Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

gye

Thank you for your kind and prompt response.

Dealer haven't done anything you mentioned. One time they replaced one bolt in lower front of transmission housing that dealer called pressure bolt, and last time they put some dye in the ATF and asked me to come back after 500 miles as they could not determine where leakage comes from, but they didn't bother to clean up all the grease and dirt built up after putting in dye which I found out same day after I got home. I'm very interested to see how they are going to do trouble shooting with so much mess around area tomorrow.

jposter

Hello,

I have a fairly new 2001 Accord EX-v6 sedan. Recently I have noticed a humming sound (very evident) at highway speeds (anything over 60mph)when all the windows / sunroof are closed. It is obviously an air leak, I suspect it is coming from around the sunroom seal. Has anyone else experienced this? Any luck at a solution. I haven't tried the dealer yet.

J.

pblevine

It could also be the sound of the tires. Wind noise (to my way of thinking) is very different from a "humming" noise. If, however, it is coming from the sunroof (moonroof, I can never get that straight), there could be a loose spot on the rubber seal or even a loose part (screw, etc.) which is vibrating. Maybe the dealer can help track it down.

drewster007

Hi Auburn63, Thanks for your reply. I am having the exact same problem that Mwcarlso is having. I have also had the rear engine mount replaced and sprayed throttle body cleaner into the throttle.. but the problem is still there around 700 rams. Sometimes is shudders bad.. and sometimes it's a quick and slight shutter... Another time you can really notice it is when you depress the break peddle when the car is in "I" and just let it roll forward.. Then you can also feel the car jiggle or I like to call it "slight coughing" as it rolls in "I". I also replaced the EAR valve and that didn't help it either. At this point I am willing to try anything... any more thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks..

Mwcarlso- I hope we can figure this one out.. love my car.. and don't want to get rid of it... but this problem is very very annoying!!!

hkdonhonda

Anyone replaced any belts prematurely? 65K miles on a 98 Accord and it has developed a high pitch chirp from 2500RPM and up. Almost sounds like a worn bearing in one of the pulleys. It doesn't speed up or slow down at different RPM levels, and it is non-existant below 2000 - 2500 RPM's. Loose fan belt? Auburn, this should be an easy one for you! Thanks in advance.

nosho1

Any 2000 Honda Accord owners with a hot plastic or chemical smell from the vents? This has been on a high mileage 37,000 13 month old Accord. No plastic wrapped around exhaust, interior air filters changed at 36,000 no change. Dealer says smell is "normal". Smell noticeable on all vent settings fresh air, recycle, heat and c.

pblevine

As plastic parts age or cure, they emit small amounts of chemical residue which sticks to all sorts of things. Like Windows. Good cleaning stuff should help on seats, mats, etc. On windows, I use Zaino Glass Polish which is a mildly abrasive glass cleaner. I do that like once every 6 months. After that, I use Windex on a normal basis.

fritz1224

I don't have any smell on my 2k lx. Something is up here, check further. Good luck. I have found vague problems are easily dismissed by the dealer, but if the repair order is specific about your complaint and the dealer's findings, at least you have documentation for possible future action. Make sure when the service writer writes your compaint up that they word it the way you want. And when they write up the reason, it is accurate to your complaint.
Hardball is necessary, because they do this for a living.

mm04

I have a 94 Accord EX with 150k miles. The brake rotors were turned at 36k because of a shaky steering wheel when I applied the brakes at around 60 MPH. The problem has returned. I ordered new Honda rotors (front) as per Auburn63's advice back in February. (Thanks again Auburn63)

Today I decided to do the replacement. I took the pads and caliper off and realized that the rotors are bolted to the hub. It looks like I need a hub puller to pull the hub, and then unbolt the rotor. Is this correct? Will a harmonic balancer puller do the job?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated on the proper way to replace these rotors.

