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Honda Accord Quality Control Issues
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SO THERE WOULD BE ONLY POSTS FROM HONDA OWNERS. THE QUALITY OF EVERYTHING HAS GONE DOWN - CARS, EQUIPMENT, FOOD AND CLOTHING. MASS
PRODUCTION HAS SOME DRAWBACKS. WE GET MORE AND WE LOST SOMETHING. IMPERFECT HUMANS ARE DESIGNING THESE IMPERFECT NEW CARS REMEMBER THAT.
Didn't know the transmission problem was "still" happening. Thanks for letting us know.
I sure love my 99 EX-V6 coupe! It does NOTHING wrong and is a dream to drive...wait...I better go check the paint on my mufflers! Where's the heat resistant Krylon when I need it?
Anselmo...my point is this, and ONLY this...
If you don't like Hondas...GREAT! Buy something else!
I just have to post my 2 cents worth here. I bought my first Honda (an Odyssey) in Nov. 1998 after owning nothing but Chevy, Ford, and Chryslers. I bought my second Honda (a CRV) in May 1999 and my third Honda (an Accord) just last week. I traded in the 1999 Odyssey (26K miles) on the Accord. The Odyssey was bought new in Nov. 1998 for $23600 and traded in for $19500. Held it's value pretty good huh? You should see what the "best selling" Chrysler Town & Country mini-van goes for. Had I bought that instead of the Odyssey, I'd have taken a killing on the trade-in.
I did have a few problems with the Odyssey, brakes and alignment several times, cost me $65. out of my pocket in the 2 1/2 years I owned it, that is other than the Honda recommended maintenance items.
My CRV is the first and only vehicle that I NEVER had to take it to the dealer for even one minor problem. I've had the recommended maintenance done religiously. You should see people [non-permissible content removed] and moan on the CRV forum about the CRV not being a true SUV and lacking power. Hell, that's well known. It's not designed to be a true SUV and the horsepower and torque numbers are right there to see. It's designed to be a run-about vehicle that won't break down or get stuck in normal on-road driving. In my opinion Honda far exceeded my expectations with my CRV.
The other vehicles I owned prior to my Hondas didn't hold any value, some were more reliable than others, but not nearly as reliable as the Hondas I've owned.
I also see a huge difference with the dealer and manufacturer in terms of my customer satisfaction. Hell, I never heard at all from the American manufacturer or the dealer after I bought the car. Both the Honda dealer and American Honda "badger" me constantly about my experience after buying each of the Hondas and also after servicing the Odyssey.
It's a tough job for Honda to better the Accord each time a new generation comes out. But it still beats any GM, Ford, or Chrysler out there in term of reliability and resale value. That's what counts.
I've rambled on enough, give isellhondas a break, go buy a Ford Explorer with the Firestone tires.
BTW, the depreciation in Chrysler minivans is perhaps worse than you think. We are getting buy bids for 2000-2500 below wholesale on these!
I will say that I have owned a Civic for the last five years and it has never been in the shop for anything other than an oil change! In fact, I think I've only opened up the hood myself twice in all that time just to add some windshield wiper fluid. The only reason I want to trade this car is because the acceration stinks and I want more room. The older Accords just don't get me excited like the new coupes, so I guess I'll roll the dice and take my chances.
You folks have been great, keep sharing your experiences and ideas.
Gonzo
94DX:
Misaligned drivers door (dealer said it was close enough, I fixed it myself)
Noisy power steering at low speeds (characteristic of the car, not a reliability issue)
Creaking air intake box (fixed under TSB)
Clutch judder upon engagement when cold (charateristic of car, not correctable)
Crack in engine block where exhaust manifold bolts to it (Honda replaced short block under warranty, factory man said he has seen a few like it)
Wrecked at 34K, just when I had it like I wanted it!
96LX:
Clutch judder when cold (characteristic of the car, not correctable)
Power steering noise at low speed (characteristic, uncorrectable)
Stolen at 36K
98LX:
Clutch judder when cold (what can I say?)
Clutch master cylinder made scrunching noise when stroked (replaced under warranty 4 times, last one was the charm when a redesigned unit was installed under a tech. service bulletin)
Power steering fluid leak at rack (rack replaced under warranty)
Body creaks in B pillar drivers side and rear package tray (corrected under warranty)
Trunk lid misaligned (corrected myself)
Still own it at 67K miles, drives like new, and will own it until someone steals it from me or it gets wrecked. Maybe I'll get a chance to wear this one out some day.
Paint on all Hondas above has been thin and easily damaged by bug guts and bird droppings.
In defense of VW, the best car I have ever owned was a 85 Quantum 5 cylinder. 125K with very few problems. Tight, rattle free. I wish I had never sold that car! Much better paint than Honda, too. I seriously doubt the current Passat is a POS. I drove one, and it drives better than the Accord (subjective opinion, but hey, I'm entitled!) Still, Honda will likely have much lower overall cost of ownership.
Isellhondas: If you remember the good olde Acura Legend, that was a great car. My brother-in-law's '90 Legend is still going strong with about 500,000 miles on it! The paint on that car was much thicker, and more coats, and each coat was much longer lasting. On my car, the slightest little pepple or hard piece of sand hitting my car will leave a little pock mark cutting right through the clear coat and paint. My "counter measures" now include touch-up paint and losts of Zaino.
