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Comments
Eventually your "MAINT REQ" warning light in your '04 Honda will stay steady. At that time you do whatever I showed you. It is no harm. Do not panic. Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.
dcap127, glad to be a 2nd voice.
However, I now have a 2004 EX-V6 6 spd. coupe with lots of minor "quality chatter" as I've come to call it. When it rains, the rubber molding in the doors gets wet and squeaks like two wetsuits rubbing against each other. I had an airbag canister shield for the side airbag in the rear driver's post (C-Pillar) that was rattling against the cannister until they finally traced it. I can hear the cable for the passenger door lock mechanism rattling (probably out of its guide) and I have a windshield that crackles like ice dropped in a hot bath (this, despite having been re-sealed by the dealer once already).
Most annoying of all, is the fact that I have about 1" of freeplay in my stickshift, even when the car is in gear. I finally took it apart myself (after the dealer said he couldn't fix it) only to learn that Honda had cheaped out on the linkage. What used to be adjustable rods and bolts connecting the shifter to the equipment below is now all done with non-adjustable cables. So, if it sucks, you just have to get used to it.
Not what I expected from a performance automobile that I paid nearly $24,000 for. On the other, hand, the engine is sweeeeeeeet, the XM radio is fun, and I still believe that, properly maintained, the car will probably go 150k miles or more so, for a guy like me who drives 30K a year, its all still worth it.
-FS
While hunting for tires for our Accord, the reviews went something like this:
Review #1: Best tire I ever owned.
Review #2: Worst tire I ever owned.
Review #3: Great tire in the wet.
Review #4: Terrible tire in the wet.
Review #5: I'm getting wonderful treadlife out of these tires.
Review #6: These tires wore out very quickly.
Review #Ad nauseum - you get the idea.
Average has been 26 to 27 mpg which I think is very good for a 3200 pound sedan with AT--especially considering the car's quick acceleration.....Richard
-Driver seat was moving back and fourth when stopping & Accelerating. (dealer replaced seat track)
-Front brakes wear out every 6-8k miles. I don't believe that this has to do with my driving but since the dealer says it does I don't even argue anymore. Note: My VW Jetta has 48k on factory brakes never been replaced.
-Stereo and HVAC control screen flickers and goes blank when going over bumps?? Also, has HORRIBLE "FM" reception.
-Driver window made clicking noises while going up and fell into door. (dealer replaced clips)
-Side impact airbags on the passenger side (curtain and seat) deployed after a rock flew up on the freeway and hit the undercarriage. (dealer says it hit the sensor and they won't warranty it) I told them it is a safety defect & they didn't seem to care. I paid my insurance deductible and they are pursuing it through Honda. Needless to say at this point I wasnt surprised that it happened and I really don't care as well as the car is leased and they technically own it anyway.
-Car leaks in the rain...headliner is stained and ruined in multiple areas. Probably due to the repairs with the airbag??
-SRS light stays lit continuously now...lol Returned it to the shop that fixed the airbags and they said it is functioning fine and reset the light and then it comes back on 3 days later...again, I don't care anymore so I just let it stay lit.
-Engine (V6) starts then stalls on a cold morning...dealer said it was recalled ...performed the recall and it still does it....I just restart it several times until it runs again.
-Transmission recall performed. (No idea what this was about)
Overall, this happens to be the worst car I have ever owned and that includes a 1999 Daewoo Leganza. I don't know if I purchased it too soon as I had the 2nd "new body style" Accord V6 in Las Vegas. I am not a happy camper and do not recommend this vehicle to anyone. Thank goodness the car has good resale value (ha ha ha) as I paid off the lease a year early and am going to sell it to Carmax and take the diffrence to put on an XC90.
I was disappointed that this problem occurred, but the dealer was good about fixing it.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I would, however, caution you against purchasing an XC90 as a replacement. Consumer Reports rates its reliability as "poor" and does not recommend it.
You may feel jaded about CR's ratings, since it gives the Honda such good marks and you had such a bad experience. Overall, though, I think we may have simply had the bad luck to get the few poor representatives of what is in general a very good car.
I'd be concerned that with the XC90 you're getting a vehicle that is considered unreliable across the board, and will be considerably more expensive to maintain than the Accord.
