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Comments
Cruise? Did I mention cruise?
You also wrote "One more thing...I don't go down many hills with the car in 3rd or 4th gear. If I'm gonna stop at the bottom, I'm in neutral or I'm in fifth gear if I'm cruising. The described situation is something I would never experience since I obviously don't drive that way."
This is laughable. :-) Please, let others examine your post.
ramida
ROTFLMAO!!!! :-)
I see your point, but under cruise mode, the engine/transmission is controlled by an automatic mechanism. The scenario I'm describing under manual mode -- easing off the gas pedal completely, and then pressing on the gas again -- does not apply to the cruise mode.
ramida
Move on if you can't offer any assistance. This "I don't have the problem that you say you do; therefore you are wrong" is not necessary and needs to stop.
if you want to maintain speed in higher gears. If you don't it will cut. I've been quiet because I've really tried to think of what you're referring to. Honestly what else would you expect?
Let me explain my "problem" again. Let's say there's a car in front of you. You see his brake light coming "ON". You attempt to slow down by easing off the gas pedal and preparing to apply the brake. But then the brake light in front of you goes OFF and the car accelerates. So you didn't need to apply the brake afterall, and your foot is back on the gas pedal, to accelerate. It is during this moment that my car exhibits a jerky/bouncy sensation (right after pressing the gas pedal). I'm not flooring the pedal -- but just enough to accelerate it. My Honda dealer's service station has acknowledged this to be a "trait" of these 7th generation Accords, a "trait" that distrurbs me personally because it creates a rough horsey drive, especially in slow rush hour traffic.
ramida
Still, on a Honda I've slowed them down to a crawl in 4th gear, stepped on the gas without it lugging.
Could be something in the computer giving the wrong message? I don't know but this isn't something I've ever observed.
To replace the existing tires with exact replacements will cost $540, good for another 30K miles and three years of driving. The frugal part of me says to purchase another Michelin tire, the Symmetry, which cost $100 less and are rated for 80K miles. However, one of the local tire store salesman cautioned me against going with the Symmetry tire because since Honda recommends the Energy MX4VR Plus only, Michelin will NOT warranty a tire on a vehicle if the manufacturer recommends another specific tire, as in this case. Is this true?
IMHO, even if I get 60K miles of the cheaper tire, I'm still better off. But the one worry I have is the tire salesman also told me that the use of another tire type will degrade the Accord's performance and driving characteristics. I'm still about a month away from the tire purchase. Does anyone have any comments or advice about this dilemma?
Slowing down to a crawl in 4th gear and stepping on the gas is definitely lugging -- no matter what car with manual transmission you're driving. Your assertion on the Honda is an exaggeration.
Interestingly, the new 05 Accord we've test driven also exhibited the jerky/bouncy acceleration I've been complaining about. My service agent told me there's nothing they can do about it because it's a distinct trait of the newer Accords.
regards, ramida
I think what you're experiencing is a trait of the drive by wire mechanism in the newer Hondas. My TSX has it and exhibits a similar jerkiness when transitioning from letting off the throttle to getting back on it.
I'm not positive the new gen Accords have throttle by wire, but I think they do. It's simply a characteristic of the technology as it exists today, at least as far as Hondas are concerned.
Harping about it over and over again on this forum will do nothing to resovle your situation.
Selling your car and buying another will. Perhaps one with a mechanical throttle linkage.
BTW, my TSX is a 6MT, and I love driving it in spite of any niggling issues it may have. It's everything an Accord aspires to be and more. And that's coming from an avowed Accord lover.
Johnny
What is the degree of jerky/bouncy?
What you described seems like every manual I’ve driven (19 years now).
The transition from cruising or accelerating to decelerating and then back again to accelerating would cause a slight jerk.
Unless you have an automatic with a nice torque converter to smooth everything out, you need to stomp on the clutch, get your revs back up and re-engage the clutch.
If you depress the accelerator very gently it will be minimized, and it all depends how much you’ve slowed down.
