Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

bens0472

Hi,

I have a 1998 EX Sedan, 4cyl with approx 105K miles. About three months ago I began hearing a strange screeching coming from the front right wheel that seemed to occur when braking or taking hard right turns. I took it to a local mechanic who assured me that the brakes were fine and I had nothing to worry about if I didn't mind a loud screeching noise coming from my vehicle. I thought he was kidding, but he wasn't...he genuinely didn't think there was a problem.

Anyway - after i got the car back from him, the noise had disappeared, but recently, in the last week it has come back. This time it's louder and more consistent and I was able to determine when it seems to happen (actually, when it doesn't happen). The only time that I have been able to isolate when the noise DOESN'T happn is when I am turning the steering wheel left OR if I am travelling perfectly straight ahead without braking. I've tested several different scenarios, listed below:

1) Travelling straight at high speed (>40 mph) and braking. Noticed some noise, but much higher frequency.
2) Travelling straight at low speed () and braking. Noticed more noise.
3) Travelling low speed and turning hard right (> 20 degrees). Lots of noise, pitch and noise pattern changes with speed and degree of turn..sounds a bit like the stereotypical sounds that come from a violin played by a 2 year old.
4) Travelling low speed and turning left. No noise, even if braking during the turn.

Any ideas? Again, I was assured that the brakes look fine, but, of course, he also tried to convince me that the noise I was hearing was nothing to worry about. I assume this means that my problem exceeded the limits of his knowledge.

Thanks,
Ben

chris79

i too am experiencing a vibration from an '05 accord. I noticed a very subtle vibration on delivery, but i presumed it was just a break-in matter that would pass. I made it to 3000 miles so far, and it seems its getting worse after each mile. it is definately a engine vibration from a 4cyl manual at nearly any engine speed and acceleration. the steering wheel and shift lever vibrate to the point that my hands go numb after an extended trip. I have doubt that any honda tech would admit any problem and wonder if persuing this matter is even worth my trouble. Or perhaps I should just trade it in for something else.

ahunter

The opened the glove box on my 2003 Accord the other day and found that I couldn't close it. It appears that the closing mechanism has locked up somehow, but I can't get the glove box open to look at it. Does anyone know how to disassemble the glove box?

desertmom99

Hi All,

I just bought an '05 Accord EX Coupe, after driving an 04 Accord LX Sedan. While driving the '04, I never had back and neck pain issues. I have only owned the Coupe for a week and my neck and back are in pain. I can't figure out if it is the seat itself or the headrest that feels like it is too forward. I don't feel that I am sitting naturally or comfortably. I am short and was wondering if anyone else was experiencing the same problem. Is there something that I can do to correct the problem? Thanks in advance,

Lea

chucko3

Try this with scenarios 1 & 2 (only safe to do so): put the car in Neutral & apply brakes.
Do you hear any noise?
If no, I suspect the ball bearings at the differential unit are failing.
If yes, it could be the right CV shaft.

jsmith10

Hi All,

I've got a standard Honda AM/FM/Cassette radio and the problem is that it rarely works. 99% of the time, the radio does not work, but I've noticed that if I drive for an hour or more, it will sometimes spontaneously come to life and will work for the remainder of the drive. Also, sometimes in the morning when I first start the car, the radio will work for 10 seconds then will drop out.

Can someone give me some ideas of what is going wrong? Is this a radio problem or an electrical problem?

Thanks for your help!

mrbill1957

What is the display doing while it's not working? Is it still lit up, or totally blank?

geehonda

sounds logical, So what's the fix besides not driving forward into my driveway or parking on the (level) street?

Local transmission shop claims to have replaced my clutch and inspected internal components of tranny for the tune of 800. Problem still exists

kazuma

ok so from what ur saying is this is a persistant problem eh...

depending on the grade and degree of this driveway, and the tranny shop says all is good. use ur e-brake when u park on the hill and coast out of the drive way from now on (instead of running ur reverse gear, or at least make sure the car starts to coast a bit befor u drop the clutch).

man o man how steep is ur driveway for this to be a constant problem??

akl88

I drive an Accord EX V-6 Auto. Coupe(Brand New BTW). Ok I was wondering if anybody has this issue: Everytime when I back out of my driveway in reverse, then once I'm on the road and I put the gear into drive and I turn the wheel and step on the gas I hear this grinding noise, and I can sorta feel it through the pedals (I can't describe it anymore than that), it comes every once in a while and it also happens from switching gears from Park to drive. Does anybody hear this after they switch from reverse to drive? Or is this normal on every Accord?

atlantabenny

Driving both the current gen 4 cyl (wife's) and 6 cyl Accord, I'm quite sure it's the V6's TCS (and not the ABS as popularly believed) that causes the grinding sensation. The 4 cyl car - which doesn't have the TCS - doesn't do it.

