Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

auburn63

It sounds as if you are describing a normal characteristic but you may want to be sure and have a tech go for a ride with you..

cadis

Decided to upgrade our radio last weekend. Purchased the radio from Crutchfield and installed it myself. Everything went fine but the next day the wife tells me the power locks are no longer working. We had this same problem about a year and a half ago. The car was still under warranty then and had it fixed. I checked the fuse and everything is fine there. Do you think I could have caused the problem during installation? I did notice that after taking the car into the dealer the first time that they went behind the drivers side door handle. I know this because they forgot to put the little plastic cap back on over the screw. Is there something in there I should take a look it? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Chris

1998 Accord LX
Manual Trans

bobgordon

I read a lot of posts about trans problems pertaining to V6 autos. Do any of these problems occur with the 4 cylinder engines? Thanks

chazzanova

hi

newbie posting from a guy on his 6th honda!
i bought a new 5-speed ex coupe with leather and paid 21400 + tax and tags in metro dc area
it was a UBS buying price (included a rear spoiler, mats, door trim, and mud flaps)

anyway, it is the first honda that has so many pesky problems:

1) defect in left wheel well edge where factory welds are made

2) passenger front seat - leather is rough and clumped together

3) wind whistling noise (others have posted this problem that only occurs on windy days with brisk cross winds)

4) 5-speed transmission- the shifting/shifter is clunky and makes knotchy/clunky sounds when shifting and pops out of 2nd gear on the way to 3rd (honda is still using the same shifting stalk from the previous style accord, circa 1997)

5) a/c- a) the front right center vent is significantly weaker than the left center vent b) the temperature is mid to high 40's warmer than the 38 on previous hondas so the air does not feel that cold nor does it do a good job cooling a car with lots of glass and a dark grey interior

have any of you had any of these problems?
or did i really just get a "bad one"?
i have had poor response from my dealer who claims these are normal conditions
i am presently in negotiation with BBB for a settlement but that is not going well
will keep you all posted
take care

talon95

The main difference is that I didn't have to take my foot off the gas to get the clunk. It never felt like the transmission disengaged or re-engaged. So I suspect the problems are different.

There was no negative effect on smoothness with the remanufactured transmission. The way it was explained to me by someone on Edmunds is that the remanufactured transmission has all new mechanical parts... it just "recycles" the case or housing or whatever they call it, which is a major expense to replace. So, in other words, for all practical purposes it's a brand new transmission.

2kaccordv6

A while back I wrote about my 21mpg on my V6 Coupe, and I said I was going to replace the air filter, well I did, and no difference. One out of every 10 tank fulls I'll get 24, then back to 21or 22 and that's it. No driving condition changes or anything. I am scheduled to take it to the dealer in a couple days to get it checked. I've talked to other V6 owners, and they all get 24 at worst. I could be getting 21 in a midsized SUV or Diesel HD pickup! I'm very disappointed with the 21mpg average. I used to own a 4cyl 5spd EX, and when I got rid of it for the V6 I was getting 33mpg with the same driving conditions. I wasn't expecting a 12mpg drop!!!??? Any other experiences?

lugwrench

I suggest you purchase a K&N air filter for your Accord. You should see your mpg increase to the 24-25 range. The K&N air filter has a 1 million mile warranty and it is the last air filter you will ever need for your Accord.

billiam70

I too have a V6 coupe and get an average of 21 mpg. The only time it ever goes up is if I do more highway driving. Most of the driving I do is in stop and go traffic, so I figure that isn't so bad. Before I got the Accord I was driving an SUV and was only getting 13 mpg, so to me 21 mpg in traffic with a V6 is pretty good.

robr2

Out of curiosity, what was the EPA estimate from the window sticker? My 98 EX 4A is rated 23C/30H. I typically get 25 with combined suburban and stop and go highway. Did a couple of 100 mile road trips with lots of open highway this week and got 29.57.

If the 21 is somewhere in the EPA range, it may be normal.

cpa222

We just took a trip in our 2000 Accord EX V6, and with 4 tanks of only highway miles, we averaged around 30 mpg. Our tanks with only in town use go from a low of 18 mpg to 22 mpg. The average of our in town use is around 19.5 mpg.

