So exactly, what do you want Honda to do about your vehicle? I have a 2003 4 cylinder Accord with none of your listed problems. QUESTIONS: ----Could it be the driver?---- Do you abuse the vehicle? ---- If the vehicle is so bad, why did you accept it at the time of delivery? ---- Didn't you take the vehicle on a test ride before you signed the papers? ---- Didn't you inspect the vehicle prior to delivery? -----If the vehicle is that bad, trade it for something that you like better! How about a nice Kia, Toyota or a Volvo? Stop complaining about the quality of the vehicle. Either get it fixed by the dealer, and share that experience, or trade it for another vehicle.
When a you introduce aftermarket parts into any vehicle as part of a repair process, you compromise the quality of the vehicle. If you want a Honda to operate as designed, keep it all Honda. (No aftermarket parts)! ----Yes, it is that simple!
People have a tendency to blow things WAY WAY WAY out of proportion when it comes to their automobiles. One little rattle and the car is a rattle trap. One minor problem and it's the end of the world. Gee's point is that you can find a bad apple on any tree. And if you find an apple that you just can't eat then if you are hungry enough you should go find another one. Instead of complaining take action. Trade the car and tell everyone you know to NEVER buy a Honda again. Maybe they will start discounting them and those of us who are still have great experiences with their Hondas will be able to get $2500 rebates and 0.0%.
The quickest way to fix a toothache is to be hit in the groin--you probably won't feel the toothache at all.
Maybe the best way not to have Honda trouble is to buy a Ford (or if you read the Edmunds site, a C-Class Mercedes). Do that and it's unlikely the Honda will appear to be such a troublesome experience after all....Richard
I have owned both a 2003 EX V6 and a 2004 EX V6 Sedan. I can say that with both cars, they have been less than I expected. I bought the 04 thinking I had a bad 03. Same problems and now even worse that my 04s transmission is already begining to fail at 1200 miles. Many people such as myself, are on a budget, we buy a Honda because of its trusted name, good reviews, and supposed reliability. While it is not the end of the world when a problem arises, it can be concerning and stressful seeing as how you have invested so much time and money into a car that was supposed to be somewhat decent. Thousands of dollars later it sadens me to say that sometimes I almost would rather have another brand that I know will outlast my car payment. I know people with 5 or 10 year old bombed out cars that drive them everyday back and forth to work and out of town with more confidence than I have in my brand new car. To know that sometime soon my transmission will fail and that there is nothing I can do about it, except have it towed in for service when it does die, isnt the best feeling. I dont think I am being unreasonable in asking that when I buy a new car I want it to be reliable and last a few years. But lately with my Honda experience, it seems that they want you to trade into a new car every 2-3 years. The days of keeping your Honda for 5 or 10 years are over. Once your warranty runs out better run and get a new one. I am sorry because I know someone will be offended by this, but having 2 Accords and being through so much with both, I cant help but to feel that way. Maybe by some stroke of luck I got 2 lemons, but for some reason I really dont think its just my own cars.
I've transitioned out of necessity from a '94LX 2DR 5spd MT, to an '02LX 4Dr with/4spd AT.
I know the coupe weighed less by about 300lbs, and the '02 at 150HP has about 20HP more than my '94 did, but we are talking AT vs. MT here so I know I can't expect the same experience w.r.t. acceleration.
In addition, my AT experience is a bit skewed by a 5spd AT in an '03ODY with 240HP.
So - I need to calibrate my expectations as to what is suitable shifting and acceleration in the '02, because the '94 with the manual, and the '03ODY with the extra HP (and extra gear) are throwing me a bit off...
Any info so I can determine if the '02 is shifting where and when it should would be helpful. thanks.
I have a 2003 Accord EX 4-cylinder sedan. I have the rattle in the driver's side front corner of the sunroof. What is the fix? IS there a fix?
Also, at about 40-50 mph, I feel a "roughness" coming through the accelerator pedal. It usually happens on hilly roads. Is this the transmission?
And, finally, sometimes I hear a grinding noise when braking, usually after the car has been sitting for awhile. Is this normal?
Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
jrock80: What exactly is happening with your transmission that makes you sure it is failing? Did the transmission fail on your 2003 Accord? What were the symptoms?
Found a body/paintwork glitch in a 1999 Civic EX that we could not deal with. We called American Honda and they agreed something was wrong and they gave us a great deal on another Honda to keep us happy. Did they kiss our behinds? No. But they did offer us an amicable solution to the problem. I wasn't trying to get a new car for free or anything.
So since then we have owned 9 new Hondas. None of them have been the disasters that you guys have had but we have gotten rid of 3 of them for various issues that we just didn't like. Sure it cost money to do it, but as Anony said, if you hate something that much, why are you keeping it around? I mean I got rid of a 2001 EX-V6 because I didn't like the way the transmission shifted. It was in perfect operating condition though. I just didn't like it. I didn't come in here accusing Honda of making crappy cars though. Not even a couple months ago when we got rid of our 04 EX-L for the same reason.