The paint on the leading edge of the hood on my 99 Accord V-6 Coupe (black) has it's fair share of chips also. As I look at the hoods of late model other make trade ins I see similar chips.
Last night I took in a 2000 Sebring Convertable with 17K. It has it's fair share of chips too.
So, I don't know...I'll probably get my hood "fogged" soon and start the chip process all over.
But, I guess if you want to think quality has slipped you'll notice more chips I guess.
I also see chips on Buicks, Toyotas, Fords and Studebakers. A rock WILL chip paint!
This Accord has been flawless to its present 50,000 miles. Yep, it'll go 200,000+.
we have an '88 accord, white, that doesn't have chips on it at all. driven up and down the east coast by several different people in my family. sure it's got dings and some dents, and yes, the paint is starting to crack in certain places-due to age, but CHIPS? no. there aren't any chips.
and as to other companies, my brother has a '97 camaro, black, driven all over virginia, with maybe 2 chips.
i would really like to think that honda quality isn't slipping. and perhaps overall it isn't. but you're bound to get a few lemons in any car company, especially with the volume of cars that are built now.
Heck, I've even defended Toyota, my biggest competitor in other forums.
I've driven Civics on and off since '74. Empirically, I believe that the Japanese Civics are better than the U.S. versions. I have two Civic Wagons; an '85 with 245,000 miles (new engine installed at ~240,000 miles), and an '89 with 173,000 miles. Both look near-new. OK, so this is an Accord forum...
BTW: I know an individual in Fauquier County, VA who has an '87 Accord (Japanese/LX-i [?]) with 405,000 miles. This car is well maintained, and has never had any problems associated with the engine.
Keep the great topics going.
My questions are:
1. Is this only for 2001 4 cylinder Accords in the Bay Area? (Owner's can you take a look and let us all know about your vehicle?)
2. Is this normal? (Doesn't seem like it!)
3. Is it cosmetic?
Thanks.
The truth is, I have no idea what you are talking about. Here in Seattle we get a LOT more rain (like today) then you get in the Bay Area.
Of course I follow behind a lot of Accords and I've noticed nothing like you have described. Are you crawling under the cars or something?
I'll take a look at some Accords that are up on the lift in our shop.
Someone else mentioned the black paint peeling off the back of the mufflers on V-6 Accords.
Again, something I had never noticed or cared about. BUT!! I took a close look at my own V-6 Coupe and...HORRORS...one of the mufflers has a slight bit of peeling paint!
I'm a pretty fussy guy....but...big deal!
So, first nice sunny day I'm off I might buy a can of heat resistant flat black paint...psst..fixed!
Rust on exhaust bolts BTW, hurts nothing.
I think you are looking at surface rusting on the exhaust bolts. I'll look today when I get to work.
I'll report what I see.
I'll continue to "admit" to any other terrible things that I find. In the meantime, I'm sure a couple of Honda haters will be able to nake a great big deal out of other minor things.
I have nothing to gain by not agreeing with people who think the sky is falling.
Anybody would know the paint will eventually peel from the heat.
That way, nobody could call that a "defect"!
At 87,000 I had the water pump and timing belt done, and the balance shaft seal let go less than 4,000 miles later, spewing oil all over the timing belt. Fortunately, this happened in my driveway, so the engine didn't seize. This was in 1998, before the TSB and retainer clip silent recall. I've been fighting with Honda since November trying to get reimbursed for the cost of a new timing belt, seals and labor. Honda has one of the weakest B2B warranties in the business, especially for powertrain. After the experience with this car and Honda's "customer service", think I'm going to buy another one? Naaah.
I have just returned from my garage and crawling under my 1994 Ford Ranger pickup.
HORRORS!!!!! There is rust, grease smears, road oil and grit, and it appears there is even a large amount of dirt under there!!!!!! Not just on the muffler and exhaust, but the frame and entire sheet metal from front to back.
I hope I can calm down some. When I can regain some of my composure, I'm going back out to the garage again. It will probably take the use of my floor jack, but I'm going under my Cadillac next. I'LL BE EXPECTING A MUCH CLEANER AND RUST FREE ENVIRONMENT THERE! AFTER ALL IT IS A CADILLAC! Rust on the bottom of Hondas and Fords might be expected, but Cadillac had better shine!
I'm off today but I'll try to look tomorrow.
lugnut...I'm sooooo sick of explaining this again and again and again...BUT...
Some Odysseys and V-6 Accords were affected with a glitch in their transmissions. This problem didn't cause a failure, but resulted in a "thunk" or a "clunk" while in reverse. Some of these experienced some kind of a "shudder" at certain speeds. A vendor changed a part in these transmissions without telling Honda. They basically got blindsided by this.
This only applied to some cars that were built during a certain time frame.
And they were fixed, no charge, under warranty.
and, lugwrench, I'm sure you won't believe this...but, I have NEVER heard this "clunk". I have literally backed up hundreds of these cars too. I own a 99 V-6 EX Coupe with 38,000 miles and it's as perfect as a car can be...no, wait...I have a postage stamp size of paint chipping off one of the mufflers...sorry.
Now, if you want to talk about bad transmissions, I can give you a list.
Who wants a transmission that clunks? Who wants to fear the horrible thought of transmission failure? Isellhondas, I suggest you do a little more research regarding the transmission issue. It is an ongoing problem and Honda has made attempts to correct the problem in the manufacturing process to no avail.
You can believe whatever you wish. Teh problem is NOT ongoing.