Older Honda Accords

robertsmx

The original set lasted 52K miles in my Accord. 30K miles sounds early for the Michelin.

b_bazinet

I just read over my service manual and it says that I don't need to do my 1st oil change until 10,000 miles. Does anyone know why that is? I've always thought that your 1st was at 1-1.5k miles then again 2-3k miles? Are they using synthetic oil in the new cars? This has me really perplexed?????

clint98v6at

I also have the same problem with the fuel guage on my 98 EX V6. I have 66,000 miles on mine and the fuel guage problem started at about 55,000 miles. From what I've read in previous posts it is most likely the fuel sending unit, which is inside the gas tank. I'm going to have it replaced at the 105,000 mile service, since the fuel filter is recommended to be replaced at that time anyway. Maybe it will save me some labor costs. I don't beleive it is covered by any recall, which is disappointing since there is obviously a defect. The problem is, I've read of the replacements going bad as well.

I just reset my trip odometer every time I fill up, and refill the tank every 300-340 miles in the meantime until I get it replaced.

isellhondas

Sounds like your salesperson did a lousy job going over things when your car was delivered.

10,000 miles is the MAXIMUM time between oil changes. Under severe conditions such as a lot of short trips, stop and go driving, temperature extremes, they say to change it every 5000 miles.

My driving consists of a lot of short trips. I change mine around the 4000 mile mark. Oil changes are cheap and I just feel better doing this.

Leave your oil in there for at least 3500 miles. There are some break-in additives in it that help break in. It is not synthetic oil.

snoopy33

Has anyone had any problems like unwanted rattling, humming, etc with the Moonroof open and if so, does a Moonroof deflector correct this problem. Also, has anyone installed the moonroof deflector on there own? Is it easy to do?

fryingbologna

2003 EX-V6 Accord, 28000 KM (just under 17K miles)

800 km of mostly highway, cruise controled driving this weekend, 80 mph, low-speed-but-constant AC use, 19 MPG. I'm not babying it, but thought this seems a bit low.

Loaded CD, heard "sproing", lost use of CD player for last 350 KM of trip. Booked in Friday for repair/replacement. Missing Groove Armada, Blackie & the Rodeo Kings and De Phazz as they wait patiently for rescue.

Paint (dark grey) showing many nicks and chips from careless parking lot bulls. Rattle from center cubbyhole door intermittent. Brakes are fine, but throwing off dust like crazy. Homelink center button tough to press correctly.

Pleased, but not pleased as punch. Still, hard to find as good a package for the price in any other vehicle.

snoopy33

Has anyone had any problems like unwanted rattling, humming, etc with the Moonroof open and if so, does a Moonroof deflector correct this problem. Also, has anyone installed the moonroof deflector on there own? Is it easy to do?

b_bazinet

The salesperson actually gave me a sheet with their Oil Change schedule for 4cyl and v-6 engines. They do the 1st change for free. It said 10k miles for 1st oil change then 5k after that. I found this to be quite high for the 1st oil change that's why I was wondering if they were using a synthetic oil at first? Anyway, maybe a call to the service dept. would ease my mind.

according2me

I have an '01 also and got 81K out of two of the OEM tires and 97K out of the last two. Just keep the pressure @30-32psi and continue rotating and you should see 70K easy.

If they continue showing irregular wear, have an alignment done.
Mine wore evenly to the end.

winbro

it's 3750 miles under severe conditions between oil changes.

Also - why don't you register your accord on the honda website? just click on owners link put in a user name, password & your VIN# and you have access to extra things not found in your owners manual.

b_bazinet

Thanks, will do.

justin

hi everyone - questions for the owners of Accords for model 2003.

i understand the instruments are now like Lexus - kind of "digital" instead of analog, is that right?

do you like them? do they wash out in light? is the actual "pointer" digital as well, or just the numbers behind the pointer?

does anyone have concerns about the longevity of that type of instrument lighting vs. say, an 02 Accord set up?

are their going to be any bugs worked out on the EX-V6 Accord sedans for 04?

how the heck is anyone going to be able to put an aftermarket stereo in the current gen Accords? don't the climate control adjustments and radio adjustments share knobs?

Thanks for your replies!

03lxv6

Recently every morning when I back out of the parking lot, I hear a scratching-like noise from the front tire. Makes me feel that the tire sticks to the ground. I am in CA, the outside weather is not so cold.