If you’re really unhappy with it, try test driving another car, such as an Altima or Passat etc and see if the effect is similar. If the effect is not as bad sell the Honda (you should be able to get a decent price) and buy the other. You may be out a couple grand, but it’s probably worth it considering the grief you seem to be experiencing; write Honda a letter telling them of your dissatisfaction and the end result.
Your options are limited once the dealer has said “that’s how they all are”.
I appreciate your intelligent explanations -- thank you! It should put an end to this specific complaint of mine. Yes, I'm unhappy about it, and I'm planning to test drive a Camry and Mazda6 to determine if I can switch to one of these cars. I really hate this Accord 03 right now because it has another "trait" I really don't like -- the sensitive clutch release after changing to the 2nd gear.
Thanks again, ramida
If you can't help with a problem that someone else presents, than just skip it, okay?
The fact that someone has an issue with the vehicle of choice in any given discussion does NOT make that person a "bad guy" nor does it mean that person is personally attacking you.
You folks who think a criticism of the vehicle you drive is a personal affront need to back up and take a breath. Sometimes a car here or there has a problem, whether or not some "99%" of other owners do not experience that particular problem. It happens. Leave the person reporting the problem alone unless you have something helpful to add.
There is no need to purchase the same brand or model of your original equipment tires when you replace them There are many fine choices for your Accord, including but not limited to Michelins. Your local tire salesman was wrong when he told you that any particular tire manufacturer "will NOT warranty a tire on a vehicle if the manufacturer recommends another specific tire". Vehicle manufacturers' recommendations are just that, recommendations, and Honda would normally recommend tires by size, not brand.
You should shop around for your best deal. I'd recommend that you have a wheel alignment before buying tires. That will preclude premature wear on the new tires if your wheels are misaligned. Also, be sure that the new tires are "high speed balanced" before you leave the tire shop.
You might want to search the Edmunds website for tire selection advice by typing in the word "tire" and pressing the Search button in the Search Forums section at the left.
Tire Rack is a good website for comparitive information and user comments.
The solution to the problem is to put the car in neutral when slowing in the situation. Many times you will have to downshift anyway to accelerate away, so it's just natural to prepare for a shift. When you do that, you shouldn't experience that "problem".
He said, "If they eye offend thee, pluck it out."
If your Honda is making you unhappy, then get rid of the piece of junk as soon as you can. Like the car salesman from Seattle (I forget his name) often says, life is too short to let material things make us unhappy.
Our Acura RSX has a problem similar to yours. In third of fourth geat at low RPMs, then engine kind of surges. It doesn't happen often, so it doesn't bother me at all. If it did, you can be sure that I would trade it in for a trouble-free car like and Alfa or a Jag.
By all means drive the Mazda 6- I had a '03 Accord Coupe (which was flawlessly reliable at 30K, just got too cramped for 4 people) and I ended up bying a Mazda 6S Hatchback. I love driving the car, IMO it's way prettier than the Accord sedan, and so far it too has been flawless reliability-wise. It ain't perfect- the interior is not quite as nice as the Accord and it doesn't get as good gas mileage- but, it blows the Accord away in terms of driving dynamics (and the Accord is pretty good, I really liked mine). Best of Luck!
The following are my recent events with regards to the '05 Accord EXL 5speed MT I purchased on Jan 3rd 2005.
Jan 3rd: Purchased Vehicle.
Jan 4th: Picked up Vehicle from the Dealership.
Jan 6th: High Temps dropped from the mid 60s to the low 30s. The windshield would make loud popping and crackling noises when riding over bumps in the road. It was very loud and I thought that the winshield was going to either crack or pop out. Due to some out of town business, the car sat in my garage until in got bak in town on Jan 27th.
Jan 27th: That afternoon, I took the car by the dealer and had my service agent take a ride with me. The cracking and the popping was the loudest it had been. He said bring it by in the morning and they would get it fixed. Only 290 miles on the vehicle and have yet to buy my first tank of gas.