auburn63

There are several ways that will work. After what you have already done you will need to remove the axle from the hub. To do this remove the cotter pin and nut from the lower ball joint and seperate from the lower arm. Then remove the axle nut and take the axle out. Then remove the four bolts from the back side (where the axle goes through)that hold the hub assembly to the knuckle. Now you are ready to take the hub assembly and rotor off. To do this you can either find something big enough to hammer on and beat the assembly out or take a slide hammer and attach it to the hub stubs and slide hammer it out.One more option is to use a press and press it out.(to do this you will need to remove the knuckle). Then unbolt the rotor from the hub by removing the 14mm bolts in the front..Alot of things but the hardest thing to do is get the hub assembly out of the knuckle as it gets aged inthere really good. Good luck...

mdames

I have a 2000 Honda Accord. I have been protecting the vinyl dashboard with a Zaino leather care product that is supposed to be good for vinyl or leather. Recently I noticed that parts of my dash looks like when clearcoat paint turns opaque and starts to peel off the paint. There are several areas where what appears to be a coating on the vinyl dash can be scraped off with my finger. Underneath the dash is very shiny. I can't tell if this is some sort of build up that is coming off or if it is a coating on the vinyl that is flaking off. I think its the latter due to the shiny surface underneath. It should not be shiny. Can anyone shed some light on this for me? What could this be? I always park in the garage at night, and park in a covered garage at work. The dash has been well cared for. Any input will be appreciated. Could this be covered under the manufacturer's warranty?

anselmo1

Have owned a 1995 Honda Accord LX since I purchased it new. There was a recall on the condenser a few years back where they replaced the entire unit. Ever since day one, the dealership has told me my air conditioner is working fine. On a hot day though, if I gauge the coldness with freezer thermometer, it only blows around 45 to 50 degrees. It should read between 37 to 43 degrees. There are no leaks and the unit is fully charged. What could be the problem? In addition, the windows on the car have been tinted so the car should be a lot cooler. There is even an extra tinted strip at the top of the windshield. Does anyone have an answer or is the Accord's air conditioning system weak?

jackiele

Hi everyone - Need your advice. I'm buying the EX (Leather)Accord this week and was all set on the "6" until I started reading some of these posts. I'm 47, single mom of four kids - do I need the six? I drove both and liked the pick-up of the six. However, I will go with the "4" in a heartbeat to avoid known potential problems.

pblevine

Vinyl problems? I too am a Zaino user and had used the "Leather In A Bottle" on my '98 EX V6 Coupe's vinyl with out any problems. I think you should take the car back to the dealer. Is it in one spot or all over the upper dash?

vcuan

Hi, It's beena while since I posted a problem on m 92 Accord. Yesterday afernoon,I took my car out of my garage and went on a short trip about 16 miles roundtrip. When I got back home, I noticed a very noticeable trail of oil coming from my garage, on the driveway, and then to the street. It's motor oil. When I checked my oil dipstick, it was bone dry. The amount on the driveway looked to be about 1/3 of a quart at least. The crankcase looks empty. Funny thing the car felt fine to and from the store. I had the car towed last night to my local Honda Service.
My car has 132K and has been driving great. I just had an oil change about a couple of weeks ago at the dealership.

I'm waiting for that dreaded phone call from my advisor.. "About your car...".. Ugh, bad way to start a week.

I guess some seal must have broken? Oil seems to be coming from the front driver's side. Underneath where you have the power steeering fluid. Around the area.

Are there various seals down there? Or just one? Expensive?

dudleyr

If you don't need to race the car or drive over about 120 the 4 should be fine - it is actually quite peppy. It is also several thousand dollars cheaper and gets better gas mileage - more and more important as gas prices go up.

pblevine

I agree (and I've got the v6). The 4 banger with a stick and a good driver should even be able to out do most V6 drivers in the turns. And the Honda 4 is a great engine.

I was just out in the parking lot (at lunch time) dusting my car (Ok, Ok, I'm a Zaino user). A woman who works with me walked by and complained (rather bitterly) about the paint job on her '98 Accord. She says her paint is peeling off! It hasn't happened to me probably because I protected the paint. But the fact that normal conditions would result in paint peeling is rather troublesome. Has anyone else had the same problem?

snowman

and told her not to buy any car that was manufactured on Mondays.:-))

mdames

Thanks for the response. I took the car into my Honda dealer. They are going to replace the entire dash. No questions asked. If anyone is looking for a reputable and very fair dealer in So. Calif. (San Fernando Valley), I highly recommend Kolbe Honda.

