Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

r_bloom · September 2001

Other brand new cars I have owned ('84 accord 5-speed & '87 accord 5-speed) have achieved the "estimated EPA city mileage" from the get-go. My driving habits have not changed. However, This new LX 4-cyl automatic has a 23 MPG city estimate, but after about about 2600 miles, It consistently uses 14 gallons to go 280 miles. Under a variety of city conditions. Air-conditioning off.

This seems wrong.

I took one long highway trip and at 60-75 Mph It got very good mileage, upwards of 32 MPG.
But I find 20 MPG over the long hall in the City very underwhelming considering both the expectations and experience I had which led me to make the purchase. (I'd expect 20 MPG City from a Honda V-6 automatic).

I have heard several possibly overlapping or conflicting explanations or rationalizations of this phenomenon:

1.) City MPG EPA estimates for automatics are *always* too high, whereas those for manuals are more or less accurate.

1a). The dealer's service manager asserted that the EPA estimates in general are "pie in the sky".

2.) Some circles of opinion suggest that there is a very long, slow upward improvement to be expected over time in the fuel economy for this car.

3.) Some point to the reformulated gas ("MTBE") in CA as the culprit here.

If (1) is in fact the case, that is quite useful and should be widely disseminated. It would explain, at any rate, the descrepancy between my experience with 5 speeds and their respective city ratings, and the new automatic and its city rating. The dealer's claim (1a) is not convincing on a number of grounds, and is at variance with my own previous experience as well. Claim (2) sounds interesting, but it is not consistent with my experience driving other new cars and so, unless new Hondas are unique in this respect, it would be interesting to have some technical supporting argument to justify this claim, or some more widewpread empirical evidence.

The bottom line is that scraping by with 20 MPG, albeit in the city, in a 2.3 Liter 4-cylinder Honda just feels wrong. I wonder if anyone really knows what might be going on here? I don't want to even bring the matter up with the dealer unless I have researched the matter to the point where I do in fact have an unassailable position.

Thanks --
R.b.

michaelm10 · September 2001

I have a 2000 Accord EX, v6 that has developed a flutter coming from the right front air vent. The flutter does not start until the vehicle has been driven 10 miles or so, and the rattle remains for a considerable amount of time and then disappears, and later re-appears. The noise occurs whether the a/c or heat is on or off. The front air vent has been replaced twice and the noise persists even without the air vent installed. There is nothing inside the space that is occupied by the air vent causing the flutter, nor, guess what, does the noise occur when I take it to the dealer. Someone has suggested that it could possibly be the right front air bag causing the flutter but at a loss to explain its erratic behavoir. The noise occurs only when the vehicle is in motion. Would much appreciate any input.

jrct9454 · September 2001

Firstly, one thing IS true: these engines are rarely broken in before 7000 miles. Ours was still making more power and using less fuel right through 7500 miles.

Second, while low, yours is well within what I would call the "envelope", that is the range of expectations I would consider not unreasonable depending on the usual variables. That you got over 30 in highway conditions tells me there is nothing wrong with the car. Our '98 4 cyl LX automatic generally averaged around 24 mpg in mixed suburban driving, but would easily push 30 on long trips [even at 75 mph with the AC on all the time], and yes, we occasionally saw as little as 20, especially early in the game.

I counsel patience. Call again when you get some real miles under its belt...

hkdonhonda · September 2001

Hey all, Haven't visited in a while. Just turned 71K on a 98 ACCORD LX-4 sedan with the manual. Still runs like day one. I now personally know 21 people who drive Honda's (My wife and I have 2). If you want a 2nd best alternative to a Toyota, you can't beat the Hondas (I'd actually consider Nissan tied for 2nd best, followed closely by some Mazda's)

P.S. What I've learned about Asian vehicle's is they develop unusual noises or quirks, which are 99% of the time just that... quirks.

