Honda Accord (2003-2007) Maintenance and Repair

tankbeans · July 2008

I think I'll sit on it and see what happens. I'll let you guys know what happens so I can get more feedback. I had a friend peek, and her father who is a mechanic, and they both said it was fine.

They also said that when it starts to squeal I will need to replace it. Also they said that if there are 5 cracks per 1 inch of ribbing the time to replace will be fast approaching.

Thanks for the feedback anyway. I'm just not wanting to mess this car up, I hope to have it for a long time.

tallman1 · July 2008

I have an 06 EXL I4 manual and love it. There was a huge difference between the stick and automatic in the 4 and I suspect that is the same situation in the 6. Hopefully, you can find both a 4 and 6 to drive.

I also have a 95 EX I4 manual that my son drives now so we are similar in that regard. If you can find an 06 or 07 I4, you will appreciate the increased power and quickness. Shifts are much smoother than the older version.

You may also want to visit this link to read all the pros and cons to the 4 and the 6:Honda Accord I4 vs V6

srizvi1 · July 2008

Hmmm... usually, I do a good job of following the manual on my car. I have a 2004 Honda Accord EX 4 cyl sedan and I was recently getting my oil change done at wal-mart (I bring my car here around every 10k miles to get my tire rotation and balance done for free since I got all 4 of my tires mounted here a couple years back). The guy told me it would only cost 13 bucks to do an oil change if I had my own oil and filter so I grabbed the Mobile 1 5 quart bottle off the shelf for the... but I grabbed the 5w-30 bottle based on me still having an open, half-empty quart of Mobil 1 5w-30 in my trunk. I was looking at my manual and apparently I'm supposed to use 5w-20. when I had come back to wal-mart to get the car, the repair guy had said the same thing.

I feel like I must have asked someone or something if it was ok to deviate from the manual but I can't remember.

tankbeans · July 2008

Judging from what I've learned on here it shouldn't be a problem to change to synthetic. I would use 5w-20 though since that it was is recommended. I know of many people who switch over to synthetic because they get better mileage out of the deal.

I'm not sure how it works myself, but now I don't think it's a problem. Mind you I'm a self-professed automotive moron, I know about enough to be dangerous. I'd say go ahead.

There are more than likely people out there who know more than I do, and they will chime in soon.

I've learned a lot off of this site.

Good luck.

srizvi1 · July 2008

Thanks for getting back to tankbeans.

I actually have been using synthetic oil in my car since 42k miles (I made a post on my service history here in this thread one day - post# 3937in this thread).

I was looking at the post I just referenced, and I saw that I did the 5W-30 before too. lol... I'm not sure what my problem is and why I keep using 5W-20. Wal-mart had plenty of 5W-20 when I just went and looked.

lkwilson2 · July 2008

Changing to synethic won't be a problem, I'd just stay with the same weight.

Also, a trick I learned from my neigbhor who is a class A honda mechanic, replace 1/2 a quart of the oil with a 1/2 quart of transmission fluid. He does it to motors that have a lot of tarnish buildup - the detergents in the transmission fluid slowly break down the buildup, unlike some products that are more harsh.

He does this to his own cars as well...starting from day one....so I started doing the same a few years ago

carzzz · July 2008

I would change to 5W-30 when the powertrain warranty expired. The higher the rear number, the better high temperature protection. The trade off is fuel economy.

srizvi1 · July 2008

... really? hmm.. I didn't know that. I'd be willing to sacrifice a little fuel economy to help my car stay alive. It's at 114k miles now.

hondahenry · July 2008

Does it happen to any of your 06-07 Accords? My 07 Accord has lots of chips on the windshield and some white spots possibly caused be debris or sand on road. It appears it's quite easy for hood and bumper to get chips on Accord but chips on windshield are quite of blizzard. Is it normal? This thing is as fragile as a baby's face.

mrbill1957 · July 2008

ALL windshields have to meet DOT requirements. Unfortunetly for you, your Accord has been subject to something that would have chipped any windshield.

