For developing a design that has loose enough tolerances to allow minor (very minor, IMHO) "vibrations" that can be felt by a very small number of owners?
No crashes, deaths or injuries resulting from the vibrations. Actually, no damage whatsoever. Just a minor annoyance.
Somehow, I doubt that any lawyer with the intelligence to potentially win such a frivolous lawsuit would take the case.
While I totally agree that these "issues" are annoying, only a few owners seem to suffer from them, with the majority of owners, myself included, cannot feel anything when our VCM system changes modes.
BTW- Believe it or not, the ECO light is not a direct reflection of what mode the VCM is in, although it might seem to be. It only indicates that you are driving in the most economical manner possible at the time.
If you are so irritated with your Accord, simply sell it and move on. Life is too short to get so worked up over an annoyance.
""" may be now is time to get together to ask for review of Honda Motor on their design and safety issue. Is their any lawyer out there welling to help to set up a class action to sue Honda Motor? """
So- by this logic I could have sued General Motors / Saturn Corporation because my 2001 Saturn SL1 had panel gaps so huge between the doors that it was drafty during the winter months and caused me to get a cold.
Give me a break !
Go ahead and sue Honda - I would love to see them wipe the floor with you and make you pay their legal costs for such a frivolous lawsuit.
I find it odd that people are attacking me. I am posting my honest experience and I am apparently not alone. I do not find this to be minor. I truly feel it is a safety hazard. Surging and vibrating at highway speeds is not a minor issue in my book. Maybe you feel safe driving your family around at 65-70 with strange vibrations and surges that you have never felt before. I do not.
I am not looking for one penny from Honda or anyone else. I just want a car that works properly and safely. As far as research, I did my research using MSN, Road and Track and Car and Driver. I didn't read blogs.
Can't you guys just be sympathetic to my problem? I am not attacking you in any way. I just want my car fixed. I am very sad and distraught. I thought this was a forum for open discussion on problems and solutions.
"Go ahead and sue Honda - I would love to see them wipe the floor with you and make you pay their legal costs for such a frivolous lawsuit"
accordguy0325: Are you having bad days lately? You were the one loyal Honda guy that could have a great conversation on the positive and the not so positive experiences about Honda vehicles. I do agree with you the unhappy VCM owner ought to flip that sucker and try something new but maybe he can not afford it now or maybe he just wants to vent. Its kind of like at work for me, none of the bosses want any negativity at all 0 tallerance for it but then they wonder why everything is so screwed up? because if you don't talk about what is broke you can't fix it.
We feel sorry for you and are trying to help you. Our Accords work as designed and yours obviously does not. You won't get sympathy here by trying to turn us against Honda.
You need to work with your dealer (in a positive manner) to get them to fix your problem. Being negative to them will not help your cause (even if it makes you feel better).
If it's just a matter of you not liking the general behavior of VCM, then that is not Honda's fault and you can't sue them for that. My wife's Accord drives great and gets really good mileage. We are super happy with it.
As far as research, I did my research using MSN, Road and Track and Car and Driver. I didn't read blogs
I thank this site for that. I read the reviews and was sold on a V6 honda. When I read the blogs it raised some doubts for me, but I planned to buy one after a test drive. ONE test drive was all it took for me. The constant off and on (like the a/c kicking off and on) was enough for me. I also noticed they hadn't taken care of the wind noise in the a-pillar and the road noise was typical honda. I may have bought had it not been for the VCM. Thank you for tipping me off bloggers! Had I not read these blogs I wouldn't have taken a long test drive.
I can sympathize. Mine has a shimmy in the steering wheel, along with some vibes in the front floor, etc. Tires and road force balancing just changes what speeds it occurs at. Dealer says, felt the vibration, road force balance wheels, road tested, just normal road noise now - each of the visits. Same steps, never any deeper checking. Typical BS.
The VCM just makes the car tougher to do a smooth job driving in the typical bumper to bumper, constantly varying speeds on the highway in a metro area. You add a little gas and it balks, then suddenly it responds. Wash rinse and repeat over and over. If you can't use the cruise control its annoying if focused on.
I now follow the age old fix of cranking up the radio, and driving it like a rental car. F pride in ownership. Dealers of any brand are typically poor at fixing hard to diagnose issues - first hand experience with Chrysler, BMW and now Honda on that front (I've owned eight different brands).
