Honda Accord (1998-2002) Maintenance and Repair

cannell3

I own a 2000 I4 Accord, with 115K miles. I started hearing a rattling noise when it was idling earlier this week. I took it to the selling dealer today; initial diagnosis was loose heat shields. They have just called with a new diagnosis; the catalytic converter is failing. They 'blew it back', so right now it is running, but they say that it will have to be replaced to the tune of 2K. It is expensive because it is the ULEV model. Needless to say, I am sick. I just don't understand the high cost. I know the car is still worth about 6 -7k, and I cannot afford to replace it,but 2k is going to be difficult to come up with as well. I just did the 105k check up last fall, for 1k. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

cdgarosi

I also have the same problem. I have a 1998 Honda Accord that is green and I have oxidation problems on the trunk and roof. I wonder if it is a color issue.

elroy5

Maybe you could buy the converter yourself at say, Majestic Honda (http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Accord&catcgry2=2000&catcgry3=2DR+LX&catcgry4=KL4AT&catcgry5=EXHAUST+PIPE) and get another shop to change it. I would change it myself, but that's me. Do you know of a decent mechanic in your area? They can be hard to find. Good luck with your search

channel121

I paid $675 for the timing belt, cam and crank seals and water pump, etc. I just got my transmission replaced under warranty two months ago at dealership. Three questions:

1)I am not sure if I got the honda parts I requested. The part# reads WPC#######. What is the WPC? (Interestingly this was one of the few times the honda parts were cheaper then aftermarket according to mechanic.)

2)My RPMs stay at about 3 or 3.25 at 65-70mph. It seems like the engine is working harder. Not sure if this is correct or due to new trannie.

3)Should I be looking at gas mileage? I really don't have an idea what that is since I did not check before the new trannie and belt.

I had taken my car for 10 years to a honda certified mechanic but in the last few years he got very bad with customer service (not calling back, no estimates, actual final cost higher, doing work without permission). Any ideas out there? Will I be alright?

blufz1

I always go to a Honda dealer. Anything else is, for most people, false economy. I don't think your transmission is working properly. 60 in my 02 4 speed auto is 2000 RPMs.

channel121

Ok, guess I should have put that it is a 4spd Automatic. Well I got the trannie replaced at the dealership so I will just take it back there. The timing belt should have nothing to do with that right? For the most part I noticed it after I got the trannie replaced, not the timing belt. After the trannie was replaced it was sooo much better then the "hunting" the old crap trannie had done for 80K so I may have overlooked other signs.

thegraduate

The RPM in a 4-cyl at 60 MPH (2002 LX 4-speed, same 2.3L engine as the 2000 model) run at 2,200 RPM, and about 2,650 RPM at 70 MPH.

The manual transmission will be different, but if you aren't below 3k RPM at 70 MPH in an automatic, you've something else going on.

blufz1

The Honda dealers replace the water pump at the same time as the timing belt. I was quoted $850 for both down here in Dallas. At least you can scream at the Honda dealer 'till they fix it right. Hope it works out 4 U.

channel121

The mechanic I took it to has been in business 50 years and family owned and recommended. But ONLY the trannie is from the dealership. So just as I understand correctly the RPM issue has to do with the trannie NOT the timing belt.

Thanks for all the info so far!

channel121

Sorry, I should be more clear. The RPM issue does NOT have to do with the timing belt correct?

blufz1

I'm not sure. I would think it was the transmission.

bolivar

Sounds like the torque converter is not 'locking up' or the tranny isn't shifting into the top gear, which is 4th, right?
Count the shifts. You should be able to feel the converter lock up also.
1st to 2nd.
2nd to 3rd.
3rd to 4th.
Then the converter should lock up, at about 45mph.
This is 4 shifts. If you aren't getting all of them, you have a problem.

But if everything isn't working, the car should also be setting an error code. Tranny error codes are indicated by the transmission gear selector "D" blinking. Does the "D" blink in your car? If so, there truly is something wrong in the tranny.

channel121

There is no error code but I will do the test tonight and see if I get 4 shifts the 4th being the "converter lock?" Will that feel like the first 3 shifts when it hits 45mph? Should it ever hit 3 RPMs and stay there under 70mph?

blufz1

3,000 is too many rpms for cruising less than 70. How many rpms was it turning at 60 prior to the trans failure? Seems as if it's in 3rd instead of 4th.

srx2870

i got several questions that i dont understand and hope some good people can help me with it.

