Honda Accord (2008-2012) Maintenance and Repair

mrbill1957

Good luck in getting anything more then a "goodwill" replacement of the pads. If you look thru the posts on brakes, there have been numerous complaints starting with 03 that the rear brakes wear out too fast.

Mrbill

elroy5

This seems to be common on 7th gen (03-07) and 8th gen (08-) Accords. I had to replace my rear pads on my 03 V6 at around 47k miles. The front pads are still going at 60k miles. I don't think anything is wrong with your callipers, just the way these brakes are biased (front/rear). Since the pads cost me less than $50, and I have no other problems with the brakes (no vibrations or squealing), and I changed them myself, I'm not complaining. I guess, if I had to pay someone else $200 to change them, I would be.

pmorin

I purchased the car (lx-p) in mid august and have put 3,000 miles on it. Recently I have noticed pinging noise from the engine, which is becoming more and more noticeable. I always put regular gas in the car as stated by the manual. Has anyone else also noticed this? Is it because gasoline is different in the winter time than summer time?

bvdj84

On my 06 Accord, they replaced all of my calipers at "good will" because they were all rusting out! I insisted that they be replaced, because there is not way I am driving a new car to have the all rusted, which is not normal. They fade, and look different over time, but should not be rusting. I was happy they did that for me! Besides they looked bad with the Alloys. But, could it be that I was my car so much, like once every week?

rkirchoff

I noticed my car was slowly sagging in performance and mileage so I began using 89 octane for several tanks and noticed some performance increase plus mileage increase too. I then purchased some lucas gas treatment and use it every 3 tanks. My performance has increased dramatically and my city/highway mileage went from 22mpg to 25mpg. I also took several long trips and noticed an increase in highway only fuel mileage too. It went from 24 to 27.5mpg and that was while maintaining 85-90mph for several hours while driving in some southern states.

getsmart7

From your smart alec remark you obviously don't notice the plethora of Honda Accords on the road with paint problems nor have you searched the internet on it. If you did, you will see a plethora of complaints about these paint problems with Accords. This is a problem Honda should take care of regardless of age. It is very obvious this is a manufacturing defect with the paint job. My son has a 98 Accord and his girlfriend does as well. Both with the exact same paint defect. I have 2 other 98 model vehicle and they don't have paint problem but that is because neither one of them is a Honda. You should check the facts before smarting off to someone about a problem they have with their car.

nj2pa2nc

My mom own's a 08 accord v-6, bought new 3/08. It has less than 4,000 miles (mostly short trips). The car has not started 3 times, so far. Her neighbor jump-started it. She took it back to the dealer, where they tested the battery and it showed it was fully charged. I told her to not use the auto DRL's and turn her headlights on and off the old way. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. I plan to give the car a workout when I drive it in Dec. (NJ to NC and then back to NJ)

gyusher

Never thought about using lights on manual. My 08 coupe has no issues but she sure has a small battery. . . Food for thought. . .

4000 miles so far. All in 10-12 mile jaunts both daylight and dark. Going and coming from work every day. I know mine would benefit from a 3 or 4 hour trip. . . Maybe Saturday will be road trip time. . .

rebe1

I made a discovery yesterday at my Honda dealership. I now have 22K on my '08 Accord and still had the ticking noise when the glove box was closed driving me nuts!
the dealership discovered a TSB from this SPRING that resolves the problem. They fixed it while I was there. No more noise however they were only 5 months removed and several trips by me to get this done.

rbbrick

You all can read my prior posts regarding this issue. I change to full synth last oil change at 15550 miles. Since then my oil consumption is 1 quart at 1900 miles @ 90% mm!
Honda will not do a single thing until it goes beyond their 1 quart per 1000 miles unwritten spec :lemon: .
I would appreciate any and all feedback about this problem since I am very frustrated with Honda and engine longevity.
Help
Roger

elroy5

I don't understand where this oil is going. I have never had an engine consume any oil (including two Accords). Does the dealership or Honda have an explanation of where this oil is going? Is the exhaust emitting smoke? Major leak? I just don't see how an engine consumes oil, without burning it. Which seems like it would smoke or at least smell like burnt oil. Oil doesn't just evaporate. :confuse:

rbbrick

No smell No leaks. The exhaust doesnt smoke however the pipes are slightly dark and oily looking. Dealer has no explaination since Honda wont pay them to diagnose or troubleshoot.
Oil can burn off within the heat of the engine - had a similar situation with Audi A3 2.0 T
Thanks
Roger

gyusher

I would appreciate any and all feedback about this problem since I am very frustrated with Honda and engine longevity.


