad or not, we need to make sure that the ICM control signal is present.

If the ICM signal is indeed present in the yellow with green (YEL/GRN)) stripe wire, then we can correctly conclude that the ICM is bad and needs to be replaced.

NOTE: The LED light is polarity specific (this is the reason why its wires are black and red). Be sure and connect the black and red wires (of the LED light) to the indicated sources in the instruction below.

IMPORTANT: It's important that the distributor remain connected to its engine wiring harness connector for this test to work.

You can see this test step performed in this YouTube video: How To Test The Ignition Control Module (1999, 2000, 2001 2.0L Honda CR-V).

Let's get started:

1. 1

   Connect the black wire of the LED to the YEL/GRN wire of the distributor connector using an appropriate tool.
   
   Remember, the distributor must remain connected to the engine wiring harness distributor connector..

2. 2

   Connect the red LED light wire to the battery positive (+) terminal.

3. 3

   Have your helper crank the engine while you observe the LED light.

4. 4

   The LED light should flash ON and OFF as you crank the engine if the fuel injection computer is triggering the ICM.

Let's take a look at what your test results mean:

CASE 1: The LED light flashed ON and OFF as the engine was cranked. This is the correct and expected test result and tells you that the ignition control module is getting the ICM control signal.

This test result tells that the ignition control module is defective (and needs to be replaced) only if you have:

• Confirmed that spark is absent from the coil's tower and it's not getting a control signal from the ignition control module.
• Confirmed that the ignition control module has power (TEST 1).
• Confirmed that the ignition control module is getting the triggering signal from the fuel injection computer (TEST 2).

CASE 2: The LED light DID NOT flash ON and OFF as the engine was cranked. This tells you that the fuel injection computer is not triggering the ICM. Without the ICM control signal, the ignition module will not activate the ignition coil.

This usually means that one of the 3 crankshaft position sensors, inside the distributor, is defective. Although it's beyond the scope of this tutorial to test the crankshaft position sensors, you have confirmed that the ignition control module is not defective (since it won't function without its triggering signal).

More 2.0L Honda CR-V Tutorials

You can find a complete list of tutorials here: Honda 2.0L Index Of Articles.

Here's a sample of the tutorials you'll find there:

• How To Test The Ignition Coil (1999-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V).
• How To Test The TPS (1997-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V).
• How To Test The MAP Sensor (1997-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V).
• How To Test Engine Compression (1997-2001 2.0L Honda).

On YouTube, check out my following videos:

• How To Test The Ignition Coil (1999-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V) (at YouTube).
• How To Test The Ignition Control Module (1999, 2000, 2001 2.0L Honda CR-V) (at YouTube).
• How To Test The Fuel Pump (1997-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V) (at: YouTube).