Honda Accord (2003-2007) Maintenance and Repair

mamamia2

On our '05 (V6 EX) we leave the headlights on permanently (no DRL in the '05 model), and they automatically turn off 10-15 seconds after the engine is shut off (and the key pulled out). Check it on your car....

If not, I'm sure there is an aftermarket way to have that feature added. It's not gonna be "auto" -- meaning, the lights won't turn on when it's dark (like many modern cars have, including our other car, an '06 Sonata) but at least you know you won't be stranded with an empty battery, if you park your car leaving the lights on by mistake.

elroy5

That fact the engine itself feels smooth, and the fact I can still feel significant vibrations coming from the steering wheel when the car is idling (600 rpm) in gear -- does that indicate anything?

I think even the slightest vibration of the engine can still be easily transmitted to the steering wheel. It depends largely on the effectiveness of the engine mounts to minimize these vibrations. I also think some of these active engine mounts work better than others. Maybe a re-programing of the system, or an adjustment of certain mounts (similar to the TSB for 4cyl. models) could address this. It's something I would look into, or try myself, if the situation came up on my car.

rezaavi

hey .....i got a accord 2003 with 68 000 kilos......should i be expecting anything to go wrong ....i ve change the air filter....drained and replaced my transmission oil also i ve put some oil .........something with the air condition...my bro help....suppose to get ride of the bad smell and something else i dont remember......

plz let me know any problemes you had to deal with.....same milage or more

mamamia2

Elroy,

Can you adjust the engine mounts? Or just replace them?

And when you say "try myself" what do you mean? Can you adjust or replace the mounts yourself?

elroy5

There was a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) for the 4cylinder Accord for the same condition (vibration at idle). What the TSB said was to jack up the engine to take the weight of the particular mount, readjust it a certain way, then re-tighten the engine mount bolts. Maybe an adjustment of this type would also work in this case. The problem would be to figure out which mount, or mounts to adjust. I have the service manual for my car, so I suppose I could have done some experimenting with this.

chucko3

Are your back-up lights OK? Check them.
Tails light & back-up could share the same fuse.

canm23

well i have a 2004 honda accord and just today my car basically is frozen. Nothing will work. It's not that battery either. So i assume its the anti theft system but i dont know how to disarm it. My remote key wont even lock or unlock my car.. Do you have any info yet how to disarm it??

imanimrod

I know there are LEDs under the heated seats buttons (passenger one is burned out in mine), but is there also one under the gear shift? I can't for the life of me remember if the letters (PRNDD1D2) lit up before with the lights or not.

tankbeans

In my '03 the lights for the gear on the shifter do. I'm not sure how much of the small stuff they changed between '03 when the generation was just a baby and '05 when it moved into middle-age. Also, the sequence runs P,R,N,D,D3,D2,D1. But that last part is more or less irrelevent to your question. Personally I think I've only used the sequence down by the shifter a couple times, otherwise I always look up at the display instrument display.

thegraduate

The PRND321 has been illuminated in all models since the 80s, I believe. I know my '96 was backlit before it burned out last year (after 170k miles - haha), my dad's 03 and 05 Accords were identical to my 06 in that regard as well.

The dealer told me replacing the bulb would cost more than it would be worth to me - he didn't even give me a price. He knew I wouldn't spend 1+ hr labor charge for a bulb like that.

imanimrod

Thx for the replies. That's what I thought. I had a '03 accord that we no longer have, and just purchased the '05 certified from the dealer, so, they will need to replace these LED. Just during the phone call I had to schedule an appointment, they said that part is not illuminated, and I could have sworn it was.

thegraduate

Just during the phone call I had to schedule an appointment, they said that part is not illuminated, and I could have sworn it was.

It IS illuminated, that's a load of garbage. Take a look at any 2005 Accord on any used lot to back up your claim.

imanimrod

Well, the person I was talking to could have misunderstood...anyway, like i said, this was just a phone call, and will be cleared up when I go to have it fixed. I just wanted a sanity check before I show up there, and if there is doubt I will def. go and drop by next door and check the lot.