I do agree that when you nitpick the 08 I have, compared to nitpicking older USA built accords, that it has gotten cheaper feeling, and less attention to quality and detail. More paint flaws than my last three vehicles combined. No I did not get much of a chance to check mine out before buying, as the particular model and color had to come from Marysville - no one local had one in stock. Normally that is not a problem (now it appears to be).
If the local toyota dealer hadn't ignored me in the showroom, I might have an Avalon right now instead.
Now with Toyota Motor get so much attention, may be now is time to get together to ask for review of Honda Motor on their design and safety issue. Is their any lawyer out there welling to help to set up a class action to sue Honda Motor?
While I understand that you are disappointed in your car, and that it's hard when you spend $30k on a car, and hate to drive it. You should get some enjoyment out of $30k. However, this is in no way a "safety" issue. VCM activity is not going to cause a loss of control. You are just going to have to sell it, and take the loss, and learn from it. Research the next car, and do a thorough test drive (paying close attention to reported issues), before signing on the dotted line. I put up with a piece of crap for 6 years, before I could sell it for no loss. 6 years of learning not to make the same mistake again. People tend to fall in love with a vehicle, and quickly dismiss any issues they notice on a test drive. When they really should be asking themselves, Can I put up with this every day, for hours at a time? We live, and we learn.
How do you know that my car does not have a safety issue without ever driving or inspecting it? I suppose you think that the people who's Toyotas were accelerating for no reason are liars. Or the people with the tires would blow out at highway speeds were pretending to die? Or vans and jeeps that would roll over in moderately high winds was their imagination. Or Pintos and Gremlins or Corvairs that would blow up, I guess you know for a fact that didn't happen?
I guess there's no need for safety inspectors since you KNOW the cars are safe. My car definitely surges for no known reason. I also feel a loss of power steering when it vibrates. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE!!!
"I guess there's no need for safety inspectors since you KNOW the cars are safe. My car definitely surges for no known reason. I also feel a loss of power steering when it vibrates. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE!!!"
As viewed by some "THIS IS A SAFETY STRETCH."!!! The Accord is one of the safest cars on the road. If yours is malfunctioning then your dealer really does need to support you. If he will not support you, then that is a dealer issue. No need to smear the entire Accord line.
Unfortunately, complaing about your Accord on this forum accomplishes nothing. We can't do anything to help you. You really have only three choices:
1) Live with it as is. Obviously you don't want to do this. 2) Work with your dealer to resolve your issues. Hasn't worked out too well for you so far. 3) Sell it and move on. This may be your best and ONLY choice.
If you truly believe your car is unsafe, then call Honda America, or the US Governement to find help. As a last resort, drop off the car & the key at the dealer and tell them you refuse to drive it until it is fixed.
Life's too short to live with this aggravation. All you're doing is making yourself sick over a pile of metal and plastic.
I guess there's no need for safety inspectors since you KNOW the cars are safe. My car definitely surges for no known reason. I also feel a loss of power steering when it vibrates. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE!!!
I looked back at my post, and sure enough, I didn't say anything about Toyota, Pinto, or Corvairs etc. :confuse: What do any of these cars have to do with the Accord, or VCM? Sorry, I don't see the connection. They are not even made by the same company. I'm sure these were REAL safety issues, and recalls were issued on those cars. Of all the people who have complained about the VCM vibration/surging, none of them have mentioned loss of power steering. If your car is doing this, you need to do whatever it takes to have the issue resolved, including hiring a lawyer, if that's what it takes. IMO, this is not a safety issue, and there will neverbe a recall for VCM issues, IMO.
I am glad that I found this forum. While googling to see if oil consumption had been an issue with other Honda Accord owners, I found this forum. After reading others' experiences, I guess mines is not as bad??? I bought a certified, pre-owned '09 Honda Accord EX-L V6 about 4 months ago with 12,300 miles on it. I've driven about 5,500 miles, and the oil life is now at 40%. It was at 90% when I bought the car. Just for the heck of it, I decided to check the oil, and it's a little bit over the bottom mark on the dipstick. This surprised me because my previous car, '98 Honda Accord V6, burned little oil...never had to add any oil to it. I recently traded it in (at 198,800 miles) for this '09 one. Having a car for almost 12 years, never having to add any oil, it is weird for me to be adding oil to a fairly new car. However, judging from previous posts, my oil consumption is not as bad as others?? But this oil consumption still bothers me. I am hoping it gets better.
