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http://www.carcareonline.com/viewarticle.aspx?art=8
The following are my recent events with regards to the '05 Accord EXL 5speed MT I purchased on Jan 3rd 2005.
Jan 3rd: Purchased Vehicle.
Jan 4th: Picked up Vehicle from the Dealership.
Jan 6th: High Temps dropped from the mid 60s to the low 30s. The windshield would make loud popping and crackling noises when riding over bumps in the road. It was very loud and I thought that the winshield was going to either crack or pop out. Due to some out of town business, the car sat in my garage until in got bak in town on Jan 27th.
Jan 27th: That afternoon, I took the car by the dealer and had my service agent take a ride with me. The cracking and the popping was the loudest it had been. He said bring it by in the morning and they would get it fixed. Only 290 miles on the vehicle and have yet to buy my first tank of gas.
Jan 28th: The temps climb back up to the mid 60s. The noise dissapears for the Tech. He just pulls the windshield and reseats it adjusting the resting place. No more noise. The Service Agent says he is sceptical about the fix that the Tech did but said to bring it back if it happens again.
Tech's Notes: "Headliner out of Adjustment.. Dropped Headliner and re-installed..."
Jan 30th: Temps drop back down into the mid 40s. The Noise is back just a little quieter but more frequent.
Jan 31st: Morning: I drop the vehicle off at the dealer and told them that it was not fixed.
Afternoon: I picked it up and the ticket was still open but they told me that they did extensive work on it to fix it, yet the Service Mgr had not signed off on the ticket, but I was free to take it and they would mail me my receipt. Have yet to receive it, but I will post Tech Notes when I get them. They put almost 40 miles onto the car while it was in the shop.
Anway, they noises started right away when I left the dealership. I had some major business going on Tuesday and could not return it until Wed Morn. I called my service agent and let him know my plans.
Feb 2nd: The service agent comments, It is groundhog day, the movie or what?? I drop it off for them to take another look at it. I tell my service agent that if you don't fix it this time, I am going to want either my money back or a new Vehicle.
Feb 3rd: In the Afternoon, I call to check up on the car. They say it will be ready by closing. I get there to pick it up and I get the same thing as the 2nd repair, There is an open ticket on it and they will mail me the repair ticket. Everyone from the Sales Mgr, tech, service agent and Service Mgr drove the vehicle to make sure the noise was gone. When I drove it out there was no noise, I was a happy camper. Oh, they put almost 100 miles on the vehicle. Not to mention that 40% of the miles (738 total) where either going to and from the dealership and them driving it to figure out the problem.
They told me that they did major surgery on the Vehicle. They had to remove the dash and did a side-by-side comparison with another vehicle to try and identify and fix the problem. Again, I will post the Tech notes, when I get them.
Feb 4th: It in the mid 30s this morning and no noise, I was a happy camper. The Temps warmed up to the mid 50s, still no noise at lunch time. After work, it goes all down hill again. The noise is about 40% as loud as the original noise, yet the noise is happening all the time. I don't even have to go over a bump. I'm riding down the road smooth payment and the a continous rattling, popping and crackling is happening. I made up my mind to that I am going to take it to the dealership in the morning and demand a new vehicle.
Today: Feb 5th: I get up and go for donuts to make sure that the noise is still occuring. It is!!! Temps are in the mid 50s. After breakfast, I start getting my stuff together to take the vehicle back to the dealer. Prior to leaving, I decide to take my License Plate and put it in the back window dash for the trip to the dealership. The garage door is up. I head back into the house to put up the wrench and grab the papers for the car. I open the garage door with keys in my pocket. Then Oh My Goodness!!!
The car is rolling backwards halfway across the cove. I take off running as fast as I can to try and stop it. It is heading toward a work van parked at the mouth of the circular part of the cove. I reach the car and grab the driver side handle. As soon as I grab the handle and started to pull, the door opens and the left rear part of the bumper impacts with the left front fender of the work van. The van was an 89 GMC Safari. Needless to say there was more damage to my vehicle than to the van.
The car jumped out of gear and it must have start to roll shortly after I closed the rear driver side door after putting the license plate near the rear window.
I call the cops and took pics of the scene. The cops come out and do the paper work on the accident. They issue me a ticket for "Performance Ability of Breakes." Then to my surprise and the owner of the van, the cops issue him a ticket for parking illegally. His vehicle was facing the wrong direction for the side of the road it was parked on.
Then I called the Insurance Co to get the ball rolling and open up a claim. For now the car is back in the driveway with the tires chalked just in case it pops out of gear again.
Mon, Feb 7th ought to be interesting, I have lots of people to talk to: Lawyer, Ins Claims Agent, Service Mgr at Dealership.. and who knows whatelse.
Wierd, Frustrating and the whole range of emotions. I was just 30 seconds away from getting rid of the car.
As more occurs, I will post here...
I am giddy. Just trying to safe guard by soliciting the good Accord owners in this forum to help a "newbie" out.
