Honda Accord (2008-2012) Maintenance and Repair

ron4400

Just new to this site today and am seeking opinions. My wife took her 08 Accord Coupe EX L 5 spd in for a suspected cold start noise and to look at a third gear popping out problem. The dealer calls back and says the problem is there was no (or little) oil in the engine. The car has 24k on it and had recommended changes at 8.5k and 13 and was due but the life gauge says 30% remaining. So they give me a Engine Oil Consumption Worksheet dated Sept 2004 to fill out daily. Its cold in Northern Ontario this time of the year, do you think I should volunteer to go out and check it before she goes to work?

jmillerjmiller

There are other entries about the oil consumption issues with both V6 and I4 engines. They all seem to have to take the car back to the dealer every 1000miles to have them check the level. I assume the dealer 'seals' the fill and drain points, so that the car owner can't tilt the results easily, then check it every thousand to verify consumption rate. Of course the joke is that Honda (along with other car companies) say that 1 QT/1000miles is acceptable. So by the time the 'minder' says you need to change the oil, you have replaced it a couple times over...at a not insignificant expense.

My 08 Accord V6 uses some oil, but not as much as many people have experienced. By the time the minder is at 15%, it is down to the add mark. In comparison, I also drive an old 2003 Chevy Astro AWD, that uses a quart every five thousand - that has 114,000 miles on it.
------
Many people have gotten out of the habit of checking the oil regularly. Not too long ago most owners manuals said to check the oil at each fuel fill. When I get a new (or new to me) vehicle, I keep an eye on these things until I get to know it's usage. Then you can start to slack off on checking the fluids.

None of the above will stop oil burning, but can keep from running the engine low and causing damage - which they can use to void the warranty, as checking the oil is the owners responsibility. In several of the online postings, its amazing to me how many mention getting the warning light, and keep going until taking it to the dealer. If its the oil light, that means no oil pressure - shut it off and find the trouble right away.

ron4400

problem noted by dealer along with a few others he has. no warranty issues.

lukeboy142

lukeboy142

need some help with my 2008 accord coupe v-6 33,000 miles. seems to hesitating brought to the dealer about 6 months ago for this problem they told me that they could not find anything wrong, 6 months passed and the problem is getting worse it seems to be hesitating all the time cold start and when its warm brought to back to another dealer again they said they could not find anything wrong they also told me that if I wanted them to look further they would have to charge me a $97 diagnostic fee I told them the car was under warranty and they said it did not matter I picked up the car with nothing being done, lately I have been hearing a rumbling sound when I put the car in gear it sounds like a bunch of loose nuts and bolts and only does it when its in gear cannot hear it when in park I think that there is something wrong with the transmission does anyone else have this problem..

dpsports

kingr.....This has now happened twice to me. This past January/February car was in a total of five times before the problem was solved. Initially the box recorded an error code that they couldn't understand. After the third visit they traced the problem and replaced the coil pack on Number 3 cylinder. One week later exactly the same problem that they referred to HO. Finally replaced the spark plug on same #3 and vehicle has been fine until last week. Same problem but have not yet been into the service department for inspection. I'll personally be shocked if it's not the #3 again and will suggest that it is one that goes idle first during VCM operation. Occasionally goes away and engine light stays on steady. When problem is bad and operation is very rough (bad fuel consumption +30%) light flashes. VSA light and triangle briefly illuminated this morning too.

2008 Accord V6 - four rear brake replacements in 120,000 klm (almost all highway driving) and was told the last time that my front brakes are 9/10 (never been done, hmmmmmm - balance issue).

White crap blowing out of the front dash vents on occasion. The worst seats I have ever experienced. VCM vibration/stuttering since the first day. The worst vehicle I have ever owned (my third Accord in a row - wish I had kept the 2005). I'm willing to give Honda some grace by suggesting that not all Accords are bad, if of course they are willing to agree that not all Accords are built equal..

Will let you know what happens later this week.

mvp2ny

I have a 2008 Accord with 14K miles. I hardly used the vehicle and when I took it in for an oil change, I was told that the brakes needed to be replaced. According to the dealer, it was a nationwide problem but Honda has not issued any recalls. Anyone have any similar problems? Is there any kind of reimbursment for changing the brakes on these newer models?