1. my accord had a pretty bad gas mileage, i didn't drive that much (100 miles or less i guess)and it cost me about 7 gallons of gas each week. i heard from a mechanic that my car need a tune up, will tune up really improve gas mileage? how much is the average cost of tune up.

2. when every time i shift the gear to parking and i get my feet away from the brake pedal, the car moves a little bit forward and then stop. My friend told me i didn't stop the car well and its gonna hurt the transmission, but i always fully stop the car first, then shift the gear to parking, why the car will still move a little bit, (i guess it not moving, its kinda shaking)

3. same problem like other people, when i accerlate the car to a certain speed, i feel like the engine could not keep up with the accerlation and stop for about 0.5-1 second and then goes smooth again. i changed my transmission fluid recently and i used honda brand. this only happened on a certain speed, i guess around 30-40, didn't pay attention. Is there anything wrong?

4. People always told me dont drive the car immediately after i turn on the engine, otherwise it will harm the car? is that true, i always wait the meter next to the gas meter to shift from below C to little above the C, am i doing anything wrong?

sorry if those are stupid questions, i only know a little about car and trying to learn more about it.

blufz1

I think your bad gas mileage is due,in large part, to your idling the car excessively to "warm it up." Here's what I do. Get in the car and start it up,buckle my seat belt,get comfortable in the seat,operate the garage door opener,back out and drive off. If you are waiting to see the heat gauge move, you are waiting way to long to get moving. Hope this helps.

bolivar

Well, you can't 'guess' about milage. Fill the car up. Write down the milage. Drive the car. Fill the car up. Write down the gallons to fill up. Write down the milage. Subtract the two milages. Divide the difference (miles driven) by the number of gallons to fill up the second time. This gives a correct miles/gallon figure.

Anything else 'I get xxx miles on about a half tank' or 'I can go yyy miles until the low fuel light comes on' don't mean anything. Do it right.

My 2002 Accord with automatic and V6 got about 15mpg around town, and about 23-25mpg on the interstate. Your milage will vary. 4 cylinders will make a difference. Automatic verse manual will make a difference.

When you shift an automatic into park, the car has to roll a small amount for the parking 'pawl' to engage the slot in the transmission where it locks the transmission. This is normal.

I agree with the above person. Start the car, put the seatbelt on, and drive it away. Do not accelerate to 60mph or so in the first 300 feet and you should be fine. Letting a modern car 'warm up' just wastes gasoline. Now, if you live in extremely cold areas, and you park withing 200 feet of an expressway, I would not start the car at temperatures below freezing and accelerate the car onto a freeway to 70mph within the first 300 yards. Under these conditions, it might be better to let the car warm up a little. One minute would be plenty.

user777

how many miles on the car? you might need new plugs. you might even need a new cat convertor (extreme i know).

100mi a week? that's how many per day? how many per trip?

your car isn't getting to the hi-efficiency state probably and i suspect is always running rich. your mileage may be fine for those few miles of travel each day.

it would be interesting to see what highway mileage you are getting.

per tuneup: you may need new plugs. check the engine air filter first (easy to replace). if dirty, replace it. they are very inexpensive at your local auto parts store, and very easy for you to check and replace. an engine is essentially an air pump. if it can't breath...

blufz1

I agree that the 02 generation V6 doesn't seem to get as good mileage as the 03 generation. Redesigned heads and 5 speeds make a difference. I get 20-21 c w/ac and 26 highway towing my little bass boat but I gotta drive 50-55 to get it. I can only drive that slow late at night coming back from the lake on a state highway.

thegraduate

A 4-cylinder will run close to 4,000 RPM at 70 MPH in 3rd gear, much higher than 3k RPM. The V6 should be at least similar to that.

blufz1

Maybe the trans is stuck in third and a half,then.

channel121

It seems to be at 2.6 RPM at 70MPH. So it's ok. But I put it on cruise control at 70 and it seems to rev up and down in a rather quick fashion. Not smooth at all. For instance, I went up a onramp (steep incline) and it went over 4RPM to stay at 70mph then jerked up and down from 2-4RPM as the road leveled out. Is this normal?

blufz1

2.6 at 70 sounds o.k. I think the other poster may be correct that the torque converter is not locking up. Take it in to the dealer and report back what they found. Good luck.

activex111

Thanks..
Does the check engine light code differentiate between bad O2 sensor or bad catalytic converter? in other words, can we tell for sure that it is the catalytic converter which is giving check engine light ? thanks

channel121

i need to get an oil change and my brakes looked at. I searched this site for an hour now and can't find an answer so maybe you guys can help again! I think last time I took it in they had 30%/50% (front/back) left on them. Its been about a year since then. I am hearing a squealing so I think its time to have the front ones looked at at least. My questions:

1)How much does it cost to have the front or back pads replaced?
2)Should I get only honda parts? My old mechanic used only honda but this one will use aftermarket if I want.
3)Do I need honda parts for an oil change?