Thanks

vcuan

Just heard from my service advisor. Two leaks. One from something called an O-Ring seal and the other is an oil pan gasket leak. Fixing both will cost me about $450. I was fearing much worse, so I guess I can use the reasoning that its like a monthly car payment. I had read in previous notes some time ago in this forum about Honda fixing O-Ring seals at not charge,but that would be unlikly for a 1992 Accord EX with over 130K miles, right? Car still runs and looks great, so still plan to keep for a while. I've got a 98 Accord EX with 30K and a 99 Civic EX with 15K, so this is my daily commute to work car.

vcuan

Got the final call from my service advisor. Turns out that the culprit was something called a Balancer Shaft?? Another term I think I've heard in this forum. But again. same question, probably too much wishful thinking to expect Honda to fix for free, right? Total Cost to fix remains at around $450, which is not too bad. Apparently, I'm get a new timing belt which I would have needed at 150K or 160K anyway right?

I love just browsing the old appends to this forum! I have no clue when you talk mechanical stuff, but at least the words stick to my head

carguy62

45-50 F air sounds pretty good. How do you know it should be 37-43? Maybe I shouldn't be commenting though since my '89 Accord's AC has stopped working, but hopefully a shot of some bogus Freon will restore it.

joannek

I too have a '95 honda Accord. I have had problems with the AC not being cold enough. I had it checked out and the thermostat was adjusted which helped a little. I am still not convinced that the AC is totally fixed. I guess I will see what will happen this summer.

mwcarlso

My sister had a 95 Accord and she had a problem with the temperature control cable which controls how cool or warm you want the air, so that may be your problem. Also the new refrigerant is not as effective as r-12 was but it sounds to me like it is cooling pretty nicely. Good luck.

dfwk2500

Had a 95 Accord EX V6 that also had a/c problems (it was totaled last June and replaced by a 2000 EX V6). The problem was the heater control valve (or the Honda equilivent). Even when set for full cold, the control valve was still letting hot anti-freeze into the heater core resulting in hot air mixing with the cold a/c air, reducing the effectiveness of the air conditioning. Can't remember if it was a valve problem or the control linkage. Anyway, after they fixed the problem, it worked fine, and with an average of at least 30 days over 100 degrees, you could tell when it wasn't. If you can't get your dealer to check this out, let me know and I can pull the old repair ticket and see exactly what they replaced.

anselmo1

The service advisor showed me a spec sheet on what the air conditioner at peak cooling should be at a level of 37 to 43 degrees. When the compressor kicks in, it should be at 37 on level 4. I haven't been satisfied since the summer of 1995. I have no problems at all with my other car which is a 1999 Camry.

cooldude2

I'm changing the antifreeze on a 98 honda accord 4 cylinder. I wanted to drain the antifreeze from the engine block and wanted to make sure i had the right bolt. I had no problems loosen the radiator drain plug. Basically I see a bolt (10mm allen wrench) right under the oil filter. Does anyone know if this is the correct bolt? It looks to be the correct one based on the owners manual. I tried loosen the bolt and I had no luck...its so tight I couldn't even get it to budge one bit. I was thinking I had the wrong bolt but I dont see hows thats possible based on the owners manual. Any ideas?
thx

phild_mason

has anyone serviced this on the newer Accords? Where is it accessed from?

I have a 99 V6 coupe and thought after two years it would be a good idea to take a look at it.

thanks
Phil

pageja1

I have recently bought 2 '93 Accords, one SE, one LX. The LX has the transmission shudder, but thanks to this forum, I now have a good starting point for a cure.

Now for a new problem I haven't seen addressed here. The SE fuel gauge operates fine, but the low fuel light stays on all the time (no, it is not low on fuel), conversely, the LX low fuel light works fine, but the fuel gauge will only go from full to about 3/4 full as fuel is used. It never drops below that.

