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Honda Accord (2003-2007) Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • byron2byron2 Member Posts: 12
    Good idea. Thanks. If it's the problem it would be MUCH easier to change.

    Byron
  • garrickgarrick Member Posts: 30
    Is there a maintenance shedule required to be maintained for a lease with Honda Finance? I have 7500 miles and had only one oil change. Oil life is currently at 70%. Do I have to maintain tire rotation, and all the stuff suggested at the dealers or is minimum maint ok since I have low mileage? I know dealer is out for money but I want to be in accordance with lease and not get hit with surcharges at end of lease. Thoughts?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    When you hit 15%, your car will give you a code in the odometer area such as B1 indicating what service it needs (oil changes, tire rotations, air filter, etc). All of this is in your manual.

    Go by what your car tells you, not the dealer.
  • mookie14mookie14 Member Posts: 252
    Hey guys whats up with Honda i've moved fron the south to north and as i got here i see one thing POTHOLES AND quality!! My suspension is clunking ive only got like 15k on it its the soft like clunking you do not hear it outright but you have to really listen. Any ideas what to tell these butholes at the dealership to describe whats the problem. Also im hearing sqealing coming from the pulley area do not know if its the belt or one of the pulleys stuck. I was going to buy belt dressing but may not be the problem so guys help me out please. Shocked at Honda with all this going dwn at 15k Wife said its not them with respect to the pulleys its them but the roads is it the State and City Roads is she right?
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Also im hearing squealing coming from the pulley area do not know if its the belt or one of the pulleys stuck.

    If it squeals mostly at start up, it could be the belt. But if it squeals even after a while driving, I would have the belt tensioner checked out. If the auto tensioner is working like it should, the belt should not slip (unless there was some kind of fluid spilled on it to make it slippery). My educated guess is the tensioner.
  • lastwraithlastwraith Member Posts: 350
    "Do they have aftermarket radios that can display A/C information? I don't think so. " I suppose not, but I don't see how that tone is necessary either.
    From just reading his post (I guess I overlooked the title) it seemed like they were only having issue with the radio illumination. I was just pointing out that you aren't married to it considering you can fit in an aftermarket solution with some effort. If your HVAC controls are affected as well because of the shared panel arrangement that is obviously another story.

    Edit: I see the variant in the EX V6 is closely tied together...that sucks. $800 to replace a unit that only needs (in reality) a resistor replacement is pretty insane though. Just take that radio in to a competent electronics repair shop and have them go at it with the posted instructions if you can't - out of warranty only obviously.
  • lastwraithlastwraith Member Posts: 350
    Just to add to this, a google search readily reveals replacement HVAC control panels with a standard DIN sized opening. Besides the fact that it doesn't look as fancy or display as much information, what is to stop people from using this instead? It seems like it only displays basic information via indicator lamps (didn't see a dual-climate variant etc) but it seems to get the job done.

    Perhaps I'm missing something though, it's damn late here.
  • bunkie1bunkie1 Member Posts: 18
    Here's one that allows you to install an aftermarket radio if you have dual climate controls. Judging from the picture, it won't quite look OEM. Of course, for the cost of this kit, before you even buy an aftermarket stereo, you can have your Honda stereo repaired.

    http://www.autotoys.com/x/catalog/HONDA_ACCORD_20032006_T2_TOP_MOUNT_TURBO2_DASH- _KIT_DUAL_p_5065.html
  • lastwraithlastwraith Member Posts: 350
    A lot of people online seemed to be quoted from $800-1100 for a "radio" replacement from the dealer, so that's not a bad price at all. I saw this one, but unfortunately it only "converts" your dual-climate to single climate. That's a pretty big feature to lose even if the cost savings is large. Someone must make a dual climate with a DIN space....somewhere.
  • gobigblue1gobigblue1 Member Posts: 2
    I purchased my 2003 Honda Accord Coupe EX new. It is a 4 cylinder. I have a bad circuit board causing the radio lights to black out. I am not worried about that problem. I have changed oil, brake pads, air and cabin air filters. That is all I have ever done to this car. It has 151,000 miles on it. Any suggestions on what I should do at this point? I am not having any problems, but want to delay or remedy any potential ones. I fear changing or messing with the transmission fluid at this point might only cause problems. Anyone care to comment? Thanks!
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ..........if you're looking for purchase re-validation: you've got it.

