I think you have both disc and drum brakes on this vehicle-which had the "excessive" dust?
I would definately go somewhere else for my maintenance-sounds like these guys have your wallet targeted and they will find a way to get into it. Torn CV joint boots come to mind and that will cost you several hundred to fix.
anyone having problems with frozen washer fluid on their o3/04 accords? my reservoir has fluid and I hear the motor, but the tubing must be frozen? very frustrating when nothing comes out to clean the windows.
I think anony is doing it to offer a little balance. There is a tendency here not to discuss problems in a constructive light, but rather to bash Honda when arguably unrealistic expectations aren't met.
For what it's worth, my '03 EX-L I4, purchased 12/31/02, has also been as close to perfect as I can expect. The only issue I've experienced was some noise early on (has been described here as "crinkling" or "squeaking") from the door seals, but now with 25,000 on the car, I hear nary a squeak or rattle, no matter what the temperature or the road surface.
1sttimehonda1, I'm experiencing the same problem with my '04 EXV6. I bought mine the week before you did, I've had the car in once already for the same problem, however in addition to the ABS light staying lit, my traction control indicators also stay on. However, I don't have a problem with any of my other gauges, and my brakes work fine. My dealership isn't sure why I'm having this problem (comforting), but they were able to clear the computer of the error codes when I took it in for service, but sure enough, the problem resurfaced the next morning (seems to always and only be a problem when it's cold...) and the lights stayed on my entire drive to work. Called dealership back, service writer there spoke w/ the tech who worked on my car, he said that there was a wheel speed sensor that was not giving consistant readings, so I'm taking it back again once they get the new part in stock. Take a look at post #6606 for more on my problem. If the new wheel speed sensor fixes my problem, I'll post a response to you. Best of luck.
We live near Washington D.C. and bought our 1999 Accord in Nov 1998. When the weather turned cold, we heard a few creaks and other noises, but they went away when it got warmer and they have never come back.
Maybe new plastic is stiffer and tends to creak, and that goes away with time. Our car still has no rattles.
Same thing happened to me a couple of years ago-on a long trip and tried to use the windshield washer and no go-the frozen part was the nozzles mounted on the hood-just pour some warm water on them and then hit the washer and this should clear them out-think water wo fluid collects in the nozzles and then freezes.
Perhaps if you had as many problems as some have had, you wouldn't be as concerned about "balance." This thread is for discussing problems that people are having, not for presenting a nuanced portrait of the car.
If you haven't had problems, it's probably difficult to understand the frustration of those who have had them. I've been to the dealer three times since I bought the car last April to have brake problems fixed, and the problems are beginning again. I'm not bashing Honda, but I am having problems, and so are some others. And that's what this thread is about.
It certainly doesn't make anyone feel less frustrated to hear that they simply have "unrealistic expectations." I know that cars break down, but it's still frustrating, especially with a new car.
I think that people on these boards identify strongly with their cars, and sometimes take the complaints of others a bit too personally.
If you're not having problems, you have nothing to worry about.
did not get a chance to try the warm water because when I went out for lunch a few hours later they worked again. guess the engine heat defrosted whatever was frozen because it sure did not warm up outside much.
this used to happen in my Old's intrigue and I always had to carry lots of extra washer fluid because sometimes I just had to pull over and manually put some fluid on the windsheild.
My opinion is that the nozzles aren't used for a while, especially if the weather is warm. The alcohol evaporates from the fluid through the end of the nozzle. Therefore the freezing point rises and your nozzle is clogged when it does turn cold. The warmth from the engine air melts them when you park.
Use the nozzles one or twice a week and that will keep fresher fluid near the end with alcohol in it...
I just purchased 2003 LX Accord about 3 weeks ago. Recently had the same problem as winbro desribed but just from one (driver side) nozzle. It happened twice while I was driving. When car wass parked for about 20 minites, the washer began working again. Then it frozen/clogged? again just after 5 min of driving. Kind of weird. Never had that kind of problem with '90 Accord.
One question to the board - I understand that this car has very tight suspension, but is it normal to feel every bump on a road? Again, with '90 Acoord I've never experienced this. Shoild I just get used to this, or there could be some problems?
In no way did I comment on any specific problem you or any other person has had, nor did I specifically comment on any expectation you or others have had. I merely proferred a possible explanation as to why a post was made - in response to your questions - which included a general observation about the tenor that the discussions here can sometimes take. If you don't want your questions answered, don't ask them.
You speak of anony's post as not offering any value to those with problems that need addressing. Perhaps not, given a purpose limited as such. But neither do posts like "#6621 of 6645 gimme back my yugo..." Reciting a laundry list of problems and expressing disgust, I would argue, does nothing to offer value to anyone.