One last problem with the LX. While using the cruise control, my speed will vary 3-5 mph and the transmission in constantly shiftly between 4th and torque converter lockup. Could this be related to the above transmission problem? The LX has 142,000 miles on it.

Other than these items, I love the cars.

auburn63

Thats the bolt alright and yes it can be tight. I have a 1/2 inch allen head socket that I put onto a breaker bar.

auburn63

Either you have a short to ground on the low fuel light wire or the sensor itself is bad. I don't think they sell it seperately so you will probably have to get the whole fuel sending unit if it is bad.

As for the searching with the trans and cruise, try adjusting the throttle control cable that goes down to the trans a bit tighter.

achenator

Anyone upgrade 98+ Accord speakers? Is it worth it? Is there enough power to push a good aftermarket speaker?

bgabel1260

My 2001 Accord Coupe's moonroof had been creaking like crazy when it was closed and the car was in motion. It really marred the experience of owning a new car because of the constant noise. Fortunately, I read that there is a TSB for this problem and I had the dealer do the work. They installed a clear piece of rubberish plastic trim around the moonroof opening (on top of the sheetmetal). This trim also has an oily feel. Now, the moonroof hasn't made a peep of noise. MUCH better!

bgabel1260

Honda seems to have a history of using thin paints and from all the posts here, it sounds like they may be a little more stingy with the recent models.

My coupe only has 3500 miles, but the paint is flawless...not one chip. I recently waxed it with Meguiar's Gold Class Wax, which I picked up at Wal-Mart for about $10. Beautiful wax and it feels like it puts a thick layer of protection against road debris. I was going to use Zaino, but it's expensive, and frankly this Meguair's stuff is better than any "cheap" wax I've used previously...it looks like it has some optical enhancement ingredients because my silver paint is so reflective and deep. Well worth the effort (2 hours total).

pblevine

Yep, Honda seems to use less paint and there have been a score of complaints. I'm a Zaino user, but I'll agree with you here. A good wax like Meguiar's or a good polymer like Zaino WILL actually protect the paint effectively. That is, it will protect the paint from sun and heat, most dirt and road salts, and even acid rain. That still leaves rocks, flying objects, and people who "park by feel". 'Nough said.

robr2

A lot of things lead to easy chipping:

IIRC correctly, someone once posted on an Edmunds board that paint on today's cars is as thick as two sheets of newsprint inclusive of primer, paint, and clearcoat.

New waterbased paints don't seem as chip resistant as the old solvent based one.

I think we all drive a heck of a lot faster and rocks and the such are hitting the vehicles much faster.

I think most manufacturers have gone to thinner paint to help boost mileage estimates as well. Paint is pretty heavy stuff. I once read that American Airlines didn't paint their planes because of the additional weight - hence the polished skins we see today.

longboarder

bgabel1260,

Thanks for the tip on the moonroof noise. I have a 00' V6 and the roof started making a lot of annoying noise a few months ago. I was going to try using Armorall on the rubber seal but I'll go to the dealer first.

lourdesalps

I own a '93 Honda Accord DX. It has been an extremely reliable car and have had no major problems. The only thing wrong with it is the AC. It stopped cooling last summer. I took it to the local Honda specialist and it was very expensive to repair. At first they said it was a problem with the compressor and replaced it. This didn't fix the problem. Then they said it was a problem with the condensor. It still hasn't cooled the way it should. Sometimes it blows cool air, but mostly hot air. I've been shopping for new and used cars, but I'm going to try to repair the AC. Has anyone had any luck with the AC on their Honda? Other than this, it has been very fuel efficient, reliable, and an overall great car.
Thanks for your input.