To your question, yes it's normal with the V6 which has the TCS as a standard feature.

neumie2000

My wife's Accord does the same thing, and has done it since new. 30K trouble free miles so far....so I would not worry about it at all!!

hondaman11

The check engine light came on in my 1996 Accord (automatic). Private mechanic read the onboard diagnostic computer and found a "code 720 -- torque converter" reading, said take it to the dealer for further diagnosis and possible repair. The car has 100K miles, and I'm reluctant to sink thousands of $$$ into it. Suggestions? Comments? THanks very much in advance.

alvinwayne

Cruise control lamp on dashboard of '92 Accord EX is out. How to fix?

alvinwayne

Steering wheel squeaks when turned. Sounds like rubber. Seems to be either inside the car or just outside. Mechanic cannot locate problem during past 2 years, and I'm running out of money "exploring" for the problem. And I am worried about steering failure! Help.

steve3927

Just purchased a 2005 Honda Accord LX. I specifically bought a Honda because I've heard of the reliability, fuel economy, and solid build. After some driving this weekend and driving it to work and back three days in a row on the exact same route, this morning it developed a rattle on the right side. I first thought it might be the wheel locks that came in the glove box so I took everything out of the glove box. It still rattles when the right front wheel goes over a small bump in the road and sounds very much like the front door is not closed (it is) or like it might be coming from underneath the car, or like the glove box door rattles on an old clunky car - it's a good solid rattle. Any suggestions before I make the 65 mile trip back to the dealer ask why a $22,000 car with barely 500 miles on it rattles already? As an added note, I have not gone on any rough roads or hit any potholes with it - just the main highways and in town.

chucko3

The steering pinion seal needs some lubrication.

alvinwayne

Many, many thanks for your advice. I will tell my mechanic. I've spent a LOT of money trying to resolve this annoying problem. I should have thought of trying to find a Honda chat room a long time ago. Just yesterday it occurred to me...after paying another bill ($691) for repairs which did not fix the problem.

nash123

In my eyes grinding noise could be a problem for your transmission, if it is coming from your transmission. I had a brand new 99 Civic Manual Trans and I had a similar grind whenever I shifted into 3rd gear, started in the first couple of months. I kept driving like that for a while and at 30,000 maint they replaced the manual transmission fluid, and the grinding was gone. No problems after that and I have 71000 miles on it now.

I lost a transmission on my 90 Civic years ago due to similar problems and I truly think transmissions on some of the Hondas go out earlier than others. In light of above, I would recommend having somebody taking a look at the trans fluid.

Just my two cents.

chucko3

What year is your car?

arawamis

Guys,

I have a '05 Accord EX-V6. I like to share something I experience with you. Maybe you can tell me if something is wrong with my car. Here is what happens. When the engine is cold, i.e. in the morning or after being parked for couple of hours, whenever I start to drive my Accord, i.e. I first hit the accelarotor pedal, I feel something under my feet pushing the accel. pedal. This happens only at the first push. The feeling is like the pedal hits once under my feet. It is something slight. I also feel like hearing a noise as if gears are cranking. Thus I got feeling that at the initial motion when the engine is cold, the gears are cranking hard so that I feel it under my feet. It does not happen all the time when the car moves from still position such as when red light runs to green. It only happens when the engine is cold. It does not also repeat while I drive. This is a difficult feeling to explain but I hope I could achieve that. However, I certainly feel a stirring, a slight movement when at the intial motion of the car while pushing accelarator. Please help me to understand this thing.

Thanks

arawamis

In message #11786, I tried to describe the same phenomenon. I guess you did it better than me. My EX V-6 AT Sedan does the same thing. It has 1500 miles on it and I am not sure if it has been happening since the day 1 or started later on. I hear the noise and feel it under my foot on the pedal as well. So, having the same issue would help us? I don;t know. Actually I am looking for an answwer as well, where the question is if it is a problem or something normal.

blane

steve3927,

Have you checked the door pocket to see if a passenger may have left something in there?

Is the sound noticeable with the windows both up and down?

Have you checked your lug nuts and hubcaps (if you have them) to determine if they are tightened to specifications?