I would also argue that this forum has a purpose other than to simply get problems solved. Namely, it is a source of information for individuals considering the purchase of a car, so that they might research their prospective purchases by visiting these forums. In that regard, both anony's post and the second half of my previous post are highly relevant, as they give a more complete picture (not a nuanced portrait) to prospective buyers.
And just for the record, prior to my '03 Accord, my dealer botched the fix of a minor paint chip on the door of my three-day-old Civic (it was delivered to me with the chip) so badly that the entire side of the car needed to be repainted and I ended up with a different car, but only after headaches and back-and-forth with the dealer. In the 9 months that I owned my '02 EX-V6, it was into the dealer for warped rotors; faulty wiring causing rough running, hesitation and a CEL under acceleration; faulty fuel system part (can't remember which exactly) causing gasoline vapors to enter the cabin any time the climate control system was on; and an idle controller issue which caused excessively high (3000+RPM) and inconsistent idle combined with a CEL which indicated the car shouldn't be driven, resulting in a 70-mile tow to my dealer to have it fixed.
Suffice it to say, I am very familiar with how frustrating car problems and dealer issues can be. But I also know that nothing is perfect and I don't expect it to be. I don't think I exaggerate when I say that it seems some are under the impression that every Honda is going to be flawless.
2004 EX V6. 1500 miles so far it has been running nice. One thing, not all the time, but a lot of the time when i'm driving I can hear my window rattling. Is this a common problem? It's not a big deal but is a little annoying. I'll probably take it to the dealer sometime but wanted to see if anyone else has this problem. thanks
I agree with you pj23. I am not expecting that every Honda is flawless but I was not expecting that many to be so poorly assembled and often made from very cheap parts. We have gone a long way from hundreds of thousands people working for auto industry, if not more then million, to tens of thousands these days. However, more and more people are now working on fixing and selling cars and we consumers end up wasting our time fixing somebody else's poor craftsmanship. I wonder how many people with same or similar problems do not even know for this forum!? I think Honda should consider compensating those people who have to go through rough ride with new cars. Why do I have to go through all that alone!? Why would I have to let Honda experiment on my new car that I just paid $32.000 for nothing? If they want to find out what part of their assembly line is making catastrophic failure they have to pay for it! Why? Because they sold me supposedly flawless product! For those who don't have problems with their newly purchased Honda I can only say I wish we could trade places!
New to this board, so bare with me. Bought a '99 Accord 2 years ago, mostly as a reliable car for my wife. I'm pretty good with do-it-yourself maintenance, so I tend to stay away from dealers as much as possible. The last couple of years though I've slacked a bit due to lack of time (I know, I can hear the violins). Anyway, right from the start there seemed to be an excessive amount of brake dust on the front driver's side wheel. Even after a brake change it came back soon after. Any suggestions? I saw an earlier post regarding possible torn CV joint boots, with a suggested cost of $200. How difficult a do-it-yourself job would replacing these be? Thanks in advance.
The navigation screen on my 2003 Accord appears to be getting a little dimmer lately. The adjustment dial on the dash is always set to the brightest setting and the navigation setup is set to "Day" for maximum brightness. Despite having it cranked up all the way, I am noticing that it is dimmer in the mornings when I first crank it up. After I drive it for 10 or 15 minutes, it looks normal (but that could be me just thinking that it looks normal). Do the LCD screens of nav systems normally get dimmer over time? By the way, I've had this Accord EX-V6 sedan since January of 2003 and have had 22,000+ miles of very pleasurable driving and not a single complaint until now. This isn't even that big of a deal - just curious more than anything. If it got too bad - I could just have Honda replace it.
Sorry to confuse you-brake dust has nothing to do with torn CV joint boots-cutting or tearing one has been done by some crooked repair people to make a few more bucks off their customer. Brake pad dust is a normal kind of event-if you happen to wash your car with a hose-just give the front wheels an extra shot of water-lots of dust comes out. If you do remove the wheel and blow dust out of the disc brake assembly or brake drum-wear a good particle mask-there are bad things in brake dust.
Don't see how brake pad dust would cause any problems so I do not see any reason to "remove" the dust. Where can it collect and if it does what will it harm. In many years of driving all kind of cars-never had a problem with brake "dust".
Think this is a way to lighten consumers wallet. Probably not as bad as the "turn your rotors" every pad change but not a good thing. So remove brake dust as a concern IMHO.
Did you check the brightness control under the setup screen? Maybe you dim that control without knowing it. It could also be affected by the cold but I'm not sure. I noticed mine is dimmer with the update DVD but still fine when I raise the brightness.
PS I have about 21,500 miles with mine. The only problem I had was a bad cat after using bad gas. Honda installed a new one under warrantee. No hassle with my dealer about the new cat.