Jan 28th: The temps climb back up to the mid 60s. The noise dissapears for the Tech. He just pulls the windshield and reseats it adjusting the resting place. No more noise. The Service Agent says he is sceptical about the fix that the Tech did but said to bring it back if it happens again.
Tech's Notes: "Headliner out of Adjustment.. Dropped Headliner and re-installed..."
Jan 30th: Temps drop back down into the mid 40s. The Noise is back just a little quieter but more frequent.
Jan 31st: Morning: I drop the vehicle off at the dealer and told them that it was not fixed.
Afternoon: I picked it up and the ticket was still open but they told me that they did extensive work on it to fix it. The Service Mgr had not signed off on the ticket, but I was free to take it and they would mail me my receipt. Have yet to receive it, but I will post Tech Notes when I get them. They put almost 40 miles onto the car while it was in the shop.
Anyway, the noises started right away when I left the dealership. I had some major business going on Tuesday and could not return it until Wed Morn. I called my service agent and let him know my plans.
Feb 2nd: The service agent comments, Is it groundhog day, the movie or what?? I drop it off for them to take another look at it. I tell my service agent that if you don't fix it this time, I am going to want either my money back or a new Vehicle.
Feb 3rd: In the Afternoon, I call to check up on the car. They say it will be ready by closing. I get there to pick it up and I get the same thing as the 2nd repair. There is an open ticket on it and they will mail me the repair ticket. Everyone from the Sales Mgr, tech, service agent and Service Mgr drove the vehicle to make sure the noise was gone. When I drove it out there was no noise, I was a happy camper. Oh, they put almost 100 miles on the vehicle. Not to mention that 40% of the miles (738 total) were either going to and from the dealership or them driving it to figure out the problem.
They told me that they did major surgery on the Vehicle. They had to remove the dash and did a side-by-side comparison with another vehicle to try to identify and fix the problem. Again, I will post the Tech notes, when I get them.
Feb 4th: It in the mid 30s this morning and no noise, I was a happy camper. The Temps warmed up to the mid 50s, still no noise at lunch time. After work, it goes all down hill again. The noise is about 40% as loud as the original noise, yet the noise is happening all the time. I don't even have to go over a bump. I'm riding down the road smooth payment and the a continous rattling, popping and crackling is happening. I made up my mind to that I am going to take it to the dealership in the morning and demand a new vehicle.
Today: Feb 5th: I get up and go for donuts to make sure that the noise is still occuring. It is!!! Temps are in the mid 50s. After breakfast, I start getting my stuff together to take the vehicle back to the dealer. Prior to leaving, I decide to take my License Plate and put it in the back window dash for the trip to the dealership. The garage door is up. I head back into the house to put up the wrench and grab the papers for the car. I open the garage door with keys in my pocket. Then Oh My Goodness!!!
The car is rolling backwards halfway across the cove. I take off running as fast as I can to try and stop it. It is heading toward a work van parked at the mouth of the circular part of the cove. I reach the car and grab the driver side handle. As soon as I grab the handle and started to pull, the door opens and the left rear part of the bumper impacts with the left front fender of the work van. The van was an 89 GMC Safari. Needless to say there was more damage to my vehicle than to the van.
The car must have jumped out of gear shortly after I closed the rear driver side door after putting the license plate near the rear window.
I call the cops and took pics of the scene. The cops come out and do the paper work on the accident. They issue me a ticket for "Performance Ability of Brakes." Then to my surprise and the owner of the van, the cops issue him a ticket for parking illegally. His vehicle was facing the wrong direction for the side of the road it was parked on.
Then I called the Insurance Co to get the ball rolling and open up a claim.For now the car is back in the driveway with the tires chalked just in case it pops out of gear again.
Mon, Feb 7th ought to be interesting, I have lots of people to talk to: Lawyer, Ins Claims Agent, Service Mgr @ Dealership.. and who knows whatelse.
Wierd, Frustrating and the whole range of emotions. I was just 30 seconds away from getting rid of the car.
As more occurs, I will post here...
You know, people try to actually help you but I know I lose interest when you drop things like that along with your other negative Honda slams.
So much for my idea....good luck.