We now have 22,000 miles on our car, and the only complaint is the moon roof rattling when it is closed and the shade is open.

jrct9454

I don't think there is anything wrong with your car but your expectations. For starters, if you don't have at LEAST 5000 miles, and better yet 7k, on the car, it won't be returning the best fuel consumption. These engines need time to be fully broken in.

Second, our EX V6 with 4500 miles gets about 21-22mpg in mixed suburban driving, with trip lengths of 5-19 miles. The occasional longer drive at freeway speeds [say 100-200 miles] yields 26-28 mpg. These figures are almost exacty 2 mpg lower than our '98 LX 4 Automatic that this car replaced. Given the extra power and refinement, I am very happy with the tradeoff. [These figures for both cars are smack in the target area of the EPA numbers, as well.]

cjremshaw

Actually, there was a recent issue of a reputable car magazine (can't remember which one) which did a test of K&N's on STOCK cars (keep that word in mind). It showed virtually NO performance or mileage gains on 15+ vehicles. Now, on a highly or probably even moderately modified vehicle, it will make a difference, or even if you just want it a little louder. But apparently, if you use JUST a K&N, it doesn't do much of anything.

To the person having gas mileage problems: How old is the car? How many miles? What about driving range/weather conditions? You may want to check (or have someone check) several things including the oxygen sensor, thermostat and other electronics which go into the ECM which control fuel control. You might just be running to rich. Do you ever notice a gas smell when you start up? Does any smoke come out of the exhaust?

phild_mason

I do believe there is a TSB on the sunroof rattle. They put in a gasket/film around the inner lip of the roof to eliminate the squeek.

ckadatoka

I accidentally left the passenger side window of my new '01 Honda Accord (4cyl auto) open and it rained last night:( When I checked this morning, the side impact air bags light was on. Does anybody know if the lights will just go off when the seat gets dry or do I need to get it replaced?

markz2k

I also get about 19-20 on my '00 EXV6. My commute to/from work is 5.5 miles in light stop-n-go traffic. I have over 8000 miles now, so I don't expect it to improve.

I also had the moonroof rattle when the shade was open, I had that fixed last month when I got the 7500 mile service, it's completely gone now.

accordseman

Hello. I just purchased a 97 Accord Special Edition. The car runs great for the most part, except when idling with my foot on the brake while in drive or reverse. The car seems to vibrate/tremble pretty heavily at times, it gets even stronger when I do something like press the power windows up or down during idle. It doesn't always idle this way, but most of the time it does. When I'm actually moving at 'road speed' it feels GREAT! This just happens when idling at a STOP. By the way, the car has almost 64,000 miles on it, 4 cylinder engine with auto trans.

Could it need a tuneup? A belt or 2 replaced? Any ideas or input would be appreciated. Thanks!

hbund216

What did they do to fix the rattle on your sunroof?

markz2k

Don't have the invoice with me, but I think it said remove and replace the shade, add some tape, and a few other steps. I think it's spelled out in a Tech Bulletin.

gyxffyg

I just bought a 1998 Accord EX V6 coupe with 100,000 miles. When I crank it first thing in the morning, cranks perfectly, 100% of the time.
SOMETIMES, if I drive it for a short distance, say 5 minutes, and stop go in a store for 3 to 5 minutes and come back to the car, it cranks right up, but runs ruff and dies immediately. Then I have a terrible time getting it to crank again.
One time when I was leaving the office for lunch, while the engine was cold, it did this to me.
Anyone got an idea what may be the cause of this?
Thanks

fritz1224

I did the same thing with my 2k lx v6, and that dash light stayed on until the seat was completely dried out. Running the A/C will speed up the process. Don't replace anything until you are absolutely certain it is dried out.

jrct9454

There are lots of possible causes- one to check out is the possiblity of a broken motor mount. Simpler things include adjusting the idle speed, checking the oxygen sensor. Should have nothing to do with belts, and this is not a problem to be diagnosed online - you need to get the car into the hands of a qualified tech to narrow down the half a dozen possible problems.