-Drive safe. :mad:

michael2595

welcome to the club.. At least you dont have rotor issues on top of it. I have a 2007.. right at 15 k, my brake system went on me... rotors had to be turned , etc.. 5,000 miles later rotors had to be turned again.. The dealer told me it was all my fault... Wouldnt let them work on the car ever again... Put a whole new aftermarket brake system in at a considerable expense... everything has been fine ever since. Will never buy that piece of [non-permissible content removed] again.

jmillerjmiller

I had one Ford Windstar (company van), that had a hesitation starting out, and I was surprised when the dealer put in a transmission to fix it. At 31,000 miles..

As for the rattling when in gear, idling, with brakes on - could be the engine is idling at a lower than normal rpm. There tends to be a bunch of odd resonances when that happens. If possible, touch the gas a tiny bit while still holding the brakes - if the noise abates with the small increase in rpm, I would guess that you have an issue with the engine causing both the hesitation and idle issue. Real question then is, what could cause the issue, yet not set any trouble codes? Air leak in the intake system, faulty fuel injector, bad plug, bad sensor.

That fee stinks, for a couple minutes with a diagnostic tool. Some auto stores will rent / loan / use a diagnostic tool for their customers. Some can be bought for that price. Believe it or not, I heard while in the Firestone store today (company van service) a $99 quote to a customer to diagnose his check engine light - so it is a common profit center now.

dpsports

As mentioned a couple of days ago, my 08 V6 is struggling again. Dealership today notes that the coil pack and spark plug for #3 cylinder need replacing.....again. Yes, again. Had problems throughout late winter/early spring, coil pack replaced on #3 only to go again a week later. Eventually plug and coil pack replaced in April of this year and car ran okay until late last week.

The dealer was going to speak to Tech line this afternoon to find out if anything further needed doing as well. Seems odd that it's the same cylinder again. And yes, I've had personal issues with the VCM operation since day one and wonder if they are somehow related.

michael2595

lemon law perhaps?

jmillerjmiller

If you haven't seen them, you may find posts 3 and 4 of this forum chain interesting:
http://www.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=2866268

They talk about this being a known issue, calling for a plug replacement and PCM update.

From another posting - including a supposed bulletin number:
'Inspected spark plugs No. 1 through No. 4, Found the No. 3 spark plug fouled. Replaced the No. 3 cylinder spark plug and performed the power train control module software update as per Honda Service Bulletin No. 10-033'

The most common repair appears to be the plug, coil pack, and PCM update.

I'm not sure I am still willing to consider selling my 08 Accord Sedan EX-L V6 Navi to a relative to replace her 99 Accord LX V6 anymore. Between the rear brakes, oil use, vcm vibes, it might prove to be more costly to keep running than the 99.

rkirchoff

I suggest taking your car to a different honda dealership to fix your problems. For example, I bought my 08 accord in Terre Haute, In., at Thompson's Honda and due to their service manager lying to me, I have all repairs including maintenance performed at Dpat Honda in Evansville, In.

camrider

I read elsewhere on web that some engines are missing a piston ring and that is probably related to the fouling of cylinder and plug. I bet Honda knows of this problem source and is not telling anyone for obvious financial reasons. A big cost factor to take engine apart to put in missing piston ring. There has to be enough number of people to complain and take legal action to resolve this problem. This problem is probably a production line at a specific plant during a specific number of runs before the production line was corrected. I also bet that the excess oil usage that some people are experiencing is also related directly to the missing piston ring. All the people that are experiencing these problems need to organize with legal assistance to take action. Good luck.

kingr

Sorry to hear the problem has returned also all the other problems you have experienced. All I can say is if that happens again to me I will get it fixed and get rid of the car. There is an obvious problem which I believe is caused by the VCM. Looked into this issue a little when I had the problem and it seems the first cylinder to shut down is No. 3. Seems more than a coincidence that the No. 3 plug is always the fouled plug.