Mrbill

elroy5 · July 2008

It makes me wish they still made cars with chrome covering the front end

. Now everything is painted (bumpers, grills). If you are going to drive your car in any type of high speed traffic (over 30mph), you will acquire some chips. There are clear protective films you can buy to protect the front, but they are pretty expensive. I have one of the old vinyl bras, but it's a real pain constantly removing and putting it back on.

thegraduate · July 2008

Only a small "scuff" on my windshield after nearly 36k miles in my 2006 Accord. I make a point not to follow close at ALL, since it is my pet peave.

stickguy · July 2008

is it really neccessary to adjust the valves at 30K on a 2005 I4? Dealer is pushing a big $ major service at my next oil change (I have about 26K on it now). I thought valve adjustments went out with crushed valour (sp?) interiors!

thegraduate · July 2008

You do NOT need a valve adjustment. The dealer sounds full of it.

TheGrad
06 Accord I4

stickguy · July 2008

I know I should get out the manual, but I was too lazy! I do seem to recall something about valves though. Maybe checking them? But that seems odd, since if you need to check them, you might need to adjust!

30K seems kind of soon in any case. THis isn't a VW Beetle!

vdibb · July 2008

Daughter has an 06 Accord EX with 78K miles and 4 wheel disk brakes. I inspected the brakes and found the front pads had plenty of pad left and the rears were down to nearly nothing. She took it to the dealership who said this is not unusual, changed the pads and sent her on her way, charging her $150. Is this really "not unusual"? This is the first car in the family with 4 wheel disk brakes but my experience has been the front brakes wear faster than the rear. Is this dealership full of it or is it normal for rear disk brakes to wear faster than the front?

Front pads measured 7mm, rears 1mm.

elroy5 · July 2008

It seams to be "normal" for the 7th gen (03-07) Accords. I changed my rear pads at 47k miles. The fronts are probably good to 60k miles. This is the first car I've had where the rears wore faster. All I had to do is replace the pads (didn't have the rotors turned), and the brakes work fine at 55k miles, so I'm not complaining.

srizvi1 · July 2008

Hmm.. I usually get my oil changes done at the Honda Dealer and/or Firestone (I bring my own Mobil 1 though - I'd like to start bringing my own filters too). I wonder if they'd accommodate the the transmission / Mobil 1 cocktail for that 1/2 quart.

srizvi1 · July 2008

"....I know of many people who switch over to synthetic because they get better mileage out of the deal. "

When you say better mileage, are you referring to a higher mpg, or going longer in between oil changes? As per the manual, I could go 10k miles in between oil changes on regular motor oil. Using Mobil 1, I think I could go longer, still keep it at 10k though. I'm not sure if I should push it any further. I'm not sure if the filter could go any further either.

accord6mt · July 2008

I just had the original rear pads on my '05 Accord changed for the first time, too - at 55K miles. Original front pads still have plenty left.

thegraduate · July 2008

Elroy is right - the rear pads wearing earlier than the fronts seems normal. I wonder if EBD has anything to do with it? Dumb question I guess, but I truly don't know if it works in hazardous conditions or regular stops in day-to-day driving.

accord6mt · July 2008

I had a '98 prelude with that awesome vtec inline 4 and I absolutely loved it. I currently own an '05 accord V6 6-speed coupe. I can tell you that the 6-speed and V6 together make for an awesome experience, but I believe the prelude handled a lot better than my accord does, even with the stock front shock brace. I still love driving my accord and I think the V6 and 6-speed are perfect for each other. I just replaced my stock michelin pilots with yoko AS430s and I've seen a huge difference in performance. I haven't had any problems with the engine or transmission (at 55K miles) although I do occasionally get some engine vibration at idle but it never lasts long enough to annoy me. Whenever I do some "spirited driving" I find that in the Accord I need to keep the windows open so I can "hear" the engine better for shift changes and pre-redline. The Accord is really quiet and I felt slightly isolated from the engine, especially since it's essentially an electronic gas pedal now. With the Prelude, I'd get great audio feedback through the firewall as well as engine vibration feel through the gas pedal. But really, it's all about give and take. The Accord is a family car and the Prelude was a sporty car... but I am really enjoying my time driving a "sporty" 2-door family car :-) FWIW, I believe the Accord 6-speed sedan is the obvious (and much faster) choice over a 325 or any Mercedes C-class. Good luck! Would love to know what you end up purchasing!

thegraduate · July 2008

Accord V6 6-speed...

