Honda Accord problems

auburn63

if you cant get to a tech then you can clear it your self by taken off the drain hose from the bottom of the evaporator case on the inside of the car. Take something like mechanics wire,pipe cleaner wire or similar, stick it up inside the evaporator and down the hose. Note that when you take this hose off it will leak a good bit of water so try to have something to catch it with. Although I have seen some clogg with mold most of the time it is debris such as small leaves and spider webs and such.So just blowing/poking it clean and seeing how long it takes to reclogg should be fine.Good luck

xfactor

In post 401 I reported on the SRS light not going out (2000 Honda Accord SE). In another post I mentioned that the Camry did not have side impact bars.

Correction Camry "does" have side impact beams. Sorry for the error.

Finally brought the car in for the SRS light.

Dealer gave me a Toyota Corolla as a loaner.

A loose wire caused the SRS light problem.

One comment on the Corolla. I had previously test driven this car and while not up to the Camry and Accord it was decent enough. Well I had to drive about 40 miles that day on backcountry roads and was stunned by how poorly the car performed and how poor the suspension was. The transmission was slipping. The Car had a little over 7,000 miles on it. The car was completely different from the one I test drove only a few months earlier.

At any rate I finally got around to turning the radio on and was greeted by blaring rap music playing at the highest volume level. I nearly jumped out of my skin.

I got the radio under control and the CD out of the CD player and put on a little more sedate music to find that the speakers in the front were shot and had low buzzing noises coming out of them.

I would guess the car has a difficult 7,000 miles.

At any rate if any one drove this particular car they would not buy a Corolla which would be a shame because this car was not even close to fairly representing a Corolla.

Lastly, I love the handling of the Accord and have averaged 27 miles per gallon in mixed driving.

lsattle

Have a 96 Accord lx.

Replaced camber kits, turned out squeeky because of neoprene bushings vs old rubber ones.

Anyone have any experience.

pks1

I am thinking on buying a 90-93 Accord manual . The car will mostlikely have about 100k+ miles. Do any of you have experiance with those years. Is there a lot of problems with those years. So far I have seen 90-93 accords with 150k+ and they run like new.

hondaman18

I currently have 3500 miles on silver v6 ex coupe, can I just go to walmart to get an oil change, and tires rotated at 7500 miles, instead of going to the dealer, I mean it is not like I HAVE A VETTE OR ANYTHING WERE IT is worth to pay extra dealer service prices. Also does the automatic transmission fluid have to be filled by a service shop, since you are not suppose to fill it through the dipstick? The owners manual says fill by removing drain plug, does that mean on the bottom of the car. Would like to hear anyone's comments. Thanks

sanandton

I owned a 92 accord ex AT. It had 92kmi on it when I sold it. Never a problem out of it. Wanted something bigger. Got an Explorer, What a Mistake. Make sure you have it checked out by a mechanic familiar with working on hondas. That model year needed major scheduled maint. at 90k mi. including a timing belt change among other things.

sanandton

Just spoke with a friend who is a cert. Honda Mech. He said model years 90-93 had a recall on the distributor (replaced with a new one, and some rare problems with the AT. A dealership should be able to use the VIN # to pull a check to see what if anything has been done. Otherwise a very sound car.

bolderbob9

Just when you thought a nightmarte couldn't get any worse, it does... Car went is for a new tranny and PCV update per Honda. Car comes back with rough idle and check engine light on. After 6 trips to the dealer an O2 sensor and a PCM switch out. The check engine light doesn't come on but the car idles rough. I am truloy discouraged by the lack of technical insight at south florida #1 honda service center. It turns out they are claiming a bad ground caused the failure. I will now take this car and trade in for manufacturer that knows how to service their product. I am blown away. The previous carI had was an 87 Accura Integra. I guess I was lucky I never had to deal with service, the car never had a major breakdown. Beware HONDA does not necessarily equal reliability. Any thoughts on the rough idle would be appreciated.

lsattle

check for any vacuum leaks???

egr valve problem, causing a vacuum type leak.