Are you considering any other makes/models? I would urge you to cast a wider net, so you don't end up with another problematic vehicle.
Granted, a manufacturer will only provide OEM parts under warranty and the new parts may be as bad as the old. However, I had problems with the brakes on my last car until I bought my own aftermarket rotors, pads and, ultimately, calipers. I never had another problem after that and the cost was only a tenth that of owning a new car for a year.
In the reports I've read of early brake problems (and not just on Hondas), I've never heard anyone say their calipers were replaced (always the pads, rotors or both). It seems to me that tight calipers could easily explain some of these problems. However, a tight caliper is also extremely easy to spot by spinning a wheel and checking drag so you'd think mechanics would be diagnosing that issue correctly. Another issue is that some designs are sensitive to proper lug nut torque – uneven or excessive torque can warp some rotors too.
Brake problems shouldn’t be an unsolvable mystery unless the car’s brake design is just bad from the start and then everyone would be having massive problems.
Please Help
Justin
1. Low octane... but 93 should be more then enough since I assume it only needs 87. Maybe you got a bad tank of gas but it sounds like you went through a tank of gas already.
2. Your timing is off and/or is not advancing when you accelerate. The older cars use to have a vacuum advance, but now it's probably just computer controlled.
I would have the timing checked by the dealer. Putting different oil in should have nothing to do with it IMO.
Good Luck
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Some dealers indicate the car has “break-in” oil installed at the factory. Those dealers recommend a first oil change at 7,500 miles. The “break in” oil is reported by those dealers to have different additives than common replacement oil. The different additives in the “break in” oil are reported to be beneficial to the new engine. However, I could not find any reference in the vehicle user manual that came with the car about “break-in” oil installed at the factory. The user manual only makes recommendations regarding ongoing oil change frequency based on severe or normal driving conditions.
At what mileage should I make the initial oil change in my new car? I would prefer a response from a qualified Honda service technician, if possible. Thank you.
http://www.critter-repellent.com/rat/getting-rid-of-rats.php
I miss my manual trans and want a navi. hopefully they have fixed some rattle problems in two years as well.
How big of a shock will going from the v-6 to the 4banger will this be?
Of course the V6 is faster than the 4, but under most driving situations the 4 will be more than you need for quick, safe acceleration.
Because this concerns you, test drive a 4 before you make any decision......Richard
www.ratzapper.com
it's incredible and works fast.
As an aside, I just purchased an '05 Mazda Tribute, which will necessitate selling my 99 Accord LX sedan. That thing has been bulletproof, and not a creak to be heard. Japanese-built, though not sure if that is the reason it has been so good. If I did not have so many vehicles, I would keep it.
Considering the large difference in horsepower, I'm impressed with how much torque the 4-cylinder seems to have around town. Above 2,000 rpm, the Honda K-series engines are impressively smooth. Don't expect a big increase in fuel efficiency over the V6 though.
Looks like a 2-man job with the mop-up left to a trainee.
Suggest going back to the shop with these ideas.
He recently complained about the pinging and I was able to find the info about the TSB on this board so when he has that repaired he will have them take a second look at the door.
If anyone else has anything to add I would appreciate it. I was a huge Honda fan until some issues with my 1998 Honda and I got mad at Honda. This is the first Honda I have had since then and I am dissapointed in the rattles. It was a sunroof rattle that drove me nuts in my 1998 EX V6 Coupe. Before that car I had a 1983 Accord, 1992 Accord and a 1997 Civic. My main concerns were with a dealership in GA that I delt with so I felt buying from Carmax and dealing with them would be a solution.
Spray some WD-40 on those rubber parts which might be making a bit of noise if they rub when the body flexes slightly. It's worth a try......Richard
What's one thing you liked and one thing you didn't like about the I4 compared to your V6?
My car was parked on the side of a street, and when I came back to pick up the car, I found it damaged due to a speeding driver that struck the rear quarter panel of the car when trying to aggressively merge onto another lane. The damage involved the suspension and rear bumper as well as bending the left rear alloy wheels. I am just wondering whether there will be a vast change in the "rigidity" and the handling of the car once it is repaired! My car, by the way, is a 2003 Accord EX-V6.
bszeto