It isn't that its a big concern, just annoying. My other vehicles were never this bad. I had a 1989 Nissan 240SX (still the best car I have ever owned-but after 360,000 the body had simply rotted out), and I currently own a 1993 Nissan Maxima (piece of junk!-though much is due to incompetent dealers). The Accord seems to be a much better built vehicle, though compared to the Max the ride is quite rough.
One other question for everyone, 3 months ago I travelled across the country with the aforementioned accord, but forgot to check the motor oil before leaving. 500 miles into the trip I realized my obvious oversight, checked the level and found it 3 quarts low! Naturally I thought I had ruined the engine, but filled her up and found I was burning about 1 quart every 300 miles during the remainder of the trip. When I got to my destination, I got an oil/filter change, and, the point to the story, my Accord seems to have forgiven me?! I am no longer burning oil. Only thing I can guess is something had plugged the valve seat during my trip and then worked its way out after the change. Any thoughts?
How often are the DVD's updated, and how much are they? I just took delivery on my 04 EXV6, and my software is the 0903 version. Seems to be pretty accurate, but was just curious about the future.
Like pj said my post was merely a "for what it's worth" type deal. Not all Accords are bad. In fact, most of them are probably very good.
And saying that I don't understand frustration with having a problematic vehicle is a bit presumptuous and untrue. While our problem child was not a Honda (the 8 new Hondas we have owned have all been exceptional) we did have a vehicle that spent the first 2 weeks of ownership in the shop and when it was traded less than 1 year and 7,000 miles later it was starting to exhibit some of the same problems again. It was a headache. However instead of spending countless nights bashing the car and the manufacturer we traded it for something that was more to our liking. Maybe many of you who are convinced Honda is the Yugo of the new millenium should do the same.
Why tell people how wonderful you think your car is and tell them to trade their Honda if it has flaws they were led to believe it would never have. Most people can't afford to flip cars every year.
There are a lot of complaints about Accords after 03 for "most of them" to be good. The additional quality problems need to be addressed.
I should have been more clear when I said, "If you haven't had problems..." The unwritten (but intended) meaning was specifically "with your Honda Accord."
And my original point was that this is the Problems/Solutions thread. The place for people to discuss problems they have with their cars.
Maybe we should have another thread called "Love It, Hate It, Or Somewhere In Between?"
I too have rattling doors/windows, among several other noises ('03 4-dr EX). It started for me at about 500 miles. The "solution" (if you want to call it that) is to have the door and window seals lubed with some silicone gel. This stops the noise for about a month before they start rattling again.
I never knew rubber could rattle, but someone at Honda figured out how to do it. For what it's worth, I have driven 2 other Accords (one '03 LX and one '04 LX) as loaners from the service department and both of them had this same annoying rattle. Ask your dealer to lube the door and window seals--this should quiet the noise (for a short while).
Anony is completely in line in his/her statements.
When I was looking through these boards when car shopping about a month ago, one of the first sections I would go to was the problems&solutions section. All cars have their problems, and from everything that I can tell, the Accord has far fewer than anything else in its class.
I have had a squeak and a warped rotor issue, but am completely satisfied with my car in every way.
I make these statements in here from time to time so that people shopping don't get turned off what I feel is a fantastic car.
If you don't like these statements it's only because you aren't having our (majority) experience. We add these posts not for YOU, but for the people who are contemplating purchase.
You can say that the Accord is the worst car in the world, but the truth is you got a bad one and it is the worst car you've ever owned. All accords are not this way, and I can prove it because MINE isn't.
I, too, had a similar rattling noise in my '04 EXV6. The noise sounded like it was coming from the driver side rear door. I took it to my dealer to have it fixed along w/ another problem (See post #6606)and they were able to isolate the rattling noise to a piece of plastic (go figure!)on the pillar between the front and back door. Rattles really piss me off, especially in a new car. I'm happy to report they were able to trim a small piece of plastic away from (I'm assuming) the pillar, now all is good with the rattle.
I'll really be a happy camper when they figure out why the TCS and ABS lights stay lit on my dash!
"Why tell people how wonderful you think your car is and tell them to trade their Honda if it has flaws they were led to believe it would never have. Most people can't afford to flip cars every year."
Can most people afford to spend day after day, week after week, in the dealers service bay being frustrated, angry, and resentful over their luck in car purchases? I've noticed that most of those same people will end up trading their car after they have gone through all the trouble of trying to get things fixed long after it was obvious that things were not going to get better. Everyday they get into a vehicle that they have grown to hate because of the problems they face with the car. Everytime it makes a particular squeak or rattle or pop they are reminded of their dislike of the car. Way too much stress and anxiety for me to deal with on a daily basis.