dpmeersman

I brought my 2010 EX-L V6 Sedan in for an early oil change (30% MM- 6,800 miles) because of a low pitch constant drone that had developed. Could not put a finger on the cause just knew that it was forward of the cabin so I assumed it was drive-train related. The dealer changed the oil and told me that the sound was normal, all Accords made it. I asked that a service tech go for a spin with me which he did and he admitted he heard something out of the ordinary but wasn't sure what it was, maybe a wheel bearing he thought. I drove the vehicle for another 3 weeks, hating every minute of it, as the drone sound was becoming louder. Finally made another appointment and it turns out it was the front left wheel bearing that was shot. Repaired under warranty and car is back to normal.
Considering the run around that Honda has been known to do and the fact that they felt the sound was normal for Accords, my situation had a happy ending. I did fume for a few weeks and avoided driving the vehicle unless I had to, but my problem was resolved satisfactorily.

hondalova

Your lucky you weren't hurt. Of course, if the wheel had fallen off after Honda told you it was a normal sound, you theoretically could have bought the dealership with the lawsuit's proceeds....

novice27

As most of you know, the car's brakes are aging very fast and were subject to a class action suit. My rear brakes were 50% warn at 10,000 miles. Well...I now have 18,000 miles. Does anyone know what happens when the car's rear brakes fail?? I do...because I almost killed myself.

Insult to injury...Honda will only pay for the brake materials...not the labor. This is why people file suits...because the car companies act like moron's!!

novice27

Honda is only paying for the brake materials. What should happen is the government force a recall on them and they get as punished as Toyota was punished.

jam808

I am trying to decide which car to get an Accord or a Altima

After reading the forum I See the Altima is Noisy which is weird to me and the CVT give problems, what ever that is

Is there anything wrong with the Accord that i should know about 2008-2009 Sedan

michael2595

loom into the problem with brake sytems, particularly the rotors which are made out of tissue... Had them turned twice in less than 15,000 miles.. car has 20k.. got rid of that crap and put on new rotors and brakes at a considerable expense.. Service detp told me the rotor problems were my fault.. Glad I didnt have a baseball bat. there should have been a recall as far as I am concerned but who am I just a dumb consumer driving cars for thirty years always blowing my rotors. :mad:

icyou812

Well, my 08 LX 4cyl 5speed manual has almost 40k and still has the original brakes so far. The dealers should be shot for turning rotors. Most of them don't have that much thickness to them. Taking away material means less ability to dissipate heat which leads to warping. As far as problems, I've had a squeaky glove box door, and replaced all four door seals due to them coming loose. The worst thing was third gear popping out/grinding issue. Finally resolved it by using BG Syncroshift 2 synthetic gear lube. I finally got used to the seats, but it took quite a while. Road noise is quite pronounced depending on road surface. Headlights flicker every 30 seconds or so when the A/C compressor cycles. Other than the tranny, nothing too major. I love the way it handles, and the 5 speed shifts like a dream. I'd buy one again, but it would have to be a manual. As far as I know, there isn't a perfect vehicle out there to buy. Do your research, ask questions, and test drive 'em. Good luck!

buyhonda1

I don't know whether this is the right forum to ask this. I want to know what is the brand/product for best all weather floor mats for Accord.

surfsalterpath

http://www.bernardiparts.com/Honda-All-Season-Floor-Mats-Accord-Sedan__08P13-TA0- -XXX.aspx

....was considering the oem model. Anyone have these?

michael2595

These floor mats used to be made in Britain.. simply amazing , especially in winter. I had them in my car for 22 years and they still looked like new.

http://www.autogeek.net/weattecfloor.html

icyou812

I have the OEM all season mats and they are nice. OEM means they fit right and are what I would call heavy duty. While your at it a trunk tray is a good investment too.

guitar4him

I have the OEM mats in my 2008 Accord. They fit great, look good and really are "heavy duty". Highly recommend!

Ken

ugj

Just purchased an LX Accord sedan, Ivory cloth interior. Rather hasty decision. Looking back thinking should have gone for SE with leather seats. Now to fix this, I am in search of good custom seat covers that would not jeopardize my side air bags. The dealer mentioned that Honda authorized dealerships don't sell seat covers since they tend to interfere with the airbags. Any suggestions, recommendations for seat covers? I have googled it with little luck.