Also, I am glad that I read the posts about VCM vibrations. I've gotten used to the VCM shifting, so that doesn't bother me. However, I had wondered if Honda thought about making it possible to turn it off. Even if they had, I probably wouldn't turn it off often because I am enjoying the gas mileage. However, about 2 weeks ago, as I entered the expressway, I noticed a vibration-feeling as if the tires were not aligned. About three miles down the expressway, the vibration went away, and it has not done it again. Before reading these posts, I had no idea that this may have been a VCM issue. I was wondering if my tires was not balanced, but since I haven't experienced the vibration anymore, I didn't worry about it anymore. Now, if I get that vibration again, then I know that it may be the VCM doing this, and that a vibration from time to time is normal???
Were you able to get a copy of the maintenance/repair history of your new Accord? Since it was sold with low mileage, someone may have sold it for the very reasons you mentioned. I hope not but it can happen. All cars use some oil. Depending on how they are driven they can use more or less. I have no suggestions on the vibration. Seems like if it were the VCM it would be repeatable. Hope it all works out.
Yes, I viewed the maintenance history, and the only thing I saw is where the previous owner had to re-balance a tire or something....hmmm. But, not an oil issue. I was told that the previous owner traded it in because she wanted a bigger vehicle...hmmm.
This is the reason we need government involved to make sure the car companies does not hide their mistake. For what, engine vibration? If you don't like a car, buy a different one. Honda doesn't put a gut towards your head and mandate to buy an accord. :mad:
At what mileage did you change your oil in your '98 Accord? I've got a little over 29,000 miles on my '08 EX-L V6 and found when I check the oil when it has around 5,000 miles on it, the level is fine. Now @ 7,100 miles on it and still @ 30% oil life, it's down around 1/2 to 3/4 of a quart. If we were changing the oil in this generation of Accords @ 5,000 miles I don't think we would be discussing oil consumption.
In single digit or below zero temperatures I've had a few minor instances of vibration which I've attributed to the hydraulic motor mounts being a little stiffer. I'm not saying I'm right about this but it's something that I can rationalize short of any other explanation.
I've had several rides in 2 different '10 Ford Taurus and I'm impressed with the overall fit and finish. What turns me off is that they weigh over 4,000 lbs. That weight seems to help with it's composure over rough roads, but that is part of what I like about my Accord. It's somewhat noisy, mostly tire noise, on interstates but it never feels isolated from the road, very connected.
Almost 30 months of driving my 08 and I think I would make the same purchase again. I have a 3,000 mile / 10 day trip coming up, by far the most time I'll have put in the drivers seat of this car. I'll share my impressions, assuming a safe return.
Dpmeersman, I changed the oil in my previous '98 Honda at around 4,000 miles. It would show full whenever I had the oil changed. I always checked it before I had the oil changed...and checked it afterwards just to make sure they didn't overfill. I've heard horror stories of places putting too much oil in cars.
Anyway, I put a quart of oil in it yesterday, and it brought the level back up to the top mark on the dipstick. I guess one quart in 5,500 miles ain't bad. I'm just used to having a car that burns very very little oil. Right now, I'm not going to worry about it, but I will check it again before it gets to 15%.
We just completed a 1350 mile round trip from Grand Junction, CO to Laughlin, NV. We never noticed any commonly reported VCM issues. Absolutely nothing. MPG averaged 25-27 with CC on as nuch as possible, and that silly ECO light was on almost all the time, even at 85 mph on the freeway.
Had my 2010 Coupe V6 automatic in the shop for the 4th time in two months now for vibration, surging issues. Three times did a tire rotation and balance, last time did the high speed, forced balance. Still vibrating, surging, pausing and other wierd stuff. I finally called the Honda corporate office. I told them I had four other Hondas and they were all smooth running cars, even cheap $13K Civic. The rep said, "did any of the other cars have VCM? That's what VCM does.". Pretty much tells the whole story right there. They definitely know about it. At this point I wouldn't recommend anyone buy an Accord with VCM. Maybe the majority of them are perfectly smooth and no problems. But what percentage? Is it worth the risk? Not from my experience.
My wife and I have had 4 Accords starting with the 2004 model year. The last ones were 2007 EXL Accords with the V-6.We loved the turbine smooth V-6 and on the highway we have seen 33 MPG! Our overall average was 27.8 for all types of driving. Recently we drove the 2010 Accord V6 and saw many things to like...more room..better stereo system Finally the Auto dimming mirror and fog lights standard! Looked good on paper having more horsepower on the 3.5 V6 too.