Anony was mearely suggesting that if you have gotten to that point of frustration with your Accord maybe you could save yourself alot of heartache if you bite the bullet on the depreciation and get into a car that serves you better sooner than later. Trade now or trade later after more depreciation and payments have occurred. No brainer for me.
I've had bad luck on my past 2 vehicles. Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Tacoma. With the Pathfinder I made the mistake of worrying and fighting the defects for 3 years before finally giving it up. With the Tacoma I learned my lesson and dumped the lemon much much sooner and was much happier about it.
What aggie1995 said. I've been down that road too. It was a lemon 2000 BMW 3 series. Real love/hate relationship. I still miss the driving dynamics but certainly not the monthly trip for unscheduled service. Any doubts as to why I chose a Honda should be cleared up right there.
Moral of the story is it ain't worth the aggravation. Get rid of the lemon and find something else. Just like the BMW folks kept telling me after I ranted and raved for a few years!
Looking for dealership/corporate sympathy? Don't count on it. If they smell a lemon they give you the cold shoulder and make you seek legal council. It's their way of minimizing accountability.
This problem reared its head over the weekend, all at once. No warning, no build-up, literally one trip it wasn't there, the next trip it was. It occurs at or near 2000 rpm (after the car warms up) regardless of speed, gear (it's an automatic), or conditions. Basically feels like you are driving over rocks. I've also brought it on by revving to 2000 rpm while having the car in drive with the brakes on. I've read previous posts that suggest the problem could be the EGR valve ports being plugged in the intake manifold. Is this what others that have experienced this problem have found to be the culprit? If so, how big a hit is the checkbook in for, or is it possible to fix (or cheat) in some other way? Thanks in advance...
You skated with disaster-don't go back to the people who left it loose. Just curious what kind of a service place left you with a loose plug-quick oil change is my bet.
Yes, I didn't have the time to do the normal maintenance myself. Ran it through a quick lube for the oil/filter change. A mistake I will not soon repeat. I must admit, I didn't ask the dealership (a family member works there so I trusted them) who changed the oil when I arrived if there was an obvious problem like a loose plug, so that could have been it. Still, I hadn't noticed any leaking at stops, etc.
Mikeysoft, Yep, all the settings that you mentioned were set to full brightness. I just remember that when I first bought the car and cranked it up - the startup screen was increadibley bright and vivid. Now, it's very dim at first, but I can leave it on for a few minutes, and it gets brighter. I'm just concerned that this may signal a trend that Nav displays dim as they get older. Maybe another 22k miles on the car will answer my question for me. Thanks for the suggestion.
The EGR ports will be your problem but as for the cost of it I dont know, maybe $200.00 plus or minus. Emissions and inspection wise, if your state has them, there is no way around the repair as it will raise your NOX levels too high. If you don't have inspection there are ways to stop the vibrations, one of which is that if you wait long enough the port will close off completely on its own..
I have an EX V6 which I bought as a lightly used (3K) demo. I love the ride and the heated leather seats. However, there have been some surprising quality problems. First, my brakes had to be replaced at 13K miles - at the first check the auto technician told me they needed to be replaced (warranty) and did so. I had noticed that they were rough, but thought it was just because I was not used to Honda's version of ABS. But I got the distinct impression that it was something they were looking for - that other folks w/ same model had had brake issues. Also, there's a lot of rattles and wind noise, expecially around the passenger side back window. My brother noticed that the rubber weather stripping is coming off in several places - around the moonroof in particular - so I am taking it in to have it repaired. But you simply don't expect this w/ a Honda vehicle, especially their top of the line model Accord. I previously owned a Camry and I've got to say that overall, Camry's quality is looking superior to the Accord. Of course, around here (Central NY) the Camry costs more so I guess you get what you pay for.
Many EXV6 owners have had problems with their brakes (me included). It appears that Honda has improved the composition of the brake pad, though, so you may want to ask your technician to put on the new kind (if he did not do so previously).
As for your comparison with Camrys, I had a 1994 and found it very reliable. To be fair, though, it should be noted that many new Camry models had reductions in overall quality in their first year out.
I hope that your dealer/technician can help with the weatherstripping and brakes.
What is the issue with the brakes? I have an 04 EX V6. Sometimes in the morning they feel a little rough..but that goes away. I figure its just something on the brake overnight. Im trying to figure out a rattle near the rear passanger door/deck myself.
That has pretty much been the problem with mine. They have a rough grinding noise the first few times I use them after the car sits (note that this is entirely different from the ABS self-check noise). Each time the pads have been replaced the grinding goes away, but it eventually returns. I've had the pads replaced twice since I bought the car last April, and then had the rotors replaced when the brakes began shuddering when pressed at high speeds.
The grinding has returned, so I plan to ask my dealer to install the new type of pad. I hope/assume that will take care of the problem.
I don't think that there is a safety problem, but the problem with the pad composition seems to eventually affect the rotors.
