Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Honda Accord (1998-2002) Maintenance and Repair

1202123252645

Comments

  • blissfulblissful Member Posts: 84
    I have a 98 LX manual transmission with 140K miles. Mostly freeway miles except the last 2 years has been a lot of short trips (2 miles each way, 4 braking events max each direction). REcently, and fairly suddenly, the car developed a shimmy on the highway at speed (i.e. over 60 mph) and simultaneously, upon braking, there is a vibration in the pedal that is quite pronounced.

    I did have the tie rod ends replaced within the last ~ 500 miles due to a clunk with turning.

    I also noticed a recall for 98 HOnda Accord ball joints due to premature wear, etc.
    I see that brake rotors are prone to warping with excessive heat. However, as I only brake hard in emergencies, and usually my brake pads last far longer than average, I find this unlikely unless there is some other reason, like brake caliper drag.

    I don't know if the recall work was ever done on this car: can the dealer tell at this late date by looking up the VIN? I am 3rd owner, having purchased it from my best friends. They did not have that recall done, but it is possible that the first owner did. However, I think I have all the records, and no mention of that service.

    Thanks for input!! Otherwise this car has been absolutely great!
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I got warped rotors in my 1996 Accord and it never saw hard driving. It happens, and is probably not as unlikely as you think. I braked hard for one emergency (locking up the tires, actually, as I got run off the road). It ended in a wreck. I got the car back, and sure enough my rotors were warped. One hard stop was enough to do it. I'm not sure about the other recalls you are talking about, since I don't have an Accord of that vintage, but warped rotors aren't all that uncommon I believe.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    is it possible your wheel / tire threw an inner or outter balance weight?
  • blissfulblissful Member Posts: 84
    Thanks for your reply!
    It is indeed possible that the rotors are warped. However, it came on so suddenly, that I am more inclinded to think there is (perhaps also) a part failure. Plus, the same timing of the high speed shake. I keep thinking wheel weight (as the next person suggested) but I am not sure how that would correlate with the braking vibration. It may be all it is, and perhaps an unbalanced wheel would also shudder on braking- and perhaps in and of itself, cause secondary warpage! :sick:
  • blissfulblissful Member Posts: 84
    Thanks- I think this is a likely scenario. Will take it down to our local tire shop and have them rotate tires, balance, etc and see whether there is a change in symptoms.
    If not, then alignment and another look-see at the underpinnings...
    Thanks again for your thoughtful replies!
    J
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    Make sure they check the drive axles for excess play when it's up on the rack. A failing CV joint can also create a vibration problem.

    Mrbill
  • sonnyvsonnyv Member Posts: 1
    My 1998 Honda Accord recently has this problem.
    After starting about 2 minutes, it starts to choke unless I keep my foot on the gas pedal. the problem disappears after 5 minutes

    Also the cooling fan only start when the engine is off...
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    this happened to one of our vehicles when my wife touched a curb while parking fairly aggressively and it pulled the weight right out if i'm not mistaken. one day vehicle drives fine, next day excessive vibration at speed.

    good luck.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I keep thinking wheel weight (as the next person suggested) but I am not sure how that would correlate with the braking vibration.

    If a wheel is out of balance, braking will usually make the vibration worse.
  • therivertheriver Member Posts: 70
    02 Accord, 65 K. Recently the screw on the arm on the passenger side wiper arm get loose and does not move when you turn them on, although the driver side moves. When I disconnected the arm, the "stump" moved so I know the motor is fine. It appears to be just that the screw keeps getting loose. Should I get another screw or an arm assembly?
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    Take it to your dealer. Maybe you can get a goodwill repair.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You might check for vacuum leaks first off, in the intake manifold, since these often seal up after the manifold expands from engine heat.

