Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

hari2 · August 2003

I have 4 cyl LX made in Japan. Have 10K miles on it. I hear the same clunk when I shift from P to R or D first time in the morning. It doesnt happen again. Also, It doesnt happen every morning. Dunno what the problem is. I am sure, I cant replicate the problem at the dealer.

hondadriven · August 2003

Yeah, it would be nice if you could check the VIN for me. Can I email you with that??
Since I've had the car, I haven't had any accidents, did some search's prior to purchase for prior accidents, none showed up. So warranty shouldn't be void yet, according to me.
I had the first part of the emissions warranty done at 61,6xx miles (involved inspection of the emissions control system).
Haven't had the 2nd part done (the one between 75,000 to 150,000 miles). Dealer actually charged me $43.52 for Diagnostics and clearing the code. Told me to fix the solinoids isn't covered by warranty???...
Don't know much about what's really involved in emissions yet, so I just "swallowed" his words!!

silvercoupe · August 2003

In my son's 91 Accord the seatbelt warning light stays on all the time and the chime sometimes does not cut off after a few seconds. Any suggestions to fix or disable the warning light and chime? I could not find a fuse for this.

auburn63 · August 2003

hondadriven
Yes, you can e-mail me the vin at auburn63@comcast.net , chances are that since you had the first part of the extension your warranty is good or they wouldnt have been able to do it. For some reason some people just either arent informed correctly of their jobs or they just try and take advantage. I dont know which but I dont think either is a good excuse. The warranty extension covers all that is on its covered parts list at the back of the bulletin and it clearly shows 223506 which is the warranty code for trans code retrieval and under that is all the solenoids with their own codes. So just call them back and have them check and also dont forget about the refund for the money they charged you. Good luck

auburn63 · August 2003

Power seat belt?
we had several problems with them and most of the time it was the auto seat belt not retracting all the way back or the gasket getting stuck and not allowing the buckle to hit the switch. If the gasket is tore or split chances are that is the problem, other than that the door latch switch sometimes goes bad. Usally you can slam the door to jar it and confirm it if that is it..without disabling this system there isnt really much else you can do.

Manual 2 door, passive
In this system you can usally unplug the display to rid your noise but if that doesnt work find and unplug the control unit. Usally located under the passenger seat but I can check on tuesday if you let me know how many doors and 3 point passive or automatic....

silvercoupe · August 2003

It is a 4 door LX with power shoulderbelts. Can the chime and light be disabled without disabling the automatic shoulderbelt function?

gte727h · August 2003

I recently bought a 2003 EX Sedan and around 1,600 miles I started to notice that whenever I apply the brake a small clicking noise comes from the drivers side dash (somewhere in there).

Does anyone know what this might be?

Thanks

bjvjs · August 2003

My 1998 EX auto 4 cylinder Accord runs rough when cold starting. It runs fine after driving it a few miles. I had the spark plugs changed a couple of months ago. 135,000 miles with no previous problems. Does anyone have any ideas as to the problem? Thank you

auburn63 · August 2003

seat belts are a very grey area but you may want to stop in to a dealer and ask them to check it out and see if it falls into that lifetime warranty area. Some if not all seat belt malfunctions are covered by warranty if the belt fails to perform properly, providing that it is not due to mis-use or cosmetic reasons. Other than that if you just want the light and chime to go away you can pull the bulb and find the chime and stop it. I would have to look at an electrical diagram to see what wires do what if I can find an old book. Best thing for you is to look at the connector for the control unit as it could just be a corrosion problem that you may be able to repair. Also check into the warranty thing I know we have warranted some of those rail seals..

gte727h
Are you possibly talking about the clicking for the shift release? Every time you press on the brake there is a little click that is a solenoid unlocking the shifter.

bjvjs
Since it sounds like it was fine until you replaced the plugs did you use the same plugs or a different brand? Were they gaped correctly? Other than that sometimes fuel injectors leak down over night or after sitting for a while and can cause your condition also..amoung a few other things but those two are the most common...

gte727h · August 2003

Thanks, auburn63

It might be the solenoid (thanks for giving me something to look into), but should that be audible? It wasn't for the first 1,600 miles (I'm at 2,300 nwo). It does remind me of something electrical; the noise is almost identical to the clicking sound you hear when your turn signal is on (or at least the first half sec of one click). It's consistent now and doesn't seem to affect performance. I just think it's supposed to be inaudible and wonder why it's not.