Driving was a different story! Unfortunately the VCM constantly hunted even on staight open road driving. No comparison to the 2007 in smooth running execution..I kept looking at the gauges and realized Honda had also taken away the electro luminecent lighting on the 2010. They also took away the fabulous LED tailights our 2007s had! Finally the larger 2010 tires 225x50x18 transmited quite a bit of road noise! I admit the the 2007 was not very quiet either..we ended up having sound deadener installed by a local stero shop which made the 07 a much quieter car. I was never a fan of the leather quaility on the 07s but in balance they mights have been some of the best cars we ever had!
In summary, the 2010 Accord is OK but it pales in comparison to the 2007 Accords. They took away any reasons we had to buy Accords again
Sounds like you should have kept your 2007! I only trade every 10 or 11 years. If something works well and satisfies my needs, I keep it. You can save a lot of money that way and if you ever want to you can buy a decent car.
Yes, the 2007 Accord was a great car. I had leased it and looking backwards, I should have bought it at the outset. Honda's leasing program is one of the best though my declared residual was jus too high to buy it after the lease.
Recently we drove the 2010 Accord V6 and saw many things to like...more room..better stereo system Finally the Auto dimming mirror and fog lights standard! Looked good on paper having more horsepower on the 3.5 V6 too.
I kept looking at the gauges and realized Honda had also taken away the electro luminecent lighting on the 2010. They also took away the fabulous LED tailights our 2007s had! Finally the larger 2010 tires 225x50x18 transmited quite a bit of road noise! I admit the the 2007 was not very quiet either..we ended up having sound deadener installed by a local stero shop which made the 07 a much quieter car.
My belief is that Honda has totally perfected the art of "Giving (adding features) with one hand while taking-away (removing features) with the other hand."
Granted, some of the new(er) features are nice, but not all are useful to all people, like Bluetooth and RDS, which are totally useless to me. OTOH, some of the "taken-away" features were useful to lots of people too (like the glove box and ambient lights).
I think Honda engineers have found Toyota's supply of "cost-cutting" Kool-Aid and have drunk a bunch of it. Too bad as Honda could have pointed to their standard features as a value differentiator had they kept them.
It could be worse.
BTW- I had to install Dynamat under the rear seat and in the trunk of our 2010 sedan to quiet it down on the highway.
Had my 2010 Coupe V6 automatic in the shop for the 4th time in two months now for vibration, surging issues. Three times did a tire rotation and balance, last time did the high speed, forced balance. Still vibrating, surging, pausing and other wierd stuff. I finally called the Honda corporate office. I told them I had four other Hondas and they were all smooth running cars, even cheap $13K Civic. The rep said, "did any of the other cars have VCM? That's what VCM does.". Pretty much tells the whole story right there. They definitely know about it. At this point I wouldn't recommend anyone buy an Accord with VCM. Maybe the majority of them are perfectly smooth and no problems. But what percentage? Is it worth the risk? Not from my experience.
Sounds like it may be time to give it up and find another car. That sucks!
I totaly agree with you. Some times it's the little things taken away that push the car back to average. The 2006/2007s Accord LED tail lights in my mind were a safety enhancement..they really lit things up at night and while braking. I did not realize the bean counters at Honda extinguished the glove box and ambient lighting as well. I remember the sales rep touting the 2010 Accord Tire Pressure Monitoring system. I learned that the TPS only give a general report on low tires. It's up to you to figure out which tire is low. GM on the other hand reports which tire is low and gives actual air pressure status on each tire their mid priced cars. I'm glad you were able to quiet things down with the Dyna Mat! I had the doors done too on my 07 and the difference was dramatic.
I remember the sales rep touting the 2010 Accord Tire Pressure Monitoring system. I learned that the TPS only give a general report on low tires. It's up to you to figure out which tire is low.
Yeah, the TPMS system is sort of a joke. When the light comes on, you have to find a compressor & a tire gauge (gas station for $.50??) and check/fill all four tires. THEN, it may take 3-4 cycles (on-off) of the engine before the light goes out. I guess that 's what we get with a government mandated "feature." Sheesh!
"How do I get out of a lease with 34 months left?"
Take your payment x 34 and add your residual value (should be on your truth in lending form that you signed) and thats what you will need to sell it for. Chances are you will not be able to get close to that amount so you will have to be willing to pay the difference. I am not sure about the tax on your 34 payments so you might save that amount. If you trade it in at the dealer you will be going in "upside down" and you will leave even further upside down. There is a company called Swapalease that will list your car and someone might want to take your lease over but they are looking for a good deal so that will cost you too.
