Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

califdreamin

Hey there,

I just recently had the same problem with my '92 Honda Accord. Had the timing belt changed and a few other things and now I'm getting about 40 miles less to a tank of gas. Had the work done at a non-dealer shop. After noticing the decrease I took it to the dealer.

They said it wasn't the timing belt but something to do with the fuel injector cap not being put back on right which was causing me to leak gas. They supposedly fixed it but I still notice the difference. I'd like to find out what's causing it too. I live in Sacramento, California so I'm not sure if it's the humidity thing.

hermann

Posted on V6performance.net re: a response to a customer with a failed trans:

{I don't know how legitimate this is, but it sounds pretty real...}

Hi. I'm a Honda tech. I'm one of the dudes that works on your car. And I gotta say, I'm really unhappy at reading this.

First, every 5-speed automatic attached to a V6 has a recall on it if it was made up until about 4 months ago. 2nd gear has insufficiently sized bearings. It overheats, turns blue, breaks, and locks up at highway speeds. The tires lock up and you guessed it, you lose control. I'm not afraid of saying this because the recall is PUBLIC and this is not secret information.

Why am I unhappy? Well for one, changing transmissions on these cars (accords), trucks (pilots), and oddysey's sucks. It pays crap, and it makes the mechanics want to "not see the problem" ... Honda techs are paid flatrate. We get paid what the customer (or Honda) pays in labor/hours. Say we get $15/each labor hour we work. Well, the goal is to beat that time. To perform a 3 hour service in 2 hours, then move on to the next work. It's the only way you make money. Warranty pays 75% of what the customer pays for a given job. All recalls are warranty work. Obviously we like customer pay vs. warranty.

Well, sometimes warranty is unfair. It's never been this grossly unfair though. It's got a lot of techs having trouble paying their bills, even.

For a warranty trans inspection/recall, this translates to Honda paying a tech 8.2 hours of labor to:

Test drive the trans.
Take it partially apart.
Take pictures of 2nd gear.
Send those pictures to honda, and PRAY that they come back and say the teeth look fine. quite often, Honda says OH! Time to replace the trans.
Take trans out.
Put in new trans.
Perform an alignment.
Test drive car.

... takes about 10 hours for an expert ASE Master tech such as myself to do it.

... takes about 16 hours for a normal tech.

You get paid 8.2. Period. No if's, and's, or but's. Hondas view is "We're losing our [non-permissible content removed] on these transmissions, so, sorry- so do you."

Many techs who have been working for Honda 15-18 hours are starting to quit over this. You wouldn't begin to believe the building rage on this problem. The anger towards honda for crapping on their techs when the problem is so severe. The anger that the customers cars, hundreds of thousands of them, have received such poorly designed transmissions. (The running joke is the maker of the dodge caravan transmissions built these all for honda) .. and there is the frustration and severe concern over what is to happen in the future. It takes 1-2 days for a tech to change a transmission. A given dealership, if converted into a transmission replacement only service station (something impossible), could replace 10-15 transmissions per day in a theoretical world. That's less than 3000 transmissions per year. Each dealership services far more than that many vehicles in it's own area. At this rate, it would take 4-5 years to do this to do every transmission. But that's impossible. And I would/could never do it.

So instead we install this jet kit that squirts oil onto 2nd gear, and we hope that it doesn't overheat. Nevermind the fact that the new transmissions as of 4 months ago don't have that. They have bigger bearings. Nevermind that the transmissions we're installing jetkits onto are STILL failing.

So... this really, really pisses me off. Because we KNOW about the trans problem. That every day we FEAR having a trans come into our bay... to have a customer complain about a whining sound- which is the absolute worst case before impending gear lock up, and say that it's only TIRE noise ... tells me something about that dealership.

I know the techs don't want to change the transmissions. I don't want to. But it's my job, it's what I'm paid (barely) to do, and until I see fit to find other work, I will not endanger my customers with lies to increase my paycheck.

That, my friend, is exactly what has happened.

So ... get your butt to the dealership, ream the service manager a new one ... and threaten legal litigation if necessary.

Anonymous unhappy Honda Tech.
__________________
'04 Accord EX V6 (3/04)
'04 Pilot EX-L (11/03)
'00 Accord LX (7/04)
'00 Accord EX (12/04)

anonymousposts

what was the date of it?

And if he knows that Honda is designing poor transmissions why does he have 4 of them with 2 of them purchased fairly recently?

imidazol97

>Honda is designing poor transmissions why does he have 4 of them

A mechanic is in a great position to repair, replace easily and cheaply whereas regular consumers have great expense.