Solution: Just keep driving 'em till they don't drive no more. More or less, they won't let you down over the long haul(usually around 300+K conservatively)

psrv6 · September 2001

Come on people. I've posted twice and I still don't have any good answers. After talking with my mechanic friends, all agree I have a torque converter that's locking. I can feel the shudder between 40-50mph. But when it's really locked, the RPMs will drop below 1000x for 2-3 seconds. It feels like the car is braking for no reason. Should I insist that my torque converter be replaced along with the ECM? Currently, the dealership has not acknowledged my problem because they can't reproduce it. That was 3 weeks ago and the problem has gotten worse.

kennthy · September 2001

I had posted a msg. about my 1990 Accord LX hesitating. Auburn63 suggested that I check the EGR ports by disconnecting the hose to the manifold. That was done and I believe it is the EGR ports causing the problem but do we replace the EGR valve or just clean the ports? If cleaning the ports will fix the problem is there something I can purchase to clean them or just replace the valve. The price I've been quoted for an EGR valve is $176.00. Does that seem reasonable?

jrct9454 · September 2001

I would go with just the ECM to start; tearing down the transmission is the last resort. I'm betting that the electronics are the culprit.

talon95 · September 2001

I encountered the shuddering with my 2000 V-6. They replaced the torque converter to address it. The problem improved but wasn't eliminated.

Here's the listing for the TSB from the NHTSA site:

Service Bulletin Number: 00038
Bulletin Sequence Number: 125
Date of Bulletin: 0004
NHTSA Item Number: SB612567
Make: HONDA
Model: ACCORD
Year: 2000
Component: POWER TRAIN:TRANSMISSION:AUTOMATIC TORQUE CONVERTER (8/82)
Summary: VEHICLE MAY EXPERIENCE SHUDDER OR JUDDER WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MPH, VIBRATION IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN THE TORQUE CONVERTER LOCK-UP CLUTCH IS IN THE PARTIAL LOCK-UP MODE. *MJS

I felt the shudder more often at slightly higher speeds than the TSB lists... most prominent from about 45 - 60 mph. Fortunately, nobody ever drives at those speeds... ;-)

The site lists this TSB for the 1999 and 2000 model years of Accord V-6, but not for 2001. I don't believe anything on the tranny was changed from 2000 to 2001, so I doubt that it was remedied once and for all... but I could be wrong.

The number 38 is a direct reference to the TSB in the book that Honda provides to the dealers... the service tech at my dealership showed it to me after I gave him the NHTSA information.

I never experienced the RPM drop that you describe. The torque converter replacement *might* fix it, but I really don't know.

elgriton · September 2001

Awhile back, I had asked for your advice regarding startup problems during the hot day heat. It only occurred during the heat of the day and never first thing in the morning nor during the evenings. You had suggested/pointed to the main fuel relay as the possible culprit; but as it turned out, my OEM plug wires hadn't been replaced on my '93 ~107K Accord so they were basically shot. My mechanic friend verified it with a simple volt meter test

. He also suggested replacing the distributor cap/rotor as well. Some how, these simple little maintenance was omitted during my 60K/90K service from my Honda dealer so it leaves me to wonder if I've been ripped big time regarding what if anything they did beyond the oil change?!?!? My next step is to go back and check my service write-ups and go from there? Ok, my apologies for the long ramble but just wanted to inform others about maintenance omitions that could be easily taken care of or at least be aware of.

One more thing, has anybody experience or have used hparts.com? How are their prices compared to dealers? How does one get the part #'s to use on that site other than from inquiring thru the dealer for them? Thanks in advance

.

prodigy · September 2001

Michaelm10, I have the same problem on my '00 Accord. Intermittent rattle from what appears to be the right vent. However the rattle persists even when the vent is removed. You can put your hand in the opening and make the rattle stop, but I can't figure out where it is coming from. Had it back to the dealer once but haven't been able to get it corrected. If you get some more information, please post it. thanks.

auburn63 · September 2001

kennthy
The EGR valve usally does not need replacement. The intake manifold has to be drilled at the port hole points, cleaned out and plugged. You need a few special tools for this so it may be best to get a quote for the repair..

auburn63 · September 2001

Thats strange because a bad wire usally causes a studder or misfire and will start and run on 3 cylynders(not as well of course) but in any case your car is fixed and thats what counts..Congrats

j1mmy_15 · September 2001

I have a 1999 Accord V6 EX. I drive a substantial # of miles a day for my commute to and from work...about 90-100 miles round trip. It now has about 62k miles.