I think of LED tail lights and HI head lights as nuisances and tire pressure monitors as gadgets (although forced by the Feds).
Those lights on other peoples cars are a real pain on my eyes. I don't trust gadgets so I keep up with my tire pressure by checking them occasionally. Not a bad idea for anyone actually. The more gadgets a car has the more likely it is to malfunction. (May still be a low occurrence rate though). The more we expect out of these cars (all makes) the more disappointed we are bound to be. Maybe that's why so many on the forums (camera too) are unhappy when, really, it should be a happy time (sort of )
As the owner of an '06 Accord with LED taillamps, I'm curious as to why you find the LED brakelights a nuisance. They respond quicker, and don't wash out in bright sunlight like some cars' brakelights do.">
Blue boy: Have you considered taking some happy pills? Just kidding I agree with you on some of the after market headlights. They are too bright and pointed right at oncoming traffic and blind you for several seconds.
I've heard complaints of headlight glare (I complain all the time about headlamp glare; Nissan seems to be a major offender here). Never heard a complaint about brakelamps though.
First for me as well. When I see how visible the 2007 brake lamps are in all conditions I wish my 08 had them. I can only offer an opinion on HID headlights from a receiving viewpoint as I've never been on the discharge side, and some seem to be done right, while others will damn near blind you. The poorly executed lamps I'm inclined to think are aftermarket wannabes, I don't believe the likes of Mercedes, Acura etc would execute what should be a safety offering as poorly as I've seen on some vehicles. I'm not so sure I would want to face the replacement costs of some HID's either.
+1 on HIDs! The vast majority of folks that have them don't need them, they simply wanted HIDs because they "look cool" with the bluish light. The web is absolutely full of people who want to look cool. Plus, HIDs usually only function on low beams, and high beams, where you could actually USE a brighter light, aren't affected. I guess there are still lots of folks out there with more money than they know what to do with. Wierd.
I also agree that most of the aftermarket add-ons are likely installed incorrectly, resulting in the headlights that nearly blind oncoming traffic.
What some of them do is a retro-fit, where they use the TSX, or other car's projector, and put it into the Accord headlamp enclosure. The Accord headlamps are not made for projectors, so most of them work poorly, and are aimed too high. Unfortunately, many states (including Louisiana) don't check for this when inspections are done. In Louisiana, they don't do smog tests, and even when there is a law against something (dark window tint for instance) it is not enforced. You can basically get away with anything, including cars that are so low they drag the ground, exhaust systems that are too loud, usually don't have a catalytic converter (illegal), or are completely rotted out. There are inspection stations here, where they don't check ANYTHING. You drive up, and by the time you pay the man, and sign the book, your car has been inspected, and you are ready to go. No one seems to care. :sick:
Unfortunately, many states (including Louisiana) don't check for this when inspections are done. In Louisiana, they don't do smog tests, and even when there is a law against something (dark window tint for instance) it is not enforced.
All true & then some here in Colorado. The smoggiest counties around Denver have some sort of smog inspection, but only every few years on older cars. No other type of inspection is done in the state. Lots of visible violations driving around, but they simply don't get pulled over because the poor cops are very understaffed. Unlikely to get any better in the forseeable future. :sick:
VCM stands for "Variable Cylinder Management" and is a feature on Honda's V6 models. From Honda's Web site: "This system can activate and deactivate the engine’s cylinders as needed to meet the demands of both acceleration and fuel savings. When maximum torque is required, all six cylinders are firing. During steady cruising speeds, VCM shuts down one bank of cylinders. As cruising speed increases the engine moves to a 4-cylinder mode for extra cruising power. To help keep engine vibration from reaching the cabin in every mode, active engine mounts automatically adjust their firmness to help absorb energy. The transition between the three operating modes is nearly seamless and goes unnoticed by the Accord’s passengers."
Well, so says Honda anyway. Accord drivers and drivers of other Honda models such as the Odyssey using this technology seem to think differently based on the number of comments in this thread and in forums on other Honda models.
Our son drove my wife's 2009 exl v6 accord sedan for 262 miles today. I also drove it another 262 miles (to his house).
After he drove a while I asked him specifically if he could feel the vcm (he noticed the eco mode light). He said he could not and paid particular attention trying to feel it the rest of the way home. I have never felt it nor can she. I guess some of the cars do better than others. My wife got a "keeper".