    ....ez....
  • gobigblue1gobigblue1 Member Posts: 2
    Your right. This is my first Honda, and certainly will not be my last. Thanks.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    If you haven't had the radio lights fixed yet, I would contact the local dealership, and see what they have to say. The warranty was extended, but not to your mileage. If the circuit board has not been changed before, I'm sure Honda would at least pay part of the replacement.
    Changing out 3 quarts of transmission fluid will certainly NOT hurt anything, and your transmission might even shift smoother afterwards.
  • bunkie1bunkie1 Member Posts: 18
    My experience is about the same. I've got 118,000 miles and all I've done besides the routine maintenance and fixing my radio is replace one O2 sensor at around 40,000 miles to the tune of $40. I bet I average $40 a month with my Passat. I'm planning to swap out some ATF fluid too.
  • deliciousbassdeliciousbass Member Posts: 18
    The car has 120,000 trouble free miles. The "BRAKE" light is on and stays on. No ABS light on at this time. The book says to check the fluid level, but that checks out ok. Any ideas? Thank you!
  • tankbeanstankbeans Member Posts: 585
    This may be a stupid question, and I'm sorry if it is, but is your parking brake partially engaged? I know sometimes they can be partially engaged without it looking like it.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    elroy5 is right; changing your transmission fluid won't hurt anything. It will only help. I wouldn't do a transmission flush, but would do a drain and fill a couple of times, if not more (150k miles is a lot longer than it is recommended to go before changing your fluid). You should be ok otherwise, though.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    The cap for the brake fluid reseviour may have a rubber boot on it. If it does, make sure the boot is not hanging down. If the boot is hanging out a little, push it back up into the cap, and the light may go out. If this is not the problem check the brake lights to see if they are working properly.
  • deliciousbassdeliciousbass Member Posts: 18
    I checked the cap and the brake lights - all ok. The parking brake is all the way down. The light remains on. I appreciate your ideas, any others? I hate to take it to the dealer, but would like to make sure this isn't anything serious.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    If the brake lights are working that tells me the brake light switch for the regular brake pedal is working, so that leaves the switch for the emergency brake lever. Are you sure the fluid level is high enough? Some times it doesn't have to be very low, to make the light come on. Good luck
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    A wild guess. Weak battery?
  • deliciousbassdeliciousbass Member Posts: 18
    Brake lights are working normal, and the brake fluid level and rubber boot is all in good shape. I'm guessing that it could be the switch that you suggest for the e-brake lever. I was looking at the wiring diagram in the Haynes manual, and it seems possible. Does anyone know if this switch is easily accessable?

    As far as the weak battery idea, the car cranks just fine with no noticeable battery issues. Could that still be the problem? It is the original battery. Again, I bought the car new in November of 2003 - It has been very well maintained and has 120,000 miles.

    Thanks for your input - I do appreciate it!
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    You have to remove the center console to test the parking brake switch.
  • chucko3chucko3 Member Posts: 793
    I would check the 2-wire connector to the brake fluid reservoir
    for a loose connection before messing with the e-brake
    switch.
  • srizvi1srizvi1 Member Posts: 263
    Not really a question here, but more info on my 2004 Accord 4 cyl and what I do usually... I thought I'd post and hear some thoughts on from whoever has them.

    So my 2004 Accord is now at 112,679 miles. I bought it back in April, 2004 so a little over 4 years now, averaging 25k-ish a year in mileage.

    Nothing too interesting in the beginning... at 10k miles, $81.75 for a 10k service at the dealer (oil change/tire rotation/checks - in retrospect, a terrible waste of money)... at 18k, a jiffy lube visit w/ penzoil 5W20 for $35.. at 23k miles, a $19 oil change at Dealer...

    At 28k miles, I bought the lifetime alignment from Firestone for $169-$50 (they gave me a $50 discount since I had lifetime alignment on my previous IS 300 and it got totalled right after). They would also do the courtesy checks for free that Honda would charge me for. Still didn't like paying $20 for the tire rotation here though.

    At 42k miles, I started synthetic oil in my car and started doing a better job of going 10k miles in between oil changes like the manual says to do. (Although my first purchase was Mobil 1 5W30 and looking at the manual, should have been 5W20). I took the oil to the dealer and got the oil change done for $11.81. My next visit to the dealer at 52k miles was $16.56 for the oil change for some reason, but still not too bad.