Transmission giving trouble??? Joe Mechanic just calls up the local recycler who gives him a cut rate, or he picks up at a lower cost a replacement which has the proper fixes (such as larger bearings mentioned in the mechanic's earlier post) and puts it in and voila problem fixed. Mechanics have access to the repair facilities to do their own work or they have other locations where they can do that work. Some mechanics moonlight at other spots, so access and equipment is easy.

ramida

Hermann,

You are not alone with your Honda steering problem. I have an 03 Accord with exactly the same problem as you described -- difficult to keep a straight ahead steering. Interestingly, mine has the tendency to pull to the LEFT!

I have a bunch of other complaints about this crappy Accord so I'm thinking of trading it in. Still doing some research about Nissan Maxima and Mazda6.

ramida

joe122

My nose tells me something stinks here.

magbanua

I have 2001 Acura TL Stype and the inside floor was flooded with water from the air conditioner. I have only 36,000 miles on it and this kind of problem should not have happened. I cannot believe with the Honda reputation could happen this kind of expensive car.

mrme

I have a 2004 Honda Accord 4dr EX V6 with 12000 miles. Ever since I drove it off the dealers lot occasionally I here a thump like sound and feel a vibration in the gas pedal at the same time. It usually happens at 10 mph when th automatic trans shifts from 1st to 2nd gear. Dealer states they never hear it and not to worry about it until it breaks. Any ideas??? It was built after the recall for the transmissions. It was built in July 2004.

rcc8179

I have 2001 Acura TL Stype and the inside floor was flooded with water from the air conditioner. I have only 36,000 miles on it and this kind of problem should not have happened. I cannot believe with the Honda reputation could happen this kind of expensive car.

The problem is very likely a clogged A/C drain tube. If the tube is clear, the condensed water taken out of the air drips through this tube onto the ground. If the tube is clogged, it will back up into the evaporator (inside the car) and will usually dump inside the car when turning. Have a mechanic clear out this tube (usually with compressed air) and the problem will be solved. ALL cars with A/C (from a $10k Kia to a $300k+ Bentley) have the potential for this problem--it is not unique to Honda/Acura.

srobak

Your flasher relay is dying. Replace it.

srobak

Where exactly is the tube and how can we access it from underneath the car?

keung

my accord cd player is no longer working. It scans the disk 5 times then reads PEO and ejects the disk. Though I clean it with the disk cleaners it still doesn't work. I would prefer to fix it than replace it with a factory unit cause it has the steering wheel controls. Any suggestions ??

kazuma

Hello all, im a new member here but this very same site helped get the very same accord in question running about 3 mnth ago. Now i have a whole new set of problems that, unfortunately only vagly get touched on threw all my searching on the net. I am a do it yourself guy. i like working on cars but these hondas are new to me. i was stricken with the honda bug after i purchased a honda passport that has given me almost no problems at all. Great car. But all things come to an end as a deer finely pointed out to me last week! So the passports down.
I purchased a 90' accord from a guy who ffrozeup the ac ccompressorand then just left it sit, long story short, a new ignition system from ignitor to plugs, a salvaged balencer from the yard, new belts, and a new vss, it runs great! it out ran a 2002 s-10 5 spd last week easily. any way..

my shifter seems to not stick but be tuff to shift out of park. any time of day any temp any thing, it only sticks out of park. It has only stuck completly once. after i played with it a while i un-stuck it with a little force. But yet every day still, it likes stike just enough to irritate me every day.

Now for the big problem.... my idle lopes. not lighlty iether this car lopes from 5 or 600 rpm clear to 15 to 1700 rpm. now thats in park or nuetral. if u come to a stop sign or red light or even the local drive threw and just hold the brake... it still does it. u have to use just a little extra pressure on the peddle cause the car wants to continue driving when u want to stop. under driving conditions, it runs great shifts good, seems a little late but not real bad, but as u feel the AT shifting threw the gears, any where from 1st and 2nd the lope is still there but now its pushing the car. i can actually take my foot off the gas and cruize threw town at 35 with out ever touching the throtle! it will give it gas stop coast a sec then give it more gas. it will continue this even after i stop at the signs and stop lights! :confuse:
i have checked the vacume, it seems alright, its getting fuel pressure cause it runs tops, this car doesnt even miss a beet under heavy throttle! the check engine light comes on every once and a while but then it turns off after u shut the car down and some times never comes back for a while. it gives me codes for the vss ?? which i have fixed or else i wouldnt have been able to tell the officer how fast i was really going!! and a code for the egr system i think exaust system recurculating blah blah u know...

i really like this litle car and i feel bad that i have let it run like this for as long as i have. the previouse owner kept up on fluid changes but not the major matnence schedules i hear these hondas really need. im pretty broke its definitly not going to the shop. i just won custody of my daughter so u can imagine the bill from my attourney, and with the passport at the shop as we speak i have to ensure the capability's of the accord so it can effectivly save my a.... rear.

