Older Honda Accords

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Comments

  • dodgerfandodgerfan Member Posts: 8
    Does anyone still have rattling problems with their 2003 Accords?

    I had a terrible rattle by the driver's side door. After 12 days (no joke) at the dealership (including help from technicians from Honda Motors) they fixed the major rattle which they indicated was coming from somewhere in the "headliner."

    I continue to have more minor rattles from inside the cabin on the passenger's side as well as from near the stereo console and sometimes behind the steering wheel at high speeds.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    ex has power height adjustment on the driver seat and lumbar control, lx has manual height and no lumbar...also the fabric in the ex is more upscale, and the ex has audio controls on the steering wheel where the lx does not.
  • icantdoiticantdoit Member Posts: 3
    I am wondering if the LX V-6 is a good buy. I read on consumer reports that last year's LX V-6 was the best deal but i wonder if it has changed? Also i don't see any people on these boards talking about the LX V-6?
  • richm4richm4 Member Posts: 169
    Just my $.02, but the sedan's Redondo Red Pearl is one of the best burgandy red colors I have ever seen on any car. The shape of the car is not the most appealing to me, but that color certainly is.
  • atlantabennyatlantabenny Member Posts: 735
    just looked at the 03 brochure and edmunds pricing.

    both say that for $2500 less than the ex-v6, you're just missing the moonroof, dual-zone temp, lighted door switches, leather trim (& heated front seats), power passenger seat (driver's is 8-way), interior trim accents, side curtain a-bags, and alloy rims.

    they're similar drivetrain-wise, down to the traction control system.

    the pricing logic is there, i think. added up, the unique ex features would be $2500 worth, give or take a few.

    choosing between the two, i'd try "emotional economics:" are the added physical and psychological pampering worth $46/mo (60-month note) ?

    the answer takes on more meaning depending on how much time one spends in the car, what the car is used for, etc. also, is there alternate use of $46/month that will yield similar effects for 5 years ?

    when it's time for the next car, believe the ex will sell faster too.

    here's the clincher: if the dealer doesn't have the lx-v6 in stock, maybe he can give the ex-v6 for a lesser price difference. now, that would be a deal !
  • jtacjtac Member Posts: 5
    dodgerfan - I have just started noticing a rattle in the roof near the drivers side door . Did your rattle sound like a marble rolling around near the door / headliner? Did they say what the cause of the rattle was?
  • bigzheng17bigzheng17 Member Posts: 81
    red is too flashy for me, I prefer beige, blue or black, though I'll never buy a black one. also doesn't insurance charge more premium for a red car?
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    No that's a myth. I've never had an insurance company ask me the color of the car. More than likely it became a myth because red cars attract more attention which results in more tickets which results in higher insurance.
  • treostertreoster Member Posts: 74
    I've driven both....go with the EX...it's worth the price differential.
  • frankbailiefrankbailie Member Posts: 26
    I have had my EX 14 auto for about 3 weeks now. Until this week it was rattle free but now I hear an occasional creaking sound from the driver's area. I seem to recall someone posting about this. Was there a solution as rattles in a Honda not acceptable and they are driving me nuts?
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    Does it sound like it is coming from the steering column or somewhere in that vicinity?
  • jeffrey15jeffrey15 Member Posts: 61
    I have two, but they aren't constant, so I haven't done anything yet since I am sure they will tell me that they don't hear them. Also it seems to be worse in warm weather wich we haven't had to much of lately.

    1) is over the driver side door area. Sounds like air is catching something and causing a quiet rattle. Almost like I had a leaf or something caught in the door.

    2) Very similar sound in the area of the passenger side rear door.

    Jeff
  • accord7accord7 Member Posts: 96
    I'm copying a message which was posted here sometime ago. Also, when discussing rattles, please comment if you have an EX or LX. The moonroof is always a suspect.