auburn63

Pks1,
Like sanandton said those are great years, I have a 92 and the only problem I ever had was the distributor. I am also a cert. Honda tech and have seen many of them not many problems at all.
Hondaman18,
At our shop in New Jersey we get like 21.95 for an oil change and that is with the factory parts. So how can you go wrong? If you still want to go to an outside shop then make sure to bring with you crush washers for the oil pan as they will not have any of them and if you reuse them it will cause premature oil pan thread wear. As far as the fill for the transmission it is on the top of the trans on a v6. It will be a 17mm nut right on the top.
Bolderbob9,
If I was you I would go to another dealer as they are all not the same. Sounds as if they could have caused a problem when they did the update. They may have even told you a lie about the check engine light and the cause to cover up something they did. It is hard to say but sounds as if you need a fresh opinion..Good luck

silvercoupe

I have a 91 Accord LX with 147,000 miles on it. Had to have a reman trans installed at 16k under warranty because of a roar (I actually never could hear the roar, but my wife said she could). Also had the distributor assembly replaced at 75k (Honda paid for the parts only). Since then I have had no major problems. It is a very good car that my son will soon be learning to drive with. Good luck.

auburn63

You or your car may be the ones that need good luck......with the new driver and all........lol..

cruiser1

Has anyone experienced squeaks in area of sunroof?

I'm sure it has to do with glass and surrounding rubber channel/gasketing. Anyone know of a lubricant that can be used without causing damage to rubber?

Thanks in advance,


2000 Honda EX-VL Sedan

lancerfixer

Well, it's finally happened. My beloved '94 Accord LX coupe has, after 97,000 miles, developed its first problem. Of course, the problem is both electical and intermittent...the hardest kind to track down. Here's the deal: When it's wet out, I'll turn the key, and get nothing but a click, almost like an incomplete ground, but if I try it again, it starts just fine. Suspecting an incomplete ground, I tightened and cleaned the battery posts/cables, and ultimately changed out the battery (it was due, anyway.) The problem persists, but like I said, only intermittently, and only when it's wet. Any ideas, auburn? I'm going to be bringing it in for its 90k mile service soon, (I know, a little overdue) and I'd like an idea what this could be. My local dealer seems really honest and has a good reputaion (apparently a rarity for a Honda dealer) but I'd still like some info. Can you help?

fritz1224

check the connection to the frame or chassis. remove and clean. maybe that's the problem.

terminalis

Finally I got it replaced. No stupid clunk, shudder and hesitation anymore. Excellent! Thanks to those who provided useful info about the tranny.

I still have some questions for you knowledgeable folks out there.

First, after the tranny replacement, my key got stuck and I was unable to remove it a few times. I had to restart the engine and shift gear and wait a bit to remove the key. It's happening once in a while. Any thought? Maybe a loose connection?

Second, it's not related to tranny replacement. The engine developed a mild tapping sound after 3000 miles. I was to busy dealing with the tranny and I didn't bring this up to the dealership yet. It doesn't seem to affect engine performance. So I'm not too worried. This tapping sound is especially noticeable going up a hill with, say, 2000 RPM (when there's more pressure on the engine, I guess). One day, I opened the hood, and asked a friend of mine to give a little gas. There was a very noticeable tapping noise (high pitch). He suggested that it might be the exhaust pipe moving slightly. Some people said it's the piston and valve tapping sound. None of them however is a mechanic. None of cars I owned before had noise like this. Then again, it's my first Honda.

It's just annoyance. I'll mention this at next oil change. I hope it's not a sign of a more serious problem. Any thoughts about this? I'd appreciate any info.

--terminalis

jbratter

Hey! I've had the same problem with my 90 accord lx. When I called AAA to come (having the exact same symptons as you - a click but nothing else on very wet, humid days) he said that it was because it was the wires were getting too moiste. He recommended spraying some wd-40 across the 4 wires that lay across the motor(the ones you see when you open the hood, pretty much right in the middle of the hood compartment. I said wd-40? that's a lubricant. He sprayed a little over the wires (not with that long straw-type nozzle) and the car started right up. He said it dried the wires. Go figure. Its only happend once or twice after that, but the wd-40 works every time. I keep a can in the trunk. Good luck!