Thanks

snuke59 · August 2003

All of my service work is done by a privately owned Honda Car Specialist shop. It will soon be time for me to take my 2000 AccordEX in for a 30,000 mile service which includes changing the coolant. I notice that the Honda name is now on many car fluids that are sold by the Honda dealers. I had planned to purchase coolant from the parts dept. of a Honda Dealership to be used to replace my orginal coolant for the 30,000 mile service. However, when I called to obtained the price and the amount needed, the salesperson told me that I would be wasting my money because the original coolant in Hondas is very durable and doesn't need changing this soon. Is this true? Should the coolant be replaced at the 30,000 mile service?

lelandhendrix · August 2003

Yes, gte727h, it's normal and is the solenoid. My accord does it and so does my friends (just asked him on messenger.) His is a 98. It should be quiet, but distinct and discernable. I really didn't notice mine at first either, just something I overlooked or more likely because the radio was blasting.

auburn63 · August 2003

Your car should have the coolant replaced at 45,000 miles so you would be doing it a bit early. Since it is just a drain and fill you will need about 3/4 of a gallon. So you can buy the Honda type 2 coolant which comes pre-mixed from Honda. Dont know about the price but for as often as you need to change it the cost differance bettween the Honda and non Honda is not all that important. I always suggest using the OEM for all parts.

gte727h
It does seem as if that is what you are talking about and yes it is normal to be able to hear it as it will cause no problems..

tblazer503 · September 2003

have you changed out all the normal stuff already? pcv valve, (fuel, air)filters, valves gap adjusted, etc. most of those thould have been changed about 100k miles.

winbro · September 2003

my 03 Ex-V6 pulls to the left. But, I take the same road to work and it pulls left in the same stretches of road and then other stretch's not at all. When it does pull, my corrective steering effort places the steering wheel about 1/2" off center while on a straight road.

So I made an app't for that & the rattle in the moonroof. However, we went to a big flea market yesterday, taking another highway. this time the Accord drove so straight & smooth with NO pull at all. I will keep the App't tomorrow as they will check tire balance, alignment etc. but in my case, It seems that the pulling is situational depending on the road.

my03 · September 2003

I have posted in Transmission Noise, and received a couple of reponses....Just wanted a sanity check before going to my Honda appointment (for recall) to have them look into this noise I have. I am already on the defensive because on the phone they seem to believe the calipers are "waking up" and that is the noise I am hearing. Anyway, here's the thing, please give feedback:
It's an 03 4Cyl. When you put the car in D, with brakes engaged or not, you hear this cah-click one full second later. It is metallic in sound. Happens more often than not, and can happen multiple times in one ride, from store to store, or even if just shifting the gear in and out of park and drive in the garage. It does sometimes go away if the car has been driven for some time, but not always, though it quiets down at that point. It's like the timing you get when your car has automatic locks, you put the car in drive and like a second later the locks engage. Same type of timing and noise. Please, 03 Accord owners, do you have this same noise? Is yours whisper quiet when shifting into drive? Thank you.

bjvjs · September 2003

What engine is covered in the Accord extended emission warranty and for what year. I have a 98 Accord EX 4 cyl automatic. Thanks.

auburn63 · September 2003

95 v6 and all of 96-97. The 98's only have a egr extension to 8 and 80,000 as is the cat conveter and ECM.

lelandhendrix · September 2003

If it makes you uncomfortable, definitely have it looked at. But you will have to decide whether to take their word on the issue once they decide what it is.

I DO have the same transmission sound, but it is not terribly pronounced. However, what concerned me more and took some time to get used to was the caliper wake-up. That IS a real sound, and it is more like a loud single "CLACK". The difference is it will not happen over and over again on command. Caliper wake-up only happens (in my experience) after the car has been started cold. I was worried about it, but could tell it was the brakes, and before I even got the whole explanation out the service technician knew what I was talking about.

If you can sit and duplicate YOUR sound over and over with the shifter, and it's a pretty loud sound, then when you arrive at the dealership ask the tech to sit in your car with you while you duplicate the situation.

Hope this helps. I know how un-enjoyable it is to be wary of a new purchase like this.

snuke59 · September 2003

Thanks for your prompt answer. I will take your advice.

danoh · September 2003

my 2001 ex 4cyl auto with 30k makes a whirring grinding noise between 30-40mph. it almost sounds like ice cubes in a blender. definately changes pitch with speed. i have a scheduled appt next week, just trying to prepare in advance.