    The highlight of my Accord ownership came for me at 57k miles when I popped a tire on a curb. I already had two of my rear tires going bad anyways so when I saw a rebate on buying 4 bridgestone tires at the time, I decided to replace all 4 and just keep one as back up. I researched on Tire Rack and saw the Potenza G009s were getting good reviews. I got my local Firestone to match the price of Tire RackTaking the price of the tire down from $95.99 x 4 tires = 383.96 - $91.96 = fees = $309.80. And I got a $50 rebate for all 4 tires. I took these tires down to Wal Mart and mounted them for $55.85 total and the best perk was lifetime rotation and balance.

    Since then, pretty much every 10k miles, I follow the same routine. I buy Mobil 1 oil, get the oil change done at the dealer for $15ish, go across the street to Wal-mart, get my tires rotated and balanced for free, and then go to Firestone, and get my lifetime alignment done.

    I recently got a card in the mail from Firestone making me a Complete Rewards Gold member. Some of the stuff is kind of decent though - free Tire Rotation, Electrical System Check, Alignment Check, and Brake Inspection. I might consider taking Wal-mart out of my routine now and just paying ($20?) to have my tires balanced with the free rotation.

    Also, I spent some time with the manual today - your'e supposed to do the oil replacement every 10k and the filter every 20k. I didn't realize that. I could have maybe saved some bucks if I said specifically what I wanted, but then again, I wonder if the oil change place would be good about letting me know that they in fact replaced the filter.

    Any thoughts on anything?
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I would let them change the filter each time they change the oil. Other than that, I'd like to commend you on maintaining your car. Have you had any major problems with it, in those 112,679 miles?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I have the Potenza G009s on my 1996 Accord (haven't replaced the OEM tires on my '06 yet at only 35k miles). I like them a lot. How do you think they compare to the Michelins? Quieter/Louder? Grippier? Better in Wet or Dry?

    Remember anything? :)
  • srizvi1srizvi1 Member Posts: 263
    I really have no complaints on the G009s. I think they are excellent tires... and I WANT to say that before I got them on my 2004 Accord 4cl Sedan EX Navi, I wanted to replace my OEM tires (Which I think were Michelins) because I was unhappy with them. But it's hard for me to say why... However, I do remember going through the reviews on Tire Rack and the people who had gotten the G009s were raving about them pretty hard over the OEMs.

    So though I myself can't really give too detailed a comparison between the G009 and my OEMs, I do know a lot of others had and they were favorable towards the G009s.
  • srizvi1srizvi1 Member Posts: 263
    No problems really at all Elroy. My wife has a brand new 2007 Honda Accord she bought in late September, 2007 and it does feel a lot smoother.. I think my 2004 Accord, though pretty well maintained, can't really go back to that level.. old age is old age (plus, I do hit a lot of curbs here and there like an idiot)
  • albell2albell2 Member Posts: 1
    I have 2003 Accord with the same problem recently. Any idea what you're going to do in order to repair the system?
    It's hard to justify paying $3k for an accessary to a car that is paid in full. What exactly is the head unit the dealer advise you was broken?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Thanks for taking the time to reply. I can't say I've ever had a problem with my OEMs. With ABS, I have no trouble with wet-traction, because other than trying to stop in an emergency situation, I never really test out their wet-limits. On the dry they seem plenty grippy, as much as the narrower Potenza G009s on my '96 LX Accord. (205 width on my '06, 185 on my '96). I'm sure the width helps though!

    Anyway, sorry to lead astray on the topic, and thanks again.
  • srizvi1srizvi1 Member Posts: 263
    There appears to be some pretty positive feedback to Elroy's suggestion for the handa-accessories.com store.

    I had recently made a post on my father's CR-V over here:
    http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef026c3/5875

    In the post, I was asking what I should do for my 30k on the CR-V because it was so confusing to figure out what to do based on the manual.