dodgeomni

Reference my post 503 about my Oil Drain Plug.
I have been advised that the Oil Drain Plug does have to be watched and should be replaced frequently to avoid leaks. I always thought or I should say really never was concerned about the oil drail plug in a car (You just screwed the son-of-gun in pretty tight and your oil was locked in the crankcase until the next oil change). Now I have visions of the drain plug falling out or leaking on an extended drive and causing destruction to my brand new engine. To me this is a very strange thing to worry about on a new car. Otherwise I have nothing but praise for my accord. Can anyone give me any support, confirmation or similiar experience. Thanks so much.

auburn63

I have worked for Honda for a long time and the only thing you need to do is go to a good shop and replace the oil drain plugs CRUSH washer at every oil change.No need to worry about it falling out if it is tight it will not. No need to worry about it leaking if you replace that crush washer every time. Best bet is to buy some Honda filters and crush washers and enjoy your ride.By the way yes I do recomend using the Honda filter and crush washer and a trustworthy tech.Good luck

dodgeomni

Thanks Auburn63 what you said helps me quite a bit. This is my first car in since 1988 - which I still own and drive (dodgeomni). You may know the old saying "she don't use a drop of oil' - well this situation has kinda got to me. Thanks for the help.

silvercoupe

Did you have the 75k service that Honda provides for these cars? It has something to do with the ignition and emissions. They are supposed to replace the distributor cap, rotor button, sparkplugs and sparkplug wires and check out the system all for free. Just wondering?

dodgeomni

It would seem to me to be a simple matter to design an oil drain plug that fits preciscely and would not even need a gasket to prevent leakege - after all this is only a screw that closes a passage way. Anyway I will shut-up on this topic now and get on with my oil check. Happy oil changes Honda owners.

sanandton

Well had my first experience with an accord problem today. Car now has 12k mi on it. The car started pulling to the right and squeaking loudly from the right front tire. Shortly after that the tire just deflated! I thought "Certainly that 5 ft. deep pothole I just flew though at 40mph has nothing to do with this". Well it did. Ruptured tire, warped rim, knocked out of alignment.
Honda checked it out for me all I needed was a new tire and rim and alignment. Got it back this evening car still like new. Not a single rattle. By this point with my 5 previous fords and 3 GM's I had sooo many rattles that I had given up trying to get them located and fixed. I suspected they were one of those extra factory installed options that mislead me into the purchase in the first place. All I can say about the Honda so far is "Man, what a well built car"!

silvercoupe

Yea,it would seem that way, but I have been fooling with cars for over 30 years and have yet to see an oil drain plug like that. I take that back. My lawnmowers all have plugs that look like pipe plugs. But then again, they all screw into a cast iron block.

Believe me, you don't want to strip out the threads on the oil pan. I did it on a motorcycle and it cost mucho bucks to replace the pan. I did not know to replace the crush washer back then.

silvercoupe

Think that problem would be classified as "operator error"? My '00 coupe has 5.4k miles and I am happy with it so far. Then again all that I have owned for the last 16 years has been Hondas, with the exception of 1 Mazda truck. Maybe I'm prejudiced.

sanandton

Hope you didn't miss the point. The problem was no doubt driver error. Still the accord took it in stride. I'm with you on happiness with the Honda.

silvercoupe

Yes, I got your point. Guess I'm getting a little defensive with all the complaints that I've been reading here and in the Coupe forum.

adg44

I think I'm to blame for all the complaints. I picked up my car today and it seems as if Honda can't do anything correctly. I don't wanna get into it now, and I know you don't want me to get into it, so I won't. I am meeting with the District Service Manager this Friday. We'll see what happens.

- Anthony

snowman

The hesitation problem as you stated before is not related to temparature. I let it idle 3 minutes and this let stumbling happened way early than it used to be, very close to my home. I think 5 minutes warm up will fix it but it is kind of weird and will increase fuel consumption.
If I keep driving without getting anything adjusted in the engine, will it cause any damage?
Could I simply ignore this problem?
Thanks for your input.

silvercoupe

Sounds like you may be dealing with a crappy dealership. They do exist, because I have had occasion to deal with one. When I called the zone office I got everything straightened out.