I recently noticed that most of my indicator lights(battery, ABS, brake, doors, and tail lights) light up at or around 3000rpm. I took it to a non-honda shop and hooked it up to the battery tester. It looks like the alternator is putting out too much power(over charging) to the battery. The normal voltage, I believe, is about 12-14 volts...but at 3000rpm, the voltage reaches about 16-17 volts.

Could this problem be caused by anything other than the Alternator? Has anyone ever experienced or heard of this problem? Please help! Any advice would be very helpfull.

mudflat · September 2001

It may very well be that the voltage regulator built into the alternator has failed, but a weak battery or high resistance connection somewhere in the charging system can cause similar symptoms. Start by measuring for any voltage drop between the connectors and the battery posts. Anything more than a small fraction of a volt is unacceptable.

jmmctighe · September 2001

Hope someone can help. I have a 90 accord auto w/166k miles. Car runs well except at 2000 rps in 4th gear, the car seams to buck, almost like a plug is fouled. I cleaned and regapped the plugs (they looked fine), checked the wires and cap/rotor all looked fine. If I slow down or give it gas, it goes away. Doesn't occur too bad in 3rd gear, though the bumps I feel are the road. I disconnected the EGR vacuum line and connector but still no difference. Any Ideas?

TIA, John

princealyy · September 2001

i have 90100 miles on my accord LX I4, and my complaint is that it is sluggish when accelerating, especially when slow speeds, i heard of a safety recall, and i took the car in, when they did my timing belt, they say they did the recall to make it not so sluggish, but its still a little sluggish and they insist that the recall has been performed... is there any other reason that this can occur, AUBURN HELP!

auburn63 · September 2001

I cant think of a reason why your car would be sluggish,if your car fell under the emission recall and it was performed then you would have new plug wires,plugs,cap and rotor as well as an oil change. Check those items forst to make sure they look new and then maybe try a fuel injection service to get the injectors cleaned out.Good luck, I will keep thinking to see if I can come up with something else.

princealyy · September 2001

this si the recal that i took my car in for, but i also got my valve adjusment, and the car felt a little better, i truely think they didnt do the recall and charged honda for it, is there a way to check this out?

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 99I002000
Component: FUEL:THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL
Manufacturer: AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.

Year: 1997 Make: HONDA Model: ACCORD Recall Date: 02/17/2000

Type of Report: Tire
Potential Number of Units Affected:

Defect Summary:
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY DEFECT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FEELS ROUGH OR NOTCHY WHEN YOU PRESS IT.
Consequence Summary:
IT MAY FEEL LIKE THE CAR IS NOT RESPONDING PROPERLY WHEN TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS AND ARE REQUIRED TO MOVE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO MAKE SLIGHT SPEED ADJUSTMENTS.
Corrective Summary:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE CABLE.

i really appreciate ur help with all this

ltastet1 · September 2001

Hey Auburn, I have a 94 Accord that I took in for brake service. They replaced my pads and resurfaced the front rotors(again). Anyway, I told the mechanics about the ABS light coming on. I have bled the ABS unit and replaced it with fluid several times and the light still comes on sometimes.

The mechanic told me that their was an internal leak in the modulator and it would cost $1500 to fix it. Could this be true? I have notice no external fluid leaking. I read one of your post where you stated that it could be a stuck value in the modulator.