You might want to check with your dealer about getting the new pads. Even if the dealer isn't willing to cover the cost, it's probably worth the expense.
If your car sits outside and there is moisture it can cause rust on your brakes. This will make a rubbing sound til the brakes are used enough to wear it off. Every car I have owned has been like this.
People who say this generation of Accord is unreliable should consider that so far there have been at least 400,000 sold. The posts we see on Edmunds are a very, very small sample of Accord owners. And it's been shown that if someone is unhappy they will tell 10 people vs. 1 person if they are completely satisfied. Excuse me for thinking someone just popping in while shopping for an Accord should realize that not every Accord is bad.
I am taking my 2003 accord to service to fix popping noise (mig weld) on Tuesday. Like I said before Honda Canada admitted faulty weld (TSB 03-58 Sep 23, 2003). I will keep you posted as to how they are going to do that. According to that TSB here are the numbers of how many accords are affected: VEHICLES AFFECTED 2003 Accord L4 2-door: From VIN 1HGCM7...3A000001 thru 1HGCM7...3A020335 4-door: From VIN 1HGCM5...3A000001 thru 1HGCM5...3A068936
2003 Accord V6 2-door: From VIN 1HGCM8...3A000001 thru 1HGCM8...3A022702 4-door: From VIN 1HGCM6...3A000001 thru 1HGCM6...3A050879
CORRECTIVE ACTION Add two welds so the body panels do not rub against each other.
You do the Math.
Those are the numbers for cars sold in The States only. There are no numbers (VIN) for those shipped to Canada or elsewhere. If you hear strange noise in a year or two down the road you will know that this forum served its purpose. As I can understand the main purpose is safety issue then everything else including being played around by greedy dealers, incompetent mechanics or Honda Customer Service people. We have to protect ourselves first and force Honda to make an extra effort to meet the needs of their loyal customers, continue to make good cars as it has been the case all along and therefore preserve the value of our investment. If I get caught by police for driving over the speed limit (I often do and that's why I drive Honda, unfortunately cant afford Ferrari) I pay fine. I dont say sorry I wasn't aware how fast I was going. If Honda is selling product with hidden defect that is against the law and they have to pay for it. Excuse and sorry cant buy me time and peace of mind. Very first time I complained about that noise I pointed out that TSB I was talking about. It took them three months, power steering pump, some kind of pressure hose, broken panel underneath the steering wheel, to finally come to conclusion that it might be that thing from TSB.
I just bought a 99 Accord EX with V6. There's a couple of minor issues that I've noticed that I wanted to see if others have had.
1 At night, when I turn on the headlights the clock isn't backlit. I'm assuming it should be ?
2. When I push the master on/off for the cruise, the light on the button doesn't come on. I've driven with the cruise on and it still doesn't come on. Probably just a bulb that burnt out ?
I've check the fuses and they're all ok. Anyone else experience these issues ?
...has definitely increased with the 7th gen Accord. Anecdotal as well as statistical accounts (JD Power, etc.) show this to be true.
While the number of Edmunds forum contributors does not amount to an adequate sample size, still the subset of problems/complaints within the forum - and the seriousness of those problems - tells us that Honda has issues.
The brake problem, for one, is serious enough for Honda of America to call me repeatedly to go to the dealer. The warranty work has cost me 8 hours of personal productivity so far. The post-assembly welding job that others have experienced is something you don't want done in a new car. Why ? The process involves breaking rust-preventive coatings. The welds will be a rust starting point down the road.
This post's bottom line: if you're a new Honda shopper, you're best aware that there's a higher chance than before that your Accord will have problems.
I thought our 03 EXV6 passenger side window started rattling this morning. It turned out the window was slightly down. Still no popping noise yet. Had to crank twice this morning . It's understandable. The car had been sitting for a week with temp outside below freezing all week.
I can only speak for my situation, but my brake problem isn't rust. I've experienced the rust noise on other cars, and this is much rougher and louder.
The Honda technicians have also verified that it's a problem with the pads, not with rust, and that it isn't normal.
anonymous The brake problems aren't rust. Nice try. I've said it before, but take the percent of people who don't use computers, and then out of those who do the number who stumble onto these town hall discussions, then the percent of those who actually found Accord Problems discussion, then the percent who post out of all those who do have problems... there are problems with 03 04.
I have a 2002 Accord 2dr EX V6 and the cars makes a clunk or loud noise which makes the car jolt when shifting from park to reverse...especially when the car is on an incline such as a driveway. I also notice that it shifts roughly in traffic when I slow down to about 15mph and then accelerate. Does anyone know if this is normal behavior? Or is this a sign of impending doom. Just to mention, the transmission started to leak at 8,000 miles which i was told was a faulty banjo fitting. The car has so far been a huge disappointment being in for repairs over the past 11 months for 11 days. I was hopingto keep this car for a while but as soon as evreything is fixed...something else breaks or falls apart. The only saving grace is that the service department has been very good at diagnosing and fixing the problems.