Has anybody noticed this on his/her 03 Accord? Thanks.

aggie1995

The lights are not digital the way you describe, see below (your reliability questions are also answered) :

LED Instrumentation
Supporting the new Accord's driver-oriented nature are large LED instruments that are easy to read and rich in appearance. These types of LED meters have never been used before in a car in this price range, and are typically found in vehicles with MSRP's of $30,000 or more. Standard analog instrumentation includes a large format speedometer, 0-8500 rpm tachometer, and fuel and coolant temperature gauges. EX-L and EX V6 models have an outside temperature indicator as part of the odometer/tripmeter digital display.

A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits visible light when an electric current passes through it. The light is not particularly bright, but in most LEDs it is monochromatic, occurring at a single wavelength. The output from an LED can range from red (at a wavelength of approximately 700 nanometers) to blue-violet (about 400 nanometers). Some LEDs emit infrared (IR) energy (830 nanometers or longer); such a device is known as an infrared-emitting diode (IRED).

An LED or IRED consists of two elements of processed material called P-type semiconductors and N-type semiconductors. These two elements are placed in direct contact, forming a region called the P-N junction. In this respect, the LED or IRED resembles most other diode types, but there are important differences. The LED or IRED has a transparent package, allowing visible or IR energy to pass through. Also, the LED or IRED has a large PN-junction area whose shape is tailored to the application.

Benefits of LEDs and IREDs, compared with incandescent and fluorescent illuminating devices, include:

Low power requirement: Most types can be operated with battery power supplies.

High efficiency: Most of the power supplied to an LED or IRED is converted into radiation in the desired form, with minimal heat production.

Long life: When properly installed, an LED or IRED can FUNCTION FOR DECADES.

aggie1995

yes I do like it and I haven't had a problem with it waching out in daylight under the Texas sun.

seaf

Good descriptions of the LED lights, makes it sound very high-tech, except it's a technology that's been around for a few decades now, the little blinking light on some cellphones uses LEDs, same goes for PCs and laptops. And most commonly your alarm-clock radio display uses it. I'm surprised automakers are only now starting to use it in their vehicles. Considering how energy efficient and long-lasting LEDs are, I wish all cars used it for inside and outside illumination (except headlights since that requires a lot more brightness).

ian2

I heard that the backlight is actually electro-luminance (EL), like the backlight of a laptop, instead of LED. At least that's what my brother told me anyway.

w5kap

Well, we've had the 03 V6 Navi for three weeks now and no problems have surfaced. The gas mileage has been superb, 25 MPG at a minimum. I learn more about the Navi everyday and find it fascinating. It is smart of them to warn you not to use it when moving (setting it up I mean) because you can really become enraptured. The ride is very quiet and though not as smooth as the Avalon, certainly not too stiff. Noise is amazingly missing. Came over from a 99 Intrigue and this car is 5 times more quiet. Since it is hotter than Hades down here in San Antonio this time of the year, have not tried the sunroof in the open position much. I think we are going to get the wind deflector soon just to make sure. So far, very happy with this car. Will be registering it on the Honda website soon to take advantage of the extra goodies. Cheers, Y'all

4ztc524

Why do you think that baz's salesperson did a lousy job? He's one of the very few who actually understands that the original oil should stay in the engine until the first regularly scheduled oil change (10k for normal conditions) for proper break-in of the engine. Dealers who recommend changing the oil sooner (under normal conditions) need to read the manual!

Bob

ramblinwreck85

I have a 03 EX-L 5sp. I had it in the shop around 3000 miles for vibrating brakes (about 5 months ago). They replaced the pads and rotors. It has started doing this again at 16000 miles. If you are at highway speeds (65mph) and barely put your foot on the brakes, the whole steering column feels like it will vibrate off the car. The vibration is not nearly as bad when you are going slower. I know I have to get it back to the dealer, but what should I ask them to do? I don't want this coming back every few months. Also, I have a loud rattling noise that appears to be coming from under the center part of the rear deck. Any ideas? Thx.

emale

there is a tsb out on the rattling rear deck. something to do with a dynamic damper not being tight...easily fixed.

uscgamecock

Does anyone else find that their outside temperature gauge read approximately 5 degrees higher than the actual temperature? I'd expect a higher reading when idle or in slow traffic, but even at high speeds the temp is higher than actual. Anyone know if the dealer can adjust it?