Thanks
UGJ

mvp2ny

I have the grey leather leats and they are turning dark. I got them washed and detailed but you are better off with the cloth interior. As far as the brakes are concerned, I spoke to Honda and they told me there is no recall but there is a settlement and if you qualify you can get up to $150 reimbursement. I am taking my Accord to the dealer to get the brakes done. I also have HID kit that I will put in once the winter is over. Any one put aftermarket HID kits in? :shades:

rkirchoff

Cloth seats? Are you kidding me? Leather seats are best! Cloth seats will soak up all your sweat, all the scents and odors in the car, and will eventually feel dirty and grimey. I use a leather cleaner and conditioner that I bought from Griot's Garage. My 08 accord's seats look and smell new yet and I've got 66,000 miles on it.

As far as those brake issues, I've been reimbursed twice for my brake pads and have received $95 for each one which totals at $190. Make sure the receipt shows the part number and not just honda's part number or it will be returned. I sent honda's part number and their system rejected it...telling me that the number was not recognized by their system. It has to be the part number from the box it came in.

flankdriveed

Dealer took in my 08 with 78k miles and "rebuilt" it last week. New rings and rod bearings and went through the head. Compression came up from 145 psi to 160 psi. 135 was min. spec. They could not find root of problem. Hope this fixed it. I am still concerned that the noisey oil pump may be an issue and from what the RO read they did not replace it which stuns me.

icyou812

When my friend rebuilt the 2.2 in my old Camry this last year, he put in a new oil pump. It's a no-brainer. Did you ask them about it?

dilt1

Having a 2010 Accord EX-L V6 with an oil consumption issue....have you heard any further from your dealer with regard to a fix?

I had an oil change performed this week at the dealer (usually do myself but it's too cold!) and noted to the service adviser (whom I've known for 10+ years) that in my first 12k miles, 4+ quarts of oil consumed. Basic response was "Welcome to the Club" and that, as of last week, he was awaiting an imminent service bulletin. He's been a stand-up guy previously and I'm wondering if any others are getting similar responses and information from their Honda dealers.

It is the first new car I've ever had that consumed oil. Other than that, it's a fine vehicle.

rkirchoff

i've never heard of such malarky. i've had 2 accords and v6 in both of which i run hard and have yet to have any oil consumption problems. i drive about 80mph most of the time on the highway and do alot of city driving too. i also drive in dusty conditions since i travel throughout farms in the midwest. i've also taken trips to montana, florida, and south carolina many times in my 08 accord v6 and have yet to use a drop of oil between oil changes. maybe i don't have oil consumption problems due to my way of breaking-in a car when it is new right-off-the-lot and i am the first owner/driver of that car. i was taught many years ago that new engines need their rings set. i was then taught that as soon as i was on the way home with my new car to floor it and run the speed up to over 100mph and hold it there for a few minutes and then to drive it hard for the first 5000 miles so that the engine would get hot and it would set the rings. i did this in all but 1 new car and had problems with oil consumption in only 1 car of which that was the one i followed factory break-in schedule. i've been told that these new cars do not need their rings set. i say...bs. i put 85000 hard miles on my 04 accord v6 and never once had any engine problems. and now on my 08 accord v6 with 65000 miles, i can still say i have no engine problems of any kind other than horrible gas mileage. i will say that i am 57 and have bought around 11 new cars in my lifetime.

dilt1

I agree that the oil consumption is malarkey and the car was broken in "under load" with lots of hills in the usual commute. Note that my previous 2006 V6 Accord 6MT sedan did not use a drop in the 100k+ miles I had it (nor did any previous new car I ever owned). Gas mileage has been fine with a high of 33 mpg on a road trip and even in the cold and snow of upstate NY I'm getting 22-24 mpg constantly.

So the problem remains. The cause and remedy will be detailed as I find both out. It is annoying and interesting at the same time.

