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Comments
1) At 700 mi. service manager agrees that rotors were warped and is replacing them. Could have been driven hard off the assembly line by the factory personnel, he speculates. Wasn't me, as I drive like as gently as an old man. I think, the car had defective rotors to begin with.
2 Engine ticking, which was initially dismissed as not existing by the Honda technician and, upon appeal, also by service manager, was, upon further examination, due to a broken valve lifter which, they surmise, was that way when it left the factory.
I'll be about 5 days without my brand new car.
I'm beginning to wonder a bit about the future with this car...
New rotors---no pulsating anymore.
I'm starting over and giving my brand new car a whole new second chance.
Could any damage have been done by this broken whatever?
Last year the steering wheel on my 89 experienced a vibration at slow and high speeds. It turned out the right outer tie-rod end wore out.
The seal broke and lost most of the grease. I could hear the metal rubbing against metal every time the car ran over a pot hole.
Also, don't let the shop tight the wheels with the air gun.
I don't know why, but my 89 experienced a mystery vibration after the shop did a front brake job. I had to re-torque the wheel by hand.
The vibration went away.
Do you know what is supposed to light the dash symbol for the passenger side air bag light?
And no, the seatbelt light does not stay lit if the passenger does not have a seatbelt on. If it did that, it would be lit the entire time there was only the driver in the car (which, I would venture to guess, is much of the time for many of us).
As for the mirror vibrating, I notice that my auto mirror vibrates more than the standard one (mine is an '03), but I think that is due mainly to the added weight of the mirror - it is quite heavy compared to the standard mirror.
The manual says if there is no front passenger, the side airbag light should come on. But it does not.
The manual confuses people including me.
five0niner,
My 89 Accord sedan generates audible warning & flashes the seatbelt light a couple times when the engine is started (if the driver does not have a seatbelt on). The light does not stay on.
It works as described in the manual.
The light does not stay on for the 03 Accord either.
I don't know if they changed the calibration or what, but the light on my 2003 has never gone on (other than self-check at start), even when mini-mom is sitting in the passenger seat.
Regarding the seatbelt light and warning sound...mine makes the sound I think 7 times, then stops. The light stays on, I think, as long as you don't have your belt on. I don't wear my belt, so I don't really notice the sound or the light!
I bought my honda accord ex brand new in Jan'2001 with just
7 miles on it. I have never missed a scheduled
maintenance and always took good care of the vehicle. I have had two major problems with it
already, the drivers side window motor stopped
working and the entire unit had to be replaced, and the the cruise control stopped working and
the control unit had to be replaced. All my friends recommended a honda because you could
count on it. From what I have seen, you cannot
count on it. The first problem was fixed because
it was under warranty and the second problem
honda was willing to pay only for the part.
For both the events, I ended up spending about
$500 out of my pocket, after paying about $26000
for the vehicle (including interest at 5.9%).
It just amazes me that in this world
of 10 year auto warranties (hyundai,kia etc) honda is not willing to stand behind their vehicles. I mean sure kia, and hyundai might be cheap cars and you expect this sort of thing to
happen with them, but after paying honda so much
money, it just disgusts me that I have to spend
another $500 to fix issues when driving under
normal conditions.
The customer service manager was really rude, not
even to return a phone call, she had the time to
call the dealer and find out what happend, but
not return my call.
Honda really needs to review their quality. I know
for sure, this is the last honda, I will ever buy.
If I could, I would get rid of this car right now.
I hope this helps others in making a decision. Please dont buy a honda.
Almost forgot about the ABS control unit that had to be replaced(under warranty) when the car was about 6months old.
Fact is, a perfect car does not exist. Luckily all of my Accords have been pretty flawless (knock on wood). Looks to me as if Honda did step up and cover part of one of the repairs even though the problem occurred outside of their warranty period. As for the warranty on Hondas not being long enough, you knew what the warranty was when you bought the car. If you wanted a longer warranty you should've bought the extended warranty or a different car altogether. BTW:Those 10 year warranties are only good for the powertrain. Electricals aren't covered beyond 5/60.
for the record...the only real problems i've had with my '03 coupe are odd noises and rattles. stealership got rid of a couple...but many still exist. especially around the glove box and up in the headliner/front window area. irritating to say the least, but i'm not sure i want them tearing into the headliner to try and figure out what the problem is.
Anytime someone posts a criticism about their experiences with a honda, there's immediate rebuttal. Others are allowed to post their comments just as we read the same grand support note about owning many hondas and never having had trouble.
>And when that car has a problem then trade
>that car and buy something else
>and when that car has a problem ...
>well you get the idea.
People buy a car to use it. Trading is a money loser each time compared to long term ownership. Telling someone to just trade a car is not a good solution when they bought on the supposed reputation for a particular vehicle. The company and the dealership should stand up to suppose the image they built as well as the car itself.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I think many of the people posting here about their problem cars and how they will never buy another Honda are in for big disappointments the rest of their life. I have owned over 15 vehicles and found no perfect cars yet. After you own several cars with real problems (not just minor annoyances) you will appreciate your Honda. No it is not bulletproof and Hondas have their flaws.