    "My wife took the car to the dealership to look at the annoying rattling sound from the driver side window. The service advisor looked at it and decided it was from residue from the wash/wax they did for new car prep. They cleaned out the window, the rubber trim, and applied a thin layer of silicone lube inside the trim. Worked like a charm, the rattling is gone."
  • talon95talon95 Member Posts: 1,110
    simply by closing the shade. If it is the moonroof, the shade is thick enough to muffle or eliminate the noise. If the rattle continues unabated, it's not the moonroof.

    This comes from experience with the moonroof on my 2000.
  • gotribegotribe Member Posts: 101
    Been having some disturbing and potentially dangerous problems with my Accord this weekend when engaging the ABS on snowy pavement. So long as the speeds are low (below about 25mph) the car stops straight. However, as the speed builds, if the brakes are applied hard enough to engage the ABS, the car swerves alarmingly to the right. I've checked tire pressures and they're even side to side. Obviously, this could be a big safety problem. It is most noticeable if the left side of the car and right on on surfaces with different traction levels (i.e. one side slush, the other side snow) but even if the traction levels are the same, it still swerves. Anyone else experience this??
  • bribabybribaby Member Posts: 18
    I've got a couple in my I4 EX. The grab handle by my head was driving me nuts. The little plastic bushings moving back and forth all the time. I loaded it up with putty type stuff. I think all 4 handles do it, but I could only hear the one by my head. I also have an intermittent one in the vent at the base of the front windshield.
    I was washing it the other day and found a spring/clip coming through the drain hole at the bottom of the drivers door. I couldn't get it out, it popped back up inside the door. I don't know what it's supposed to do, it's not doing it now though!
  • shadowfax2shadowfax2 Member Posts: 22
    I haven't noticed any swerving gotribe but I'll be driving around tomorrow --- we've got plenty of snow here now after getting another 20 inches today..and I'll let you know if i experience any swerving. If/when you talk to your dealership about this..let us know what they say.
  • ickes_mobileickes_mobile Member Posts: 675
    You must be out east somewhere. Here in Minnesota, we've had five inches all winter. We were supposed to have gotten some snow last night, but it only rained and left everything with a nice ice coating. Glad we got the EX (2001) with ABS...
  • gee35coupegee35coupe Member Posts: 3,387
    If one side of the car has traction and the other side does not. The ABS can't compensate for the physic of one side of the car having great traction and the other side being slippery. If you push on one side of anything it will turn.
  • gotribegotribe Member Posts: 101
    I beg to differ about whether ABS compensates when one side of the car has different level of traction than the other. Car mfrs and road tests (eg Consumer Reports) do a lot of testing to determine if ABS systems keep a car stopping straight when traction is different side to side. One of the main benefits of ABS is that it is very sophisticated in the way it apportions braking force based on traction at each wheel. Most road tests I have read report that there is very little if any swerving when one side of the car is for example on a wet surface, and the other side on dry.
  • gee35coupegee35coupe Member Posts: 3,387
    I guess his car is broke then. Take it to the shop.
  • tblazer503tblazer503 Member Posts: 620
    you car would swerve to the right if the road were graded where the center is higher. No traction means gravity will pull the heavier end of the car(front) down... I have used my ABS and did not notice it... although a 5MT in ice is... interesting... never had ice with my civic... the accord is nice.. I can usually predict what it will do, and handles as well as my SUV in the ice(except for the 4x4 thing)
  • accordlx90accordlx90 Member Posts: 2
    Any pros/cons on the LX-V6 cloth interior vs. the EX-V6 leather interior? I've always had cloth and want the V6 model but like the added options of the EX-V6. I think I read the leather seats have a heater? How well does this work?
    How does the quality of the leather appear for long term?
    I live in cold snowy Upstate NY so comfort is important.

    Thank you.
  • implicitimplicit Member Posts: 41
    Could someone post some links to large Accord forums?
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I guess you could try google or something like that, but the Town Hall isn't here to send you elsewhere! :-)

    We've got a lot of folks participating in this as well as all of our Accord discussions -- not sure what you are looking for when you say "large" but I think you'll find lots and lots of helpful conversation going on right here.