Also - with 3,250 miles I've gotten a cumulative 27mpg. Great handling, solid feeling interior. Paint and finish seem a little "soft" and I'm expecting more dings and wear on this car than other's I've had. Hopefully I'm wrong!

emale

yeah, my temp reading is sometimes really flaky. one day when it was about 80 out....the darn temp reading was stuck on 96 and never budged all day. and of course the car was moving most of this time. i haven't yet brought this up to the dealership, but i might since i think there is now a tsb out on the problem...

tprice

I've now got 1500 miles on my Accord and have experienced both of these problems. I had appointment to have these checked out but had to cancel appoinment. I stopped looking at the temp reading because too frustrating to be all over the place high - low - and occasionally on the money. We have this feature on another car and it's always accurate (i.e., within +/- a degree or two of what's being reported on the radio). Recent posts are helpful for when I take it in + sounds like TSB's for both. Both are annoying but don't consider either major - still very happy with car and decision to purchase!

winbro

i came over from a 98 intrigue with all sorts of problems, mostly minor annoyance in nature to a red ex-v6 no nav. curious about your experience with the 99 intrigue. so as not to use this forum for bashing intrigues if you wish e-mail me privately about your intrigue.
tinoman1@yahoo.com

dindak

We have an 00 Intrigue and it's been great through 3 1/2 years. Only 2 minor issues (oddly enough a bad temperature gauge was one of them). Unfortunately they don't make the car anymore so I will have to look elsewhere for a replacement in the next few years.

w5kap

Yep, mine reads at least 5 degrees high too. I was sitting in the car the other day as it read 106 for quite some time. I too wish it was more accurate but since I know it reads high, I just deduct 5 degrees and press on. In south Texas the high side of the gauge gets a workout! Great A/C system though. Cools the car oof in just a few minutes. I open the sun-roff and use my key to roll down the windows and dump the hot air when approching the car. Also, leave the sundroof on tilt during the heat of the day to prevent window blow-out.

Cheers

justin

anyone care to take on the "aftermarket" stereo possiblities with the 03 Accord?

it is going to end up like the 2nd Gen Taurus - no way possible?

lichtronimo

had pictures of an aftermarket stereo in the 7th generation car shortly after it was introduced. If fit in there, but didn't look too good. One issue you'd have is that the radio and HVAC control displays are on the same screen. So, while the radio is there behind the dash (unlike the Taurus which was under the rear seat), it might not be feasible to change out the radio.

abfisch

I would like to believe that the dealership was forthright, and acutally gave you new rotors. But......if that problem came back as quick as it did, I would mostly likely guess that they "cut" the rotors, making them thinner, and thus prone to warping again. What are the chances that they had a brand new brake disc, on a new model year car in stock that day. Remote.

Hope this helps. Watch them. Or replace them yourself with Powerslot Rotors.

akc10

Hello everyone. New to the board and in the process of a purchase. Great info and insight here, almost too much to absorb.

My question is, has anyone used "Fighting Chance" in pricing their cars and do you think it saved money above and beyond the knowledge you had gotten from this board? In reading about "FC," I like the idea of dealing by fax and wish I just had the outline of the fax FC uses so I could fill in the blanks.

Thanks!!

qgu

Go head to submit a complaint to NHTSA. If enough complaints are head, there will be a solution from Honda to this problem. I have the same problem with my Accord and already submitted my complaint without even notifying my dealer. Just like the phrase on NHTSA: People save people.

pat

Have you had a chance to check out the discussion list on our Smart Shopper board? Faxing dealerships with offers is a popular topic there. I'm sure folks can give you advice without your having to acquire that specific template.

The SS board is an invaluable resource for those getting ready to buy as is the Tips & Advice section of the main site.

Good luck - let us know how it goes!!

venus537

none of the climate control adjustments are shared with the radio adjustments unless you have the NAV system.

as for the stereo, hope you'll like the stereo as is or you'll probably be out of luck.

akc10

ramblinwreck85

Thanks for all the info. I will have the car in the shop this week. I will bring up about the tsb on the rattle in the rear deck. I will enter a complaint on the NHSTA site. I will make sure they replace the rotors this time. Thanks.

justin

thanks for the info. i kind of get a little concerned with cars where the mfgr forces you to use their products...what if you keep the car and 10 years down the road the stereo dies? forced to pay like thousands of $$$ for a "Honda" unit. not cool

kiiwii

Does Honday plan to add "stabilty control" as an option to Accords in the near future?