I have noticed that many of the more serious problems have come from the 6 cylinder Hondas while the Honda reputation was built on 4 cylinder engines. I fully expect these problems to be remedied as time goes on (I think a major improvement was made with the 2003 6 cylinder with its MAJOR low end torque and horsepower improvement).
I have had Cadillacs, Chevrolets, Volkswagens, Buicks, Pontiacs, Fords, Dodge, Chrysler, Volvo, Toyota, Triumph, Fiat, MGB, Nissan but my last 4 and two current vehicles are Hondas. If I was more affluent they would be Acuras.
Hondas are still the best bang for the buck for me.
big problems at bay but there will be problems. I've
had cars with the "powertrain" warranties; and of course there were no powertrain problems but the rest of the car seemed to be falling apart. I have one car on which every major electrical component has been replaced with a higher than factory quality part. Defects were known during the manufacturing process and the car was still put out
for the consumer with known issues. Hopefully you sell or trade or the part breaks down before your extended warranty ends. One thing that seems to be the case with Hondas is once the repair is made, the repair lasts.
I am sure people have legitimate problems with their Hondas just as people have legitimate problems with every other vehicle. However, someone who is ready to write off a whole car company because of a few repairs will likely be unsatisfied with any vehicle as the miles add up.
Just like there are those who blindly defend Honda's there are thosewho jump on any little post, legitimate or not, to say that Hondas aren't that great while xyz is. A quick look at Edmunds repair forums will show lots of cars have problems.
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?14@@/Maintenance%20%26%20Re- pair
As for the dealership and Honda standing up, it appears that they did by covering the cost of the faulty part even though the car was out of warranty.
I've sold a lot of 2003-2004 Accords and NEVER ONCE have I had anyone complain over the lack of a passenger door keyhole. I've also owned, literally, dozens of cars in my lifetime and I can't for the life of me ever remember opening my passenger door with a key.
For one thing, that Accord has keyless remote entry, so what difference would it possibly make anyway?
As far as blind spots go...I've had nothing but praise about the visability out of the new Accords. ALL cars have some kind of blind spot and this is why, when we took Driver's Training, the instructors taught us to always look back over our shoulder when changing lanes and not to depend on mirrors.
We are, indeed, all different!
Folks are upset naturally, so they rush in here, dump a lot of emotional stuff, don't ask a question or for help and then leave.
This bothers some people and I think it's a criticism more of their "style" or "courtesy level" rather than a lack of sympathy on people's part.
It's no fun to have problems with a new car, but it is YOUR problem. We're here to help but not take a beating.
Shifty the Host
Some buy new cars every 3-4 years or 50K-75K miles and don't worry about longterm durability, other longhaulers, like myself, buy new and hope to reach 200K before major drivetrain failures. To me, this is where the Accord historically has excelled and is currently suspect. My LX had a bout of 6th Genititus and I'm currently on my 2nd autotrans.
Squeaks, rattles and vibration noises may upset many after buying a new car, for my part, I wish Honda would address the drivetrain longevity issues that are appearing more regularly on multiple Honda forums.
And extended warranties are nice piece of mind gestures for the aforementioned short haulers, but do little for us longhaulers.
I've also read numerous raves about Honda's quality and fit and finish, but did notice that the interior plastics did not fit together properly. No, I didn't use measuring calipers to determine gaps, but the uneven gaps were plainly visible to the naked eye. On the coupe I looked at, the flip/flop cover for the storage bin was not aligned, and the plastic panels forming the center console, especially at the rear of the console, fit poorly indeed.
I've read about the brake and rotor problems and am reminded that I have 65K miles on my Tacoma and haven't even replaced the pads yet. My truck is also rattle free. I don't know if my truck uses something else besides clips to hold the dash assembly together, which is what others have said holds the Accords dash together.
I was very interested in buying an V6 coupe 6MT but changed my mind. My impression was that it was a nice car on the surface but upon closer inspecion, appeared to be hastily put together. When I started thinking about the power seats, power sunroof (which doesn't fully retract into the roof - again, another odd detail), 6 disk changer, etc.,etc., all I could think about was how much there was to go wrong.
In my humble opinion, it appears (to me, at least) Toyota builds a tighter car. Maybe the fact Toyota stands behind their product with a better warranty helps reinforce my opinion a little. All I can say is I was looking forward to buying the coupe I mentioned but walked away a little disappointed.
There's no denying it, Honda has had some problems of late, probably more problems than they would like, but they still manage to come out near the top of reliability studies, so they still must be doing enough things right to continue to earn such praise.
I'm saying this because I've had a 2003 Accord EX V6 sedan for just over a year, and it's been everything that I'd expect in a Honda, based on their reputation. Excellent fit and finish, no sagging headliner, no misaligned interior pieces, no rattles. I can't imagine a "tighter" car in this price class. I've driven Camrys and they're tight cars, but certainly no more so than my Accord. And I'll take my Accord's more involving drive over the Camry's more isolated drive any day.