    Looking at the Helpful link I got in this post:
    http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef026c3/5876

    from yankeefan2:

    http://www.edmunds.com/maintenance/maintenance.do?step=step2&year=2007&make=Hond- a&model=CR-V&style=EX-L+4dr+SUV+w%2FNavigation+%282.4L+4cyl+5A%29&mileage=30000&- engine=4INAG2.4&transmission=AUTOMATIC&zip=02809&synpartner=edmunds

    It seems the main parts I need to be concerned with are air filter and cabin filter (don't need to worry about oil change right now because I got it done a month ago/2k miles).

    The edmunds link suggests:
    $45.08 for the cabin air filter
    $26.08 for the air filter

    Elroy's suggested site has the following:
    Micron Air brand Pollen Filter
    Also called A/C or Cabin filters.
    Price $15.95

    &

    Engine Air Filter
    Genuine Factory Honda CRV Engine Air Filter
    Price $19.99

    I'm thinking I should grab some Honda CR-V filters from here too. I have to go through my vehicle history to see what the costs I've been paying in my oil changes I've gotten done. I would grab some oil filters for my accord, but since I use Mobil 1 Synthetic oil in my '04 Accord, I'm wondering if maybe I should get Mobil 1 filters instead.

    Thanks elroy5.
  • altair9altair9 Member Posts: 10
    Just at the Dealer for oil change and wheel alignment. I have 2 questions. Dealer suggested (always too many suggestions of course), to "service" the brakes. That sounded like a revenue builder so I said " no thanks" . Aside from real brake service ( pads, rotors etc) is there any minor service to brakes that should be done? Fluid was just changed recently and no problem with brakes at all. I am guessing the"brake service" is something requiring a minimum of effort for the Dealer to earn $$$. The second question is about tires. If a tire is balanced and weights have not fallen off or shifted, can a tire still become unbalanced assuming there is no structural damage to the tire? Just wondering if there are any other factors intrisic to the tire (or auto) that could require rebalancing? Just curious. Bill
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I think the brake pads should be checked for wear occasionally, but I think paying a shop to check them for you will most likely result in them changing some pads (and charging you for them), even if they have 10k miles of wear left on them. Most shops will not tell you "Come back in another 7k miles, so we can charge you to check the pads again". They will just change them now. It's much easier, that way. ;)
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    This page describes the proceedure for re-setting the Auto up and Down driver side window switch. If you disconnect your battery for an extended period, you could loose the setting. It may save you a trip to the dealership. Have a nice day.
    :Dimage
  • srizvi1srizvi1 Member Posts: 263
    Some of you guys might remember the recent post I made regarding the detailed history of my 2004 Honda Accord.

    I had also made a pretty detailed post over on the Honda CR-V Maintenance and Repair thread, when I was asking what I should do about my father's 30k service. In my post, I briefly discussed my maintenance history on my 2004 Honda Accord as point to illustrate how I was feeling it was easier to figure out what to do for maintenance on the Honda Accords.

    In my post, I had said this:

    So I took a printout to Firestone actually and got everything done (although I should have looked at the manual maybe more closely - I also got a transmission fluid flush done at this 90k service and should have done it actually at 120k.)

    To which blueiedgod replied with this:

    Honda issued a warning to shops not to use Transmission flush machines on Hondamatics. Since Honda Automatic is a greatly different transmission than the rest of the automatics, it is essentially an automated manual, power flushes could destroy the transmission. Honda recommends 3 successive fluid exchanges with 10 miles driving in between.

    I also doubt that Firestone used Honda ATF Z-1 fluid to flush it with. This creates second potential problem, since Honda ATF Z-1 is not your typical ATF fluid. It is made by Showa oil company of Japan, and there are no reliable substitutes.

    I would strongly suggest you remove whatever fluid Firestone put in there, and replace it with Honda ATF Z-1, 3 times.

    (original here: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef026c3/5880 )

    I thought I'd post this over here. I'll try to head over to Firestone with a printout of blueiedgod's post and see what they say and report back.
  • accordfreakaccordfreak Member Posts: 39
    I just noticed that the front passengers window isn't operating in auto up/down mode. Don't know if that is feature or if it is just disable. Will this proceedure work to enable it on the passengers side? I have an 04 EXV6
  • carpenter22carpenter22 Member Posts: 5
    I have a similar problem on the driver's side where, when I open it a bit, the driver's side back passenger window begins to open, too.

    I have 2005 Accord EX6
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    The auto up/down feature only applies to the drivers window. The rest of the windows are manual up/down.