Since my Accord has almost 92k miles on it and not worth much money, I was thinking about buying a used or rebuilt modulator and replacing the old one. Is this something I could do or does it require a certified mechanic?

richard85 · September 2001

Hi friends, I bought my accord 2000 SE last september. Ever since then, it's had problems as steering wheel vibration; rattling noise under the hood when accelerating; two times door handle Chrome peeling off (cut my finger once); three times engine check light on with temperature gauge needle down to cold level and rpm jumping up and down; After they fixed (I hope) the problem, I noticed that the transmission shifts the gear up at lower speeds now and gas milage is lower (26-27 MPG for a V4 is OK?).

Maybe because I have visited the dealership so many times (5-6 times within one year), they become somewhat quite unfriendly. What should I do? Please help.

auburn63 · September 2001

princealyy
The are two ways to see if the cable was replaced is to look at it carefully under the hood and see if it is at all weathered looking or new looking.There are a couple of cables under hood to compare it too.The other way just lets me/you know if it was charged to Honda and that is by doing a VIN / warranty inquary on your car.
The recall I was thinking of is an emissions extension which covers some 97's but not all and is broken down by VIN's so I will try and remember to bring home a VIN range for you to compare too. Uless you want to E-Mail me your VIN then I could check on the Honda net. It's up to you.. Just let me know

auburn63 · September 2001

ltastet1
The area around the modulator assembly is usally visably wet with brake fluid and the res. is usally low on fluid when there is a leak. So check that and see if it is leaking. If the light comes on and the fluid is full then there are a few things it could be. If you take it out and excersise the ABS(sudden stops on a slick or sandy surface)several times and listen to the system pump presurizing you can usally fix or diag the problem depending on how long the pump runs. As for the price, that sounds as if they are replacing the unit and yes it is expensive to do so. They are not hard to replace but you will need line wrenches and a know how of how to bleed the system.Let us know how it goes..or write back if you have more questions

richard85
The temp repair should not have affected the gas mileage and mileage complaints are totaly dependant on the owner usally unless the check engine light is on or the tire presures are low.As for them being tired of seeing you, that should not be the case but if you feel it is try another dealer as your warranty is good at any Honda dealer.

asdxere · September 2001

I've noticed the "hesitation" problem in my 2002 Accord LX (around 1800 rpms) as previously mentioned on this board. I never saw any posts that speak of anyone getting it fixed at a dealer or not. Has anyone heard of a specific fix for this problem yet?

maggiet5 · September 2001

Does entering the incorrect radio code a few times disable the radio, so that it even fails to accept the correct code? If so, is there a "generic" code to reset the radio before the correct code is entered again?

mdames · September 2001

If you're having a problem entering the radio code, simply disconnect the battery and let it stand for a few minutes. Reconnect the battery, turn on the radio and enter the correct code. This should take care of it.

stevehf · September 2001

I just bought a new 2001 Accord (VP package). Now it has 2300 miles. I had notice the followings:

1) The gas mileage is constantly 3 miles below the specified average (I only got 23 miles per gal under 65% Hwy and 25% City driving). (Note: I had made a driving under "controlled condition". 210 miles round trip on Hwy by keeping the speeds between 62 to 67 mile per hour under no traffic jam and without fast acceleration. The best I got from this trip is 28.4 mile per gallon.)
2) The muffler at the idle speed (round 800 rpm) is rattling and noisy. More precisely, it seems that the muffler is "choked" and so produces a high velocity exhaust gas. You can feel it very well when you place your hand even 6 inches away from the exhaust tip.
3) Comparing the same card of the same mode, I would say that the amount of exhaust (gas) from my car is 10 times of that from the normal one. (Note: One of my coworker told me that some car has a assisting air fan used to control the catalyst converter temperature by adding additional air to the exhaust system. Do Accord have such fan? If yes, then could be the temperature control system malfunctioning that is causing the fan turning at full speed even at low engine speed?)
4) Carbon deposit was found in the inner wall of the exhaust pipe.