To this point, it's required no warranty work whatsoever (knock on wood). Have I just been lucky? I'd like to think not... I know two other owners of Gen 7 Accords who are just as happy with their cars as I am with mine. As with any car, YMMV.
But at the end of the day, the most important thing is that I still look forward to the drive every time I turn the key.
If someone is more comfortable with another brand, such as Toyota, more power to them... they make some great cars. But based on my experience, most people wouldn't go wrong with a Honda either. And I'm probably one of the fussiest people I know...
Just my opinion...
Misaligned hood, doors and trunk lid
Flaws in the finish
Numerous rattles
Transmission whine
Out of alignment from the factory
Strut replacement
Rubber gasket pulled away from window
Center Console broke
Occasional hard to start issue
Warped Rotors
I haven't even had this car a year yet. I spent so much time at the dealer that they all knew who I was. The best thing I ever did was get rid of the piece of junk. In my opinion Honda SUCKS! I would never buy a foreign car ever again based on the experience.
I have to agree also about the keyed right door. My car does not have it either. Didn't miss it until after I owned it. In the bitter north I picture having to park outside, ice storm, and battery dead. Bitter cold and no way to get into the car without pouring hot water over the left door to thaw the iced-up innards so the key lock will work after you've chipped through the ice to get to the key lock. The right door was on the leeward side of the freezing rain while you were at work, so a key would have allowed entry so the AAA truck could jump your battery.
I know. That's a stretch. But I'd feel better with two keys also. Eight years from now the auto lock system doesn't work and you don't want to repair it at your own expense. The left door links stop working. You use the right door to get in to unlock everytime you've locked the car because the left key cylinder doesn't work. OOOPs. No right door lock.
I saw a lady crawling out of right side of her car the other day because the left door locks didn't work. Then she unlocked the right side and crawled back in.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Given that most drivers use the outdated mirror adjustment method that virtually insures a major blind spot on both sides of the car and, assuming that it's true, this statement is chilling. Talk about accidents looking for a place to happen.
"The passing vehicle is lost in the mirror, long before it is picked up by the driver in "peripheral vision"."
Not in my experience. My 2003 Accord has no more problems with blind spots than my 2000 Accord had. In other words, no problems at all.
I'll give you that...
Especially given that with the near universal application of remote keyless entry in cars of this class, the keyed locks have been essentially reduced to little more than a backup system. The likelihood of both primary and backup systems failing simultaneously is so small as to be a complete non-issue, IMO.
I have never even considered my Accord to have the slightest problem with the mirrors. In fact it is much better than several vehicles I have owned. I know that everyone is different and I am not trying to offend anyone, but I find it ludicrous that the Accord is thought to have anything close to a potential safety issue regarding the side mirrors.
I often wonder about the driving experience of some of the Honda critics. If the Hondas are so bad then I would encourage you to try another brand. If based on your experience Honda does not meet your prior experiences....then why did you quit buying brand X anyway? I can understand people that have transmission or other serious problems not being happy but those that have the minor annoyances will probably end getting rid of a vehicle that someone else will get years of value from.
I have my flame suit on.....
I drive a 2000 Taurus, which has fairly small outside mirrors, but if I adjust the outside mirror outward so that it picks up a car passing me just as it leaves the field of view of the inside mirror, then I eliminate the blind spot. Just as the passing car leaves the outside mirror range of view, I pick the car up in my peripheral vision. I would virtually guarantee if you adjusted your mirrors properly, you would eliminate all your blind spots, and you would barely have to ever turn your head to the left to cover your blind spot.
My Taurus, by the way still has mechanical key locks on both sides, though I have yet to use either mechanical lock to date after 4 years of driving it. The remote has worked every time, and still has at least 50 foot range, with the original remote battery. In a pinch, I suppose I could even try to crawl into the passenger space from the trunk, but doubt if I ever will have to.
Only if they consider having a major blind spot (that could be corrected by an simple improved adjustment method) as being "without a problem". This is a major problem with the "tried and true" method, and that's a commonly known fact among automotive experts, not to mention most drivers.
This is one of many demonstrations that you can easily find on the internet of the shortcomings of the "old school" method and the advantages of the "college course", in case you doubt me. Clearly they find many problems with the "old school" method and recommend the "college course" method very highly.
http://www.nifc.gov/safety_study/annual-refresh/hot_topics/drivin- - - - - - g_mirror-adj.html
Every car that I've ever driven using the "old school" method that they taught in high school driver's ed resulted in a major blind spot on both sides. The Gen 7 Accord is absolutely NO different, nor was the Gen 6. Nor the Toyotas, Eagles and VWs that I've owned in the past. Nor the Pontiacs, Buicks and Mercurys, etc., etc., etc., that I've driven.
Of course, if you reall ARE a Honda employee, that's for you to announce, not somebody else.
thank you
Shifty the Host