Snowman: I am still having that little stumble too. I am just going to ignore it until my car is ready for its first service.

auburn63

Havent seen any at our shop yet but doesnt meen they dont exist. I will check the Honda net for info on tuesday.If it happens daily you should have your dealer look at it,confirm it and then maybe they can order something. I would guess either that the tw sensor or the PCM itself could be the reason.I will check when I go back in on tuesday..

snowman

I am doing exactly what you are doing. Mine has 20K as of today. I am planning to dropp off the car for 30K service and ask them to perform what auburn63 told along with the scheduled service.
But if it is important then I will do it 22.5K service.
Keep in touch for this issue
Regards

snowman

If this is the issue then I will take it to there immidiatelly. Could you please tell me one more time what I shoul ask them to perform.
Regards

fritz1224

I posted this on another thread, but why did Honda change the V6 engine from last year? My 00 LX v6 has a single overhead cam. I saw a 99 HOnda prelude that had a double overhead cam V6. Which is better ? Or is there any difference? Anybody got an opinion or an answer?

bjklinton

I have enjoyed reading your posts, and appreciate your willingness to help Honda owners. I have a 2000 Accord SE with I4 engine. No problems, just a couple on questions:
1. Should I be able to feel the AC compressor cycle on and off at interstate speeds, and hear the freon circulate thru the system? ( a slight hissing sound when compressor kicks in which slowly disappears as compressor runs thru THAT cycle)((same thing on all cycles)).
2. I too am a bit disappointed with the amount of wind noise at interstate speeds. Not so much windshield on mine as drivers door. (haven't had opportunity to check passenger side yet). IYO could this be caused by the air flow between the window and the outside mirrors? If not, what would you suggest? BTW I can live with it if necessary, kinda hate to, but don't want to turn a small thing into a bigger one replacing this and that etc.
Thanking you in advance.

PS: I'm so glad my buddy Al Gore invented this internet, where I can ask a Honda tech questions from the comfort of my living room.

titopuente

I turned on the A/C and it was a rare time when I was not playing my salsa Cd's, I heard the hissing every cycle...actually I just noticed it yesterday. I don't mind it at all. There is definitely wind noise, but I think its because I hear nothing else on the smooth asphalt highways of Toronto. The mirrors are BIG so I'm figuring it is a large contributing factor to the wind noise by the door. Most of my wind noise comes from the side to.

Also, after some heavy driving and with the A/C on and then turning off the car in my garage, the car makes a bunch of noises, like moving liquids (coolant) and it will stop. When the car is outside I never notice it. And just today, it was really humid and I heard a periodic humming sound coming from the car (or was it the garage door opener?) but I just couldn't pinpoint it. It was like a someone humming "wang" like a bumblee wing.
Anyhow, these things don't bug me at all. I have a friend with a 95 Maxima that makes crackling noises from all over the car like crazy....now that's annoying.
Also, I think I'm gonna have to live with the eggy smell from the exhaust...but it only happens sometimes. The fuel mixture up here is kinda rich...the bikes constantly spew flames from their tailpipes in Toronto....or is it a problem?
BTW do they still use freon? I thought that was banned, at least in Canada.

auburn63

Snowman,
Dont know if it is an issue yet, I am going to check for info on it on tuesday.Other than that I would suggest having them set the idle using the PGMFI checker.But I will try and see on tuesday if there is any other info available.

Fritz1224,
No real opinion here, preludes have used the twin cam design for a while in some of their cars.They seem to be reliable but as for how much better they are would probably be based on opinions. I think they are a bit better for high performance cars but not sure how necesary for street cars.

BJKlinton,
Thanks, As far as the compressor kicking in, I would say that it would be normal to feel it due to the fact that it is an extra load.Should not be a bad drag or feeling but a little is ok.The hissing noise, I have heard on occasion in my own Honda and have never paid much attention to it.I have not read anything on it saying that it is bad.If you want to be sure just have you dealer do a performance check on the AC to be sure.As for the wind noise yeah there is some noise created by the mirror to see if that is where most of your noise is coming from just fold it in and see if the noise changes.Hondas due have some wind noises from the door seal area that is normal. If there is a abnormal wind noise then there will most likely be a water leak to go with it.

