Honda Accord Quality Control Issues

lancerfixer

Yep, at only nine years and 116,000 miles, something broke on my car...the rotary temperature selector knob. The dealer gouged me $4.85 for a new part. Wouldn't even meet me halfway on the price as a goodwill gesture. Is there a systemic problem with rotary selector knobs? Should I worry about more failures in the future? Does Honda acknowledge the widespread problem? I went into the service bay at the dealer- a whole bunch of '94-'97 Accords, all up on lifts for bad temp selector knobs. The lead tech said they couldn't keep 'em in stock, and that I was fortunate to have the skills to replace it myself, otherwise I'd have been stuck on full cold for a week before they could get me in. Yeah, Honda sure is slipping. Wouldn't consider another one again.

It's not all doom and gloom, folks.

bodydouble

I've had some quality control issues with a couple of recent Honda products, and have won a buyback arbitration against Honda. So, do I think Honda has slipped a bit? Yes. Will they become another Ford or Chrysler? Not in my lifetime.

BTW, I find it interesting that on our '02 Accord, a few exterior body panels are misaligned, but the INTERIOR workmanship is flawless. Honest, I have sat there looking at every joint and panel, and everything is perfect.
And the car is still rattle/squeak free, which is more than I can say for my CL-S.

lancerfixer

I really was at the dealer getting a new temp selector knob. They had a new Accord EX 4 cyl in the showroom. I liked it a lot. It looks much better in person than in pictures, particularly the front end, which I don't feel photographs well. The seats are noticeably more comfortable than my '94's, almost, but not quite, in Saab/Volvo territory. The doors felt very stoutly constructed, and closed with the "thunk" usually reserved for higher-priced vehicles. I did like the control layout; the two minor gripes I had were that the trunk lid seemed lighter than I figured it'd be, as if it were made of a lighter grade steel as the rest of the car. As well, I was disappointed to see the gooseneck support hinges retained as well as the hood's prop rod. I much prefer struts in both cases. I did like the superior bar-tyoe door handles, though. The Accord will still be on my list when I look for a new car in several months along with the Mazda 6, Legacy GT and if the wallet allows, Volvo V70.

bodydouble

I think the trunk lid feels lighter because it is a smaller lid than the '02's due to the shorter trunk deck.

The V6 models have struts for the hood.

I agree that the hood/front end of the '03 has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. It's very stylish.

rbruehl

It is a nice story if it is a selector knob that needs replacing at $4.85 as compared to a V-6 transmission which is around $3000.00 installed. I would love to see you sneak a transmission out of the show room.

mikegold_1966

Let's face it, Honda doesn't have the same quality control that it had ten years ago. From the selector knobs (I included it-what the heck), balancer shaft seals, paint, and transmission defects, Honda's reliability is not what it use to be. Sure, Honda builds a decent car but it does not build the great overall car that it once did.

anonymousposts

Toyota's sludge, Ford and Chrysler trannys can't seem to last, BMW M3 engines are self-destructing, VW has electrical and oxygen sensor problems ... so what's your point? Let's say that 3 or 4% of all Hondas sold have a problem .. that's only 4 out of 100 cars sold. I will take those odds and make sure that I keep my car properly maintained so the warranty and/or recall will cover me. Out of all the Honda/Toyotas that we've owned we have yet to have any major problems with any of the vehicles. All we've had to do is change the oil, the timing belt, and a few CV joints here and there. It's because of this past experience that I will keep coming back to Honda/Acura/Lexus/Toyota until I have a reason not to.

windpower1

Looking for help on valve noise with my 1997 Accord SE. Noticeable valve noise since new. Getting worse with age. (70K miles). I noticed there is a TSB on this very problem and has to do with worn exhaust valve rockers for #2 cylinder. I have checked several times and found no excessive clearance or wear on any of the valve adjustments. Noise is worse in colder weather and doesn't change when engine warms up.

Has anyone experienced same problem?
Has anyone experienced injector noise that may sound the same?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

lugwrench

Tonight after work, I am going to test drive a new 2003 Honda Accord EX V-6. Saw an ad in the paper for a $299.95 lease for 36 months.

bburton1

Had the same problem with my 97 I4 non vtec. Think I have found the problem-the idiot adjusting the valves left the intake valves way too loose. Problem is access to adjusting those puppies-near #2 & 3 there are studs to hold the valve cover down and u need to bend the feeler gauge to a 90 degree angle to get an accurate gap reading. I have 143K on mine and have had noisy valves since about 40K-will adjust again taking more care with the intakes this time and let u know if this solves the problem completely-most of the clatter is gone now-think I may get the rest.

Now some people have told me if u can't get the clatter out with gap adjustment, you may have a wear problem in the OHC setup caused by improper lube of the OHC. Fairly rare cause most of the techs I have talked to have not run into this..