    Cooling fan---might be normal, the result of "heat sink" in which an engine briefly heats up after being shut off.
  • jaedleejaedlee Member Posts: 59
    Thanks. Yeah, i've decided to sell off my 2001 pathy and keep the older 99 accord. Again the only issue i have with that car is rear main seal leak which is very minimal. I know there were some transmission problems with my model, but i had the dealer run my vin and my car was clear.
  • sbarnetsbarnet Member Posts: 1
    please don't anyone tell me what an idiot I am, I already know that. I got my oil changed this summer and my car was so low there was none on the dipstick. I thought that it was because I was overdue and vowed to do better but when I went in again tonight out again. No oil lights have gone on and I haven't heard any knocking or engine noises. Have I completely hosed myself or do I have some hope? p.s. I do know better and I have no excuses. :)
    stephanie
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    O.K. Your car is apparently using oil between changes. You need to check your oil every week or so and add oil of the same weight as the oil change place uses. Keep the oil up to the top oil indicator mark on your oil dipstick. No higher,just touching the top oil mark on the dipstick. Check it every week to get an idea of how often you need to add oil to keep it at the top mark. If you need more help ask someone who knows a little more about cars. Hope this helps.
  • cfinster11cfinster11 Member Posts: 1
    i having a shifting problem w/ my baby. when i put her into 1st, she is in 3rd-2nd she is in 4th- 3rd she is in 5th
    i'm assuming it is a linkage issue. any ideas- possibilities?
    thanks , chuckie
  • darshansk8erdarshansk8er Member Posts: 2
    Hey thanks a lot. I am going to take it to the dealer and get it looked at. thanks for the help
  • lletournlletourn Member Posts: 19
    My 2000 Accord has a little over 100K miles, and it is running well, but there are some maintenance repairs my mechanic is suggesting. Since I'd prefer to do these over time instead of paying for it all at once, I'd like help prioritizing! Or, let me know if these are things I could tackle (I haven't done them before, but I'm fairly handy with repairs and can follow directions...).

    Mechanic's Suggestions:
    $220.00 Perform fuel injection service and clean throttle body
    $ 85.00 Replace dirty air filter and PCV valve
    $140.00 Flush cooling system due to low pH and replace radiator cap
    $200.00 Replace soft radiator hoses. (may be cheaper if cooling system flush is done at the same time)
    $400.00 Replace worn spark plugs, spark plug wires and corroded distributor cap and rotor
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    You could save a boat load of $$ doing this stuff yourself. I suggest buying yourself a good shop manual for your car. It will give you all the details on how to do each maintenance item. You can get a Helm Honda factory shop manual for about $70 from HelmInc.com, but if you want to go the cheap route, you can always get a Haynes or Chilton manual from a parts store (Autozone, Advance) for under $20.
  • lletournlletourn Member Posts: 19
    I know I could do the stuff by myself, but I'm not sure I want to do ALL of it by myself. So, any thoughts on what would be the easiest to do by myself?

    Also, what seems the most important?
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Considering the car has over 100k miles, all of those things could be necessary. But the hoses, dist. cap, and wires would have to be checked out for cracks etc. to know if they need changing or not. Even changing the coolant sounds easy, but it's not as simple as drain and fill. There are procedures to follow, and that is why I suggest obtaining a shop manual, if you plan to do ANYTHING to your own car. A good shop manual, and a little common sense go a long way to saving $$$$. Good luck
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    - You want to do the flush, when you do the hoses....those two jobs go together. Not sure you'd need a radiator cap, that could quite frankly be done at any later time if you had to, without a big deal or draining anything. If these are the original hoses and coolant, these would be high on my list to do.
    - The fuel injection service, you can throw a can of injector cleaner in your gas tank. Other than that, I personally wouldn't be messing with the injectors.
    - Cleaning the throttle body, air filter, and pcv valve all go together. Here again, if this hasn't been done in 7 years you are overdue.
    - I'd do the plugs, wires, caps as well....those 3 all go together.