Titopuente,
sounds as if most of your noises are normal and that humming noise may be your cooling fan. It can come on up to 15 minutes after shut down and stay on until underhood temp cools down.The rotten egg smell is usally a fuel related thing so possibly try another brand and or octane and see if it gets better. If not try your dealer to see if there is anything that can be done in your area with it.

pat455

In case you are interested there is a topic in our News and Views conference discussing the differences between single and double overhead cam engines - you can find it by keying either sohc or dohc in to the Topic Search feature on the left side of the page.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

terminalis

Hi auburn,

Thanks always for your help. As you suggested, the service guys at my dealership adjusted the shift cable. Now, the key getting stuck is not happening anymore. Thanks!!!! Also, I had the manager take a look at that tapping noise. He said that it's the fuel injector making that noise, and all hondas have this mild tickling noise. He said that people think it's the valve, but it's not. It's normal. He seemed sincere, and I'm pretty convinced that he's right. Anyway, it's pretty mild unless I'm going up a hill with a lot of people in the car.

Some more questions about the famous VTEC for auburn and other enthusiasts! Now that my accord is running fine, I want to have some fun driving aggressively. I'm pretty sure this VTEC stuffs have been already discussed somewhere, but I'd appreciate any info. I tried to sense the famous VTEC kick in, but I'm not sure when I hit the VTEC zone. I noticed that around 4500-5000 RPM, the engine sound changes from smooth to harsh one. Is this the VTEC kick in? I didn't notice any sudden change in accerelation that accompanies the harsh change in engine sound. I didn't feel any sudden power increase even though the RPM reached up to about 6000RPM. How do you guys use the VTEC?

--terminalis

gmabc

We bought a 2000 Accord SE last Saturday. It was built in 04/00. A few days later, we found that it leaked oil. We took the car back to the dealer. It was "balancer shaft seal leaking" and a "BSR retainer" was replaced. Does any one know what the real problem is? Should we feel miserable about it? Thanks!

auburn63

Hello,
As always your are welcome for any help, glad to be of help when I can. Now since I gave a general explanation of a VTEC in another thread and got spanked on technicalities, so I will refer you to this web page http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/lancia/58/technical_school/engine/vvt_2.htm

it is also a bit in general but you will get the point. If after reading and going out and trying to keep the rpms up you still dont notice I will try and give you more info.Glad most of your problems are going away...

mm04

I've got a 94 Accord EX. I noticed that the ABS light is on. After restarting, the light goes out, however it comes back on after the car has run for a couple of minutes.

Any insights are appreciated.

auburn63

Your pump probably needs bleeding.They tend to leak fluid and get air in the system, this prevents the system from presurizing causing the light to come on.Check the brake fluid in the modulator assy. If it is low or there is none then it is probably leaking.94 Accord modulator should be located by the left headlight and the fluid container is on top of it...Look for wetness under the modulator..

alnole

I have 29000 miles on my 98 V6 and the check engine light has come on. Per the owner's manual, checking the gas cap can cure the problem if it did not "click" at least 3 times. Hopefully the light will go off on its own--per the manual. If not, has anyone had serious emissions problems with this car--98 V6?? Is this typically a warranteed event?? Thanks in advance for any help!

prodigy

auburn63: Very helpful reference to the VTEC article. Thanks. I assume the 2000 V6 Accord uses the 2 stage system. At what RPM does the stage change take place on the V6 Accord?

adg44

3500 RPMs

auburn63

Should get the light checked, may be due to a part failure and may as well get it fixed while in warranty if that is the case. We have seen several codes with the purge control system that turned out to be a bad vent control solenoid.Po756 & 7 I think is the codes we have seen..

Prodigy,
Thanks, glad it helped you. I need to check specs but I think Adg45 is close with the 3500 rpm..

adg44

Trust me.... With my AEM cold air intake, you can hear the sound change when you pass 3500 RPMs. Also, everyone else should be able to feel the power and the great throttle response while in the VTEC curve.

- Anthony

alnole

I'll keep you posted.

mm04

Dear John,

Thanks for your reply about the ABS light on my 94 Accord EX. As you suggested, I did find the fluid below the minimum line on the modulator assy. Additionally, I also found some moisture areas (not really wet) areas on and around the assy as well.

Now for the maintenance. Would you guide me through the proper steps for bleeding he system? I did notice what appears to be a bleeder valve on top. Also, How do you add fluid to the pump assy?

Again, thank you for your time and expertise...