This morning, I took the car back to the dealer service department and explain the above syndromes to the servicemen. The first two told me that they didn't understand what I said (meant, they didn't think those were problems). After I explained to the third one and he compared the exhaust with the same car from the lot, he acknowledged that my card did have much more muffler noisy. He suspected that there might be some "Baffle" in the muffler that causes this. Then I asked him what about the syndromes # (1), (3) and (4). His answers were: For item # (1), they could not check the gas mileage till 6000 miles: For item # (3), the more air (exhaust) the better."; and For item # (4), it is normal.
They are going to replace the muffler with a new one on next Tuesday. I will further inform you the result.

Does anyone here has different opinion from that my serviceman told me?
Any suggestion what the real problem could be?
Appreciated if someone can enlighten me.

r_bloom · September 2001

Re: 2001 4cyl Automatic Accord.

How can I tell when and if torque-converter lockup is occurring when shifter is in D3?

In D4 it seems pretty obvious: after lockup it appears (around 40 MPH) that the "one-way clutch" effect is absent: the RPM stays up whether or not the accelerator is applied. The transmission feels, in other words, like a manual-- in the lockup regime.

In D3, however I cannot observe this behavior; when the accelerator is released, the transmission seems to "coast" directly into Neutral, and the RPM falls -- no matter how high they were initially. Is this normal?

spokane · September 2001

If your muffler has a distinct metallic rattle which occurs in a narrow RPM band, and the exhaust gas flow from the tailpipe is more irregular than on other similar cars, a broken baffle is almost surely the problem. The new muffler should solve the problem and provide some fuel economy improvement. Modern engines do cause some soot accumulation in the tailpipe. From your information, I believe the dealer's response is correct. Good luck.

richard85 · September 2001

stevehf · September 2001

Spokane, Thank you for the info.
There are a few things that no one can explain yet, i.e.;

1. Compared to the exact same model/year/at the same idle speed, my car has much more exhaust air (as I guessed, 10 times more. Where does the extra exhaust air come from?

2. Tonight, under the help of one of my friend, we tested the exhaust air (velocity) at different engine speed by placing a string connected with a small nail on the muffler tailpipe. Very interesting result! The nail was pushed outward more at the speed 700 RPM (normal idle speed) than that at the speed 3000 RPM. Also above 2000 RPM, the muffler noisy disapears and the exhaust becomes very uniform. What could cause this?

I am a chemical engineer but unable to give a good explanation :-)

elgriton · September 2001

I have replaced the distributor cap/rotor and plug wires hoping to solve my startup problems, but it has persisted. You had suggested the problem was with the main fuel relay...can I check this myself and what should I look for? BTW, where exactly is this found on a '93 Accord SE 2.2L?

Thanks

spokane · September 2001

I agree that the high velocity of the exhaust gas at the tailpipe under idle condition is curious. As you know from combustion chemistry, the gas volume flow rate must be almost the same as in the "control" car. My best guess is that the failed baffle, under a low-pressure condition within the muffler at idle, is partially blocking the muffler's exit port and the resultant "orifice-flow" condition provides high-velocity pulses through the tailpipe. The pressure/flow conditions within the muffler change at higher outputs - perhaps deflecting the loose baffle back to a near-normal position at 3000 RPM. In this case, the noise would likely also change in the way you describe.

Don't let your engineering curiosity get the best of you! The new muffler should solve the problem. Let us know, please, results with the new muffler.

carguy62 · September 2001

I've written in the past about a starting problem with my '89 Accord LX-i. It's fairly intermittent but has cropped up again and is now constant. The car will crank and sometimes catch but dies immediately. Something it has done lately is flash the check engine light as it catches, never did this before. Also new is the car has died once or twice while driving. You had previously mentoned a TWS sensor. Believe it or not when this problem first started occurring (over three years ago) a friend pointed out the coil wire and when I changed it, it helped. Previously when this problem would happen I would unplug the coil wire and when it was plugged back in the car usually started. Not so anymore. I know it's an old car, but with things the way they are right now I can't really buy a new one (unless Honda offers 0% financing like Ford). I see that Honda is having it's free 40 point inspection in October....maybe I should make an appointment. Thanks for your help.