Is your front passenger seat, and seatback, locked in position?

pahuntr

My 91 honda accord just give a starter click when turning the key. I even put a new "replacement" battery in to no avail. How can I test the starter to see if it is good?

jeepster84

I just got a 91 honda accord about a week ago and the passenger side cv shaft is grinding. I was wondering if anyone could tell me the fastest way to remove the axle and get it back in.

joe122

I also purchased a 2005 LX which developed some rattles. The first one turned out to be the passenger visor. It has plastic parts inside (behind the lighted mirror) that can get loose and rattle. Also, the visor was not tight against the roof liner making the rattle worse. The mechanic replaced both visors and made them tight against the roof. Solved. The next rattle appeared under the trim at the door lock, just below the window on the driver side door. There is another, less noticeable rattle in the seatbelt adjustment on the door pillar. I don't think the mechanic will have a problem fixing these, but I'll find out when I take it in for the 5000 mile oil change.

jhuck

There was a service recall for an oil seal back in 2000. I say this may be related because I discovered it the hard way. My seal blew - I was six months pregnant - Christmas Day in the middle of nowhere in Mississippi; not even cell service I was so far out. Lucky for me I was slowing down for a small town, saw the oil gage go nuts and stopped. Got some oil at a gas station and it went straight threw - thanks to the station drunk for looking for me. After seven hours I was able to get a tow truck to drive 50 miles to get me and tow the car 60 miles to one of the only two dealerships in the state. Anyway, the seal blew into the timing belt area and all had to be replaced. The recall came out months later. Honda later reimbursed me - especially because I had them check the car before the drive and I was very vocal with my anger. Got State Farm on this too! (24 hour State Farm service sent the tow truck to Shelby, MI not MS - 3 times!)

jeepster84

From my experience with working on vehicles, and from what you are saying it sounds like your starter definitely needs replaced. You might try smacking the solenoid and if that don't work, your local NAPA Auto Parts store should be able to test it for free for you. And I would purchase one while you are there as well. They sell quality parts with a gaurantee.

jhuck

I finally made it to 100K and all those miles are mine! Now when I accelerate I get a faint knocking noise and it isn't always there. It still works beautifully and I don't hear it with the windows down. I ususlly stay close to home and the car doesn't see speeds over 50MPH accept that I recently took it on vacation as the fuel ecomony is still great. So I was on highways at about 80MPH with no problems before hearing the sounds.

The other funny thing was when I pulled into the garage after turning the 100K the fan ran after the engine was turned off. It did turn off on its on and has done that only one time since.

Are these new Honda quirks for me?

mrbill1957

I've replaced both axles on my 88, but it should be the same or close.

Pull the cotter pin from the spindle nut pry up the lock tab and loosen the nut (dont remove). Its best done with the wheel on and sitting on the ground so the axle doesnt turn. You need to remove your hubcap or center of the mag wheel and replace wheel to do this.

Now you can jack up the car and put on stands.

remove wheel and remove the axle nut.

Remove the cotterpin and nut from the lower ball joint. You should use a ball joint separator to pull the joint, but I have used a large pry bar and pounded it next to the joint to get it to pop. Just don't catch the rubber if you do it this way.

Remove the damper fork bolt. Its the bolt thats on the bottom of the wishbone shaped assembly thats attached to the strut.

Once disassembled, the whole wheel assembly will swing out and to the side, pull the axle out of the hub at the same time.

Pop the axle out of the trans with a screwdriver, being carefull not to pry on the oil seal.

Thats basically it to remove it.

Reassemble in the reverse order, making sure the axle goes in far enough into the tranny. It has a clip on the end and you have to push hard enough to get it to click in. I had to tap a little on the end of the axle a little with a rubber faced mallet. Check that its in by prying a little between the axle and trans case to see that it doesnt pop out easily.

put the rest together with new cotter pins, and retighten the axle nut to 180 ft lbs, best done with the wheel on and sitting on the ground.

I think thats it....

Mrbill

mrbill1957

There are different things that can cause a knocking noise, anywhere from pre-ignition (bad gas, timing problem) or worse, worn connecting rod bearings. 100k is not much for a Honda, so I would start by filling up with a better grade of gas and see if that helps.

What do you do to cause the knocking?

Mrbill

jeepster84

Along with Mrbill's advice, you might want to try changing your oil and filter and maybe your plugs.

chucko3

Try to use high octane see if the knocking noise goes away.
For the fan, it's normal.

lx_steal

I wouldn't change grades. You probably just had a bad tank of fuel. See if the next tank is improvement. Don't buy cheap gas.

honda_salesman

I think that you should take the car to the dealer and have them relace the struts. The car is under warrenty and if you are in good with the service writer they will have no problem with that. with 47,000 on a 2002 certified re-owned I got a new a/c for no money. I have also started to notice the same rattle on the driver side of my car

chucko3

I think the mysterious vibration on the gas pedal has to do with a small belt tensioner pulley next to the P/S pump. Every time you turn the steering wheel, this pulley moves up/down a bit. In the early morning when the belt is not fully stretched, this pulley meets more resistance and causes the vibration when you start accelerating right after straightening out the wheels. That's my theory.