Thx again.

thegraduate

Yout bet - best of luck, and by all means keep posting!

elroy5

The immobilizer system will only stop fuel from getting to the engine. It will not prevent you from unlocking/opening the doors. You probably have a bad/corroded battery cable, or the battery fuse is blown. The battery fuse should be a large 100amp, and may be similar to the one in this picture from my 03 owner's manual.

ccatkinson

I am having quite the time trying to figure this forum out and start a new subject so i apologize in advance.

My daughter's 89 honda accord xl is filling with water on the passenger side floor in the front and back. One person said it was the windshield and sent her to the appropriate place. They told her that they were sure is was a body issue. A cold winter with a car full of water and a worried mother. does anyone have any insight. Could there possibly be drain holes in the bottom of the car body that are plugged. I know nothing about cars but just wondering. Thank you in advance. cheri

blane

Since you are writing about a 1989 Accord and this is a forum for 2003 through 2007 Accords, you will probably get a better response in the Honda Accord (1976-1989) Maintenance & Repair forum here:

tranto, "Honda Accord (1976-1989) Maintenance & Repair" #321, 14 Jan 2008 6:37 pm

Or even here:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.ee9e739/20205!make=Honda&model=Accord&ed_- makeindex=.ee9e739

Good luck.

buckr

My girlfriend has the 2005 Honda V6 accord, she says she hears rattling, but I can never find anything, plus her water pump was just replaces after only 21000 thousand miles and a window regulator! I wanted to know if this has been a common accurance on these vehicles, her warranty runs out in August this year. :sick:

buckr

I read in the forman that someone is having vibration problems in their Honda, we have a V6, went to shop and when they were working on the water pump, I noticed a significant vibration through the steering wheel when the engine was idling. Same exact example that person posted on the last page, Engine Mounts are the only way to adjust it or something else, bad gas? :sick:

buyahome

I had a similar problem with my Honda Accord 2004. I went out in the morning (a cold one) and could not unlock the doors. Not with the clicker (remote) or the key (manually). The driver's door being the only one with a key hole, I was stuck. I tried everything. Fortunately for me, the remote start did work and warmed the car up enough to unlock the doors. I could hear the remote clicking the relay in the door, as if it were functioning properly, but not unlocking the door. Three visits to the dealer and them taking the panels off the doors and lubing up the mechanisms did nothing. I try and park in the sunlit part of the driveway or use the remote start with the heater to resolve the issue.

buyahome

My 2004 Honda Accord has the headlight auto-off-on feature. Yours should too. Just leave them on when entering/exiting the vehicle. Nice when you come home in the dark and need a light to find your way up the driveway.

tankbeans

If the VP is the bottom of the line barebones model it probably doesn't have them. I got in trouble telling somebody with an 04 DX not to worry about the fact that the lights on chime doesn't function. I think the VP is a step below DX not sure though. Somebody will have to inform me otherwise.

thegraduate

The VP was actually a step-up from the DX, in between DX and LX. The Civic and Pilot line use this trim level from time-to-time as well.

tankbeans

Thanks I wasn't sure. I just didn't want to see somebody write something like
VPS DO NOT HAVE AUTO HEADLIGHTS. That line probably looks familiar. I'm never sure of trimlines. It's all greek to me.

elroy5

Do they still have a DX? I thought VP replaced DX at the bottom of the totem pole.

tankbeans

I know this isn't the right place, but I kind of want a sanity check. Was there ever an HX trimline on the Civic. I could swear that I've seen a few Civics running around with HX on the bumper. If this did exist what was included, just curious.

elroy5

I think that would be the Hydrogen model. :confuse: I don't think there are very many of them.

elroy5

Nope, not Hydrogen. It's a CVT version in this article.
http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpcontainers/do/vdp/articleId=46526/pageNumber=1?sy- npartner=edmunds&pageurl=www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/spin/46526/article.ht- ml

tankbeans

Thanks. It was one of those spur of the moment ponderings. I don't understand CVT in the least, but now I know that I'm not insane. Again thanks.

thegraduate

A few things:

Honda still offers a Civic DX ($15,010 for the sedan).