Sorry if I hit a nerve on the $$$ sentence. But if you'd read a couple posts before that, someone said that getting rid of the car was not an option because of the depreciation hit. That sounded to me like they didn't have the cash or at the least they didn't dislike the car enough to get rid of it. And if the latter is the case, quit yer [female dog]in'.
Honda will replace the transmission under the warranty. So, with that fact in mind, ---what is the problem? Other vehicles on the market have transmission and head gasket problems. Read some other Edmunds boards.
Sure Honda will replace the transmission under warranty, but I was told by my only 2 local dealers that they will not do so until it completely fails. When I called AH customer service they said it was up to the individual serving dealer what to do and that they could not force them to do anything. I am not upset because the tranmission will be replaced, but its unnerving to own a brand new car that you are just waiting for to break down. Its like buying a newly built home and having the roof collapse on the house, sure the builder will fix it, but it isnt the most comforting feeling when something like that happens.
The 03 Accord didnt have any transmission issues. It was quiet and shifted smoothly. My 04 clunks real hard into drive or reverse and whines real bad when you get about 35 or so. It also on occassion when it is about to shift feels like someone has slammed on the breaks because the car begins to stop and then takes off again by itself then shifts.
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it is NOT anyone's place here to say "buy another car or quit complaining". this is THE place to discuss problems. it falls on YOU to stop reading the complaint posts if they offend you so much. (still can't figure out why people get so upset if someone says something about their car. i am not saying YOUR car is crap, i am saying MINE is. i still think there is "trouble in paradise" with these people and they can't admit it - only reason they would be so upset)
notice, when i complain about my car, i don't blame anyone in here. heck, i don't even post my complaints to a specific person in here. it blows my mind that a select few in here feel the need to make personal comments, when they weren't asked for their feedback in any way, shape, or form.
we have to admit it - there are some "personalities" in here that don't mesh. i won't name names - but isn't the adult thing to do to just ignore those that are begging for an online altercation? been down the same road over and over again with the same people. enough is enough. i won't be replying to certain people. be offended or not. now STOP COMPLAINING about my complaining!
and jrock - i know what you mean. having to have a transmission replaced, but on their terms, not yours, gives you an easy feeling. also, it is such a huge component in the car, it makes you wonder if it will ever be "right". kind of like getting in an accident - you know when you get the car out of the body shop, it is never truly the same. i am hoping and chanting that they will find no issues and just give me the stupid oil jet kit thingy.
Some of us want to know what things do go wrong. It helps the next time I'm shopping for a car. Coworkers often discuss their car shopping. I want to hear what failures/deficiencies are occuring.
I want to find time to do a search to reread some posts from the past. There have been posters who claimed they never had any problems with Hondas. But now they finally admit that there were things about the car they didn't like and/or had trouble with. I only get concerned with opinions when they start getting hypocritical when someone else does choose to share their problems.
I bought my first and only Honda product a '01 Acura CL, shortly after being release, trannys started to fail. My thought was it has to be people abusing them, and I have nothing to worry about [so, wrong]. 3 years & 36k miles later 2/3 gear went. Thank god I didn't yet leave on vacation.
My dealer did a great job of taking care of the problem, and of course Acura extended the warranty to 7/100. But that did not really put me at ease, knowing full well that it would [not might] happen again. Many CL owners have had their trannys replaced 2-4 times. Two months later I traded it in, and I have never looked back.
Almost 2 years later, I see that Honda is still having transmission problems on several of their product lines, leads me to scratching Honda off of my buying list.
So after 3-4 years of transmission problems how does Honda manage to keep their stellar reputation in tact?? Maybe they're NOT. Nissan has bumped them down to the #3 slot over in Japan.
We never had any "problems". We had things which we didn't like but never any mechanical problems. And we have told the story about the Civic all along. So I'm not really sure how you can imply we are being hypocritical. We didn't like the way the 01 coupe shifted, gee hated that the 04 downshifted when going up hills, we hated the way a 2002 ES300 that we had as a loaner shifted as well.
justing: I am honestly not sure what "trouble in paradise" you are referring to but if there were trouble in paradise do you think we would keep buying Hondas? Seriously. Currently our plans are for a TL, TSX, or maybe even an RL when our leased Odyssey and Accord go back. Or we may just keep this Accord and buy a 2006 or 2007 Odyssey.
This discussion is becoming more about what he/she/they said about me/we/them. If you are not reporting a problem and offering nothing constructive as a SOLUTION, then please just move on to the next topic in your subscriptions. If you have difficulty doing that, let me know and I can arrange something to make it easier for you.
Hi, I am a owner of 2000 Accord EX. Recently i found out that if i cold start the car, i need to press the gas pedal really hard to make it move forward. But once it's moving, i no longer need to press hard.
Does anyone here have the similar experience? What seems the problem? Thanks.
i had the first oil change done on my 2004 Accord at 3,750 miles. After reading comments here about break in oil it appears i should have waited longer . Did I do any damage by changing the oil so soon?
