This 2001 Honda Civic came in with a multitude of problems one of which was a code P1298 stored for an ELD fault (electric load detector circuit input high). I had never had to actually test one of these before although I knew that they existed. The ELD sends a signal to the engine control computer so that the computer can adjust the alternator output in relation to power consumption. The ELD is located in the underhood fuse box. I am pointing to it with my screw driver.
To test the ELD I had to lift the underhood fuse box and remove the bottom cover. Once removed I could access the wiring for the ELD. The wire on the far right of the connector is power supply (battery voltage).
The wire in the middle of the connector is battery ground.
The wire on the far left of the connector is a five volt signal sent from the computer. The ELD will pull the voltage lower with increased system load and should vary with a change in load. For example if the blower or headlights are turned on it should drop. This particular unit was stuck at 3.81 volts and would not change with no loads or full loads applied. If the voltage had been near zero I would have had to unplug the connector and see if the five volt reference signal was being sent by the computer and wiring.
After testing and finding a faulty ELD, it was very easy to change. I removed the four adjoining phillips headed screws that held the two PAL fuses in place.
I released the latch on the harness connector and unplugged the connector.
With the wiring removed I simply lifted the unit. Slid the bar out and installed the new unit.
Below are a couple of pictures of the actual ELD part from Honda.
I find your blog very informative and helpful. Thanks for all the effort you are putting into it. Also I have a 96 civic and tried to purchase ELD from the dealer and they said it can not be sold seperately and I have to purchase the whole fuse box. Any Idea where to find one.
On the vehicle that I posted about, the P1298 was a result of an alternator that was overcharging. The alternator was overcharging because of a super heated catalytic converter. The converter was over heated by excess fuel entering the engine, caused by a faulty cam sensor. In the end it cost over $3000 to repair this vehicle. The driver had chose to ignore the service engine soon light because the car was “running good enough to get her where she wanted to go”.
I do not want to imply that this may be happening in your vehicle. I am just trying to express that small problems left unattended can grow in to very expensive repairs.
Hello. Thanks for the post. At autozone they said the computer was bad and the part was $400+. (I have an 01 LX). However A year ago a mechanic told us there was nothing wrong with it when the same code came up. Any advice? What will happens if I do nothing…
It should be the same basic procedure and if I remember correctly the part was around thirty bucks. Please make sure you actually test before replacing the ELD. Having a code P1298 does not guarantee the Eld is faulty.
hey man read your post. Ill go ahead and say im not really a honda guy lol. My girlfriend has a 02 civic ex 1.7 throwing the same code p1298. Is this the same as for your 01 model? Also how much was the part from honda?