1 qt at 1900 miles is not a bad thing. Might even be a good thing providing there is no noise, leaks, smoke etc. I wouldn't be surprised at some oil consumption during break-in but after everything is broke-in it should become less of an issue. I've driven several cars well into 200K that used a quart every 1500 miles. Used to be when we changed oil every 2 or 3,000 miles you wouldn't see that quart anyway. . .

Some might say in the old days that the valves and rings aren't seated maybe because of improper break-in but now days who knows.

Don't confuse it with longetivity. . .

gyusher

When the car is in park you can actually notice the engine lag and then rev a bit at the same time the lights dim. If

Mine does exactly the same thing but only at idle never while actual driving. I just think the little 4 banger has a pretty big load to handle especially at idle.

I'm surprised at how well they actually do when you consider everything asked of them. Since I've had this 'problem' I've looked for it in a few of my friends new cars costing about twice as much as mine and under the same conditions theirs do exactly the same thing.

Now I hardly notice it except when something reminds me of it.

cdavidc1

I installed 4 steel rims on this car without the TPMS sensors installed and to my surprise the TPMS does not stay lit all the time. I was under the impression that without the sensors the light would stay on. The light comes on at engine start but goes out in a few seconds. The snow tires I bought were Bridgestone Blizak WS 60 225/50/17
they seem very good in snow and are very quiet on the highway. If anyone wants good snow tires I think they should have at look at these.

parviz

Does anyone know where I can find more info and instructions on claying the car? Will that get rid of the rain spots too? Thanks.

parviz

Are these Honda pads that you get for less than $50? And where do you get them from? Thanks.

parviz

My navigation screen has lately started not to come on every time when I start the car. It usually comes on after I play around with the manual day/light/off switch for the navi screen. Has anyone experienced this problem?

parviz

The driver side leather is showing some tiny gashes on the front side. I am not sure if it will get worse and not sure why it is happening. May be from using the seat heat? Any ideas?

elroy5

I get all of my maintenance stuff from this site. I will usually buy a six-pack of oil filters, air filters (cabin, engine) wiper refills, etc. to last for a while, to cut down on shipping costs. Even when the shipping is added, it's less than the dealership, and I don't have to leave home. My parts come to me.
http://www.handa-accessories.com/accord.html

gyusher

instructions on claying the car?

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/products/professional_care/pro_detailer

http://www.meguiars.com/video/largeplayerWindow.cfm?size=1&playURL=rtmp://meguia- rs.flashsvc.vitalstreamcdn.com/meguiars_vitalstream_com/_definst_/lenoVideo_smoo- thsurfaceclay6x4_700.flv&VideoName=Jay Leno using Smooth Clay Kit

Check here. . .

elroy5

A claybar will improve the finish, but it's not a miracle worker. If the spots have been there for a couple of years, clay will not take it all out. That would probably require sanding. That is a very wimpy claybar. The Mother's claybar is much thicker.

gyusher

A claybar will improve the finish, but it's not a miracle worker.