auburn63

one of the first and easiest things to check is your heater knob. We have had alot of them crack and or break, which doesn't allow you to close the water valve.Pull it off and check the inside shaft for cracks and or breaks. If that is good then you will need to have the presures checked to determine where to go next.The most common is that heater knob, after that there are alot of differant things that go bad over time.Does the compressor cycle alot? Meaning click on and off fast?..Good luck

jrct9454

My first reaction is that if the repair shop can't solve the problem in two visits, find a new shop. My second reaction is like Auburn's: there are a lot of things that can create the symptoms described. Our '91 was blowing hot air, notwithstanding the compressor cycling like mad; yes, I checked the hot water valve setting [you can see it in the engine compartment], and the dealer fixed it [on the first try, not the third], by replacing a faulty expansion valve in the system [no circulation of refrigerant if the valve is always closed, yes?]. The point is, you need to find another "Honda specialist"...dare I suggest the dealer...to get into the AC system and find out what is really wrong, rather than randomly replacing parts with no idea of the outcome.

ileighton

I have a 2000 Accord EX V-6 with 18,000 miles. While balancing the sound systems front/rear fader I find the rear speakers sound as if they are stuffed with cotton. the front door speakers seem to have a much clearer power with the depth/midrange & treble... am i hearing things???

patnams

CoDrivers,

My Accord 98's headlight burned out. Will I be able to replace it myself. What do I need to do?

Thanks in Advance
Sri

patnams

CoDrivers,

At 45K, my Accord 98's breaks are making noise.

I hade to made a sudden brake few days back, it worked perfectly. Noise comes only when my speed
is a low.

Do I need to replace my brake pads. What is the $
I will have to spend. I know I'll have to change
brake fluid at 45K. Will this be enuf?

Thanks in Advance
SridharP

jgag

Does any one know if there has been a hist. of problems with 96 honda speedometers? I am currently waiting for a replacement for mine and was wondering if this is a common problem.

catbluesky

I own a 98 Accord and have experienced problems with the fuel sending unit beginning at 21,000 miles. The fuel guage wasn't registering correctly. I had it replaced at no cost. Now, at 42,000 miles the same thing happened. The difference is that now Honda will not pay for the part stating it is guaranteed for 10,000 miles or 12 months. I wonder if the part itself is defective, or is it standard for a fuel sending unit to have such a short life span? I called a Honda rep and he said he could not help me. I am now in the process of writing to the president of Honda... Any suggestions??? Thanks.

pblevine

I also have a '98 (Accord Coupe EX V6). Honda replaced the FSU as per their recall about a year after I bought the car. The fuel gauge was never really accurate until then. Thus far, I've had no other problems with it. BUT, I've only got 16+K miles on the car. I've heard others complaign about it. It has to be the design. And in that case, contacting Honda at the higher levels is probably correct. You might also try asking other owners at www.Honda-Acura.Net about the problem. Let us know how what happens.

lancerfixer

Yeah, at 45k, it's definitely time for new pads. I'm not sure of the cost, but get your pads at a Honda dealer-- don't so for cheap aftermarket pads. I made that mistake...went to a national chain for exhaust and brakes a year ago, and both pads and muffler are due again for replacement; OEM Honda for everything on my car from here on out.

auburn63

Glad to hear you have seen the light...lol..OEM parts are so much better for your Honda. Front pads in our shop are like 50.00 I think and we install them with a life time warranty on the part for 99.00. The only way it gets more expensive is if you have a brake shimmy and need a rotor cut but thats anywhere.See ya

anselmo1

It is common knowledge that the fuel sending units on Honda Accords has been a problem since 1994. At www.honda-acura.net it has been debated many times. Believe it or not, in the I-4's, if you use any octane higher than 87, you will have fuel sending unit problems. My unit has been replaced three times on my 1995 Honda Accord since I purchased an extend warranty that expires in 2002 from Honda. My biggest concern has always been the air conditioning unit's lack of cooling power as well as the cheap A pipes and B pipes they put on the exhaust system.

auburn63

The factory A pipes last for along time on a Honda. As do most of the b-pipes however they do go more often than the A pipes. As far as the AC, they take some time to cool the car down and there is alot of differant things they want you to do to get the most out of the air.The best thing you can do if your state allows is to put some window tint on the windows. This helps out alot. If you are mechanical you could either clamp of the heater control valve and or use a by pass method to get the most out of it also.They usally blow 42-45 degrees without any of these mods which is great.Although they take a while to exchange the heat they can and do blow cold if all is right with the syatem.Good luck