Thanks

Dan

danoh · September 2003

My 2001 ex 4cyl auto with 30k makes a whirring grinding noise between 30-40mph. it almost sounds like ice cubes in a blender. definately changes pitch with speed. i have a scheduled appt next week,
just trying to prepare in advance.

Thanks

Dan

according2me · September 2003

I had my water pump, antifreeze, timing/balance belts and seals and accessory drive belts replaced today. Since I don't have a Honda dealership in my home town (one is currently being built), I got prices from the existing dealerships in the New Orleans area and independent shops in the area.

They ranged from 20-42 mile distances and the prices ranged from $510-$640 for this service, with two of the nearest dealerships at $640. The Gulfport,Ms dealership (42 miles) not only had the lowest cost, but accepted my appointment on 1 days notice and completed the work in less than 3hours this morning while I waited.

For this maintenance, it definitely paid to shop around. I had to go 14 miles further than my selling dealership, but it was well worth the drive.

I'm curious how this compares with the cost of this service in other parts of the country for the 98-02 model years.

Other than brake pads shortly, I should be good for another 100K hopefully. This car continues to shine!!!!!!!

fritz1224 · September 2003

So, $510 was your total cost? That's sounds pretty good to me, considering everything that was done. What's the warranty on all the new parts? Did that shop use only Honda parts and fluids for all the replaced items?
The quality of the parts makes a big difference both in initial cost and durability, at least that's what I hear.

according2me · September 2003

$510+tax and the dealer used Honda belts, waterpump and seals. Not sure if they refilled with the Honda longlife fluid though. On the receipt it says Honda factory parts carry a 12month/12K miles warranty.

draggcj · September 2003

especially when accelerating. It pulls to the right pretty much always and it REALLY does so when I accelerate. I actually need to kind of "fight" the steering to keep the car going straight. The tires all have the correct psi.

this is the car that had the steering rack replaced at 500 miles, and an alignment. Now it has 1500 miles and now has this pulling problem.

I'e driven alot of cars and have never experienced this before. I tell you, i'm getting fed up with this Honda- lots of squeaks and rattles too. Wish i had never bought it!!

Anyone else have this pulling/acceleration problem?

aggie1995 · September 2003

I'm assuming you have the v6

That pull to the right is called torque steer. It is a problem that most high horsepower,high torque front wheel drive cars face especially when accelerating. The pull to the right when you have your foot off the gas might be an alignment issue or sometimes just the crown in the road is enough to drift to the right.

However, I haven't seen anyone else complaining of that problem so maybe there is something wrong with your car specifically. Torque steer is not a Honda problem normally. Nissan now that's anotther story. Honda Engineers have nearly eliminated torque steer in most of their cars.

What did you used to drive?

Steering rack replaced at 500 miles? WOW!

Sorry to hear about your Accord troubles, hopefully things smooth out soon.

draggcj · September 2003

It's just the 4 cylinder and the pulling just started about 2 days ago.

My other current car is a 98 Subaru outback- I highly recommend it. the honda on the other hand I don't know.

i've owned Saabs, Chevys, Fords, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and others. I've never had any problems like I've had with this car. my old 1984 Saab 900 drove it to 200k miles with the original rotors, battery, pretty much nothing outside of maintenance. Now that was a reliable car, a tank. Finally got to rusty to drive and it was pretty slow. I don't don't like the GM era Saabs. Anyway- Not happy with my Honda at all so far. As far as I can see they are WAY over rated or maybe you gotta spend $40000 to get a decent car nowadays

imidazol97 · September 2003

There have been many messages here about pulling in the Accords. It seems to be a problem with 03.
Honda hasn't engineered it out.
Do a search on "pull" in this group. I got 10 pages of hits.

aggie1995 · September 2003

My mistake

winbro · September 2003

yes well documented. mine pulls left, but I really believe it is due to crowning because on some highways it drives straight as an arrow.

draggcj - you have certainly had your share of problems so far - can this possibly be steering rack related? go back for that and persue the lemon law if you can.