    Have you found our Make/Model search feature on the left side of the page? That is an easy way to get a list of all of the Accord conversations that are going on around here.

    Feel free to email me if I can help you find what you need.
  • bftbft Member Posts: 7
    I have a redondo red pearl '03 EX V6 sedan; the front seats are heated, and they work quite well, with both "high" and "low" settings. On the passenger side, only the seat bottom is heated because the seat back contains sensors to determine the position of the front passenger. (If it senses that the passenger is sitting in the path of the side airbag, it will trigger a warning light in the instrument display, indicating that it is temporarily disabled. When the passenger repositions, the airbag light goes out, and the side airbag is again enabled).
    By the way, this is one GREAT car! I have just over 1000 miles on it, and no problems. Driving on the highway is such a pleasure; great power, very smooth transmission, and handles beautifully. So much power it's hard to keep it under the speed limit!
  • ickes_mobileickes_mobile Member Posts: 675
    the people at the GM's Might board think the new Chevy Malibu will match the Accord?! I don't want to flame over there, but they're nuts:

    www.autonews.com/files/2003_detroit/03detroitshowart/General%20Motors/Chevrolet/Malibu/Malibu2.jpg
  • cds12cds12 Member Posts: 139
    What does GM stand for?
  • krwpgkrwpg Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone else noticed that the paint finish on '03 Accords is somewhat grainy, particularly in the darker colours. The finish seems uniform on the various body panels, but the graininess is more obvious along the sides of car, particularly the upper door surfaces. Accords sold in Canada are built in Ohio, so I assume the Canadian & U.S. models come off the same assembly lines, although this may not be the case. I'd like to hear from Accord owners- American and Canadian both. Thanks.
  • atlantabennyatlantabenny Member Posts: 735
    no, haven't noticed paint flaws but am bringing one-month old car for other defects/problems (6 total) this week.

    unusual, considering that car's made in japan and 3 family hondas in the last 4 years didn't have a single defect after delivery.
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    So far our coupe has been perfect ... only 600 miles so it's a little early to tell though. Maybe you got the 5AM car.. the last one made before 3rd shift left for the night. :)
  • atlantabennyatlantabenny Member Posts: 735
    ah...make that 7 and possibly 8.

    yup, this is definitely first-year teething for the honda manufacturing group.

    just got the list ready to make it easier for the service rep - here it is:

    1) creaking noise (like wire harness rubbing against something) inside dashboard, driver's side,
    2) light scratchy noise (like a trapped leaf), top part of driver's door,
    3) glove box light always on even when closed (light leaks through in the dark),
    4) front passenger door needs second slam to close,
    5) console cover latch stiff, difficult to open cover,
    6) cruise control button panel protrudes & has wide gap from adjoining area,
    7) weak windshield washer spray, driver's side
    8) when accelerating, moderately loud exhaust roar heard from passenger's footwell area (my 98-02 gen accord didn't have this and so i'm thinking this could be an exhaust leak. but since the 03 has the exhaust manifold near the firewall and not in front, service rep will probably tell me the louder exhaust sound is normal).

    wouldn't expect this from a honda, right ? neither did i. if only it wasn't such an outstanding car...
  • cartagramcartagram Member Posts: 115
    Just traded my '01 Civic LX for a '99 Accord LX. What a difference in seat comfort and ride quality. The only noticeable problem in the Accord is the clock.

    The top line of the digital display is very dim or missing. A "7" looks like a "1". (The kids think it's cool because it looks like a Star Trek readout.)

    What will the dealer do to replace or repair the clock? Will they remove the dashboard or do anything that may make introduce squeaks or rattles into this otherwise tight car?
  • fredv1fredv1 Member Posts: 15
    Our 4-cylinder LX automatic sedan has an intermitten sharp "creak" from near the top of the windshield on the driver's side. It's more noticeable in cold weather when hitting any bumps in the road. A dealer's visit was scheduled but by then nothing was heard. Also, the driver's side window squeaks when fully up; crack it a tad & the squeak disappears.