auburn63

cadis
It sounds as if you need to reset the multiplex unit. What you need to do is set the intermitant wipers on the lowest setting, then pull the accessory fuse in the under hood fusebox(if that doesn't do it then disconnect battery)and wait for 15 sec. Then reinstall and if that was it all will be fine...If the circuit looses power and the wiper delay is in the wrong position it sometimes confuses the multiplex unit.Good luck

Bobgordon
Most of the problems were in the 6 cylynders and back in the late99 early 00..Most of the other complaints we get are normal characteristics..

dbrawner

Accordsman, I would love to know what you find out about this vibration issue. I have a '92 Accord that does the same thing. It is weird because it has been doing this since I drove it off the car lot when brand new. I took Honda to the BBB in arbitration and their "EXPERTS" convinced the three arbitrators that it was "NORMAL".

Silly me, I thought that facts would win out over the slick talking dudes that Honda sent down. Just me in arbitration against the best in the company. Sure wish I had taken a Lawyer with me after the "sweet luvin" I got.

To ease your mind, the vibration has never gotten any worse and has never caused any problem other than being an irritant. Also, I have had no other problems with the car other than slightly low mileage (20-24 range). I sure hope you find an answer because I would love to get mine fixed. I plan on passing it on to my nephew next year when he turns 17.

mwcarlso

I have a 93 Accord EX auto with 140,000 miles on it and it has this problem too. The dealer said it was the motor mounts and I had the front and rear mounts replaced but the problem is still there, though not quite so bad. The problem is worst when I have the A/C running at idle. Both of my sisters had accords, 95 and 96, and they had this problem too. I think this is just an annoying trait of 4-cylinder Accords. I usually just tap the gas a little at idle to get the tach up to 800-900 rpm and the problem goes away. I would take it to Honda and see what they say. Maybe they will give a good answer and fix the problem. Good luck.

anselmo1

Add me to the list regarding this problem. It is worse during the winter months when it gets cold outside. Not as bad when it is warm during the summer. My 1995 Accord does not have liquid mounts and I think this is the cause of the problem.

accordseman

Thank you for the replies fellas. It makes me feel SLIGHTLY better that I'm not the only one that has encountered this 'problem'. It's more of a problem for me because my wife TRULY HATES this trembling. I'm going to take it to get looked at. I too have noticed that if you give it a TOUCH of gas, the trembling stops when it reaches 800-900 RPM. I really hope this can be fixed easily, or else I'm never gonna hear the end of it from my better half... I'll let you guys know what happens. Thanks again!

dudleyr

I think 21 is about right though it is hard to know your exact conditions. Remember your previous car that got 33 was a 4 cyl. which makes a big difference, and just as important it was a 5-speed which also makes a big difference. And if it was a previous generation model it was lighter and smaller with less frontal area (the other half of air resistance - the first being drag coeffecient) You may have slightly changed your driving habits as well - enjoying the power of the V6.

If it will make you feel better next time you go on a trip fill up right before you leave, drive a few hundred miles, then fill up again to see how much you have used (never judge fuel used with the gauge). If you keep at a steady 65 I am confident you will get over 30 mpg. If you take a slower trip on back roads and go about 55 you will probably get closer to 35 mpg. Of course 75 and above mph will keep you in the mid to upper 20's.

BTW no mid size SUV will get 21 in any kind of stop and go driving. Maybe a CRV or RAV-4.

2kaccordv6

The K & N made no difference. Now that I hear from other people, I guess it's about normal. I took it to the dealer anyway, and it's there as I write this. It is a 2000, and has almost 20k miles. I guess my expectations are too high. I usually don't drive the speed limit. On the freeway I average about 85-90mph, on occasion I enter in to the triple digits! To me it's not worth driving the speed limit to save 5+ mpg. If I was going to drive like that, I would've bought a chevy metro. Matter of fact, being that the MPG is gonna suck anyway, I will probably add a few performance upgrades after the warranty goes out. Maybe try and get closer to 300hp.

Extell

The squeak. It's gotten better over time. Hardly hear it that much now. Comes up ocassionally. I can reproduce it sometimes by rocking back and forth in the seat. Originally it was making squeaks all the time. But now other rattles have
started up to replace the squeak. What happened with honda quality fit and finish?

pbagrat

My 2001 DX V6 with 3200 miles is experiencing
some transmission issues. The clunk occurs, but is not too pronounced and only happens occasionally. The big problem is during cruise when on a level road or going downhill and I let off the gas pedal. If I hit the gas again lightly to accelerate, the transmission downshifts, then upshifts, then down again a few times. This also happens with the cruise control on. The jerky transmission is noticeable and annoying. I am bringing it in for the first oil change this week and will have them look at it. Anyone else had this problem?