Comments
I would definately go somewhere else for my maintenance-sounds like these guys have your wallet targeted and they will find a way to get into it. Torn CV joint boots come to mind and that will cost you several hundred to fix.
For what it's worth, my '03 EX-L I4, purchased 12/31/02, has also been as close to perfect as I can expect. The only issue I've experienced was some noise early on (has been described here as "crinkling" or "squeaking") from the door seals, but now with 25,000 on the car, I hear nary a squeak or rattle, no matter what the temperature or the road surface.
Maybe new plastic is stiffer and tends to creak, and that goes away with time. Our car still has no rattles.
let us know if it works.
If you haven't had problems, it's probably difficult to understand the frustration of those who have had them. I've been to the dealer three times since I bought the car last April to have brake problems fixed, and the problems are beginning again. I'm not bashing Honda, but I am having problems, and so are some others. And that's what this thread is about.
It certainly doesn't make anyone feel less frustrated to hear that they simply have "unrealistic expectations." I know that cars break down, but it's still frustrating, especially with a new car.
I think that people on these boards identify strongly with their cars, and sometimes take the complaints of others a bit too personally.
If you're not having problems, you have nothing to worry about.
this used to happen in my Old's intrigue and I always had to carry lots of extra washer fluid because sometimes I just had to pull over and manually put some fluid on the windsheild.
thanks for the suggestion
Use the nozzles one or twice a week and that will keep fresher fluid near the end with alcohol in it...
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Recently had the same problem as winbro desribed but just from one (driver side) nozzle. It happened twice while I was driving. When car wass parked for about 20 minites, the washer began working again. Then it frozen/clogged? again just after 5 min of driving. Kind of weird. Never had that kind of problem with '90 Accord.
One question to the board - I understand that this car has very tight suspension, but is it normal to feel every bump on a road? Again, with '90 Acoord I've never experienced this. Shoild I just get used to this, or there could be some problems?
You speak of anony's post as not offering any value to those with problems that need addressing. Perhaps not, given a purpose limited as such. But neither do posts like "#6621 of 6645 gimme back my yugo..." Reciting a laundry list of problems and expressing disgust, I would argue, does nothing to offer value to anyone.
I would also argue that this forum has a purpose other than to simply get problems solved. Namely, it is a source of information for individuals considering the purchase of a car, so that they might research their prospective purchases by visiting these forums. In that regard, both anony's post and the second half of my previous post are highly relevant, as they give a more complete picture (not a nuanced portrait) to prospective buyers.
And just for the record, prior to my '03 Accord, my dealer botched the fix of a minor paint chip on the door of my three-day-old Civic (it was delivered to me with the chip) so badly that the entire side of the car needed to be repainted and I ended up with a different car, but only after headaches and back-and-forth with the dealer. In the 9 months that I owned my '02 EX-V6, it was into the dealer for warped rotors; faulty wiring causing rough running, hesitation and a CEL under acceleration; faulty fuel system part (can't remember which exactly) causing gasoline vapors to enter the cabin any time the climate control system was on; and an idle controller issue which caused excessively high (3000+RPM) and inconsistent idle combined with a CEL which indicated the car shouldn't be driven, resulting in a 70-mile tow to my dealer to have it fixed.
Suffice it to say, I am very familiar with how frustrating car problems and dealer issues can be. But I also know that nothing is perfect and I don't expect it to be. I don't think I exaggerate when I say that it seems some are under the impression that every Honda is going to be flawless.
For those who don't have problems with their newly purchased Honda I can only say I wish we could trade places!
Bought a '99 Accord 2 years ago, mostly as a reliable car for my wife. I'm pretty good with do-it-yourself maintenance, so I tend to stay away from dealers as much as possible. The last couple of years though I've slacked a bit due to lack of time (I know, I can hear the violins). Anyway, right from the start there seemed to be an excessive amount of brake dust on the front driver's side wheel. Even after a brake change it came back soon after. Any suggestions? I saw an earlier post regarding possible torn CV joint boots, with a suggested cost of $200. How difficult a do-it-yourself job would replacing these be?
Thanks in advance.
It was interesting to learn about the problems pj32 mentioned in his post though. I'm sure a prospective buyer would be interested as well.
Don't see how brake pad dust would cause any problems so I do not see any reason to "remove" the dust. Where can it collect and if it does what will it harm. In many years of driving all kind of cars-never had a problem with brake "dust".
Think this is a way to lighten consumers wallet. Probably not as bad as the "turn your rotors" every pad change but not a good thing. So remove brake dust as a concern IMHO.