auburn63 · September 2001

You can access the main fuel relay by removing the cruise control brain near the brake pedal and then above where the cruise control was you will see this relay, usally gray cover and brown bottom where the 6 or 8 pin connector is.It has a label on it that says main relay.I would just buy one and plug it in as testing it is not always acurate.Good luck

carguy62
If it catches then dies maybe you ignition switch is going bad we see a few of them.So try and see if you can release the key to a sweet spot so to speak and keep it running. Other than that maybe wiggle the key around while it is running and see if it dies. Other than that on that model we see coils, tach signal wire breaks, igniters to just name a few. Good luck

stevehf · September 2001

Just back from the dealer. They replaced the muffler. However, I didn't detect any difference for the exhaust pattern at the idle speed. We went to the new car lot and compared another DX (New also) and found out the that car had the exactly the same exhaust pattern, i.e., lot of volume with uneven puff. So the conclustion is:

Honda Accord DX has its inherent large volume and uneven puff exhaust at the idle speed. Good or bad, I don't know.

Another interesting diff. noticed between my accord and Nissan Quest is that for the Nissan, on downhill, when releasing the gas paddle, car speed goes up and the engine speed goes down; for the Accord, in the same situation, the engine speed goes up a little to match the car speed.

Oh, well. We always learn something new.

mikebegin · September 2001

Hello,
I just bought a '91 Accord EX and did not get a manual. What is the recommended octane?

I am also having the rough idle/vibration while stopped at a light in Drive.

The car has 136K and I am hoping to get MUCH MORE out of her!
Thanks

bmarleaux1 · September 2001

I own a 2000 Honda Accord with only 56K mi. The A/C unit just completely malfunctioned
and my mechanic who is a Honda specialist claims that this malfunction is common and
that I should contact Honda in regards to this defect and ask for a goodwill A/C repair.
This A/C unit cost is over $800. Is there a Honda complaint phone # I can use?
Does anyone else out there know about this problem?
I bought a Honda so I would not have to go thru something like this!
I feel like I purchased a Nissan or a Ford!

auburn63 · September 2001

What does it do? Like how did it malfunction? I don't know of anything common that I can think of.As for the phone number it should be in your owners manual..

reblack_jr · September 2001

I own a 94 Accord and recently (over the past year) have noticed that the gas gauge needle is operating erratically. Any trouble shooting ideas? It read "0" after filling it tonight. I also have seen it vacillate during level ground operation. How much is a new sensor installed?

gc_mitch · September 2001

I have a new 4cy. accord with mxv4's.Since purchasing the car I believe it has a unsettled feel about it's handleing at most highway speeds.It does not wander,it tracks well but, when you must make a steering correction the vehicle seems to over correct with the need to correct in the opposite direction.The dealer made a correction in toe in with little effect.I now have 4000 miles on the odom. and things are improving somewhat but,it's not the weighted confidence inspiring feel of other accords and acura's I've driven.The Honda rep. could detect nothing,embarrassingly the problem seemed minimal that day.Seems to me there could still be an alignment problem.Am wondering if it could be a power steering associated problem,,too much assist at speed.Tire pressures have been checked. The service tech. said initially all 1998 and later accords have this tendancy.This has not been my experience,anyone heard of this problem?

mikebegin · September 2001

Question.

It seems like a lot of the older Accords have the vibration when stopped (idle). My '91 EX idles at 700RPM and vibrates quite a bit, sometimes worse than others. It is very annoying. I have read through all of the responses and really have not found a "list" of things to try. I know a lot of you have had this problem, what fixed it? What did you try?