I faced the same decision a few weeks ago. With only 3,000 miles on my one year old EX-L 4 cyl. I wondered whether the oil should be changed because the break-in oil is supposed to go 10,000 miles or one year, whichever comes first in "normal" service.
That's what the manual says, so I had the oil changed because the car was one year old. Acids and other contaminants that build up in engine oil should be drained after a time, so that must be why Honda says to change the oil after one year of "normal" use no matter what the mileage is.
So, I believe it's safe to say that more damage (if any) could be done running with old, break-in oil than running with new oil that wasn't the original break-in formula. I'm no engineer and it would be interesting to hear PROFESSIONAL opinion on this.
The manual also says to use 5-20 oil--that's what my Honda dealer said they did and it follows the instructions in the owner's manual.
In addition, there is a special "crush washer" that is to be replaced so the drain plug in the oil pan will seal without over-tightening. That was noted on my invoice along with the 5-20 description, so I assume the dealer did everything the way it's supposed to be done. Of course, unless you get under the car with the mechanic you never know what they're doing or not doing.
I'll add here that I used my dealer rather than Jiffy Lube or equivalent because the local Honda dealer (San Francisco Honda) has an express oil service that costs the same or less and the dealer knows what the Honda Accord requires. That service is also available on Sundays--a great convenience, I think.
There are lots of opinions regarding oil; however, the best choice is to follow the advice of the people who built and tested the car......Richard
did a Honda dealer do the change for you? i basically begged my dealer to change my oil at 3750 and they simply wouldn't. they said the factory fill oil MUST stay in longer. i even offered to pay for the oil change.
i guess i could have taken it to a Jiffy type place, but wasn't sure they would have the Honda filter washers.
anyway, i have a feeling my dealer was just being weird. i don't see how you could have messed your car up by getting an oil change at almost 4k miles. its not like these are running on special synthetic oil from the factory like Vettes and Porsche.
I would have kind of understood this if it was like that from the beginning but it wasn't and im upset that the drive train degraded so fast. It was so very smooth and that's one of the reasons I bought this dammed car, but now its same as my old 1992 boneville. I hate this car. And I think if the dealer really wanted to, like if his life depended on it they could have fixed this. I really hope I win this stupid lemon law suit for this and many other reasons and never EVER have to deal with Honda again. To much stuff has gone wrong with it and I only have it for 10 months. Everyone looking at this post looking to buy a Honda, do your self's a favor DON'T. For the rest of my life I will always say this and nothing will ever change my mind about Honda. All of your who praise Honda are responsible for my purchase, cause I was stupid enough to rely on reviews and forums. And justin is right about the brakes. They suck failed 2 time in 22k. Reliability? What a joke!!!
Justin: I think your dealer was being honest with you--they could have made a few bucks charging you for an oil change you didn't need, but they didn't do that.
The '04 Accord owner's manual is clear about keeping the break-in oil in the engine for 10,000 miles or one year, whichever comes first.
So, your car was only 3 to 4 months old--too soon to change the break-in oil even for a car driven under more extreme conditions which most cars are not.
If you were driving in extreme heat or making short trips in winter (where condensation builds in the engine oil), then I think the manual recommends changing the oil at 5,000 miles or 6 months.
I think your dealer did you a favor by telling you an oil change for your car was too soon. Happy driving!.....Richard
You should be dealing with the "selling dealer", because they have a vested interest in YOU as both a present and future customer. If your transmission is presently acting up, write a letter to the service manager of the selling Honda dealer describing the problem and requesting service. Send a copy of the letter to the owner and / or the general manager of the dealership, and the customer service department of American Honda. (If you have a family attorney send him / her a copy of the letter and show it on your letter). Emphasize in this letter that being stranded on the side of the road, with a defective transmission, could be VERY dangerous for you, and it is not something that you wish to experience, especially when the whole issue could be avoided by replacing the unit NOW! I think you will get their attention because there is a "liability issue here"! ----------Send all the copies "Certified Mail / Return Receipt"
I posted something previously and got very helpful replies from auburn, alcan, and some others so I would like to tap the thinktank here again for some assistance. I am experiencing the exact same problem as in post 953 of this group. Alt light flickers, goes away with higher revs (sometimes), went off and on seemingly randomly during the last trip I needed to make. I personally installed a car amp with a 60A fuse a few weeks ago, but disconnected the cables as soon as the alt light flickered on which was recent. There was some belt squeal awhile back but that was short-lived and went away also. Judging from the response to post 953, I'd like to try and replace the brushes, brush holder, and insulator before forking out the cash for an entirely new alternator. Haven't gotten a chance to look since it's dark out (no garage), but does anyone know if I can do this without removing the alt (which seems like it would be a pain according the the service manual)? Also, do you think the amplifier draw (driving full range speaks only, no sub) or perhaps the short-lived belt squeal caused or contributed to the demise of my alternator? Any suggestions, comments would be welcome. I understand car audio a little better than I do car mechanics, but am hoping to learn from those more "seasoned"
BTW, the car is a 90' LX with 155K. 4 Gauge wire runs through the firewall to the amp in the trunk and it is grounded with 4 gauge under the rear seat. The amp is doing what it is supposed to and a trip to Auto Zone along with some preliminary (and very basic) multimeter testing by me confirmed that my alt is being finicky. Thanks!