I may need to get a car late this year or early next year. Just did some research and found Accord is a great buy. The engine is strong (V6). The safety (crash test) is almost equivalent to Volvos. The price is not jacked up like European cars. Of course, the reliability is on top of the automakers.

The only drawback (my personal opinion) is the lack of stabilty control.

filod

Is there a site where we can see the TSB's for the 2003 Accord? In a month's time, I will have my first scheduled check up (oil change most likely) and I would like to bring some TSB regarding the rattles discussed in this forum (like the driver side door, longer than usual starting, among others). Thanks.

emale

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/tsbsearch.cfm

carman54

Honda does deserve its superior reputation all these years. My 2003 Accord LX 4 is the best built car i have ever driven..

berbel

In answer to your last question..........

I generally don't buy products at Auto Zone, Pep Boys, etc. I deal with a company in Florida which
started out selling wholesale to professional de-
tailing shops. They sell now to the general public.
Waxes I buy cost anywhere between 25.00 to 70.00
per 4-6oz. Typical leather conditioner is 25.00 per
bottle. Not everything they sell is that expensive
but those things I buy just happen to be. If you're
interested in knowing specifically what products I
use, let me know and I'll provide email address as
I don't think this forum can be a vehicle (pun intended) to promote specific merchandise.

berbel

tblazer503

happy to say that after 9000miles and almost a year now, I have one rock chip(wierd place too, behind the front tire on the angled part of the fender..) I really think that the improved aerodynamics are helping in this arena. The door dings are another story, though... park next to cars about the same height of the Accord, and the door bumpers should save ya... It did 2x already on mine...

My buddy has a '02 TL-s and gets a new rock chip about every month or so... I think this accord is doing much better...

bigsweaty

Are the 2004 Accords out already? I need a new car in 2-3 weeks and haven't started the pricing process yet. Thanks to all who shared their pricing info. Are dealers able to deal on the 2004's already? Oh, I was wondering if anybody can comment on the quality of these last 2003's. Are they improved over the earlier year production models, or should I expect the same minor problems which were fixed for the 2004's? 2.9% financing is tempting, but so are new 2004's.

seaf

may also due to driving styles. If you like to tailgate cars and not leave much room between cars in front of you, you'll get more rocks flying off their wheels and hitting yours. If on the other hand you usually leave plenty of room, then you'll probably get less rock chips (in addition to better mileage)

filod

for the link...

dardson1

My wife drives an '01 ES300. We have loved the car. My daughter is shopping for an Accord, and I had a chance to drive one today.....an EX V6 sedan. It's amazing what Honda can do for an MSRP of $26k and buyable for $24k. If you do a side-by-side compare on this site, the specs for size and equipment are mighty close to an ES300. A comparable 03 Lexus is buyable for about $8k more. For that you get a more luxo interior, a better warranty, perfect customer service, a few more bells and whistles, and a car that impresses the neighbors. The Honda has 30 more HP, heated front seats, a more powerful stock stereo, a bit more rear leg room, and a 5spd automatic that seems to be working perfectly (Lexus has some issues there).
    A Lexus ES300 with the premium pkg. is a bargain in the low $30k's. A Honda Accord EXV6 is a steal for under $24k.

300eguy05

Hi Honda fans, I am in the market for a 1995 or 1996 Accord for my son. If anyone has details on problems, ownership experience, comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Bryan

jdexter23

I bought my 03 EX-V6 3 months ago in order to replace my rattletrap Pontiac Grand Am. Lately, this accord is making just as much if not more interior noise. 95% of it is coming from the two front windows rubbing on the weatherstripping. If I open both windows 1/2", the noise stops. This solution is not going to work this winter. When the windows are up, it sounds like I am driving inside a cellaphane bag! Each day is getting worse. Anyone else have this problem?

emale

yep...the list of '03 accord owners with rattling cars seems to be growing everyday...i'm kinda glad now that i leased mine and didn't buy...;)