My 03EXV6 doesn't make that slight vibration that any more now, Instead it makes a humming noise every time I turn the steering wheel while the car is stopped/parked. Honda service said it's normal. He said a few V6 owners also complained about this humming noise.

gwendolyn

I just purchased this car with 50400 miles from the original owner. The gas mileage is awful. Had the car checked out, oil/filter change done and replaced the air filter (was clogged)...everything else checked out good. Int/ext are in emac condition....What else can I do to improve gas mileage....What are the normal repair issues?? I do not see a lot of good reviews on this car...any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Gwen

ronsteve

Gwen,

What kind of mileage are you getting (numbers, awful doesn't tell us much), and in what sort of driving? How are you calculating your gas mileage? Where do you live and how much are you using the A/C?

Has there been any improvement since you got the car serviced (and especially since you changed the air filter)?

--Ron

user777

yes, let us know what your mileage is and can compare to an '02 LX, AT, V4 i drive. your numbers should have improved post air-filter change. other things: clogged injectors (maybe I'd run additive through on a full tank of gas), tire inflation pressure, and making sure you have it in "D"rive instead of D3 come to mind as easy things for you to hit. Then there is driving style and mix, and yes, how you are calculating the MPG (should be miles traveled on the odometer between fillups, divided by gallons pumped at fillup).

then it gets more involved: spark plugs / wires? idle adjustment? O2 sensors (may be running rich), cat convertor efficiency...

hondamatic

Hello All,

Can someone recommend a good Honda mechanic / repair shop near the Town Center, in Reston, VA?

Thanks in advance.

Gene

jcross3

Just bought a used accord and when I go over regular road bumps the front left wheel makes a thumping noise. Have jacked the car up and twisted wheel to make sure there is no play in it so think the bearings are ok. I also checked the axle and previous owner said they were replaced not to long ago and that they had it to two repair people with no luck in determining what the problem is. Could this be a strut or ?

Mr_Shiftright

there is an upper strut bushing that might have slipped or installed incorrectly, yes.

jsmith10

The display is totally blank.

I have replaced the fuse in the fusebox on the driver's side, but that did not help.

enchilada

The airbag light comes on and stays on. No one in passenger seat. Manual says take to service. THIS CAR IS 3 WEEKS OLD! This is not what I expected from a Honda...even one that's 5 years old. If it was a rattle, fine... I could deal with that on my own time. BUT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM!

Contacted the dealer in Dallas suburb (Lewisville). They say no loaner cars while servicing. That is unbelievable considering the car is 3 weeks old and I have to spend my time taking it back and dealing with it - and I'm out of a car for at least the weekend. Very poor.

My confidence in this car is now shaken...even if it's something minor and easily fixed. I don't like a car to come from the factory with an airbag problem. It will always be in the back of my mind. Hopefully it will have a happy ending but THIS IS NOT OFF TO A GOOD START.

gwendolyn

Ron,

Thanks for the reply....I may have found the problem. When I fillup, it doesn't register as full, even though it is. Today I filled up....I had 154.2 miles showing but it only took 6.2 gallons of gas...even though the needle was on half full....so I think my gas mileage is where it should be...

Are there any common repair issues that I should be aware of for this car.??...it has a pretty good pickup for a v4/150 hp... I like it..

Thanks,

Gwen

chucko3

Check the upper ball joints & outer tie rod ends.
My 89 needs the left front outer tie rod end. It makes a thump noise whenever it goes over a bump.

bimmer4me

Enchilada, relax and have a margarita! I'm sure it will all work out.

accord6mt

If you find one I'd love to know - I'm in the DC area also...

hdjcpa

I have a 2004 Accord EX leather 4 dr, manual shift with 26k miles. I bot it in January 2004. Three days agao, while drive with the radio on, all radio lights, radio screen & HVAC lights went out. I thought it was a fuse, but when I called Honda, I was told that the whole radio unit needs to be replaced (under warranty). Apparently, it's been a common problem. My concern is this: is it an easy job to replace the radio unit or a major job? (I don't want anything messed up with the dash). Also, can I expect the problen again in a year and a half, or was it a defect in the radio design and the radio manufacturer has corrected the flaw?

user777

woa. now then, at least in an '03 odyssey, and some other honda models and years i'm sure, i believe an air bag light illuminates if something is in the seat but below a certain cut-off weight, i.e. it attempts to detect a child in the seat and disables the passenger bag, and notifies you of this fact.

is it possible you have a laptop or other materials on the seat, or is this another airbag light indicating the system is truely not functioning properly?

you wouldn't be the first person to jump to the conclusion there's a problem when there isn't. not knowing which light is on, it's difficult to say what your issue truly is.

good luck.