So, I guess people should not make generalizations based on their own experience. We can only speak for our own car. The actual statistical data would be nice here. Honda probably has it and appears not too worried.
It can be felt in mine, by me and others, both drivers and passengers, and it is still a keeper. It's activity is no more noticeable in my vehicle than a transmission shift
I've driven 1,465 miles since Friday March 19 and I'm looking forward to another 680 miles tomorrow. Worst tank MPG on this trip was 28 MPG and best was 33, no complaints here on it's fuel economy.
It's roomy, feels connected to the road, good visability. Type of road surface drastically influences road noise. New black top and it's reasonably quiet, broken pavement can be real noisy. I knew going in that it wasn't the quietest car on the road, not by a long shot. After 31,000 miles and given the current crop of vehicles available I think I would buy the Accord again.
Comments
For developing a design that has loose enough tolerances to allow minor (very minor, IMHO) "vibrations" that can be felt by a very small number of owners?
No crashes, deaths or injuries resulting from the vibrations. Actually, no damage whatsoever. Just a minor annoyance.
Somehow, I doubt that any lawyer with the intelligence to potentially win such a frivolous lawsuit would take the case.
While I totally agree that these "issues" are annoying, only a few owners seem to suffer from them, with the majority of owners, myself included, cannot feel anything when our VCM system changes modes.
BTW- Believe it or not, the ECO light is not a direct reflection of what mode the VCM is in, although it might seem to be. It only indicates that you are driving in the most economical manner possible at the time.
If you are so irritated with your Accord, simply sell it and move on. Life is too short to get so worked up over an annoyance.
So- by this logic I could have sued General Motors / Saturn Corporation because my 2001 Saturn SL1 had panel gaps so huge between the doors that it was drafty during the winter months and caused me to get a cold.
Give me a break !
Go ahead and sue Honda - I would love to see them wipe the floor with you and make you pay their legal costs for such a frivolous lawsuit.
I am not looking for one penny from Honda or anyone else. I just want a car that works properly and safely. As far as research, I did my research using MSN, Road and Track and Car and Driver. I didn't read blogs.
Can't you guys just be sympathetic to my problem? I am not attacking you in any way. I just want my car fixed. I am very sad and distraught. I thought this was a forum for open discussion on problems and solutions.
accordguy0325: Are you having bad days lately? You were the one loyal Honda guy that could have a great conversation on the positive and the not so positive experiences about Honda vehicles. I do agree with you the unhappy VCM owner ought to flip that sucker and try something new but maybe he can not afford it now or maybe he just wants to vent. Its kind of like at work for me, none of the bosses want any negativity at all 0 tallerance for it but then they wonder why everything is so screwed up? because if you don't talk about what is broke you can't fix it.
You need to work with your dealer (in a positive manner) to get them to fix your problem. Being negative to them will not help your cause (even if it makes you feel better).
If it's just a matter of you not liking the general behavior of VCM, then that is not Honda's fault and you can't sue them for that. My wife's Accord drives great and gets really good mileage. We are super happy with it.
I thank this site for that. I read the reviews and was sold on a V6 honda. When I read the blogs it raised some doubts for me, but I planned to buy one after a test drive. ONE test drive was all it took for me. The constant off and on (like the a/c kicking off and on) was enough for me. I also noticed they hadn't taken care of the wind noise in the a-pillar and the road noise was typical honda. I may have bought had it not been for the VCM. Thank you for tipping me off bloggers! Had I not read these blogs I wouldn't have taken a long test drive.
The VCM just makes the car tougher to do a smooth job driving in the typical bumper to bumper, constantly varying speeds on the highway in a metro area. You add a little gas and it balks, then suddenly it responds. Wash rinse and repeat over and over. If you can't use the cruise control its annoying if focused on.
I now follow the age old fix of cranking up the radio, and driving it like a rental car. F pride in ownership. Dealers of any brand are typically poor at fixing hard to diagnose issues - first hand experience with Chrysler, BMW and now Honda on that front (I've owned eight different brands).
I do agree that when you nitpick the 08 I have, compared to nitpicking older USA built accords, that it has gotten cheaper feeling, and less attention to quality and detail. More paint flaws than my last three vehicles combined. No I did not get much of a chance to check mine out before buying, as the particular model and color had to come from Marysville - no one local had one in stock. Normally that is not a problem (now it appears to be).