    Mrbill
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I'm sure the Firestone guy will tell you that whatever he put in the transmission will work just fine. But will it? Who knows for sure? :confuse:
  • sunil2sunil2 Member Posts: 2
    Hi Guys, I Just had the oil changed on my 2007 Accord V6. I check the oil level and notice it was slightly above the upper level on the dipstick. Is there a tolerance level for extra oil in the engine or should I have some of the oil drained out of the egine?

    Let me know your thoughts!
  • grampy1grampy1 Member Posts: 140
    My dealer changed oil has been slightly above the full mark about <1/8 in. 2007 accord V6
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    My dealer did that too. Dumped my full 5 quart jug of M1 EP into my 4.6 quart crankcase. I was 1/4 inch above top mark. didn't hurt it. I wouldn't worry about it. Hope this helps.
  • tankbeanstankbeans Member Posts: 585
    Hey all-

    I just returned from the dealership where I had my oil change. They said that my drive belt was starting to crack and recommended replacement. They quoted me at about $150. Does this sound right? Does it make sense that the drive belt would start to crack around 52k on an 03 Accord LX 4cylinder?

    Thanks to anyone who responds.
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    The online price for a Goodyear Gatorback Serpentine Belt for an 03 Accord I4 is $29.99 Although I haven't tried changing the belt on my 04 I4, typically it's fairly easy to do.

    As far as the cracks are concerned, if they are referring to the cracks found on the inside ribs of the belt, I've ignored those types of cracks for years and never had any problems. The flat type of serpentine belts seem to crack quickly between the grooves on the inside. There is still very strong cords inside the belt that keeps it from breaking.

    This is something that any decent repair shop can replace which should save you money if you still feel you want the belt changed and you don't want to do it yourself.

    Mrbill
  • tankbeanstankbeans Member Posts: 585
    I think the cracks they are referring to are of the type you mentioned going across the ribs, they fit inside the grooves on the pulleys. My brother and I noticed that these small cracks, I'd say just a guesstimate would be about 1/8 inch long and they are all over the place. My brother said that problem usually comes about because there is so much friction as well as the belts themselves dry out.

    Would this be considered routine maintenance or random things coming up? Reason I ask is because at my dealer all oil changes are free if the 15000 maintenance items are done at the dealer. I know it's weird to want free oil changes, but every bit counts and the labor rate is comparable to most shops around here about $95.

    Also, this seemed a bit weird to me, but I got back from the oil change and looked at the sticker and they say that I'm not due back until 59,800 miles, meanwhile right now I'm just a hair under 51,700, does this seem too long or can I go that long?

    Thanks for answering my questions, dumb as they might be. :blush:
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Reason I ask is because at my dealer all oil changes are free if the 15000 maintenance items are done at the dealer.

    If you are going to pay $150 for a drive belt replacement, those oil changes are far from free.
  • corkscrewcorkscrew Member Posts: 254
    Page 302 of your owner's manual tells you when to change the drive belt ( page 332 if yours is a coupe ). If the pointer on the auto tensioner is out of range, then it is time for a new belt. I think you can do better at a garage that you go to on a regular basis. I like to get 3 estimates and see who will beat the lowest quote.

    Regards,
    Corkscrew
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    O.K. Here's what to do. Get 3 quotes on the belt replacement. Go back to the dealer and ask him to match the lowest quote. Inquire re the free oil changes and let the Honda dealer do the work.
  • lkwilson2lkwilson2 Member Posts: 4
    I am hoping to test drive a couple of used '06 Accord 4d V6 6 speeds and would like to know of any trouble spots to look for. Reading the posts I seen great reviews as well as vibration @ idle, etc.

    I love driving a standard, purchased new an '89 Prelude Si stick and drove it for 12 years putting 300,000 miles on it. Loved that car, no problems outside of the speed sensor going out twice....just regular maintence. I currently have a '96 Accord EX i4, 5 speed and it's been good as well.

    So I'm torn....do I go for the v6 6 speed (never driven on yet - looking for my "prelude responsiveness" again) or is an 06 i4 5 speed enough. Looking for an EXL but don't want to pay that new car price. Any suggestions on what to look out for in buying a 2 year old car of either type - i4 or v6? MT of course :)

    Thanks!
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