It's a shame this combination isn't offered at the moment. I can't help but wonder if they bring it back again in a couple of years, however, just as I suspect a new Altima SE-R is on its way in a year or two, with Maxima-like (290) horsepower and a 6-speed manual.

alien2 · July 2008

Hi. I too, had the rear pads changed out at 56000 with the front pads looking almost new. I was told by Honda that the reason that the rear pads need changing out sooner than the front (didn't make sense to me at first) is that the original front pads are thicker than the rear pads. That was done by Honda to have all the pads wear down and need changing at the same time. They must have overestimated the thickness for the front pads. . :P

thegraduate · July 2008

So it would seem. At least the front pads are lasting a nice long time these days it seems.

I have 35,600 on my 2006 EX Accord. No brakes needed yet, and hopefully not for awhile, as this car sees more highway duty than in-town. I still use my old 1996 for commuting in town most weekdays, which probably helps explain the reason I get 25-26mpg in the '96 and average over 30 MPG in my newer one.

I figure if I'm going to be rear-ended or something which is more likely in rush-hour and stop and go, I want it to be in my old car with 182k miles on it, not my new one. Plus it saves miles on the new car for traveling - I don't take the old one too far; I'd hate to have it break down 300 miles from home when I had a low-miles car sitting in the driveway.

Since I've had my 2006, I've been hit three times in my '96 model (2 of them were a month apart). Never been hit (everyone knock on wood NOW!) in my new one, and never been the "at fault" person in an accident (once again, knock that wood!).

tallman1 · July 2008

Accord V6 6-speed...

It's a shame this combination isn't offered at the moment.

It is in the V6 manual transmission Coupe. :shades:

thegraduate · July 2008

Should've been more specific - meant the sedan combo since the poster was talking about sport-sedan competition (328, C-300).

hondahenry · July 2008

It's understandable hood and bumper get chips. But windshield? :confuse: There are chips all over the windshield. I would never expect this to happen. It seems Honda uses low-cost paint or glass.

thegraduate · July 2008

I have no problems with my windshield whatsoever; I'm confused how you have so many chips. Unless I'm following close I never even hear rocks hit the windshield or front-end, much less have them leave a mark.

tallman1 · July 2008

It's understandable hood and bumper get chips. But windshield?

I'd be very surprised if you found any 2-3 year old car with normal mileage that didn't have minute chips in the windshield. If you live in an area where the roads are sanded in the winter or if you travel on or near dirt roads, you'll have it even worse.

Someone around here even posted once that when you get a new windshield it is like getting a new car because of the view.

Highway travel increases your odds. I don't follow very closely but I have a few chips. Trucks are killers no matter how far back you are. Very small pits are more common than anyone really thinks.

Many, many years ago, there was a story in our local paper about rumors of an alien spacecraft dropping some sort of acid that caused car windshields to pit. Caused quite a panic when everyone checked out their cars and noticed the tiny pits that were there all along. :shades:

rich505 · July 2008

I believe the rear pads are not as thick as the front pads to begin with so they will wear down to their minimum useful thickness first. This happens on other type cars as well.

hondahenry · July 2008

Thanks tallman. That makes me feel a little easy now knowing your experiences. Looks to me that I might need a new windshield to have a better view. Do you know whether a Honda OEM windshield is better than other aftermarket ones?

tallman1 · July 2008

I think it is better to put off replacing a windshield as long as possible unless there is a crack. I prefer the factory seals which is why I suppose I'd want Honda to do the replacing. It's a lot more expensive though... at least the last time I checked for my old car.

grampy1 · July 2008

Funny you mentioned that. I read yesterday that late model Nissan owner's are complaining about the same thing.

altair9 · July 2008

I have an 05 4cyl ex-l Nav. I have a few (minor) chips on the windshield, that seem to (so far) be no problem. But I was surprised how quickly the windshield became pock-marked. I had a Mazda previously and it never acquired any marks. I have to think Honda's glass is not the best.