Really like my accord so far in many other respects, but like others, I have a few squeaks & rattles. In all honestly though, I think my 02 jeep liberty is more well built. 2 years & not 1 rattle, squeak, pull R/L. etc..BUT I can sure take corners a lot better in the accord ( and have more fun doing it).

onepmnut · September 2003

I purchased my 2003 Honda Accord EX-V6 Sedan in July 2003. While driving the car home from the dealership, I immediately noticed that the car pulled to the right. This is not "torque pull" as another poster described. The symptom is present at all speeds, especially at freeway speeds. I initially reported the problem to the dealer prior to having upgraded 16" Honda Wheels installed. The dealer advised that the new wheels might correct the problem. However, despite the new wheels, the car still exhibited the same problem. I took the car back a week later and the dealer performed an alignment. However, the car continued to pull to the right. Shortly afterwards, American Honda called me to conduct their "Quality Survey". I reported the problem, and the representative said that someone would contact me. I waited two weeks and heard nothing. By chance, I ran across a post on another bulletin board where someone experienced a similar problem. I then decided to search the Edmunds site. I was amazed at how many similar complaints I found. This prompted me to call American Honda. I spoke with a representative who asked for my VIN# and assigned a case number. I also asked if Honda had received any similar complaints and the rep acknowledged yes, but would not elaborate. I was also advised that Honda has not issued a "Service Bulletin" for this issue? The rep advised that unless Honda issues a "Service Bulletin" they are not responsible. Therefore, I suggest that anyone experiencing problems with Drift, Pulling, or Alignment, immediately contact American Honda to formalize your complaint.

American Honda (800)999-1009

Maybe Honda will eventually own up to this problem!

imidazol97 · September 2003

"The rep advised that unless Honda issues a "Service Bulletin" they are not responsible."

I love that statement they're not responsible, unless they decide to be... Should owners put up with this approach to quality???

aggie 1995: take note of 5686, 5687. Hmmmmm.

bburton3 · September 2003

Someone posted info about how their dealer "fixed" the pull problem with a kit of some description-all I remember was a bunch of bolts involved. Suggest you do a very careful search. Good luck and let us know how this thing gets resolved.

onepmnut · September 2003

I searched the National Highway Transporation Safety Administration Website and found that several other consumers have already filed similar complaints (under Steering and/or Suspension).

However, I only located one Honda Technical Bulletin, and it was for issued for Steering Vibration. It applies to vehicles whose VIN#'s begin with "1HGCM" (mine does). To file your own complaint or perform a search go to www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/

onepmnut · September 2003

I should add that there are presently 45 Honda Technical Bulletins posted on the NHTSA Website, addressing various problems and complaints!

aggie1995 · September 2003

Please don't misunderstand my sarcasm. It is all in fun.

I'm not saying that these individuals don't have a problem with their cars. And if they truly do, I know that it is a horrible feeling to own a new car and have significant issues.

But that doesn't mean that it is a rampant problem. And also recognize that some people are just really nitpicky about their cars. Not every complaint is valid as a Qulaity control issue. If a vehicle tracks straight as an arrow on some streets and pulls to the right on others is that a problem with the car or the street? I would say the street. If the vehicle always pulls to the right then it is probably a vehicle problem.

Either way, if you have an issue report it to the NHTSB web site and hopefully they will investigate the issue.

Good luck with your car problems, hope you all get them resolved.

khbush · September 2003

Do you know if there is much to do to add daytime running light to an 03 Accord sedan after putting a 10a fuse into position #3. The owner's manual shows that's where it goes on Canadian Accords.

Thanks,
Ken

onepmnut · September 2003

Aggie, sorry you were so agitated by my post.

I don't profess to be a "Statistician", and even if I were, I wouldn't try to draw any conlculsions based soley on what is posted here.

This is an information forum and I am using it as such. I am merely sharing my experince and encouraging other folks with similar problems to document them with Honda or other proper authority.

Due to the nature of this problem, I suspect that many other 2003 Honda Accord owners have already "given up" and decided to live with their car "pulling to the right!" Especially after taking their vehicle back to the dealer time after time and being told that it's the tires, the wheels, the alignment, torque pull, road crown, etc.

I personally consider this problem to be significant...so call me "Picky" if you like, but I am not willing to accept Honda's excuses for this factory defect.

If you really want to pursue "Statistics", do some research on "Zero Defects" and "Six Sigma". I'm sure that Honda is familar with both of these Quality tools!