I think your alternator is old and about to go. The battery charge light came and went away like my 89 Accord at 142K. Take that as a warning sign. I ignored it and stranded on a highway. The car completely lost all power. Luckily enough, I was able to pull over to the break-down lane.
Are you supposed to install a higher amperage alternator when you install something that can take an extra 60 amps!!!
The alternator has probably been assassinated by the extra current drain. You might want to consider a higher amperage replacement when you do replace it.
I replaced the brushes in the alternator, soldering two new ones into the old holder which I removed by just taking the back cover off of the alternator and doing a little digging. It was actually quite an easy process. I needed two screwdrivers, and a small metric socket set only.
I called Honda dealers (since I read that it was a possibility in the older post I mentioned and the first one told me that no repair kits of any kind existed and he couldn't even order me any alternator parts. He did however offer to sell me a $250 alternator...no thanks. The next offered to order the parts for me ($40 for the brush assembly) and was very pleasant, but I wanted to finish this all ASAP. Called some local auto electronics places and after a struggle identifying which exact brushes I needed, I ended going to "The Clark-Son Co., Inc" in New Haven, CT. Very helpful and I got 4 new brushes at their minimum allowed charge....$10! My battery is set to charge overnight and running a massive load to check things out before (Hi-beams, A/C to max, wipers going, and my stereo up beyond normal volume, the alternator was holding its ground.
If you have a multimeter, some instruction from Auburn and some patience for finding your problem and parts...it's amazing what even a novice can do. $10 vs $175 ($100 alt + $75 labor), thank you Auburn and townhall archives...
If I had more time and didn't feel like soldering, Maximum Autoparts had the brush assembly new for about $20. If you don't trust yourself to solder it's a safe bet.
Isellhondas - nope, didn't have to pull it. The back shield comes off by taking out two plugs and about 5 screws...no biggie. The bearings seemed fine and the diode pack checked out a-ok. Go nippon denso! The brushes were VERY worn down, but it had been 155K miles. I too think the increased load contributed to the alternator cycling more and wearing down the brushes a wee faster. But its a $10 job that requires about 15 mins of work...if I do it every year its still worth it to me.
chucko3 - Anytime a light decides to make its presence known on the accord I generally take heed right away. As opposed to my experiences in American cars, when an idiot light goes on...something is very wrong somewhere.
imadazol - Actually from what I saw, that is not an entirely true statement. Some smaller output alternators make more power at lower RPMs. If you check around, it seems more important to carefully match the alternator and pulley to the situation that it will be most utilized in. I was trying to find a link quickly but I forget where I saw some good articles.
gee35 - I was very careful to keep the battery charged when possible and I did not use anything more than the bare minimum of accessories while driving. A good battery can take about 6 total dishcharges (unless you are lucky enough to have a yellow top or similar deep cycle battery) from what I saw before it bites the dust. I expect mine to survive.
Mainly I was distressed that nearly everyone I called said no one bothers to fix alternators anymore. Especially when a little time and patience is all that is required to determine what is ACTUALLY causing the problem. I don't know, I like troubleshooting, learning, and then fixing the problem myself. This board has made that very possible time and time again. Happy motoring all!
"These guys knew how to fix things instead of just replacing parts.
Of course, given today's labor rates, it often doewsn't make financial sense anyway."
Not to mention "modular" design. My favorite was the '97 Olds Cutlass that I had just prior to my first Accord. For the record, that was the only domestic car that I've owned in almost 30 years, and it will be the last I ever own.
Anyway, the climate control used the fairly standard 3 knob approach, but the mode control moved very stiffly, which resulted in the knob breaking in fairly short order. Well, it turned out that Olds only sold the climate control panel, including the knobs, as a modular unit. So instead of being able to buy a knob that would probably sell for a couple of bucks that you could easily replace yourself, you'd have to buy a whole climate control panel assembly for around $225, NOT including labor.
Fortunately there was another problem with that panel, so Olds replaced the whole thing under warranty. But I couldn't help but think about what you'd do if one of those knobs broke after the warranty had expired. A trip to the junkyard, I guess...
Our 2003 Accord LX 4 door had its first problems this past month (has 23k miles). The stereo broke (volume knob doesn't work and loud static noise just blasts from the speakers), rubber seal on rear right passenger door fell off and there is suddenly a pinging and sometimes creaking/groaning noise eminating from the right front wheel area (maybe a strut problem??). Anyway it is in the shop under warranty as of last night so Honda can pay until everything is back in tip top condition.