Just part of the process. . . Actually there is a lot to be said for rubbing on that finish with power tools. Don't expect miracles with whatever you use. You can only shine up whats there.

joshuag

I have had two Honda Accord's, and my sister has a new CR-V, and none of these cars have ever used a drop of oil. This is not normal for you Honda with only 15k to be using any oil. If I were you I would be dealing with the Corporation. Any dealer is going to try to blow you off and tell you it's normal.

dpmeersman

My 08 EX-L V6 Accord Sedan is using 1 quart every 6,000 miles or at least it did in it's first 12,000 miles. Using 5-20 same as what is recommended. What year Accords were yours? How many miles between changes? My dealer also felt there was no reason for concern and I'm not overly alarmed. My last 165,000 miles prior to buying the Accord were in 2 different Fords and they never used a drop of oil but I was changing the oil every 5,000 miles. My 2 oil changes with the Accord have been @ 15% oil life per MM and 7,500 miles.

elroy5

I have the 03 Accord V6, and it hasn't used a drop of oil. Of course I change it every 3,000 to 4,000 miles. The owner's manual says to change the oil in my engine at 3,750 miles (severe conditions). I know it's not the same exact engine as the 08, but I doubt it's so much different that it can go twice as far between oil changes (7,000 miles). I think these Maintenance Minders need some re-calibration (at least for the V6 engines). I may go up to 5,000 miles between changes, if I do a lot of highway driving in that span, but there is NO WAY I'm waiting until 7,000 miles to change my oil. These days the manufacturers are trying to lower the maintenance costs on each new model, and I think they are stretching it a bit here. Just my opinion. Happy Hondaing.

fleury

Hi all,

Have any of you 08 Accord owners experienced the following:

Vibration in the steering wheel and slight "clicking" sound when turning at slow speeds (i.e., turning into your driveway). This problem doesn't occur when turning at faster speeds.

Thanks!

parviz

I have slight vibration felt on the steering wheel while driving on my 08 V6, but that is about it, no clicking while turning. I think the vibration may be a characteristics of the cae but the click does not sound right. I would show it to the dealer.

parviz

Thanks for the info. I did not see any mention of the rain spot removal. Is there anything specific to rain spot removal without damaging the clear coat that you may be aware of?

gyusher

rain spot removal

I've had 'water spots' from rain that was acid rain and actually started to put permanent spots in the finish. One was fixed under warranty for acid rain. . . Depending on just how bad those 'water spots' are would determine what you needed to do.

I think it is important to keep the paint clean and waxed and not let water stand where it could 'dry' on the paint leaving spots. I use a squeegee when I can or just hose it off with clean water. . . I think its the particles in that water spot that do the damage be it some pollutant from fall out or just plain old dirt. I guess it depends on what is in the air where you live or in the water for that matter. I don't think just plain water hurts anything but combined with those pollutants it can get tedious. . .

joshuag

I bought a 1996 Honda Accord and I bought it new and it never used oil. I ended up getting into an accident so I then bought a used 1994 EX-L. I had that car for about 6 years and when I traded it in it had about 170k and it did not use any oil. Although, I do change my oil about every 4k miles and both my Honda's were 4 cyl.

rbbrick

So here are some answers and information for you all.
1. 1st oil change -- Breakin oil changed at 3600 miles mm 50% by the dealer due to the fact it was down 1 1/2 quarts. We put in conventional oil (honda) 5-20w for the oil consumption test.
2. At 4500 miles we checked it and it was down maybe an 1/8 of quart so Honda declared it was the additives in the breakin oil. I felt I was clear of the issue until around 5500 miles then it was down 1/2 of quart in a 1200miles.
3. I have changed the oil every 5000K with Castol GTX 5-20w with filter and just moved to Castrol synth at 16990.
4. The driving routine and distances are consistent yet the oil usage is getting much worse. From 1 quart @ 3000 miles to now 1852 miles.
I drive in the northern California bay area generally a commute of 27 miles each way plus local short trips during the week. Freeway speed 70 to 75mph.
I am not a hot rodder nor do I red line or hammer it when it cold etc. I built a few engines back in the day, I am in my mid 50's so perhaps you will understand my driving persona..
My prior two Accord V6's consumed not a noticable drop at the 4000 mile oil change. Both cars had over 125K miles when I sold them. Same driver same roads same oil. I do my own oil and filters just because that the way I am.
Thanks again I am hoping for someone with the same vehicle to tell me they have the same issue but so far from three forums only one other owner had an early oil issue that cleared after the factory oil was removed.
Roger

gyusher

The driving routine

1- Temperature ?
Northern CA gets hot in the summer. . .
2- Idling in traffic with air on ?
3- Are you towing or driving with a full load ?
4- Am I wrong in thinking the car did better with Honda oil?
4500 miles and 1/8th qt ?
5- Any noise or smoke or overheating going on with this car ? Do you know for certain its not running hotter than normal ?
6- Are you adding oil when it is low or are you waiting till oil change time?