Nothing personal...my sarcasm is "all in fun!"

auburn63 · September 2003

From what I can tell the wiring is different in the Canada cars. The DRL info goes through the e-brake the brake pedal the multiplex a relay and a control module. Chances of just popping in a switch , fuse and relay look slim because the DRL wiring is ran through the high beam wiring in series to cut down on the intensity(50%). I could not find those wires in the USA cars electrical books..

carczar · September 2003

I got a new 03 LX 4 cylinder for my wife a month ago. The car meets all our expectations except that there is a lingering rotten egg smell that seeps into the cabin when the recirculation button is turned off. Also the smell can be detected from outside of the car with the engine on. I am not sure if it is coming from the tailpipe, although that is the area where the smell is the strongest. The car was bought new with 11 miles on it. It now has about 11,000 miles. I have read at temple of vtec website that there has been a technical bulletin about exhaust pipe leaks for Japanese market Accords. I realize my car was assembled in Japan as the vin number suggests. I wonder if anyone knows more about this and what the problem might be?

jcihak · September 2003

I recall having a rotten egg smell in my '87 Celica when it was new. It was attributed to the catalytic converter. Toyota told me that it was normal, but it was several years before the smell totally disappeared. I recall it was worse under strong acceleration. Hope that helps.

bodble2 · September 2003

You put on 11,000 miles in one month? WOW!

auburn63 · September 2003

Are customers complaining of a rotten egg smell,
but you cant find anything wrong with their
vehicles to account for it [theres no DTC(s) set, no driveability problems reported, nothing damaged or broken]? Then it could well be coming from the catalytic converter. That smell is a release of builtup hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from the reaction of organic sulfur compounds in the gasoline with the catalyst in the converter.
Almost all gasoline contains some amount of
organic sulfur compounds, and that amount varies
by region. The more sulfur there is in the gasoline, the more H2S is built up and released by the catalytic converter, so the stronger the smell.
In California, where low-sulfur gasoline is actually required by state law, sulfur smell complaints are few and far between. The folks at the Environmental Protection Agency have issued a
requirement for the phasing-in of low-sulfur
gasoline nationwide between 2004 and 2006. This
low-sulfur gasoline should go a long way toward
making complaints of rotten egg smell a thing of
the past.

As for the Service Bulletin for exhaust leaks, it either isnt so as of yet or maybe it is only true in Japan because I couldnt find any write ups on it at all on our system..

tblazer503 · September 2003

in the center of your dash there is a little black nub all the way up front. there is no light sensor in there either. The last vehicle I had had a sensor there to automatically switch the headlights or drl's on depending on conditions..

wegrantjr · September 2003

I had a knocking/pining sound. I thought the problem was gasoline grade. After several trips to Honda service, the problem was diagnoised as a bad transmission. The sound occurred during an uphill pull around 2000-3000 RPM and roughly 30-45 MPH. After the replacement no more noises.

The dealer replaced the front brakes tuned the engine and other unsuccessful tries before the transmission replacement.

draggcj · September 2003

To all of you folks having a problem with your cars pulling to the right: you may want to have your tires checked. i took my car in to have the wheel balance and alignment checked. it was found that my right front tire was defective- causing the car to pull and/or drift to the right.

They called it a conicity pull, whatever that means. put a new tire on and my car doesn't pull anymore!! yippee. I had to initiate this as someone told me to have the wheels and tires checked.

syen_007 · September 2003

My 2000 Accord V6 just got its tranny, alternator, and battery replaced. It all started a few months ago when I noticed that the dash lights would dim every 5 seconds while the car was at a stop light (at night of course). I figured it was some sort of cycling and did not pay too much attention to it. I did not think it was because the alternator was failing and wasn't charging the battery. When I was driving last week on the freeway, my radio started buzzing and my car refused to shift. I was in stop-n-go traffic and when I tried to accelerate, the car would refuse to go into 1st gear. When it did, it shifted suddenly so my car would lurch forward while screeching the tires. My buddy (who happens to be a Honda mechanic) told me the alternator and tranny problems are rampant on 2000 Accord V6's. Even though I had my tranny replaced (dealer was only willing to pay for a remanufactured one), I still had to pay for the alternator and battery. Now the new tranny is making noises when I slow down to a stop. Having owned a 1991 Integra and 1994 Civic that were trouble-free, I'm disappointed with my Accord V6.

justin · September 2003

as an 03 Accord newbie, what do i need to do/not do to make sure that my car doesn't have the "Honda automatic transmission issues", other than don't drive the car?

seriously, some people say that Honda automatics don't work well with V6's? i know the TL's had problems one year. anyone have any technical proof that Honda fixed the automatics for the new style Accords?

thanks

bodble2 · September 2003

I don't think there is anything you can do other than cross your fingers.

My personal feeling is that the Honda automatic doesn't stand up well to "heavy duty" driving. That's probably why there seem to be far less failed trannies up here in Canada because by and large we don't drive our cars nearly as much, nor over such long commuting distances, and our driving conditions are less harsh (for example, less wide-open throttle upshifts and downshifts to merge into highway traffic).

Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

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