    In an unrelated area: Upon initial start-up the engine idles at 1500 rpm. Putting the car into gear, rpm jumps to 1800 briefly. Seems like the rpm would decrease, not increase. Is this normal? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
  • talon95talon95 Member Posts: 1,110
    When I first got my 2000 Accord, one of the center vents was broken. They just replaced that whole assembly, both vents and the clock, without dismantling the whole dash. So don't worry too much about it.
  • aloalo Member Posts: 35
    The clock can be removed from the dash easily by prying (gently) and the top and bottom of the clock housing. There is a tiny back light that costs about $1.50 that can be removed and installed just by turning it about 1/3 turn. Easy fix if that's the problem. If the LCD readout is the problem, the clock assembly costs less than 50 dollars. Simply unplug clock from harness and you're done.
  • pda97pda97 Member Posts: 91
    If you want to know more about life in Montreal, car-related or otherwise, let me know. I spent 6 yrs there. Welcome to hell :)
  • webexplorerwebexplorer Member Posts: 21
    Just got my sedan ExV6 last week. Loved everything about it so far except the fact the areas above the door window level (including ceiling) are of fabric(!!) finishes. It's a nightmare for maintenance. I've already got finger prints all over near the area where the seatbelt is retracted. Don't know why honda does this in the 2003 model, even my 1990 accord ex has pvc-like material finishes...

    Another problem is that the 'outside temperate' guage is not accurate. About 8 degree off. Anyone else has the same problem ?
  • teenboy13teenboy13 Member Posts: 17
    See the February issue of Car and Driver? The Accord EX-L 5 speed came in 1st place :)
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    No, I have not. Who were the competitors?
  • teenboy13teenboy13 Member Posts: 17
    These were the results:
    10: Saturn L200 Manual Trans
    9: Kia Optima LX Manual Trans
    8: Hyundai Sonata GLSV6 Automatic Trans
    7: Dodge Stratus R/T Manual Trans
    5 tie: Nissan Altima 3.5SE Manual Trans
    5 tie: Subaru Legacy L Manual Trans
    4: Toyota Camry SE Manual Trans
    3: Volkswagen Passat GL 1.8T Automatic Trans
    2: Mazda 6 i Manual Trans
    1: Honda Accord EX-L Manual Trans
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    It's good to hear that the Accord won. Considering how C&D values sportiness, I'm a bit surprised the Mazda6 didn't win. I'll have to check it out to see what they said about the Accord's handling.
  • teenboy13teenboy13 Member Posts: 17
    The Accord scored:
    Engine - 9
    Transmission - 10
    Brakes - 9
    Handling - 8
    Ride - 9
    Driver Comfort - 9
    Ergonomics - 9
    Features and Amenities - 8
    Fit and Finish - 10
    Styling - 8
    Value - 9
    Fun to Drive - 8
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    Thanks for the numbers, teenboy. Can't wait to read it at the grocery store.
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    I'm gonna go check the mailbox for my copy now :)
  • robertsmxrobertsmx Member Posts: 5,525
    Once again, the most complete package wins!
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    :( Got every magazine but that one. But the good news is that Road & Track compared the Altima, 6, Passat, Camry and Accord. All V6 automatics. Guess who won ..... ;)
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    The rankings were like this:

    5th place: VW Passat GLX
    3rd place (tie): Nissan 3.5SE & Camry XLE
    2nd place: Mazda 6s

    and the winner is .............

    the Honda Accord (applause)
  • indysabreindysabre Member Posts: 42
    Are either of these on the web yet, any Links??
  • anonymouspostsanonymousposts Member Posts: 3,802
    Actually, the funny thing is the Camry was the fastest through the slalom. Go figure.
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