If the local toyota dealer hadn't ignored me in the showroom, I might have an Avalon right now instead.
While I understand that you are disappointed in your car, and that it's hard when you spend $30k on a car, and hate to drive it. You should get some enjoyment out of $30k. However, this is in no way a "safety" issue. VCM activity is not going to cause a loss of control. You are just going to have to sell it, and take the loss, and learn from it. Research the next car, and do a thorough test drive (paying close attention to reported issues), before signing on the dotted line. I put up with a piece of crap for 6 years, before I could sell it for no loss. 6 years of learning not to make the same mistake again. People tend to fall in love with a vehicle, and quickly dismiss any issues they notice on a test drive. When they really should be asking themselves, Can I put up with this every day, for hours at a time? We live, and we learn.
I guess there's no need for safety inspectors since you KNOW the cars are safe. My car definitely surges for no known reason. I also feel a loss of power steering when it vibrates. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE!!!
As viewed by some "THIS IS A SAFETY STRETCH."!!! The Accord is one of the safest cars on the road. If yours is malfunctioning then your dealer really does need to support you. If he will not support you, then that is a dealer issue. No need to smear the entire Accord line.
1) Live with it as is. Obviously you don't want to do this.
2) Work with your dealer to resolve your issues. Hasn't worked out too well for you so far.
3) Sell it and move on. This may be your best and ONLY choice.
If you truly believe your car is unsafe, then call Honda America, or the US Governement to find help. As a last resort, drop off the car & the key at the dealer and tell them you refuse to drive it until it is fixed.
Life's too short to live with this aggravation. All you're doing is making yourself sick over a pile of metal and plastic.
I looked back at my post, and sure enough, I didn't say anything about Toyota, Pinto, or Corvairs etc. :confuse: What do any of these cars have to do with the Accord, or VCM? Sorry, I don't see the connection. They are not even made by the same company. I'm sure these were REAL safety issues, and recalls were issued on those cars. Of all the people who have complained about the VCM vibration/surging, none of them have mentioned loss of power steering. If your car is doing this, you need to do whatever it takes to have the issue resolved, including hiring a lawyer, if that's what it takes. IMO, this is not a safety issue, and there will never be a recall for VCM issues, IMO.
Also, I am glad that I read the posts about VCM vibrations. I've gotten used to the VCM shifting, so that doesn't bother me. However, I had wondered if Honda thought about making it possible to turn it off. Even if they had, I probably wouldn't turn it off often because I am enjoying the gas mileage. However, about 2 weeks ago, as I entered the expressway, I noticed a vibration-feeling as if the tires were not aligned. About three miles down the expressway, the vibration went away, and it has not done it again. Before reading these posts, I had no idea that this may have been a VCM issue. I was wondering if my tires was not balanced, but since I haven't experienced the vibration anymore, I didn't worry about it anymore. Now, if I get that vibration again, then I know that it may be the VCM doing this, and that a vibration from time to time is normal???
Roger
For what, engine vibration?
In single digit or below zero temperatures I've had a few minor instances of vibration which I've attributed to the hydraulic motor mounts being a little stiffer. I'm not saying I'm right about this but it's something that I can rationalize short of any other explanation.
I've had several rides in 2 different '10 Ford Taurus and I'm impressed with the overall fit and finish. What turns me off is that they weigh over 4,000 lbs. That weight seems to help with it's composure over rough roads, but that is part of what I like about my Accord. It's somewhat noisy, mostly tire noise, on interstates but it never feels isolated from the road, very connected.
Almost 30 months of driving my 08 and I think I would make the same purchase again. I have a 3,000 mile / 10 day trip coming up, by far the most time I'll have put in the drivers seat of this car. I'll share my impressions, assuming a safe return.
Anyway, I put a quart of oil in it yesterday, and it brought the level back up to the top mark on the dipstick. I guess one quart in 5,500 miles ain't bad. I'm just used to having a car that burns very very little oil. Right now, I'm not going to worry about it, but I will check it again before it gets to 15%.
Recently we drove the 2010 Accord V6 and saw many things to like...more room..better stereo system Finally the Auto dimming mirror and fog lights standard! Looked good on paper having more horsepower on the 3.5 V6 too.