A bit upset as we have a 93 civic coupe that has never had a single problem in 179k miles. Didn't realise Honda quality had taken a turn for the worse. I will never trade in our 93 civic (even under my wife's protests, especially in summer as it has no A/C!)......im sure my son who is now 2 will be enjoying this mechanical marvel when he is 16.....it still drives like new.
my rear tires are less than one year old 195-65R15, but front ones are worn out, i'd like to put same maker and model from Dunlop but slightly wider 205-60R15.
According to specs, those wider tires are 0.3 inches shorter in diameter.
Am i asking for potential troubles to mix them up?
It's a bad idea to put different sizes of tires on the front and rear of the vehicle. Replace the two worn tires with tires of the same size as the rear or go ahead and replace all 4 tires and maybe auction off the two 1 year old tires on ebay. Some tire places will even give you a credit for your older Dunlops if you buy the same brand of tire.
...if it's one size/same axle and ideally if the tread pattern of all 4 is the same.
And on either FWD or RWD, the tires with better traction (hence, wider) would be at the rear to mitigate spinout.
Some cars like the Corvette, S2000, M3 and of course the tail-heavy 911 have 2-size tires, with wider tires at back, but they're all RWD. Which is a good thing, because the rears would be providing both forward and lateral traction.
Which begs the question, why put wider tires on a FWD car if they'll just be on the back ?
I'd go for the same size all around for the FWD Accord, with the newer tires on the rear.
I just bought a 2001 accord EX and it has a 6 disc CD player. I put all my CDs in there and now I cant get any of them out. When I hit the eject button it turns off the power until I let go. Am I doing something wrong ?? Can some one please help ?
OK picked our 2003 Accord up from the dealer last night. While build quality may have declined for Honda I have to say their service quality is second to none.
The service team at Gladstone Thomason Honda in Oregon were excellent. Fixed everything, did 2 software updates and a recall problem regarding a coolant hose that might pop off. Replaced the stereo, rubber door stripping, and replaced a part in the front suspension that was making the weird noise up front.
Honda paid for the rental car overnight and the service manager even gave us a voucher for a free oil change. They needed to drive our accord around a bit to hear the front suspension noise as it was raining hard all day so they filled up our gas tank. Also topped off our coolant which was near the min. level.
Nicest bunch of people you will ever meet and all paid for by Honda. Cheers. Makes me want to get the Honda extended care package even tho it is a complete rip-off!
Honda Extended Care Package might be a complete rip off in your estimation, until you need a major component repair after the original warranty expires. Let's look at the facts. I purchased a new 2003 Honda Accord with a 7 year / 100,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty / zero deductible for $875.00. Over seven years that warranty will cost me $125.00 per year. ( The car will be paid off in 3 years). That is cheap insurance against the cost of a major component break down. The Accord has almost 35,000 miles on the clock. I would have been "out of warranty" long before the three years. One AC compressor, starter, or alternator could almost pay for a large portion or almost the total cost of the warranty. If that is not motivation, try the cost of replacing a transmission or an engine. Yes, the Hondas are high quality vehicles, but I am not willing to take the gamble of $125.00 per year against the cost of an automatic transmission. That is being "penny wise" and "dollar foolish"! For $125.00 per year, I will let Honda take the financial hit on a major repair! In addition, when I travel, I can get major repairs performed, (at no cost to me), at any Honda Dealer, because it is a "Honda Warranty"--(without any problems). Yes, life does become "stupid / simple"! Just think of it this way. One hundred twenty five dollars is the price of a dinner for four people at a restaurant.
We just picked up our new '04 EX V6 and I have to say, it's just an excellent feeling car.
There are two little things I've noticed though and would like to ask about:
1. there is a slight "strange" feel in the first 1 inch of the brake pedal. I can't tell if the pedal is rubbing/squeaking - or if it's basically going through 1 inch of loose travel and then "hitting" its first resistance. But it does make a noise. Does anyone else's do this?
2. there seems to be a fair amount of distortion in the windshield glass at the bottom inch or so - especially on the passenger side. It's the 1/2-1 inch just above where the black checked pattern is on the bottom of the glass. There is bit of this in our Odyssey's windshield too, but not nearly as much. Is this common on the Accord?
Sitting normally and looking over the hazard light button, through the window, at the bottom so you're looking "over" the hood - that's the area. It's actually about 2 inches of glass (just looks like an inch vertically because of the angle). Quite noticeable though.
Is this common/normal for this piece of glass? If not, is this something I should try to have addressed (if they will address it)?
I've always been hesitant to mess with a factory installed windshield unless absolutely necessary. I've had two replaced (for cracking) in previous cars, and both either had seals fail, or rusted around the windshield after several years.
Comments
Maybe the best way not to have Honda trouble is to buy a Ford (or if you read the Edmunds site, a C-Class Mercedes). Do that and it's unlikely the Honda will appear to be such a troublesome experience after all....Richard
I've transitioned out of necessity from a '94LX 2DR 5spd MT, to an '02LX 4Dr with/4spd AT.