PS
I have about 21,500 miles with mine. The only problem I had was a bad cat after using bad gas. Honda installed a new one under warrantee. No hassle with my dealer about the new cat.
One other question for everyone, 3 months ago I travelled across the country with the aforementioned accord, but forgot to check the motor oil before leaving. 500 miles into the trip I realized my obvious oversight, checked the level and found it 3 quarts low!
Naturally I thought I had ruined the engine, but filled her up and found I was burning about 1 quart every 300 miles during the remainder of the trip. When I got to my destination, I got an oil/filter change, and, the point to the story, my Accord seems to have forgiven me?! I am no longer burning oil. Only thing I can guess is something had plugged the valve seat during my trip and then worked its way out after the change. Any thoughts?
And saying that I don't understand frustration with having a problematic vehicle is a bit presumptuous and untrue. While our problem child was not a Honda (the 8 new Hondas we have owned have all been exceptional) we did have a vehicle that spent the first 2 weeks of ownership in the shop and when it was traded less than 1 year and 7,000 miles later it was starting to exhibit some of the same problems again. It was a headache. However instead of spending countless nights bashing the car and the manufacturer we traded it for something that was more to our liking. Maybe many of you who are convinced Honda is the Yugo of the new millenium should do the same.
There are a lot of complaints about Accords after 03 for "most of them" to be good. The additional quality problems need to be addressed.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
And my original point was that this is the Problems/Solutions thread. The place for people to discuss problems they have with their cars.
Maybe we should have another thread called "Love It, Hate It, Or Somewhere In Between?"
I never knew rubber could rattle, but someone at Honda figured out how to do it. For what it's worth, I have driven 2 other Accords (one '03 LX and one '04 LX) as loaners from the service department and both of them had this same annoying rattle. Ask your dealer to lube the door and window seals--this should quiet the noise (for a short while).
When I was looking through these boards when car shopping about a month ago, one of the first sections I would go to was the problems&solutions section. All cars have their problems, and from everything that I can tell, the Accord has far fewer than anything else in its class.
I have had a squeak and a warped rotor issue, but am completely satisfied with my car in every way.
I make these statements in here from time to time so that people shopping don't get turned off what I feel is a fantastic car.
If you don't like these statements it's only because you aren't having our (majority) experience. We add these posts not for YOU, but for the people who are contemplating purchase.
You can say that the Accord is the worst car in the world, but the truth is you got a bad one and it is the worst car you've ever owned. All accords are not this way, and I can prove it because MINE isn't.
I'll really be a happy camper when they figure out why the TCS and ABS lights stay lit on my dash!
Can most people afford to spend day after day, week after week, in the dealers service bay being frustrated, angry, and resentful over their luck in car purchases? I've noticed that most of those same people will end up trading their car after they have gone through all the trouble of trying to get things fixed long after it was obvious that things were not going to get better. Everyday they get into a vehicle that they have grown to hate because of the problems they face with the car. Everytime it makes a particular squeak or rattle or pop they are reminded of their dislike of the car. Way too much stress and anxiety for me to deal with on a daily basis.
Anony was mearely suggesting that if you have gotten to that point of frustration with your Accord maybe you could save yourself alot of heartache if you bite the bullet on the depreciation and get into a car that serves you better sooner than later. Trade now or trade later after more depreciation and payments have occurred. No brainer for me.
I've had bad luck on my past 2 vehicles. Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Tacoma. With the Pathfinder I made the mistake of worrying and fighting the defects for 3 years before finally giving it up. With the Tacoma I learned my lesson and dumped the lemon much much sooner and was much happier about it.
You have the same database as my update. You can go to http://www.hondanavi.com for more info in updates.
If you find any errors in the database, you can report them to http://www.navtech.com/ and hopefully, they will be in the next update.
When I ordered my Accord with Navi last year, my wife felt it was a wast of money and just a geek toy. Now she wants one for her car. :-)
Moral of the story is it ain't worth the aggravation. Get rid of the lemon and find something else. Just like the BMW folks kept telling me after I ranted and raved for a few years!
Looking for dealership/corporate sympathy? Don't count on it. If they smell a lemon they give you the cold shoulder and make you seek legal council. It's their way of minimizing accountability.
It looks like the car had a loose oil plug.
A mistake I will not soon repeat.
I must admit, I didn't ask the dealership (a family member works there so I trusted them) who changed the oil when I arrived if there was an obvious problem like a loose plug, so that could have been it.
Still, I hadn't noticed any leaking at stops, etc.
Yep, all the settings that you mentioned were set to full brightness. I just remember that when I first bought the car and cranked it up - the startup screen was increadibley bright and vivid. Now, it's very dim at first, but I can leave it on for a few minutes, and it gets brighter. I'm just concerned that this may signal a trend that Nav displays dim as they get older. Maybe another 22k miles on the car will answer my question for me.