Honda's base-model Accord is now an LX ($20,360 for the sedan)

The HX Civic was a lean-burning engine that utilized a CVT, a transmission well-received in Nissan's line of vehicles. The Civic HX debuted in 1996, as a followup to the Civic VX hatchback.

usarmycwo

Friends, I just bought a 2007 Accord LX, 4-cyl automatic, with only 3500 miles, essentially new. The car's handling tipped me over the 2006 Camry I also test drove. This Camry didn't seem any better than my 10-year-old one, ie, dull as dirt, and I couldn't see another ten years of the blahs.

But I also was surprised by the wind and road noise in the Accord. How hard can it be to better insulate the car while it's being built?

More to the point, what can we Accord owners do to help ourselves? What's been found to be the most cost effective cures in reducing wind and road noise in our beloved Accords?

blackexv6

First, don't believe others when they tell you the OEM Michelin tires are the culprit with Honda road noise. You will see a neglible improvement in road noise reduction with other brands.

I used to own an '03 Accord EXV6 & I just bought a '08 Accord EX-L 4cyl. Both with bad road noise issues.

I am going to try dynamat on the inside of the trunk lid & buy a Honda trunk lid insulator as a first step (standard on V6 models). After that I am open to suggestions. Thought about finding a spray application for the wheel well liners but nothing is waterproof that I found.

blufz1

Go to tirerack.com and pick a quieter tire.

bvdj84

This is a characteristic of the Honda Accord, and has been for years.

carzzz

06-07s have enhanced sound deadening materials over 03-05 models.
http://www.hondanews.com/search/release/2938?q=honda+accord+2006&s=honda

I found my 07 AV6 is pretty quiet. I have Diamond-Kote Pemium Sound Shield & rust protection. It's noise level is at par with a camry. You can find some quieter tires at TireRack.

wise1

My 07 Accord SE auto has had the purge control valve changed and it still is very noisy and I believe it is the cause of the vibration of the steering wheel and the vibration I feel in the drivers seat. The vibration is intermittent, and Honda doesn't address issues that are intermittent. It took three visits and much complaining to even get the valve changed. The service tech. said the problem would still be there and he was correct. Honda has trained their personnel well to shrug off the customer and delay as long as possible any warranty work. I'm currently having issues with vibration and interior rattles. :sick:

mamamia2

The BIG question is, are ALL V6 Accord of the same model year vibrating at idle speed in gear? If that's the case, than that's the way Honda designed the car --- and there's nothing we can do or have reason to complain about....

BUT if there are comparable cars (same model and same model year, 'cause there ARE differences between the '05 and the '06, for instance, as one can read in the link mentioned above...), and some/most of them do NOT vibrate, then obviously we, the owners of those V6 Accords that excessively vibrate, have a case and should demand Honda's attention....

thegraduate

06-07s have enhanced sound deadening materials over 03-05 models.

Indeed. The difference between my dad's 2005 EX 4-cyl and my 2006 EX 4-cyl was discernable (he now has a 2007 Civic EX, so obviously the noise wasn't a problem for my parents - my dad wanted a sportier drive though, and bought the Civic after a pretty trouble-free 70k miles in his 05 Accord).

Speaking of tires, I have 29k miles on my Michelin OEM tires and have no complaints. Plenty of wear left. I wouldn't replace them with the same tire however - the price is outrageous. I'd likely try and put Bridgestone's Potenza G009, which I already have on my 1996 Accord LX.

bvdj84

I have the Michelin tires on my 06 accord, they look new, and have plenty of tread even at 30,300 miles. I love these tires, excellent.

wise1

My accord is a I-4, not the v-6. The problem is intermittant not constant so that in itself should tell you that vibration is NOT NORMAL. It occurs only with the car in gear such as at a red light. Not in neutral as of yet anyway. Time will reveal! :sick:

mamamia2

No, I don't think having vibrations in Drive, and not in Neutral can be called intermittent or would show any abnormality, actually. That could be actually natural for ANY engine.