Is yours a Japan built or Ohio built Accord-mine happens to be Japan built. Don't know if the engines are different but they maybe.

outhere

Took out the new 2003 Accord LX V6 for a test drive. Powerful...;) But... Build quality is finally an issue IMHO. 3 items... Passenger sun visor clip was not installed correctly, therefore the visor hung below headliner. Rear license plate light assembly hanging...looked as if the plastic clips had broken off upon installation. Finally...cranked up the radio and the door panels vibrated so much that they muffled the volume of the music itself.

anonymousposts

All of the things you mentioned seem like dealer quality control issues (or the car not being inspected well before being put on the lot) not Honda quality control issues.

lugwrench

I have to admit, it is the best Honda I have driven to date. I did not notice any interior defects at all. Everything looked great. Car on the road handled flawlessly. Did notice that mud guards were now an option.

When it came to talking price, the salesman told me sticker. There was only one EX V-6 on the lot, two LX 4's, and two EX 4's and that was it!

mikegold_1966

Honda dealerships love when the new Accord models hit the lot so they can sell them at FULL STICKER. They did this with the new re designed Civic, CRV as well as the S2000.

I suggest when Honda car lots are clogged with the 2003 Accord around December or January, that would be the right time to buy or lease. Salesmen will pounce on you as soon as you walk through the door because people are spending money for holiday gifts and not cars.

anonymousposts

With lease deals at $299 with 0 down for 48 months I think right now is a decent time to buy if you are looking for a lease. I also think that in some areas with alot of competition you would be able to get an Accord for close to invoice... you won't do much better than that even in a few months.

bburton1

is when the model changing is taking place-say in early August start beating the sales people up for deals. I have always done better by calling smaller dealerships away from metro areas. In the twin cities, a guy in SF SD will actually deliver them to south Mpls-to a lot about 1/2 mile from the south Mpls dealer.

paulo3

Has Honda corrected the defect with the new transmission that plagued the 6th generation V-6 models?

Also, I wouldn't pay full sticker for any car no matter how bad I wanted to own it.

isellhondas

lugwrench, mud guards have always been a dealer installed option on Accords. I guess in some parts (dry)of the country they aren't that important.

mikegold..you are correct, we do love selling Hondas for their true value. Sorry though, December is one of our best months and I, for one, have never "pounced" on a customer.

paulo...the 6th generation V-6 Accords haven't been "plagued" with problems. A small number have had problems as we all know by now.

The five speed transmission drives and shifts like a dream. Hopefully they will be trouble free.

lugwrench

Up until this year with the new Accord, most Accords on the lot had mud guards as part of a package. I always remember EX's having mud guards on the lot.

isellhondas

The dealer pre-installed them. We do this also since most people in our area want them anyway.

hky

I have received solicitation from the largest dealer in dallas discount of a 1700 on 2003 accord, they said the sales are slow.

anonymousposts

They seem to be selling pretty good in the Atlanta area. But I still wouldn't pay over invoice for what is a mass market car.

isellhondas

Well, at this point, you probably won't be buying a new 2003 Accord then.

anonymousposts

Actually I was at a dealer Saturday and he said that he could probably get us close to invoice on a sedan .. but this is the same salesman who sold me a 02 SI for $16,385 with tinted windows back in July. They did say that they won't move off of the coupes though.

isellhondas

Business must be slow for them or something...?

lancerfixer

...the local Honda joint has plenty (~10) of '03 Accords in stock, and they're not a large dealership at all (Honda is their only franchise.) I've yet to see a new Accord on the road, but I do live in the middle of "domestic" country, so that might not be a true reflection of how they're selling. I'll go down to the college town 1/2 hour south (Iowa City) and report back.

ickes_mobile

What part of IA are you in?

storm11

Hi folks. I have an '02 EX V6 with less than 2K miles and have noticed that the lights/power dips slightly for a split second at idle when the A/C compressor engages. Anyone notice a similar problem? The alternator should be generating enough amps to avoid this, especially on a new car. Any vehicles I had prior never had this problem, unless the alternator was due for replacement. I'd appreciate any comments.

mikegold_1966

I would definitely take the car and have the alternator checked out.

lancerfixer

1/2 north of Iowa City would be Cedar Rapids.

anonymousposts

No there was a good bit of traffic at both dealers and several Accords being sold when we were there. Atlanta is a tough car market though and they know if they don't sell it for invoice somebody will and like the salesman said "a sale is a sale".

mikegold_1966

In my neck of the woods they are going for full window sticker. Have only seen 4 door sedans on the lot. (Rochester, NY).

lokki

In the mid-west where American products are more popular, the Zero Percent financing offered by the big 3 may be more of a draw than on the coasts where people are more drawn to Japanese cars.

Might be interesting to check different parts of the country for this.

ickes_mobile

I asked because I have family living 1/2 hour east of Cedar Rapids along US 30 in Lisbon, Clarence and Lowden...

lancerfixer

Actually never been out that way. I spend most of my time in CR, Iowa City, and out of state as much as possible. :-)

preludexl

You arent the only one to notice this. I've seen 3 Nissan 350Z's already and only 1 03 accord sedan....this in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Why is it that dealers here all play up the value of the new accord and how you can't buy it near invoice when the majority of posts prove otherwise? From my little spreadsheet I've been keeping on every smart buyer who bought a new 03....the price range has been +/- $200 to $300 from INVOICE for an V6 EX.