I know the coupe weighed less by about 300lbs, and the '02 at 150HP has about 20HP more than my '94 did, but we are talking AT vs. MT here so I know I can't expect the same experience w.r.t. acceleration.
In addition, my AT experience is a bit skewed by a 5spd AT in an '03ODY with 240HP.
So - I need to calibrate my expectations as to what is suitable shifting and acceleration in the '02, because the '94 with the manual, and the '03ODY with the extra HP (and extra gear) are throwing me a bit off...
Any info so I can determine if the '02 is shifting where and when it should would be helpful. thanks.
Also, at about 40-50 mph, I feel a "roughness" coming through the accelerator pedal. It usually happens on hilly roads. Is this the transmission?
And, finally, sometimes I hear a grinding noise when braking, usually after the car has been sitting for awhile. Is this normal?
Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
jrock80: What exactly is happening with your transmission that makes you sure it is failing? Did the transmission fail on your 2003 Accord? What were the symptoms?
So since then we have owned 9 new Hondas. None of them have been the disasters that you guys have had but we have gotten rid of 3 of them for various issues that we just didn't like. Sure it cost money to do it, but as Anony said, if you hate something that much, why are you keeping it around? I mean I got rid of a 2001 EX-V6 because I didn't like the way the transmission shifted. It was in perfect operating condition though. I just didn't like it. I didn't come in here accusing Honda of making crappy cars though. Not even a couple months ago when we got rid of our 04 EX-L for the same reason.
Sorry if I hit a nerve on the $$$ sentence. But if you'd read a couple posts before that, someone said that getting rid of the car was not an option because of the depreciation hit. That sounded to me like they didn't have the cash or at the least they didn't dislike the car enough to get rid of it. And if the latter is the case, quit yer [female dog]in'.
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notice, when i complain about my car, i don't blame anyone in here. heck, i don't even post my complaints to a specific person in here. it blows my mind that a select few in here feel the need to make personal comments, when they weren't asked for their feedback in any way, shape, or form.
we have to admit it - there are some "personalities" in here that don't mesh. i won't name names - but isn't the adult thing to do to just ignore those that are begging for an online altercation? been down the same road over and over again with the same people. enough is enough. i won't be replying to certain people. be offended or not. now STOP COMPLAINING about my complaining!
and jrock - i know what you mean. having to have a transmission replaced, but on their terms, not yours, gives you an easy feeling. also, it is such a huge component in the car, it makes you wonder if it will ever be "right". kind of like getting in an accident - you know when you get the car out of the body shop, it is never truly the same. i am hoping and chanting that they will find no issues and just give me the stupid oil jet kit thingy.
Some of us want to know what things do go wrong. It helps the next time I'm shopping for a car. Coworkers often discuss their car shopping. I want to hear what failures/deficiencies are occuring.
I want to find time to do a search to reread some posts from the past. There have been posters who claimed they never had any problems with Hondas. But now they finally admit that there were things about the car they didn't like and/or had trouble with. I only get concerned with opinions when they start getting hypocritical when someone else does choose to share their problems.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
My dealer did a great job of taking care of the problem, and of course Acura extended the warranty to 7/100. But that did not really put me at ease, knowing full well that it would [not might] happen again. Many CL owners have had their trannys replaced 2-4 times. Two months later I traded it in, and I have never looked back.
Almost 2 years later, I see that Honda is still having transmission problems on several of their product lines, leads me to scratching Honda off of my buying list.
So after 3-4 years of transmission problems how does Honda manage to keep their stellar reputation in tact?? Maybe they're NOT. Nissan has bumped them down to the #3 slot over in Japan.
justing: I am honestly not sure what "trouble in paradise" you are referring to but if there were trouble in paradise do you think we would keep buying Hondas? Seriously. Currently our plans are for a TL, TSX, or maybe even an RL when our leased Odyssey and Accord go back. Or we may just keep this Accord and buy a 2006 or 2007 Odyssey.
And that's what this discussion is for.
Yes, people do get a bit overwrought and make sweeping statements about Honda in general.
But you and your S.O. have a tendency to question and criticize even when people are very careful to limit their issues to their specific vehicle.
It really makes for an oppressive atmosphere on this board, and I think it makes it even more difficult for people to "let go" of their issues.
I am a owner of 2000 Accord EX.
Recently i found out that if i cold start the car, i need to press the gas pedal really hard to
make it move forward. But once it's moving, i no longer need to press hard.
Does anyone here have the similar experience?
What seems the problem? Thanks.
That's what the manual says, so I had the oil changed because the car was one year old. Acids and other contaminants that build up in engine oil should be drained after a time, so that must be why Honda says to change the oil after one year of "normal" use no matter what the mileage is.
So, I believe it's safe to say that more damage (if any) could be done running with old, break-in oil than running with new oil that wasn't the original break-in formula. I'm no engineer and it would be interesting to hear PROFESSIONAL opinion on this.
The manual also says to use 5-20 oil--that's what my Honda dealer said they did and it follows the instructions in the owner's manual.