Just trying to get my head around why it seems to be inconsistant. I would be more worried about the mileage changing rather than a qt every 2K. . .

rbbrick

Last thirty days temperature - 60-78 degrees max
Run A/C only when outside temp is over 75 or so
Dont sit in traffic - highway commute
No load only me (200 lbs)
Doesnt matter what oil is there
Temp guage stays below mid level
No smoke No temp variance or noise
MM is at 80 % now getting ready to add a quart in under 1000miles, prior quart needed at MM 90% in 1852 miles. So it is getting to a point which I believe the engine will be so fouled it wont run.
I change the oil at 50%MM typically or 5000 miles.
Thanks for your interest. I have escalated this to the dealer, area service rep and Honda consumer relations. I wont put up with a vehicle that operates like this in 2008.
Roger

gyusher

I wont put up with a vehicle that operates like this in 2008

I hear you brother. I might not like using a quart every 2500 miles or so but I could deal with it as long as it never got worse and everything else was fine. It looks to me like you got something thats not right going on.

Might take awhile but I'm sure you will get it resolved if you stay on them. . .

mmaxemow

Anyone else have this problem: When I start the car when it's less than 40 degrees out there is a strange noise that lasts for a couple seconds. Almost sounds like the starter is going. It only does it the first time you start the car for the day and wont happen again until the next day if its cold enough

musicislife

Is the sound heard when you turn the key to 'on' but haven't engaged the starter?
If so and if it's a high pitch whine, I think it's the fuel pump pressurizing the system. Not sure if it's normal to lose pressure overnight or not.
If the noise happens after the car is started, disregard my post.

Grilltender

Roger,

I currently have 15,000 miles on my 2008 Accord V6 sedan and am experiencing the same issue as you. On top of that, this past weekend I went to start the car after it had been sitting all night (45 deg.) and it cranked for about 10 seconds before finally starting. I use gas from only premium gas stations, so I don’t believe it is caused by poor gas. My Accord is currently at the dealer being diagnosed on both issues. I’m very disappointed and shocked to see this happing to me. I thought Honda was in the business of striving to provide clean burning vehicles.

I intend on dedicating a large portion of my time and resources to gathering more information on the oil consumption issue first. Please forward any additional information you may have. Also, if you know of any other victims let me know….Thanks

jhinsc

I have an 08 EXL V6 with 5800 miles and 40% left on my maintenance minder. I check the oil periodically and found I had to add a quart of oil yesterday. My previous 06 EXL V6 never required add'l oil between changes, but also usually got down to 10% between 6 and 7000 miles. It appears I'll be going to about 9000 miles before the first oil change. Just wondering what other experiences people are having with oil consumption on their V6's. Overall, I am very happy with my Accord!

rbbrick

Search this forum for all my posts on my oil consumption experience. Search oil consumption or rbbrick (my ID)
Thanks
Roger

musicislife

Yesterday I rotated the tires on my 2008 EX-L for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily the lug nuts came off. This being my first new car, I've previously only dealt with wheels installed by service stations. The lug nuts weren't loose by any means. But I didn't need to use a cheater bar or stand on the lug wrench. According to the manual, the nuts need 80 ft-lbs of torque. This goes to show how most service stations way over-tighten the nuts.

gkelm

Re: the XM issue...just took an EX-L V6 Coupe home for an overnight test...XM cut out on me on the way home too. Came back in restart. Concerning...I'm all ears.

Otherwise, really nice car.

branders

I know others have posted in the past on this problem, but I was wondering if anyone found a solution.