Thanks for the suggestion.
As for your comparison with Camrys, I had a 1994 and found it very reliable. To be fair, though, it should be noted that many new Camry models had reductions in overall quality in their first year out.
I hope that your dealer/technician can help with the weatherstripping and brakes.
The grinding has returned, so I plan to ask my dealer to install the new type of pad. I hope/assume that will take care of the problem.
I don't think that there is a safety problem, but the problem with the pad composition seems to eventually affect the rotors.
You might want to check with your dealer about getting the new pads. Even if the dealer isn't willing to cover the cost, it's probably worth the expense.
People who say this generation of Accord is unreliable should consider that so far there have been at least 400,000 sold. The posts we see on Edmunds are a very, very small sample of Accord owners. And it's been shown that if someone is unhappy they will tell 10 people vs. 1 person if they are completely satisfied. Excuse me for thinking someone just popping in while shopping for an Accord should realize that not every Accord is bad.
According to that TSB here are the numbers of how many accords are affected:
VEHICLES AFFECTED
2003 Accord L4
2-door:
From VIN 1HGCM7...3A000001 thru
1HGCM7...3A020335
4-door:
From VIN 1HGCM5...3A000001 thru
1HGCM5...3A068936
2003 Accord V6
2-door:
From VIN 1HGCM8...3A000001 thru
1HGCM8...3A022702
4-door:
From VIN 1HGCM6...3A000001 thru
1HGCM6...3A050879
CORRECTIVE ACTION
Add two welds so the body panels do not rub against each other.
You do the Math.
Those are the numbers for cars sold in The States only. There are no numbers (VIN) for those shipped to Canada or elsewhere. If you hear strange noise in a year or two down the road you will know that this forum served its purpose.
As I can understand the main purpose is safety issue then everything else including being played around by greedy dealers, incompetent mechanics or Honda Customer Service people. We have to protect ourselves first and force Honda to make an extra effort to meet the needs of their loyal customers, continue to make good cars as it has been the case all along and therefore preserve the value of our investment.
If I get caught by police for driving over the speed limit (I often do and that's why I drive Honda, unfortunately cant afford Ferrari) I pay fine. I dont say sorry I wasn't aware how fast I was going. If Honda is selling product with hidden defect that is against the law and they have to pay for it. Excuse and sorry cant buy me time and peace of mind. Very first time I complained about that noise I pointed out that TSB I was talking about. It took them three months, power steering pump, some kind of pressure hose, broken panel underneath the steering wheel, to finally come to conclusion that it might be that thing from TSB.
a couple of minor issues that I've noticed that
I wanted to see if others have had.
1 At night, when I turn on the headlights the
clock isn't backlit. I'm assuming it should be ?
2. When I push the master on/off for the cruise,
the light on the button doesn't come on. I've
driven with the cruise on and it still doesn't
come on. Probably just a bulb that burnt out ?
I've check the fuses and they're all ok. Anyone
else experience these issues ?
Thanks - Don
While the number of Edmunds forum contributors does not amount to an adequate sample size, still the subset of problems/complaints within the forum - and the seriousness of those problems - tells us that Honda has issues.
The brake problem, for one, is serious enough for Honda of America to call me repeatedly to go to the dealer. The warranty work has cost me 8 hours of personal productivity so far. The post-assembly welding job that others have experienced is something you don't want done in a new car. Why ? The process involves breaking rust-preventive coatings. The welds will be a rust starting point down the road.
This post's bottom line: if you're a new Honda shopper, you're best aware that there's a higher chance than before that your Accord will have problems.
Still no popping noise yet.
Had to crank twice this morning .
It's understandable. The car had been sitting for a week with temp
outside below freezing all week.
http://ca.msnusers.com/Tesliana/hondaunderneath.msnw?albuml
It is hard to see those lines where they are going to do the welding but I will leave it to the Service to find their way around.
You may have to click couple of times or more before photos show up.
The Honda technicians have also verified that it's a problem with the pads, not with rust, and that it isn't normal.
The brake problems aren't rust. Nice try.
I've said it before, but take the percent of people who don't use computers, and then out of those who do the number who stumble onto these town hall discussions, then the percent of those who actually found Accord Problems discussion, then the percent who post out of all those who do have problems...
there are problems with 03 04.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Just to mention, the transmission started to leak at 8,000 miles which i was told was a faulty banjo fitting. The car has so far been a huge disappointment being in for repairs over the past 11 months for 11 days. I was hopingto keep this car for a while but as soon as evreything is fixed...something else breaks or falls apart. The only saving grace is that the service department has been very good at diagnosing and fixing the problems.