In addition, there is a special "crush washer" that is to be replaced so the drain plug in the oil pan will seal without over-tightening. That was noted on my invoice along with the 5-20 description, so I assume the dealer did everything the way it's supposed to be done. Of course, unless you get under the car with the mechanic you never know what they're doing or not doing.
I'll add here that I used my dealer rather than Jiffy Lube or equivalent because the local Honda dealer (San Francisco Honda) has an express oil service that costs the same or less and the dealer knows what the Honda Accord requires. That service is also available on Sundays--a great convenience, I think.
There are lots of opinions regarding oil; however, the best choice is to follow the advice of the people who built and tested the car......Richard
i guess i could have taken it to a Jiffy type place, but wasn't sure they would have the Honda filter washers.
anyway, i have a feeling my dealer was just being weird. i don't see how you could have messed your car up by getting an oil change at almost 4k miles. its not like these are running on special synthetic oil from the factory like Vettes and Porsche.
When you requested your first oil change, how old was your car? Was it one year old yet?......Richard
they (my dealer) were REALLY against changing it that early.
but again, they haven't proven to me that they know much about cars period, so who knows how much weight their opinion should have.
I have a 2003 Accord EX 4-cylinder sedan. I have the rattle in the driver's side front corner of the sunroof. What is the fix? IS there a fix?
Also, at about 40-50 mph, I feel a "roughness" coming through the accelerator pedal. It usually happens on hilly roads. Is this the transmission?
And, finally, sometimes I hear a grinding noise when braking, usually after the car has been sitting for awhile. Is this normal?
Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I think your dealer was being honest with you--they could have made a few bucks charging you for an oil change you didn't need, but they didn't do that.
The '04 Accord owner's manual is clear about keeping the break-in oil in the engine for 10,000 miles or one year, whichever comes first.
So, your car was only 3 to 4 months old--too soon to change the break-in oil even for a car driven under more extreme conditions which most cars are not.
If you were driving in extreme heat or making short trips in winter (where condensation builds in the engine oil), then I think the manual recommends changing the oil at 5,000 miles or 6 months.
I think your dealer did you a favor by telling you an oil change for your car was too soon.
Happy driving!.....Richard
I am experiencing the exact same problem as in post 953 of this group. Alt light flickers, goes away with higher revs (sometimes), went off and on seemingly randomly during the last trip I needed to make. I personally installed a car amp with a 60A fuse a few weeks ago, but disconnected the cables as soon as the alt light flickered on which was recent. There was some belt squeal awhile back but that was short-lived and went away also. Judging from the response to post 953, I'd like to try and replace the brushes, brush holder, and insulator before forking out the cash for an entirely new alternator. Haven't gotten a chance to look since it's dark out (no garage), but does anyone know if I can do this without removing the alt (which seems like it would be a pain according the the service manual)? Also, do you think the amplifier draw (driving full range speaks only, no sub) or perhaps the short-lived belt squeal caused or contributed to the demise of my alternator? Any suggestions, comments would be welcome. I understand car audio a little better than I do car mechanics, but am hoping to learn from those more "seasoned"
BTW, the car is a 90' LX with 155K. 4 Gauge wire runs through the firewall to the amp in the trunk and it is grounded with 4 gauge under the rear seat. The amp is doing what it is supposed to and a trip to Auto Zone along with some preliminary (and very basic) multimeter testing by me confirmed that my alt is being finicky. Thanks!
You'll have to pull that alternator in order to replace those parts. After 155,000 miles it probably has other worn parts too such as bearings etc.
I would just replace it with a QUALITY remanufactured unit.
Adding that amp may have caused a already tired alternator to give out.
The battery charge light came and went away like my 89 Accord at 142K. Take that as a warning sign.
I ignored it and stranded on a highway. The car completely lost all power. Luckily enough, I was able to pull over to the break-down lane.
The alternator has probably been assassinated by the extra current drain. You might want to consider a higher amperage replacement when you do replace it.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I called Honda dealers (since I read that it was a possibility in the older post I mentioned and the first one told me that no repair kits of any kind existed and he couldn't even order me any alternator parts. He did however offer to sell me a $250 alternator...no thanks. The next offered to order the parts for me ($40 for the brush assembly) and was very pleasant, but I wanted to finish this all ASAP. Called some local auto electronics places and after a struggle identifying which exact brushes I needed, I ended going to "The Clark-Son Co., Inc" in New Haven, CT. Very helpful and I got 4 new brushes at their minimum allowed charge....$10!
My battery is set to charge overnight and running a massive load to check things out before (Hi-beams, A/C to max, wipers going, and my stereo up beyond normal volume, the alternator was holding its ground.
If you have a multimeter, some instruction from Auburn and some patience for finding your problem and parts...it's amazing what even a novice can do. $10 vs $175 ($100 alt + $75 labor), thank you Auburn and townhall archives...