any help is extremly appriciated. A nd Thank You For Your Time !! :surprise: :lemon:

kazuma

probally easier to replace it with a factory replacment than to actually have the one u got fixed. find one at a salvage yard or something like that. it'll cost more to fix it than replace it.

kazuma

i really dont think they could have damaged the o2 sensore doing that matenence. however, having a new belt and being retimed they might have done a quiky job and and advanced ur timing a bit. Not to mention that any new timing belt must be givin a little time to stretch, there made of a rubber/plastic substance and they will strech just slightly, that could up your fuel consumption a little.

the plug wire idea though.... im not real sure but i dont think that would have a big impact on ur fuel consumption, at least not enough to be noticed anyway.

do you alwys frequent the same gas station? run ur self a little test and change stations when ur tank goes empty and check the mileage urself.

highroller

i have a 97 accord and was wondering if i should gap my spark plugs. I've heard that Honda recommends not gapping spark plugs and some other car experts(plus manual) believe that you should gap them. So, i was wondering what to do? One expert's theory is that gapping the spark plugs can affect the platinum/iridium center electrode or what not and therefore damaging the spark plug.... any thoughts?

kazuma

i own a 90 accord and.... the injectors have absolutly nothing to do with the timing belt, nothing.

thats kindda screwy. but those injector rings are known for going bad. leaking fuel.

the econamy part.. when was ur last tune up?

kazuma

its on the fire wall in the engine compartment, most likly passengers side though im not sure on that model

kazuma

if u bought the plugs u should call back and find out if there pre-gapped. most honda plugs are pre gapped negated the need to gap them but if there not pre-gapped, it wont hurt to gap them urself as unless ur beeting the crap out of the plug trying to gap it... u really wont damage the center points.

chucko3

Sounded like your MPG went down 1.5. Unless you were driving the exact mix driving conditions, a longer use of AC in the city would easily cause this change.
A CEL would come on if the O2 sensor failed.
Did you change the air filter when you had the plugs changed?

chucko3

When I changed the plugs on my 89, I always checked and gapped the plugs according to the manual's specs.

levi1

I've had my 2000 Accord EX V6 coupe since it was brand new. Bought it new in August of 2000. I've lived in Atlanta the whole time and haven't changed my driving habits at all and I go to all different gas stations and always have. I drive about a 50/50 mix of highway/city. This is the 5th summer I've had this car in the wonderful Atlanta humidity (it's at 112,500 miles - so I know every quirk of this car), so I don't buy that as being the issue with my gas mileage going down. All recommended maintenance on this car has been done at the mileage recommended by the dealer I bought the car from. I've never had any issues with any work they've done up to this point and I've never felt they've tried to take short cuts or push unnecessary work on me (when I've asked them to check on my brakes, etc...they've said they didn't yet need replacing, etc...). The gas mileage didn't go down until the very day the spark plugs and timing belt were changed. I'm not sure if they changed the air filter at that time. I'll try to look at it tonight. I'm going to drive it for another week before I take it back to the dealer. When I took it back in last Friday, they said the timing belt was "dead on." I'll give it another week to see what happens. It's just frustrating when you know your car is performing differently after major maintenance was done. Other than the drop in gas mileage it seems to be running smoothly.

bioman

What did they do to check that the timing belt was "dead on"? Did they pull the timing chain cover to check the alignment marks on the camshaft and crankshaft? If the belt was installed incorrectly, one notch off at the camshaft pulleys or crankshaft pulley, that might explain the problem. Are the RPM’s at idle a bit lower now and it the idle a bit rough. Those would be signs of a potential problem.

65stang

My dash pad seems to be loose as it vibrates and rattles a lot when car is in reverse, it also may creak when going around a corner. Can the fasteners for the pad be tightened, if so where are they? Thanks

srobak

Just to clarify - what they did on your car is not considered "major maintenance", but routine, and rather simple.

Personally, I would replace the plug wires. Moving them after they have been stationary for some time can cause extra cracks in the shielding, and even conductive problems. To my knowledge, there is no such thing as a fuel consumption test - aside from running a tank of gas through it and calculating the mileage. They can measure the fuel flow throguh the injectors however, and I would recommend that be done along with the fuel/air mix.

chucko3

Sounded like the fast idle valve is stuck open/leaking. Part #8 in the diagram.
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Acco- - rd&catcgry2=1990&catcgry3=4DR+LX&catcgry4=KA4AT&catcgry5=THROTTLE+BODY

One way to test. When the engine is warmed up and running, open the fast idle valve cover.
If you hear an air suction sound, the valve is leaking.

richsdi

I have an 89 Accord with a carb that when it is warmed up jumps up to 2500 RPM's and stays there. Any suggestions?

srobak

back down the idle screw on the carb.

mrbill1957

I have an 88 carb Accord with a similar problem. Although I haven't located the cause, it appears to be a sticking cable or linkage.