Regards.

haisenthil

HI
I was shocked to hear my service agent that the brake pad for accord EX with 17000 miles has gone bad during my last service. I did not expect the life of brake of a new car was this short! Shame on Honda.,
The service agent also told that there is a law suit going on this issue and i can claim partial amount of it..

I request right advice on this forum on what to do on this..
Thanks
=Senthil

michael2595

The lawsuit can go on forever and what will happen.. a pro ration? Thank heaven you only have a problem with a brake pad.. change it.

... I have had real brake problems ... my rotors are made out out of tissue paper and had them turned twice before 15,00 miles..and they said it was my fault and back brakes are worn down.I have had freinds who rotors warped at 2000 miles. Brakes = safety.. Kids in the car = more safety so at around 20,000 miles I had the whole brake system changed (no honda parts whatsoever) including rotors ,, calipers and brakes and flushed my brake system with the BG flush.. No more troubles.Brake system is perfect. Honda can kiss my [non-permissible content removed].. will never buy another again. never.. Now I drive my car worrying that my family wont be killed

chiralpaul

For information about the class action lawsuit regarding Honda brake pads go to:
http://www.girardgibbs.com/hondabrakes.asp

I filed a claim for my '08 accords rear brakes and received a check for $150 which was almost exactly the cost of the repair. Also, they use a new type of pad which is supposed to last at least 70K miles according to my Honda dealer

dudenhaufer

I'm looking at an '08 accord ex-l (everything except nav), with 69k miles. After reading reviews and this thread, the oil burning and brake issues have me nervous. Should I be concerned if this is a Honda Certified vehicle from the dealership? It has had only one owner (personal-use, not a rental), so I'm thinking that any odd issues with brakes or oil burning would be seen by now, but then again, they could be hidden by the dealer.

What should I look out for? I've had several Hondas before with no issues at all, so seeing all these issues with the accord makes me nervous to buy one.

chiralpaul

My '08 EXL burns no oil but did have the rear brake pad problem. My opinion is that if it hasn't burned oil in the past you will not have future problems in this area but make sure it has the improved brake pads installed in the rear. I am happy with the car for the most part.

michael2595

If its Honda Certified then it may have been purchased there.If so , ask for the service records.and the past owners name and number to check with him. If not , take down the Vin number , get the past owners name from it and call him. May not work in your state.. worked in mine by calling the DMV and found out odometer was turned back and a few other things the dealer did not disclose.. Get carfax and start from there if you cant get the vin number yourself from the car. Dont certified cars come with a substantial warranty..?

lsnut

I just bought this from the original owner with 37K miles on it and all the service records checked out with no apparent issues - - except he had the same rear brake problem mentioned elsewhere here; replaced at 15K. I've just made my second gas refill and got a whopping big 18.8 mpg!! and this was driving mostly rural stuff with minimal starts/stops. Does anyone else get this bad of gas mileage on their Accords?
Another concern I have is that at neutral throttle going around 40 mph on a flat road, the car has a slight "bucking" where it won't quite keep a constant smooth speed going - - doesn't seem to do it on cruise control though so it makes me wonder whether it's an "electronics issue" with the gas pedal (or maybe I'm just getting so old I've got the shakes in my right foot). Anyone else ever experience this?

rkirchoff

the slight bucking is caused by the horrible eco system and there is no way to turn it off. horrible gas mileage is what i've been getting too. the worst i have gotten is 22.8mpg city/highway and the best is 27mpg with the cruise control on and set at 85mph in montana. my previous 04 accord v6 that didn't have that horrible eco system got a great 25.5mpg city/highway and an even better 29.75mpg without the cruise control on at 85mph in south dakota and montana. the horrible eco system constantly bucks at higher speeds too and has been known to do it with the cruise control on as well. i've written honda about it but they show no interest.