Your "tire salesman" is lying through his teeth and trying to take advantage of you. The solution to your search for new tires starts with consumer reviews a tirerack.com and ends with local comparison shopping.
I would only use the Honda store if they will match tire prices, as well as road hazard and things like that.
I'm lucky to have an old high school friend as the manager of my local tire place. He takes special care of me and it's greatly appreciated. Funny, we both moved from N.Y. to South Florida and I walk in one day...there he is! Life is funny.
Good luck and hopefully you'll find the perfect place for your new sneakers.
The Sandman :-)
No point then in using a tire store with a confusing array of tire brands and models at competitive prices.
Check at another store that sells Michelin and see if that won't fit your rim size (the data from Michelin said it fit all rim widths just like the Symmetry and MXV fit).
I just put Harmonys on my car and they are great in snow and rain. They are quiet. I like Michelins because they roll round and stay balanced better than other brands I've tried through the years. Other people have different preferences.
When I walk through parking areas, I notice the tires on cars like mine to see what people bought. Check at work, church, schools, where others have a car with a couple years of miles and have replacements. If it's somewhere you know the people, ask why and where they bought their tires.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
However, if you google "Drive" and "Accord" together as one word you can probably find the site. Then search that site for "Illuminated Switch install" and you can find detailed, step-by-step directions.
With glove compartment door hanging open, press both hinge points simultaneously (procedure is in owner's manual) to fully release door. Slide out filter housing and replace. It's really a 3-minute job but I looked around out of curiosity.
Part can be bought online here:
http://www.handa-accessories.com/accmaint03.html
Hope this helps !
Search this group for your issue, there has been much discussion on it. I myself had this issue about 6 months after purchasing my 2003ExV6. I brought into Honda and they added some tape to the headliner to keep it in place. I was skeptical on this solution but it has been probably 1 year and the rattles are still gone.
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Savinganddebt/Saveonacar/P372- - 69.asp
ramida
P.S. Many thanks to our Host, Pat, for his very fair moderating of this discussion group. My hat off!
FUEL:
On the "FUEL ISSUE", the author does not talk about the "additive package" that the Major Fuel suppliers put into the name brand fuel. YES, all fuels have additives, but the off brands may only have the minimum amount of additives, as compared to the major fuel brands. This is VERY important with a fuel injected engine.
DEALER OIL CHANGES:
Taking your vehicle to the dealer is VERY important if your vehicle is under the original warranty or an extended warranty. It keeps all your service maintenance records in one place. My dealer has never tried to sell me anything. Synthetic oil does have its place in a vehicle if that vehicle is being used under VERY SEVERE CONDITIONS. Yes, it is very expensive, but if the operation of the vehicle is VERY demanding, the cost is justified.
Well, I passed on the integrated unit and purchased a Magellan Roadmate 500. I use velcro to mount the navigation system on the front storage panel on the car. It fits quite nicely and stores nicely in the large storage area in the dash. I've had no problems with it and it works wonderfully.
Looking back however (I've had the car 1.5 months now with external navigation) I wish I got the integrated system. Key reasons:
1. Screen is much larger on the integrated system.
2. Pulling the unit out of the storage area and plugging it in is annoying.
3. Integrated navigation allows you to select POIs by various categories within categories...such as Seafood, Mexican food, etc.
4. Voice integration of all interior systems.
Going in to purchase the car I was pretty firm to the salesguy that I didn't want Nav and (unfortunately) he didn't push it or demonstrate it. Now I wish I had a pushy salesman who showed me anyway...I probably would have, had I known how cool it was, purchased the integrated navigation system.
But, the salesperson gave me what I wanted and did a great job. I should have done a little more research on my end.
0h well.
But, from here on out I can tell you that I'll never buy a car without the integrated navigation system. It has, even in only the last six weeks, proven to be an indespensible tool!
So, everyone considering the Nav system. Keep it in mind.
Both probably came from the same manufacturer. It isn't like Honda makes their own batteries. As long as the CCAs are comparable, I'd go with the cheaper one every time.