Does the timing belt/chain have a peep hole positioned right in the engine compartment? I test drove this, ran the carfax on it, and all was in remarkable condition. I knew a guy who took me for a ride in his back in '91 when it was new. The visibility was and still is what strikes me about these. Course he had an auto and this one's a stick. I'm stoked, although the od reads 210K+. Derfore any perspectives or direction where I can (hopefully) research its maintenance and get on the hoo-ha doing preventative maintenance..... well I thank everyone in advance. I understand this might run as long as my '84 Corolla engined Vanwagon I sold today. Sad to see it go, but this is an encouraging switch, and it was worn out LE. This beauty has apparently all its bells in tune. Again, any precautions is stellar. THX
oh, relocating to Hotland, Phoenix, AZ and need to tow the tiniest uHaul trailer behind it. It has the horses, no? The clutch didn't slip on the test drive, so again -tell me more than I'm crazy. like how to remedy my insanity. I drove a'85 bimmer I paid $100 for to Austin and back to cowtown, Missouri on new years, so I have a history of taking chances. the catch was I had coolant, tools and a Bentley I'd been studying prior. Okay, enough. Thanks again for any responses re: preventative stuff on the '92 EX
I'm also trying to decide between a Japan or U.S. country of manufacturer/assembly. I've always heard that Japan plants put tighter tolerances and higher QA on their cars. Has that work ethic caught up with U.S. union auto workers who are assembling those cars here in the U.S.?
My alloy wheels on my 97 accord are showing corrosion, scuffs and chipped paint on the wheel caps, I would like to replace them with some aftermarket alloys. Asthesitics aside, what should I look for in new alloys in as far as construction (2-piece 3-piece casts etc.).
EBay has tons if Honda alloys for sale by people who are replacing OEM wheels with bigger ones. I bought a set of four OEM's almost new for $242.50 plus shipping.
Or, you could try an outfit like RimPro that will refinish your existing wheels. Spending $1,000 on wheeels is not going to pay off economically.
I'm just trying to figure out how a stick shift can "pop out of gear"??
Kinda sounds like it was in neutral and just maybe the parking brake wasn't applied?
Good luck on your creaking sounds. It sounds like your dealership is working hard but not pinpointing the source?
This past summer temperatures got up to 105 degrees at times in my area. With the AC cranked, it struggled to cool the interior.
It is hard to say if it was much better when the car was new. Luckily the 96-97 accords of this generation use the newer and cheaper R-134a refrigerent. To Accord owners with R134a AC systems, how long did your AC system last (years) before you needed a recharge? What should I expect the cost to be? Is there a way to cheaply determine if it needs a recharge? Can the do-it-yourself person just use a kit?
All A/C systems will slowly lose a bit of freon over time even if there aren't any leaks. After eight years and 140K you are probably due.
BTW, the "newer and cheaper" R-134 will never cool as well as the old R-12 freon did.
Has anyone suffered same problem? If so is it a single valve replacement or will Honda recommend a full change of all 16 valves? Any average costs charged for this? Just inquisitive to know.
Cheers.
I have had a similar experience. My 2005 EX 4 cylinder is supposed to get 25-35 mpg, barely makes 20. The dealer says things like "it's the Winter gas".
Did you ever figure out what was wrong?
Mileage on city and highway, short trips and long, 40 degree or 60 degree weather, has not risen above 20 mpg. Thanks for your thoughts, though.
Is it possible it's the suspension that weakens, causing the ride and body to deteriorate? If so, are there tests the dealer can do to check the suspension, any measurements? I wonder if the suspensions are faulty, or poor quality? Or could it be that the tires loose their ride quality quickly over 15,000 miles? Maybe we all need to upgrade the tires? Or is the body and interior so poorly put together that it creaks, squeaks, and rattles, after so many miles? I wish I could pinpoint the problem, because like many on this board, I am tired of hearing new noises/rattles, and recently I have decided that in general I am tired that I feel like the car is "aging" too quickly!
I am disappointed with Honda, I thought buying an Accord was a no brainer and assured a quiet and reliable car. Well, I think it will be mechanically reliable, it's definitely not as rattle and noise free as I had hoped. Good luck with yours, sounds like the accident just complicated the issue. Is yours by chance a Mexican built Accord? I wonder if that has anything to do with the noise issues ...
Basically, I heard about people who talk of the 1998-2001 tranny problems, but then others who say it only affected 1.6% of the those Honda out there.
I just don't want to be part of that percentage. Supposedly, the problem was corrected in the 2002 models.
I just want to pose the question to the forum if my worries are warranted. I'm a Honda addict and want to stay that way.
This past summer temperatures got up to 105 degrees at times in my area. With the AC cranked, it struggled to cool the interior.
It is hard to say if it was much better when the car was new. Luckily the 96-97 accords of this generation use the newer and cheaper R-134a refrigerent. To Accord owners with R134a AC systems, how long did your AC system last (years) before you needed a recharge? What should I expect the cost to be? Is there a way to cheaply determine if it needs a recharge? Can the do-it-yourself person just use a kit?