    All of this would be substantially cheaper than the prices quoted, if you are technically proficient and don't mind getting your hands a little dirty. It is hard for anyone to give suggestions to you, since we don't know what skills you have, what tools you have, and what types of repairs you have done successfully before. I personally consider all of those routine maintenance jobs, but then again I do all of the work on our vehicles. If you haven't worked on anything before, I'm not sure you should do any of it yourself unless you have somebody knowledgeable there giving you assistance and guidance. It certainly would be significantly easier to write a check to have someone else do it though, if you have the financial means and no desire to do these jobs.

    Does this vehicle need the timing belt replaced? If so, let the mechanic do the belt, have him replace the waterpump at the same time, and therefore the radiator hoses and flush all get done then as well.
  • lletournlletourn Member Posts: 19
    Thanks to both of you. Your responses are helping me figure out what to tackle first and who to have tackle it!
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    You need a timing belt and water pump change at about 90k if it's a 4 or 105k if it's a 6. You need plugs at about 100k. The air filter is $26,you can do it yourself. Check with the dealer not some shade tree mechanic to see what it really needs and what you should really pay. Your owners manual tells you how to do some routine maintenance like fluid,etc. Check it out.
  • jaedleejaedlee Member Posts: 59
    Just had my EGR valve done on my 99 accord with 88k miles about 2.5 weeks ago. Today noticed car shuddering, shaking during acceleration. When i back off on gas, shaking disappears. Could it be related to EGR? Maybe the dealer didn't clean to ports or installed faulty EGR? I get no check engine light. Thanks for any advise.
  • lily1984lily1984 Member Posts: 1
    My 1998 Honda Accord LX locks are having issues. The locks were working with the keyless remote and the switch on my door, now my car won't lock with the keyless remote nor with the switch inside the car. I have to manually lock all the doors. At first I thought it was my battery because it needed to be replaced, I have now replaced the battery but the locks still won't work. Also the windows on the passenger side are not rolling down anymore. Does anyone know what is going on? I am really hoping it is only a fuse, but someone said it could be the ECU. Please help me. Thanks and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    lletourn,

    The air filter on that model of car is SUPER EASY to change. Buy a $10 at AutoZone or Wal-Mart (I bought an STP air filter for my grandmother's 2002 LX 4-cyl Accord) and changed it in 30 seconds!

    Not sure about the rest, as I'm not a mechanic at ALL!
  • kinghannemankinghanneman Member Posts: 2
    You don't need to remove a bumper for this. I think they're trying to make a lot of money on an easy fix. If the bulb is burned out (which I assume is the case), it can be replaced by yourself easily. Basically, open the hood, find the old bulb, twist/rotate it, pull it out, remove the wire. Installation is the reverse of removal. It should take 5 minutes and you don't need any tools. Also, be careful not to touch the glass - the oil from your skin will create problems with heat and shorten the life of the bulb.

    I recommend that you apply a small amount of dielectric grease to the contacts on the bulb to keep water out, and that you replace both the left and right bulbs at the same time - they fail at about the same time.

    You can find the grease and bulbs at any auto parts store. I use the regular Sylvania. The other more expensive one (have a bluish color) are a gimic and burn out quickly.
  • kinghannemankinghanneman Member Posts: 2
    The others are right: You can do most of that stuff yourself and save a bundle. I've actually done most of it recently.

    You can a decent paper air filter (Fram, Bosch, etc) for $15.00 To replace the air filter, locate the air box on the passenger side of the car, pop the 4 clips, lift the top off, remove the filter, and clean any leaves and debris out of the air box.

    The PCV valve is also easy, should cost ~$3, and take 5 minutes. It's located on the top side of the engine near the backside. It's connected to a rubber hose and plugs into the valve cover. Pull the PCV valve out of the cover, slide the hose clamp down the hose with a pair of plyers, and pull the valve out of the hose. If it's really stuck on there, soak the old PCV valve in a cup of warm water. This will cause the hose to expand so it's easier to remove. Getting the new PCV valve on there require a bit of attrition, but it will eventually slide on there.