I am all for using aftermarket if it is cheaper and not necessary to have OEM. What is the consensus out there?

blufz1

Check the area Honda dealers for internet specials on brake service to get the best price. You need a good quality oil filter. Not the place to save money. Use the Honda filter $7 or Mobil 1 $10.

bolivar

-Honda is very specific about automatic transmission fluid being Honda. And I have read a lot of postings about un-smooth shifts if other brand fluid is used. I will use Honda tranny fluid.

-Honda is rather specific about antifreeze. I have read about how theirs has 'unique' compounds in it and protects better than others. I somewhat doubt this. But, for the relative small cost of a couple of gallons every 3 years or so, I will probably buy Honda.

-Any other quality brand of brake pads/shoes, oil and air filters, oil (does Honda have an oil refinery? I think not. Someone packages oil under their name.), wiper blades, etc, etc should be fine. If you get 50-75,000 miles and want to change the plugs, I would use what Honda specifies. Plugs with more and/or different electrodes are just marketing hype, and some do not give as good service as the recommended ones.

-Oil. My 2002 and my current Ridgeline call for 5W-20. I asked my dealer what they use, and it is 10W-30, bulk oil. They don't even use what Honda recommends. I asked for 5W-20 Castrol and it cost me $1.25/quart more. This was for my one dealer oil change - because I just did not have time to do it myself, and it needed changed. Of course, I did not watch, and there is no way I will know what they poured in there... An name-brand oil, of the specific weight, with a name brand filter (but, I do not like Fram. They are cheaply built inside.) will give you good service for 5,000 or 6,000 mile.

elroy5

The oil Honda dealers sell as Honda oil is actually "Mobil clean 5,000". Kind of adds up to the 5,000 mile oil change interval. I would only use Honda fluids (coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, transmission fluid). As far as oil, use what you want (I use Castrol Syntec 5w-20 and change it myself). I also use Honda oil and air filters.

vtectuner90

Well what happened was i did a code reading on a check engine light and it said that there was insufficent flow from the EGR valve. so I purchased a new one and about a week and a half later the check engine light came back on saying there was still insufficent air flow from the egr valve. I installed it correctly also replacing the gasket. any ideas?

channel121

1)My mechanic told me I have leaking struts which would cost $451 to repair. He said that it should last another 1-2 months. I didn't notice anything wrong but I have trust in this mechanic. I looked around but it seems no one has answered this question. Is this the right price?

2)My SRS light comes on intermittently. The dealership told me that they can't do anything; that the airbag will still work. I read the service bulletin and it seems to address ONLY if the SRS is on permanently. I am worried it may be masking a larger issue. Does it need to be replaced (it has been replaced once or twice already back in 2002.)? Is the dealership giving me the run around?

Is there page that lists normal honda repairs and the cost associated? I see the normal mileage repairs an such but nothing specific.

elroy5

There was probably nothing wrong with the Valve. The EGR ports in the intake probably need to be cleaned out. I used to have a link with a How-to, but I can't find it now. I'll look again. Would you do it yourself, or pay a mechanic to do it?

blufz1

If you have a package in the passenger seat it can cause the light to come on.

channel121

Yes, I am aware of that. And I don't worry about my book bag not getting the airbag;) It's when my passenger shifts in the car, say getting something from the glovebox or leaning to the right to look out the window it will go off and on. This is normal too?

channel121

In addition to the struts leaking, the mechanic neglected to tell me on the phone that my "cam and crank seals are leaking with drive belts replaced (Est. $542)." I saw that on the receipt just now. Ok, if I just had those replaced last week while getting a timing belt why in the world would they be leaking now? And wouldn't this be HIS problem to fix? I am starting to get really down since this 2000 Accord is running me $2000 in repairs this year. I never spent so much (or am being told to spend so much) $$$ for my civic and it was 10 years old.

blufz1

Take the car to a Honda dealer and get a second opinion.

elroy5

Finding a good mechanic is hard enough, but you also have to find an honest mechanic. If you know little or nothing about cars, you are at the mercy of whatever the guy tells you. I can make simple repairs myself, and a friend's father is a mechanic, so I'm lucky in that regard. If you don't know a good mechanic, I think the best bet is the dealership. The dealership will overcharge you, but at least you have a good chance of getting it fixed right. Some other shops will overcharge you, and still not fix the car.

channel121

You got it! I was thinking just that. The dealership I took it to for warranty work tried to pad the bill(but only $40 more, not 1K) before but it's worth a try. Thanks for the feedback. I am getting the jist that maybe this guy isn't above board. Darn, in business over 50 years...oh well.