dpmeersman

Yeah what rkirchoff has mentioned is probably the culprit. Around the 40 MPH that you mention the transmission is shifting into 5th gear right about the time VCM is shutting down 2 to 3 cylinders if you're feathering the throttle. So at this point you have an engine that will re-activate cylinder(s) at the slightest incline or depression of the accelerator. This activity was never present in your previous Honda 6 cyl and for all that Honda claims it is imperceptible, there are many of us that notice this activity. I'm used to it and it really doesn't bother me that much, but I know it's there.
Fuel economy has been atrocious this winter in my 2010 EX-L V6. My last 2 tanks were 18 MPG. With temperatures between 10 below 0 to 20 above, and trips of 10 miles or less in traffic, I wasn't expecting much better. This years winter blend of fuel seems to have no umph to it, so I find myself being a little more aggressive with the throttle which has the expected negative effect on fuel economy. I've yet to get better than 28 MPG's on my 2010, but did see several tanks @ 33 MPG's with my 08 6 cyl.

jmillerjmiller

As the others have said - Welcome to VCM (has it's own forum) as done on the V6 Accord Sedan.

Mine seems more severe lately, might be the winter fuel. It's effect is minimized when using cruise, but still noticeable - more so on a highway in an area with lots of small hills.

Your mileage is spot on with my 2008 EX-L V6 Navi. About 18MPG unless running exclusively highway with the cruise control in the high 70's - then I have seen 29MPG over a 400 mile trip (on more than one trip).

My heavy foot in town, used to have a 2006 Subaru Outback 2.5 XT Limited Turbo with a five speed manual - 17MPG around town, 25MPG on the highway.

temj12

Just an aside. What is the speed limit in Montana? I would love driving that fast and not having to worry about it. At one time, was it not unlimited. It just had to be reasonable.

rkirchoff

the speed limit in montana is 75mph which is also the speed limit for south dakota.

catmike

Dude,,,, I have a 2008 Honda EX L with 4 cyl. 31k... used as my company car and now used for personal use. No brake pad problems (I'm suprised).... I make use of Honda's feature that reduces the tranny gear as you slow down... very effective on hills if you lay off the gas pedal (i'm not explaining this very well).... In any case it saves the pads.
The peppy 4 cyl does not burn oil in my car. But does use oil.... I check the oil frequently. Between 7 k oil changes, the car will use one or two quarts (added). Lots of people consider this a sin, lol. But not me, I take it as a design function by Honda. I use Mobil 1.....

I'm hopping to keep my car to 250K .... This car is different than my other Hondas. The engine at 190 hp has strong power and likes to cruise . I get 21 to 24 mpg in and around Jupiter, Fl - on the higway 27 to 30. On long, long trips with the car overloaded (not wise to do) going hell bent for leather the mpg was 39 mpg - twice. I couldnt believe it - checked the numbers and second time was exact with numbers - again 39 mpg. Around home it's 24 if i dont rush.

I cant make up my mind about a recomendation.... My devotion to Honda was shaken with the rear brake issue, VCM problems and assorted factory hassles that many members here have had. I've had a few cosmetic issues with seat leather and panels that were fixed in a flash by the factory.

One thing that Honda has not fixed is the blinking of head lights when the a/c is on. I live on a dark street. The lights are terrific - always. But, mine blink when the a/c compressor kicks on or off. It's not a fault - they are not broken - but it sure is annoying. My first car, Model A Ford, had shakey lights, lol. Bumps wobbled the beam on rough surfaces. That car was built in 1928 and is still driven today. My car built 80 years later shouldnt have any headlight issues - Zero. But the Dealership ppl dismiss my complaint.

Follow Michael's comments and buy the car cheap (and make sure you have your mechanic look at the rear brake pads. And check out the entire care for anything else. The replacment pads are supposed to be 70k doable)

All that said, I like my 2008 Honda EX L.

Goodluck
mike

hackattack5

Senthil: I had the samething happen to me. My wifes 08 Accord was horrible. Here is what I did. About 18 months ago I took that sucker and traded it in on a Ford Fusion. The Fusion is the best new car that I have ever owned. I like it so much that I am getting ready to trade My Toyota in for another Fusion. I just read an article that says Honda's profits are down but they are planning on cost saving projects to get the profit back up. I hope they do not make the back brakes any cheaper than they already are.

itsmaheshp

Hi - running 2009 Accord EXL having 50K miles. I have been noticing clicking sound when i turn the wheel to either left / right. any idea?

Mahesh