I own an '09 Accord with around 2000 miles on it. I have noticed the brakes squeak when I lightly press on the brakes or brake at low speeds. I took it in to the dealer and they said that they have seen this problem on several new accords and that at this time there is no fix for the problem, but that Honda is working on it. They said it had something to do with the humidity, which I don't buy since its January and 40 degrees out.

The Honda website acknowledges this problem and basically says deal with it "because it cannot be eliminated" Is this really their only answer? The brakes shouldn't make noise on a brand new car.

If anyone has found a solution to this problem I would love to hear it.

Thanks in advance, this forum is always very helpful.

thegraduate

They said it had something to do with the humidity, which I don't buy since its January and 40 degrees out.

Humidity can be high, regardless of temperature. It is simply a measurement of how saturated with moisture the air is. In the summertime, it can be 90 degrees with a dewpoint of 75, and the humidity will be lower than if it were 40 degree outside with a dewpoint of 35. Sure, 90 over 75 feels more "sticky", but the air is actually less saturated, or "humid."

I'm from Alabama and am studying meteorology in grad school; I know humidity!

Not sure how this applies accurately to your problem, but thought I'd share.

Best,

TheGrad

classact1

I had the same issue on my '08 Accord, right from the time it was new. The brakes would squeak in all types of weather, even after the car was warmed up. I brought it back to the dealer at about 2000 miles. Naturally, they didn't squeak when the mechanic took it for a drive, but I insisted the brakes made noise. They had a supervisor ride with me, but he talked the entire time and did not hear it when it did squeak. (He said squeaking is normal when first starting the car due to brake dust, but I kept telling him it happens at any time.) When Honda received my customer service survey that said how unsatisfied I was, they arranged for me to bring it in again, to the same dealer. This time, both front and rear brakes were replaced, no questions asked. Problem solved.

Not to be corny, but in this case the squeaky wheel really did get the grease, and then some!

chis1

I took my car into the dealer for my 2008 I4 with MT and 6000 miles on it. I was driving home and the oil light came on. Pulled the dipstick, didn't register, put 1 quart in and came to the bottom notch on the stick. They did a check for leaks, found nothing. According to them, not sure if I believe them, they don't need to check for compression because sensors do all of that. No fault codes appeared on the car. They talked with Honda Engineering. Told the dealer to do an oil analysis, they found nothing wrong. Conclussion was they think the factory didn't fill the engine all the way with oil and burning 1 quart over 6000 miles is acceptable. I'm skeptical. I do remember checking the oil at the end of the summer (with about 4000 miles on it) and it checked fine. So we shall see. This discussion on oil consumption I do find interesting. The dealer wants me to bring in the car at 100, 500 and 1000 miles for them to check the oil. After that if I ever need to put oil in it, they want me to bring it by so they can document it and fill it. I find this crazy, never have had to do that with a new car. Have a 2001 odyssey and it hardly consumed ANY oil over 5000 miles. My wife and I love this accord though. I personally think I have a lemon engine, I'll just need to prove it.

gyusher

The dealer wants me to bring in the car at 100, 500 and 1000 miles for them to check the oil

Work with them. Had you not had the problem most likely they wouldn't want you in there so often for that. . . Chances are nothing is hurt. I remember a new pickup I had over heated and started to rattle when pulling my bass boat when it had around 5,000 miles on it. I checked the oil before leaving home and it was full then 40 miles later it took 2 quarts to get it to the add line. . . I was pissed that Ford would do nothing. Long story short that was the best truck I ever had. . . 250,000 miles later it still ran like a top. . . I know not why. . .

chis1

That's funny! You're right, it could be one of those things and we shall see. But, I'm working with them. I'm fortunate in that the Honda dealer by me is actually pretty reputable (at least their service department is). I got the car home, let it sit for 1/2 hour and then I checked the oil. It was above the top mark, overfilled....not sure if that was intentional by them or not.

jam1000

Does it happen in the same spot repeatedly? If so, it's probably a satellite (or interference with the satellite) problem rather than a problem with the car.

pitt3

I have the same problem with my EXL V6 coupe (18,000 miles). I have to restart the car to get the XM back working. Happens at any location, about once a month.