    The plugs and wires are also pretty easy, should take under an hour, and can be done by yourself ~$60. I didn't replace the rotor and cap, but it looked straightforward in the manual. I've heard that NKG plugs (same used by Honda) seem to work better than the Bosch, but I had to goto NAPA to get them. Also, you only need the $2-$4 platinum plugs - anything more is a gimmick. Make sure to put anti-sieze compound on the threads and be careful to not cross thread the new plugs. Also, I found it helps to use the old boot plug to remove the old plugs and start the new ones. For the plug wires, start on one side and replace one at a time.

    For $200 dollars, they better take the fuel injectors out and sonicate them in Triton-X 100 for an hour. I doubt it. They probably dump a bottle of fuel system cleaner in the tank and let chemistry takes it's course. Valvoline only charges $80 for that treatment. The throttle body is probably cleaned with the same canned stuff that you can buy at any auto parts store.

    If the radiator hoses need to be replaced, then you mind as well have the cooling system flushed. The price is a bit steep in my opinion, and I would do it myself. $300 is worth half a day of my time.

    I would definately look at getting the timing belt replaced. It's worth the cost to have someone else do it, and you don't want to have on fail on you.
  • mtr3mtr3 Member Posts: 4
    I changed the timing belt and the car wont start. It is not the belt b/c all of the gears are aligned correctly, however I am now not getting power to the ignition coils. I replaced the sparks prior to this work so they r ok. I think that maybe raing the engine to work on the belt may have disconnected some plug which controls the power to the igntion coils. I also checked all the fuses and they are good. What could be causing this problem??? Also the car started after I replaced the timing belt, but before I put back all the covers and new PS and AC belt.
  • eagle21eagle21 Member Posts: 26
    Hi. I have a 2001 Honda Accord V-6. I am experiencing a noise coming from the steering column of my car. I have checked to see if anyone else has posted a similar problem, but do not see it. The noise sounds like the steering column is squeaking from rubbing when I slightly turn the wheel. There is nothing to cause this and I have enough steering fluid. Is there something else I should be checking? I greatly appreciate any feedback or suggestions of what to look for.

    Eagle21
  • ncbjabncbjab Member Posts: 3
    I just purchased a 2002 accord 2 months ago. At the time I couldn't afford the extended warranty (I've learned my lesson on that one). My transmission died and had to be replaced last week. I got the car back this week. I drove it off the lot, after the repair, and the car didn't drive any better. Due to the fact that I just bought the car and I hadn't purchased the warranty they agreed to pay 2/3's of the repair bill. I paid $1000 for a broken transmission. I took it back today and they have to replace the NEW transmission. The worst part is they aren't going to pay for me to get a rental car while I am without my car. I wish I never bought a Honda considering all the research I have now done. Can anyone help me learn to love this car?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Accord V6s of that generation had extended warranties on their transmissions I believe. They were prone to failure. I'm surprised you missed that in your research, and am sorry to hear about your troubles.
  • meinkmeink Member Posts: 1
    so i decided to put new pads on my 1999 accord. did the front pads and DID NOT change anything about the fluid level. and i did not open the resevior by any means. after i secured the calipers and put the tires on i got in the car to pull forward to do the rerar pads. i pumped up the brakes so they would stop the car. when i did this, i heard a "pop". looked uder the car and found brake fluif everywhere. i can see a spot on the bottom of some sort of proportioning valve, it looks like maybe theres a plug supposed to be there???? anyone help?????? thanks
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Where exactly is the leaking component. Can you take a picture of it and post?

    And what do you mean when you wrote "I pumped up the brakes so they would stop the car". If you have to pump the brakes, you've got another problem.

    When is the last time the brake fluid was flushed/bled?
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    if it is the v6- there may be some recourse through Honda. ie, if they did extend the warranty, perhaps you are really entitled to the 1K you are currently out.

    research, then call them.
  • corkscrewcorkscrew Member Posts: 254
    If your 2002 Accord V6 has an automatic transmission, warranty has been extended to 7 years or 100,000 miles due to lack of thread locking compound on nut for low clutch. Check to see if this applies to you.