So I am right in saying that the cam seals and crank seals are ONE thing on the car; that once they are replaced there are no OTHER cam or crank seals to replace? Have you ever even heard of the struts leaking at 91K? I noticed that since these probs were not noted on this site that it perhaps was not prevalent.....

srx2870

thanks for all the good people who helped me with my last question.

I got a dent on the side of the car, still dont know what made it, it is not a big dent and i guess it is very easy to fix. anyone know around how much to fix a dent?

elroy5

I would check out one of those paint-less dent removal places. They use special tools to push the dent out from the back side. It may cost you a good bit (depends on how hard the dent is to get to), but there is no paint matching to worry about, which is never perfect.

dea8805

I have a 1998 Accord LX 4Cyl 4dr 5 speed manual. The Check engine light is on and the speedometer and cruise control do not work. Took it to the local auto shop and the code says its the speed sensor. Can someone tell me where its located (someplace on the transmission is what I was told) and how to replace it?

Thank you!!!

elroy5

If this link does not go straight to the VSS part, just click on VSS on the left. Your 98 Accord may not be exactly like this, but I assume it's pretty close. Good luck Link below

http://techauto.bravehost.com/

accordtrans

I have a 2001 Accord, 4 cyl. with a 5 speed. With the clutch pedal depressed, there is no noise. When the pedal is released, even in neutral, there is a very loud roaring noise that increases with engine RPM. What could this be? Also, when the clutch pedal is depressed, is the throwout bearing turning, or is it turning when the pedal is released? Or both? Please respond. Thank you for your time.

blane

You should have gone to the Honda Accord (1998-2002) Maintenance & Repair forum here: http://tinyurl.com/327mkk

pat

Thanks blane - you can see that I moved the post to the discussion you suggested.

By the way, be sure to remove any numbers after the final slash when linking to a discussion unless your intent is to link to a specific post. If there is no number after that last slash the last page of the discussion will be displayed. If a number exists, a specific post is linked. That makes it a little harder for a newbie to see what to do next.

kiawah

The throwout bearing is engaged, when the clutch is depressed in. It is normally not engaged and spinning while the clutch is out (unless the clutch is adjusted incorrectly).

The symptom you describe, sounds like a bearing is bad on the main shaft in your transmission. Get it looked at quick, before you tear up the transmission further.

activex111

Hi,
I needto replace the cat converter on my 99 Accord-V6 with 115K miles on it. The OEM cat converter replacement is almost $840 + Tax. Got a few aftermarket cat quotes for around $350.
Has anyone had any experience with aftermarket cats? also, they told me that it has to be welded in, not bolted.

Mr_Shiftright

I agree with kiawah---a bad mainshaft bearing in the transmission.

ron_m

Have any of you guys ever had to replace the light bulb for the red and blue arc-shaped marking above the HVAC temperature control knob? My Accord is a '98 model and it appears as though I may have to remove the digital clock before the two screws at the bottom of the HVAC/Stereo trim bezel--in order to gain access to the bulb that needs replacing. Maybe I'm wrong about this. Hopefully the bulb won't cost me very much and this will end up being a DIY type of project for me.

Ron M.

dea8805

Thats not like mine - mine has a connector for the wiring and a gear which I assume goes into the transmission somehow. I assume its under the throttle body but I can see where it might be. I need a good picture and some instructions - the chilton's manual was no help. Ahhh!!! Thanks for trying

user777

try these two links, the first for the installation of a CD player in the accord and how to remove various pieces of the dash:
http://www.handaaccessories.com/accord/accordcd.pdf

the second, the parts for the instrument panel garnish:
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Accord&catcgry2=1998&catcgry3=4DR+LX&catcgry4=KA5MT&catcgry5=INSTRUMENT+PANEL+GARNISH

hope it helps.