The easiest way to check your AC system is to buy a thermometer and check the output air temperature. I think it's supposed to be 50-55 degrees but you will have to consult a dealer or service manual for the recommendation. A place like Pep oys may be able to sell you the thermometer and tell you the temp. Many but not all cars have a "sight glass" that will show bubbles if the system is low on refrigerant.
Recharge service usually runs $35-75 and many garages can perform it as well as the dealer. It's best to let them do it because they have the gages to measure the operating pressures, and if the system is very low might even require the system have a vacuum pulled first before recharging.
I'm alsways surprised many people don't realize how much faster the system will cool the car down if the vent is set to recirculate the air, rather than draw in outside air.
Anyone else experience this problem? What did you do?
Thanks in advance.
They also tightened the emergency brake.
Anyway, the Tech Notes on the fix for the Crackling noises are as follows:
"Customer states, check for crackling/rattling noise from left front corner of the windshield...
Metal Hitting at Shock Tower.
Removed upper dash cover, instrument cluster assembly, Test Drove. Noise Still persisted. Pulled (A) pillar assembly, Left corner headliner, Test Drove. Noise still present. Reinstalled dash, cluster assembly and (A) pillar trim. Installed Chasis ear on inside of dash. No Noise present from inside of car. Installed Chasis Ear(s) on outside of vehicle, Heard noise at Shock Tower. Adjusted Body at shock tower, metal touching together, Test Drove with Service Manager.
No Other Noise present."
I just picked the car up and it was cold this morning, Temps in the low 30s. I test drove with the Service Mgr and no noise was present.
So I have my car back, crackling and noise free. I have a trip this weekend that will doulbe the mileage on the vehicle. And then I will take it back in next Tuesday to get the Bumper cover repaired.
If anything new happens, I will post...
The first thing I'd do is check the inflation of your tires. Likely one of the fronts is low if the pull is that noticeable & the alignment's good
Did you have any success in fixin the noises?
And the hesitation may be bad plugs/wires. Just a hunch.
Does anyone else have a similar steering column rattle/buzzing sound? Any other fixes or experiences? Thanks!
Your tires have 44,000 miles less rubber on them than when they were new. Riding with a somewhat "balder" set of tires can affect your perception of ride comfort.
Both you and slawenda might want to check your tires' air pressure. If you are running higher than the pressures specified on the door frame label you might also be affecting your ride quality.
problems:
1) Tight brakes, the cars brakes have been EXTREMLY tight since the day i have bought it, two sets of pads and a set of rotors in the front and a set of pads and numerous resurfusing on both the front and rear brakes.
2) A/C always gave me problems, and then just stopped working, at 13,000 miles or so, had a bad switch, repair was done in a day, and i was back on the road.
3) The front bumpers paint was messed up, and had to be re-finished (the car sat at the dealership for over a month while i was in their new 03 accord as a rental).
4) numerous fit and finish three or so mlding pieces on the window and a few pieces of molding on the inside of the car have been replaced including the rear speakers (which i think just blew with loud music?) also now i am out of warranty the silver on the shifter is coming off at the cost of $25.00 to repair.
5) now this is where i really got mad, honda gave me a honda care package with $0 deductable as compensation for my problems (since the lemon law in tx is really hard to pursue) recently i was at the dealership to get my radiator flushed, and noticed that the level was low so i mentioned it to them, only to find out that i have a hose that is leaking, not only is the part not in, it is been three weeks and the part is still not in stock, also honda care does not cover it. What does it cover if it does not cover the radiator hose?
Sorry for such a long post, but i am REALLY aggitated with this matter, and honda just doenst care about me as a customer, my family has owned like 6 hondas in the past and this is the only one with so many problems. I even mentioned that rather then replace my car, that if they could cover my trade to the point where i would not be upsidedown (2000$ which is not alot considering i am a long term customer who LOVES the honda product) i would be MORE then willing to get into another honda product.
please reply and let me know if someone else is having these same problems.
thanks in advance
Based upon your post, it would seem that Honda is not your problem so much as your dealership is the problem.
No, in the 14,000 miles that I've driven my 2004 Accord Coupe, I've not experienced ANY of the concerns that you've described.
1) Your term "tight brakes" is somewhat confusing. It's possible that your brake calipers may not be releasing properly when you remove your foot from the pedal. That could cause premature wear on pads and rotors. Your dealer, or preferably another shop, should check the caliper action.
2) The new A/C switch sounds like it resolved your concerns quickly and completely.
3) No body shop would take more than a day to refinish a bumper.
4) If they've replaced those interior parts, you should now be satisfied. Are you?
5) Since Honda Care is just an extended warranty, it may not cover normal wear & tear components such as hoses. Your Honda Care contract should have a list of covered and non-covered components. Have you read it? In any case, such hoses would be available within an hour anywhere in the United States.
I'd take my car to another repair shop. Yours sounds totally incompetent. Or, they are trying to discourage you from coming back.