Isellhondas - nope, didn't have to pull it. The back shield comes off by taking out two plugs and about 5 screws...no biggie. The bearings seemed fine and the diode pack checked out a-ok. Go nippon denso! The brushes were VERY worn down, but it had been 155K miles. I too think the increased load contributed to the alternator cycling more and wearing down the brushes a wee faster. But its a $10 job that requires about 15 mins of work...if I do it every year its still worth it to me.
chucko3 - Anytime a light decides to make its presence known on the accord I generally take heed right away. As opposed to my experiences in American cars, when an idiot light goes on...something is very wrong somewhere.
imadazol - Actually from what I saw, that is not an entirely true statement. Some smaller output alternators make more power at lower RPMs. If you check around, it seems more important to carefully match the alternator and pulley to the situation that it will be most utilized in. I was trying to find a link quickly but I forget where I saw some good articles.
gee35 - I was very careful to keep the battery charged when possible and I did not use anything more than the bare minimum of accessories while driving. A good battery can take about 6 total dishcharges (unless you are lucky enough to have a yellow top or similar deep cycle battery) from what I saw before it bites the dust. I expect mine to survive.
Mainly I was distressed that nearly everyone I called said no one bothers to fix alternators anymore. Especially when a little time and patience is all that is required to determine what is ACTUALLY causing the problem. I don't know, I like troubleshooting, learning, and then fixing the problem myself. This board has made that very possible time and time again.
Happy motoring all!
Of course, given today's labor rates, it often doewsn't make financial sense anyway.
Of course, given today's labor rates, it often doewsn't make financial sense anyway."
Not to mention "modular" design. My favorite was the '97 Olds Cutlass that I had just prior to my first Accord. For the record, that was the only domestic car that I've owned in almost 30 years, and it will be the last I ever own.
Anyway, the climate control used the fairly standard 3 knob approach, but the mode control moved very stiffly, which resulted in the knob breaking in fairly short order. Well, it turned out that Olds only sold the climate control panel, including the knobs, as a modular unit. So instead of being able to buy a knob that would probably sell for a couple of bucks that you could easily replace yourself, you'd have to buy a whole climate control panel assembly for around $225, NOT including labor.
Fortunately there was another problem with that panel, so Olds replaced the whole thing under warranty. But I couldn't help but think about what you'd do if one of those knobs broke after the warranty had expired. A trip to the junkyard, I guess...
The old days are gone...
A bit upset as we have a 93 civic coupe that has never had a single problem in 179k miles. Didn't realise Honda quality had taken a turn for the worse. I will never trade in our 93 civic (even under my wife's protests, especially in summer as it has no A/C!)......im sure my son who is now 2 will be enjoying this mechanical marvel when he is 16.....it still drives like new.
According to specs, those wider tires are 0.3 inches shorter in diameter.
Am i asking for potential troubles to mix them up?
And on either FWD or RWD, the tires with better traction (hence, wider) would be at the rear to mitigate spinout.
Some cars like the Corvette, S2000, M3 and of course the tail-heavy 911 have 2-size tires, with wider tires at back, but they're all RWD. Which is a good thing, because the rears would be providing both forward and lateral traction.
Which begs the question, why put wider tires on a FWD car if they'll just be on the back ?
I'd go for the same size all around for the FWD Accord, with the newer tires on the rear.
The service team at Gladstone Thomason Honda in Oregon were excellent. Fixed everything, did 2 software updates and a recall problem regarding a coolant hose that might pop off. Replaced the stereo, rubber door stripping, and replaced a part in the front suspension that was making the weird noise up front.
Honda paid for the rental car overnight and the service manager even gave us a voucher for a free oil change. They needed to drive our accord around a bit to hear the front suspension noise as it was raining hard all day so they filled up our gas tank. Also topped off our coolant which was near the min. level.
Nicest bunch of people you will ever meet and all paid for by Honda. Cheers. Makes me want to get the Honda extended care package even tho it is a complete rip-off!
We just picked up our new '04 EX V6 and I have to say, it's just an excellent feeling car.
There are two little things I've noticed though and would like to ask about:
1. there is a slight "strange" feel in the first 1 inch of the brake pedal. I can't tell if the pedal is rubbing/squeaking - or if it's basically going through 1 inch of loose travel and then "hitting" its first resistance. But it does make a noise. Does anyone else's do this?
2. there seems to be a fair amount of distortion in the windshield glass at the bottom inch or so - especially on the passenger side. It's the 1/2-1 inch just above where the black checked pattern is on the bottom of the glass. There is bit of this in our Odyssey's windshield too, but not nearly as much. Is this common on the Accord?
Thanks in advance for any answers.
-n
Sitting normally and looking over the hazard light button, through the window, at the bottom so you're looking "over" the hood - that's the area. It's actually about 2 inches of glass (just looks like an inch vertically because of the angle). Quite noticeable though.
Is this common/normal for this piece of glass? If not, is this something I should try to have addressed (if they will address it)?
I've always been hesitant to mess with a factory installed windshield unless absolutely necessary. I've had two replaced (for cracking) in previous cars, and both either had seals fail, or rusted around the windshield after several years.
-n