Would increasing the idle RPMs to 800 or 900 work? I realize it would not fix the problem but would not be as annoying....

auburn63 · September 2001

reblack_jr
The sending units go bad more often than the guages so that would be my guess. I dont however even have a clue on how much they are.

gc_mitch
I don't know of anything at this time but I will check and see if there is any information out on it. Hondas will drive in the direction you point them with little return to center on its own.

mikebegin
Some times we find the motor mounts to be bad. Check the front one first as this one goes bad the most. The rear one can be checked by pulling off the vacuum hose going to it and see if the vibs get worse, if not then it is bad. The older a car gets the more these vibs creep up due to lots of things getting worn so sometimes the only thing you can do short of replacing alot is to bump up the idle a bit. Good luck

mikebegin · September 2001

It sounds like I will bump up the idle a bit!

mwcarlso · September 2001

In response to Mikebegin, I have a 93 Accord EX with 141,000 miles on it and have the same annoying problem. My car too idles at 700 rpm but the steering wheel shakes and sometimes the whole front vibrates. I have had the front motor mount replaced twice and the rear mount replaced once. I usually just tap the gas a little to bump up the idle to around 800-900 rpm and things are alot better. I have heard that a clogged EGR valve/ ports can cause this problem but haven't gotten around to looking at it. To answer your other question your car takes regular 87 octane gas. You might be able to find an owner's manual in a junk yard or you could try the dealer. One last thing, do you know when the timing belt was changed last? Timing belts on Hondas last about 90,000 miles. If the timing belt breaks while driving you will most likely bend the valves. If you do change the timing belt have them replace the water pump with it and you will save yourself alot of trouble. Hope you have many years of trouble free driving with your Honda.

mikebegin · September 2001

Thanks a lot for all the info! The timing belt was just changed by the dealer who sold me the car. I have been putting in 89 octane to be save but I will now use 87. Thanks.

My mechanic, who checked out the car before I bought it, said to clean out the EGR ports which might fix the problem. I think I might try that or bump up the idle, like Auburn suggested!

Thanks again!

paperman2 · September 2001

I have a 2001 Accord with about 18,000 miles. I had a roaring noise in the front end and took it to the dealership. They replaced the front bearings on one trip with no solution, and now I am waiting for the delivery of new transmission. By the way, it will take a month for the delivery of new transmission.

Has anyone encountered a similar problem and found a solution? I do not have confidence this is the real problem.

urchin34 · September 2001

I had the starting problem for most of the life of my 90 Accord. It was solved when the main relay was replaced -$95 in 1998 at an independent Honda repair shop. If you pull it yourself, you may have to use a magnifying glass to find the connection problem. Mine was just a hairline crack in the connections that caused them not to meet on hot day (or something to that effect). All I know is that it totally fixed the problem.

elgriton · September 2001

$95 for a main relay?!?!?! So far, the most expensive quote I've gotten was $61 from my local dealer. However, I've gotten quotes of ~$37 from online wholesale sites + ~$5 s/h. They must've take you to the cleaners back then?

activex111 · October 2001

I own a 99 EX V6 accord and so far very happy with the performance.. i am an avid car entusiast and have driven many cars in this price range, nothing matches the handling and power of V6 accord..
I have one problem though.. sometimes i smell something like sulphur in the car while driving.. this smell comes erratically.. no set pattern... it seems that it comes from ac vents.. is this coolant leak? sometimes its very strong.. has anyone experienced something like this? any input is welcome..

rmalkan · October 2001

I own an Accord LX 98 - V4. having around 28K. I want to clarify the following

Normally at low speeds, 1000 rpm, I normally hear a whinning problem. I have been going to the dealer and he says that it it possibly the alternator charging ???. Is this true. This is more prominent especially when we start the car and the car is warming, u press lightly on the gas and at around 1000 rpm the noise is heard.

Why does the car so noisy when we start it in the mornings?

Lately I am also hearing a sweaky noise when I start the car in morning and then as it warms, the sweaky noise decreases. This noise is heard when we stand near the driver side's tyre.

Any help would be appreciated.

Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

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