I just think for a V6, the vibrations are excessive...

elroy5

wise1, Have you had this TSB (technical service bulletin) done on your car? If you haven't I would print out this TSB and bring it with me to the dealership. Good luck
http://www.distrust.net/archive/HondaTSBs/04-024.pdf

wise1

Thanks elroy5, I wonder if Honda would honor that because it was for 2003 and 2004 models and I have the 2007 SE i-4. The centerstack is made of several parts that are held together by a large fastener near the windshield that keeps coming loose. It's been tightened 2x already and is loose again, What would be best, some glue then tighten or a new fastener?? The vibration is still there but is intermittant and I think it possibility has something to do with the purge control valve that is very noisey. Anyone else had the Purge Valve changed and still have problems?? :sick: :confuse:

elroy5

Vibration at idle probably could have more than a dozen possible causes. Many times, it has been caused by broken/bad engine mounts, and exhaust mounts, Has the "Check Engine" light come on, at any point?

I would have to see this "fastener" to understand what I would do about it. Have a picture?

wise1

Check engine light has not come on. The vibration only occurs when in gear and causes the steering wheel and the driver's seat to vibrate. It doesn't occur in neutral. Not yet anyway. The fastener is at the top of the center stack next to the windshield and it keeps coming loose and it rattles!!! It is a round plastic piece supposively to hold the top of the center stack in place?? The multii-piece dash is a problem not just for the 07 models but 08 are having problems too!!

according2u06

I understand people change their brake pads on different intervals depending on driving style and usage etc, but in general(as in under normal driving conditions), how many miles would you go before replacing your brake pads? I'm approaching 20k miles and haven't had the brakes done so I am just wondering if it's time to replace my rear brake pads (I haven't heard the 'screeching sound' yet so I guess my front ones are okay per owner's manual :shades:).

Any input from owners of 03-07 Accord is greatly appreaciated. Thanks.

elroy5

Most people have had the rear pads replaced before the front (this is my first car that wore the rear pads faster than front pads????). I would say my wife and I drive normally, and do not abuse the brakes. I have recently replaced the rear (disk) pads at 52k miles. The front pads seem to have at least 10-15k miles left on them. The only way to know for sure how the pads are wearing, is to open up the callipers, and check them out. Not hard at all once you know how.

according2u06

Thanks for the reponse elroy5! Well, I too suspect that my rear pads are the ones that would need to be replaced sooner than the front ones as I don't have the disks on the rear(I have the LX). 52k miles on a set of brakes? :surprise: You and your wife must be really good drivers and never need the brakes(or brake discs are that much better). There is no way I feel mine can last that long! LOL... Yeah, I wish I knew how to check my own brakes but, I don't. I'll have them checked by the shop next time I take it in for oil change though. Thanks.

tallman1

If you don't want to do it yourself, just have them take a look at them the next time they rotate your tires. Checking the brakes is usually part of a routine free check anyway.

There shouldn't be any hurry... mine are at 40,000 and still fine.

tankbeans

I would think that 20,000 is too soon. You shouldn't need to worry. I have no idea about drum brakes though. I had a 95 EX and it had disc all the way around.

Either way I've never had a car long enough to replace all the brakes. I've had a couple where I've needed to replace the front pads, and one set of rotors. The 95 Accord EX, which were cracked. Gggrrrr. Oh well I don't have that car any more. I still love that car and in some ways wish I still had it, but I'm not complaining. But I digress.

I think 20,000 is too soon. My mom's friend had hers replaced in a car about every 30k, but she is one that likes her speed and then consequently has to mash on them. Digressing again, I'm going to stop now.