P.S. All dealer posters except Raybear, that guy is actually pretty good in helping people find a good price and advice. Raybear, if you are out there reading, keep up the good work. I'm sure glad I dont have to lie to people in my job and actually give people breaks 99% of the time. Who says government workers dont care??

mikegold_1966

I drive the New York State Thruway between Rochester and Buffalo, NY and I haven't seen one new 2003 Accord on the road as of yet. There might be something to the 0% financing the Big 3 are offering. Noticed also that Mazda has 0% financing for 5 years in my area.

Overall, with the economy, I have noticed many car dealerships lots clogged with American produced cars--especially Fords.

lancerfixer

Finally saw my first 2003 Accord on the road, fully registered with neither dealer nor temporary tags. Someone in Cedar Rapids finally bought one. :-)
It was a silver EX sedan. They really are nice cars; I'm hoping to get another year or so out of my '94, so I should be ready to buy as deals start happening on '03s and the '04s arrive. It'll still be on my list.

pj23

Holtz had 2 '03 coupes last week, and a whole mess (30-40) of the sedans. Their adverts on '03 LX Accords are at least $1,000 off MSRP.

maxhonda99

THe 2003 Accord is selling well. Just look at the sales numbers. I think they sold about 35K to 40K units last month and the month before. Those are large numbers, and right up there with the Camry. Surprising you haven't seen them around, I've already seen about a dozen.

bodydouble

in what is generally considered Honda country due to the large Asian population.

monkey2930

I wouldn't worry about this. When the compressor kicks on, the radiator fans will probably be switched on at the same time. Before the motors come up to speed, the current draw will be very high. This would explain the temporary dimming.

anonymousposts

Dealers will tell you that you can't get an Accord for invoice until you tell them that you know otherwise. They are there to make money and they see 'em coming from a mile away or there wouldn't be such a thing as balloon payments.

paulo3

I saw around 20 of the 2003 Accords at where I bought my car. Talked with the salesman that sold me my Accord (the one that just was re painted at Honda's expense) and he told me sales have been soft. He did blame the economy but did say he hoped that things would pick up soon. He did tell me that they can't keep Honda Pilot's on the lot.

maxhonda99

I've seen the first 2003 Accord at my work parking lot. A silver 03 Sedan. Looks pretty good. I actually like the front end now, because of the sharp lines.

bodydouble

is really starting to grow on me. I mean I'm REALLY starting to like the styling. Even the taillights are starting to look good! Must be some sort of Honda voodoo magic that they cast on consumers! If the sedan looks this good, I can't wait till the I see the coupe!!

lancerfixer

What's really wierd is when you open the '03's hood. The fender lines reminded me a little of the S2000.

A while back I posted that I thought the '03 Accord's styling was a mess. I formally retract that; I think it just doesn't photograph well.

I drove one tonight; an EX 4 cyl automatic. I was in the dealer getting parts for my Volvo-- the dealer also has Honda, Mercedes, and Mitsubishi franchises (this is the dealer in Iowa City.) Don't worry, Isell, I made it clear to the sales guy that I was just looking after picking up parts! :-) He insisted on a test drive.

This car is a quantum leap over the previous generation Accord. The transmission shifts very smoothly, and it's tight and precise around curves. Power is OK; it'd be more than sufficient with the manual. It might have been the fact that I weigh about 240 and the salesman had a good eighty or so pounds on me. :-) If I got an auto (perish the thought) I'd shell out the extra clams for the V-6. All in all, I walked away VERY impressed.

anonymousposts

bodydouble: The Coupe iS VERY, VERY nice. Just make sure it's parked at the right angle when you first see it. When we went to test drive one last week they had a blue coupe there parked at an angle against the fence and I walked away disappointed but luckily we went to another dealer and they had a silver one out(I4 EX) as well as a V6 EX with all of the aero kits on it. Much more impressed now.

I don't like the wheels on the V6 and I think I like it better without the aero kits even though it looks good on Hondas website. I think that the EX-L 5-speed coupe with nav is the one.

bodydouble

Is it much nicer than the G35 coupe? hehehe
(I also read your other post over in the sedan forum)

anonymousposts

We've been trying to find a 5-spd EX-L coupe all over and nobody has had one. Even the largest dealer in the SE (Gwinnett Place Honda) says that they have only gotten a few and they are all sold right before arrival or immediately after.

The G35 Coupe is nice but Nissan/Infiniti needs help with their interiors. That may be the one thing that keeps him out of the G. At least that's what I'm hoping for. I know, I'm selfish but I deserve some kinda reward for putting up with him dontcha think? Hope he doesn't read this .. lol.