    Regards
    Corkscrew
  • ncbjabncbjab Member Posts: 3
    I went to a website that checks for recalls on cars by entering the VIN # and my car didn't have any. Is there another way?
  • ncbjabncbjab Member Posts: 3
    Corkscrew where do I find proof of this extended warranty??? I'm not able to find it.
    Please advise
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    Do the brakes seem to be functioning correctly?

    If the brake fluid was topped off at sometime when the pads were worn down, when you push the pistons back in, that extra fluid has to go somewhere.

    Mrbill
  • corkscrewcorkscrew Member Posts: 254
    With the vin number in hand, contact Honda USA and they will tell you if you are covered or not.
    I am not sure if I can post their toll free number, but you can get it thru directory assistance.
    Regards
    Corkscrew
  • sodaguysodaguy Member Posts: 84
    While not all 98-02 Accords were covered by the extended warranty, transmission problems on those model years are quite common. Even if the vehicle isn't covered by the warranty extension, call Honda corporate and present your case. There's a very good chance that you will be able to have most of the repair paid for if it was done at a Honda dealership.
  • tuanltuanl Member Posts: 5
    Hi,

    Somehow my car radio does not have any power and I try to turn it on.
    This happens after I replavce the dead battery with the new one.

    I have tried to remove the battery and plugs it back in hope if the power
    get reset but it did not help.

    I appreciate if anyone can give me suggestions what to do.

    Thanks

    --
    Tuan Le
  • snukesnuke Member Posts: 81
    Hi Tuan.....Take in mind with this answer that I am a female and not very knowledgeable about cars. However, I have a 2000 Accord and have had to replace my battery before as well. If your radio is the same one that came with the car, you should have been given what is called an Anti-Theft Radio Identification Card when you purchased your car. This card has a code number and serial number. You need to enter the code number on the card into the radio system for the radio to operate normally. This is what I had to do after replacing my battery. Your car's manual will provide you step-by-step instructions on how to enter the code which I found to be very simple. I hope this helps.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    snuke,

    Being female sure doesn't mean anything! You are exactly right. :)

    Merry Christmas to you, and to all!
  • nlsnls Member Posts: 65
    1998 EX 4-cyl with 80K miles, bought used at 45K miles. Apparently the service interval for spark plug change is 30K miles, doubt it was done at 30K, and I haven't replaced them after I bought the car. Will using platinum plugs increase the replacement interval, and will the wires need to be replaced if I use platinum plugs? Is the gap .044" or 0.04"? What is the recommended mileage for wire replacement? How to find out if it is arcing, or has deteriorated?
  • sodaguysodaguy Member Posts: 84
    Platinum or Iridium plugs increase the interval only if the plugs have the platinum pad on the ground electrode. Wires can be tested to determine their condition and are replaced on an as needed basis, but I usually replace them at 100k. Your Accord may use a coil setup, I'm not sure. If you buy the correct part # for the application, the gap will already be set correctly. No need to worry about it. In fact, do NOT adjust the gap...it can damage the plug on many of the Platinum and Iridium plugs.

    BTW, stick with NGK or Denso plugs. Those work best in most vehicles. Avoid Bosch like the plague.
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    Conventional plug wire have a resistance of 10,000 to 15,000 ohms per foot of length. You can measure them with an inexpensive ohmmeter. As far as cracking or arcing, look at the wires at night with the engine running. You should see arcing. You can also mist them with a spray bottle of water as an aid of reviling deteriorated wires.

    Mrbill
  • snukesnuke Member Posts: 81
    Thanks graduate. The time here (TX) is now 9:15 p.m. and Christmas Day is nearly over. I hope your Christmas has been a pleasant one and I hope you have a wonderful New Year.
Sign In or Register to comment.