chucko3 · July 2008

Does anyone else receive a notice from Honda?
Received mine today.

elroy5 · July 2008

I heard it was coming (the windshield wiper recall), but I haven't received the notice yet. I am undecided on taking the car in, and letting some rookie tech take my car apart, for something that could be unnecessary. I don't have a wiper problem, so I might just check it myself. I have difficulty trusting other people working on my car.

chucko3 · July 2008

The WW motor is located inside the vent port just right below the
driver side's WW arm. Correct?
I just took a peep at it. No sign of corrosion.
But I see they have to remove the vent cover to get to the motor.
Could get a leak after the repair.

elroy5 · July 2008

The WW motor is located inside the vent port just right below the driver side's WW arm. Correct?

Correct. Since it's a safety recall, and they have to do it free of charge (with no time limit), I think I'm just going to wait until a problem surfaces, before bringing it to the dealership.

tankbeans · July 2008

I haven't heard anything yet. My wipers are fine though. Does this apply to only 6s or is it for 4s too.

chucko3 · July 2008

Me too. But I'm afraid when the problem surfaces, the car
might end up in a ditch.
Until I can find a TSB for this recall, I wait.

chucko3 · July 2008

I believe it applies to all 2003 Accord.
I will take a look at my co-worker 04EXV6 to see if they put
the cover on the motor in 2004 and after.

elroy5 · July 2008

Does this apply to only 6s or is it for 4s too.

I'm pretty sure they all have the same wiper motors, and will all be included. I suspect many owners will not take their car in, until the wipers stop working or start making noises.

lkwilson2 · July 2008

Thanks MT, loved hearing about your Prelude experience! You know how I feel.

I was wondering about not being able to hear or feel the engine for shift changes...

Some of my neighbors are top honda mechanics...says that's a sweet car

and asking about timing belt vs the timing chain that's on the i4, he said the v6 is so smooth it can go 200,000 (but I bet you'll never hear a dealership telling you that

When I find one to purchase I'll post back.

Thanks again.

lkwilson2 · July 2008

Thanks Tallman,

I'm torn between the i4 and v6. I test drove an i4 and it's responsiveness was very good, I enjoyed driving it....but I want to drive a v6..and that will probably do me in

, but will the fact that the i4 has better fuel economy and is so responsive win out over my desire for what I expect and hope the v6 will be like.....we'll see.

Gotta find one to drive close to me though....missed the one in Memphis by a day...didn't go there earlier when I could...wanting to combine trips and hey...if it's still on the lot, all the more incentive to deal

but no cigar ....

but either way...I know I'll love driving which everone I end up purchasing.

Thanks again.

hondahenry · July 2008

You're right on here. I happened to talk to a bodywork guy yesterday and he also said Honda paint was really thin compared to some other makes. I guess HOnda is just being cheap on some aspects. I guess there is no such thing as a real customer-driven company (aka a car maker). :shades:

corkscrew · July 2008

Recall is listed under nhtsa.gov. Click on recalls and defects then check document search for specifics. It looks like Honda is using vin numbers and build dates for the recall.

Regards,
Corkscrew

elroy5 · July 2008

Just got my notice today. I don't think I'll bring the car in though, until the wiper motor gives out (if it does). Since it's a recall, they have to do it free of charge no matter when it happens.

chucko3 · July 2008

I peeped through the vent holes at my co-worker 2004 Accord.
I noticed a couple things:
1. The square-shaped vent holes at the vent port on the 2004 are
bigger than the 2003.
2. The 2004 WW motor is exposed underneath the vent holes
more than the 2003's.

Me too. I don't think I will bring the car in until I see some
corrosions.
I hope the motor doesn't give out during a blizzard or heavy rain.
Meantime keep that vent port clear of salty slush during snow
storm.

yooper53 · July 2008

i've got an '06 accord sedan, 2.4l, w/36K. is anyone aware of any aftermarket brake upgrades this model. I'm thinking maybe ventilated rotors, beefier calipers?
just a shot in the dark. thanks in advance.
dennis

Honda Accord (2003-2007) Maintenance and Repair

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles

Your Privacy