I'm able to pull the gas pedal back with my foot, and it goes back to idle, so I'm thinking it's just hanging up somewhere.

Mrbill

kazuma

adjust the idle screw

kazuma

im going to check hat here on my lunch break. any idea on the sticky shifter though?

auntdiann2

My daughter's 98 4-door Accord engine light came on. Mechanic did diagnostic test - said it was emitting some fumes into the air and needed a new EGR (?) valve = $300.00. Light still on, so he said the mainfold needed to be cleaned out by hand=$200. Light still on. He then said we would need to take it to the dealership because he didn't know what else it could be. Suggestions?? We just bought the car and are pretty upset not to mention broke!

Thanks.

Auntdiann

kazuma

hey chucko3, i couldnt get the screws loose, i will have to get into it tommorow morning at home where all my tools are.

i tried using a length of hose to listen for any vacume leaks yet didnt really here anything. is it possible that the leak or malfunction is internal?

kazuma

EGR - exaust gas recurculatory valve.

sometimes when u dont tighten ur gas cap back on right, it will trip this sensor. pop the cap and retighten it. then go down to auto zone or advanced auto parts, they can test ur obd2 system ( the plug in should be located on the drivers side, just under the dash, its rectangular but the sides are slanted ) for free, hell, if anything ask them to clear the code for you and wait and see if the light comes back on, after u do the gas cap thing.

i think u got took on the manifold cleaning bit though !!

anonymousposts

How many miles are on your 98 Accord?

chucko3

You need to remove the two screws and take out the cover. You can hear the air suction sound if the valve is stuck open. Put your finger around the valve seat area, you can feel it if there is a leak.
No idea with sticky shifter. It happened a few times with my 89LXi.

chucko3

Does it have AT or MT?

kazuma

AT, iv had the shift lever off, but nothin really looks like its binding but it sure as heck wants to stick out of park.

ill have to wait till i get home with some better tools and get those screws off. is there a way of fixing it, if indeed it is the culprit, with out buying a new one??

lastwraith

Those prices are a bit high, you should try to recoup something back from him since it did not solve the problem. Asking him for the codes that he retrieved from the car wouldn't be a bad idea either. Then you can share the codes with us and we can try to better guess what the problem is.

good luck

richsdi

It is a manual 5 speed. The car has 395,000 miles on it.

levi1

Hmmm. I got my gas mileage back on the first tank I went through after I ran my car back to the Honda dealer last Friday to quickly check to see if the timing belt was off (they said it wasn't). It got to 342 miles last night before the gas light came on, about where it had been before the work was done for mixed driving. I'll see if the next tank does the same. Wonder what happened to cause the mileage loss for 3 weeks or if they actually made some kind of adjustment last Friday.

neumie2000

I think you will find several postings on here about this issue. My wife has an 03 Accord, EX V6. When first starting out, meaning just after the car has been started, the anti-lock breaking system turns on (for lack of a better explanation) right around 10 mph. You will feel a slight vibration in the brake pedal and will hearing a buzzing sound. This is completely normal. However, if your Accord is doing it all the time (regardless of whether it has just been started), then your sound might be something completely different. Hope this helps!!

srobak

As has been mentioned several times over this issue - high humidity in your area over the last several weeks will have an impact on performance. Run 2 cans of HEET through your tank the next time you fill up.

levi1

I know that humidity has been mentioned, but again, this is the 5th summer I've had this car in Atlanta with the humidity (and no prior loss of gas mileage because of it) AND this happened right when the work was done. Hopefully it's no longer an issue. Thanks.

auntdiann2

Thanks for responding! Approx. 114K

auntdiann2

Thanks. They told me they did (and I even) tighten the gas cap several times. Do you think it needs to be replaced? My mechanic has cleared the code three times (after all this work was done) and it still comes on!

What about the air filter being dirty? Would that cause it? I'm grasping for straws right now!

Thanks for responding.

auntdiann2

approx. 114K. Thanks for responding.

rasheed21

Hi: How'd it work out, I'm in the same shoes as you are, actually worse, I don't have the voice controls for the steering nor is my car auto climate. I know for sure I have to get the complete wiring harness from the dealer at around $400. I ordered the electrical factory manual and intend to the regular manual too, as most likely the entire Dash will need to be removed. One local repair shop said that if I can get the schematic, they'll do it for me.

Please give us an update as to the progress

chucko3

If it's the culprit, you have to replace it with a new one.

chucko3

Did you check the vacuum line (#6) connected to the throttle controller?
If there is no vacuum at the line, check for leak.