Driving was a different story! Unfortunately the VCM constantly hunted even on staight open road driving. No comparison to the 2007 in smooth running execution..I kept looking at the gauges and realized Honda had also taken away the electro luminecent lighting on the 2010. They also took away the fabulous LED tailights our 2007s had! Finally the larger 2010 tires 225x50x18 transmited quite a bit of road noise! I admit the the 2007 was not very quiet either..we ended up having sound deadener installed by a local stero shop which made the 07 a much quieter car. I was never a fan of the leather quaility on the 07s but in balance they mights have been some of the best cars we ever had!
In summary, the 2010 Accord is OK but it pales in comparison to the 2007 Accords. They took away any reasons we had to buy Accords again
I kept looking at the gauges and realized Honda had also taken away the electro luminecent lighting on the 2010. They also took away the fabulous LED tailights our 2007s had! Finally the larger 2010 tires 225x50x18 transmited quite a bit of road noise! I admit the the 2007 was not very quiet either..we ended up having sound deadener installed by a local stero shop which made the 07 a much quieter car.
My belief is that Honda has totally perfected the art of "Giving (adding features) with one hand while taking-away (removing features) with the other hand."
Granted, some of the new(er) features are nice, but not all are useful to all people, like Bluetooth and RDS, which are totally useless to me. OTOH, some of the "taken-away" features were useful to lots of people too (like the glove box and ambient lights).
I think Honda engineers have found Toyota's supply of "cost-cutting" Kool-Aid and have drunk a bunch of it. Too bad as Honda could have pointed to their standard features as a value differentiator had they kept them.
It could be worse.
BTW- I had to install Dynamat under the rear seat and in the trunk of our 2010 sedan to quiet it down on the highway.
Sounds like it may be time to give it up and find another car. That sucks!
I'm glad you were able to quiet things down with the Dyna Mat! I had the doors done too on my 07 and the difference was dramatic.
Yeah, the TPMS system is sort of a joke. When the light comes on, you have to find a compressor & a tire gauge (gas station for $.50??) and check/fill all four tires. THEN, it may take 3-4 cycles (on-off) of the engine before the light goes out. I guess that 's what we get with a government mandated "feature." Sheesh!
Take your payment x 34 and add your residual value (should be on your truth in lending form that you signed) and thats what you will need to sell it for. Chances are you will not be able to get close to that amount so you will have to be willing to pay the difference. I am not sure about the tax on your 34 payments so you might save that amount. If you trade it in at the dealer you will be going in "upside down" and you will leave even further upside down. There is a company called Swapalease that will list your car and someone might want to take your lease over but they are looking for a good deal so that will cost you too.
Those lights on other peoples cars are a real pain on my eyes. I don't trust gadgets so I keep up with my tire pressure by checking them occasionally. Not a bad idea for anyone actually. The more gadgets a car has the more likely it is to malfunction. (May still be a low occurrence rate though). The more we expect out of these cars (all makes) the more disappointed we are bound to be. Maybe that's why so many on the forums (camera too) are unhappy when, really, it should be a happy time (sort of
Blue boy: Have you considered taking some happy pills?
I also agree that most of the aftermarket add-ons are likely installed incorrectly, resulting in the headlights that nearly blind oncoming traffic.
Maybe if I only drove at night? Nah.
All true & then some here in Colorado. The smoggiest counties around Denver have some sort of smog inspection, but only every few years on older cars. No other type of inspection is done in the state. Lots of visible violations driving around, but they simply don't get pulled over because the poor cops are very understaffed. Unlikely to get any better in the forseeable future. :sick:
Well, so says Honda anyway. Accord drivers and drivers of other Honda models such as the Odyssey using this technology seem to think differently based on the number of comments in this thread and in forums on other Honda models.
After he drove a while I asked him specifically if he could feel the vcm (he noticed the eco mode light). He said he could not and paid particular attention trying to feel it the rest of the way home. I have never felt it nor can she. I guess some of the cars do better than others. My wife got a "keeper".
So, I guess people should not make generalizations based on their own experience. We can only speak for our own car. The actual statistical data would be nice here. Honda probably has it and appears not too worried.
I've driven 1,465 miles since Friday March 19 and I'm looking forward to another 680 miles tomorrow. Worst tank MPG on this trip was 28 MPG and best was 33, no complaints here on it's fuel economy.
It's roomy, feels connected to the road, good visability. Type of road surface drastically influences road noise. New black top and it's reasonably quiet, broken pavement can be real noisy. I knew going in that it wasn't the quietest car on the road, not by a long shot. After 31,000 miles and given the current crop of vehicles available I think I would buy the Accord again.