Also I have noticed the lack of ice cold a/c. It seems to be mainly when it is over 85 degrees outside. My 1993 Civic had better cooling at 145k miles on the car. Overall I am happy with my Accord, but it has some problems.

fritz1224

I haven't sought your advice lately but I have a few questions you might be able to help with. First, the A/c filter(micro filtration) is supposed to be changed at 30k/24mos. Is this a hard job and if it isn't done according to schedule will it give Honda an excuse to deny a claim if A/c warranty work is needed(I have 7y/100k Hondacare esp).
Second, had coolant changed and tech's usual routine did not include draining engine block. When I asked about this he referred to Honda manual and said it was recommended. The bolt he thought was drain plug was at front of engine under exhaust heat shield(19mm brass colored flange bolt). He said he couldn't get it broken loose and I told him to forget about it. When I checked it later it looks like he may have turned it just a little. Do you have any idea what this bolt is. Nothing seems to be leaking from it. I tried to turn it myself and it won't budge. Could it be some type of connecting bolt and should I worry about it. Where is the drain plug for the v-6?
As always, thanks.

rapidfire0

Anyone have any ideas about message 1371?

cablslug

I had the same problem with my Toyota. Several shops could not find the problem, no trouble codes found. After several weeks and changing out plugs,rotor and plug wires the problem persisted. It turned out to be the cold start injector was the problem. It was not bad but the connection from the injector to tempature sensor was dirty. Just removing it and replacing cured the problem

sureman

It is a very simple process to change out the coolant for one thing. The coolant can usually be flushed out of your engine by flushing out your heater core. This is because the heater core doesn't have a thermostat on it and will always allow coolant to circulate through it. It is understandable for the mechanic to ask if he should continue with the brass plug. Just for your info, brass is the preferred material to use in coolant systems because it will not corrode. If an engine is being rebuild brass freeze plugs are the item of choice. In the worst case, the plug could be sheared off and coolant or even oil (if it is a plug that goes into the oil valley) could drain out onto the garage floor, so it you might be better off not messing with it, ask a certified honda technician what this item is for. As for your connecting rods, they rotate with the crankshaft and move your pistons. There is no way to get to them from the outside of your engine.

fritz1224

So it isn't really necessary to drain the engine block via drain plug. Just using the radiator drain valve is sufficient? By the way, this was done at a Honda dealership and in my previous post I asked if it was some sort of connecting bolt, not rod.
How do you flush the engine. Just add plain water and run the engine for a little while and then drain it?
Oh, also I did set the temperature control knob to the heat position before he began.

rapidfire0

Thanks a lot for that info. Any ideas where I might find this cold start injector on a 98 accord v6 engine?

rapidfire0

Just bought the above car and first thing in the morning, when I put it into reverse to back out of the garage, I get a very noticeable clunk. If I go into drive instead, i do not get this clunk. If I go to drive first and then reverse, I get a much softer clunk. The tranny also seems to be slow to downshift at a stop if I do a rolling stop. This car has over 100k. With so many notes about tranny problems, I wonder if these things are normal for this transmition, or is it about to go out?
By the way, thanks to all of you that help us non mechanic types with your valuable info.

buter

Smartmonkey,

The dealer found that I had a "bad bearing" in the final drive of my transmission or differential. The car is still at the dealership, waiting for the part from Honda, so I don't know if the rattle problem is fixed or not. Good luck!

angeloudasou

Hi everyone,

I bought my Honda Accord V6 I/leather fully loaded car two months ago, and put 4000 miles on it already. Love the car, but I have questions regarding some weird things going on:
--when I am on an incline at a parking garage or outside in a parking lot my car will starting rolling backwards when I take my foot off the brake pedal (this happens most of the time)---the parking attendant thought I had a stick---I told him it was an automatic
---my boy friend also felt a weird vibration while driving it this weekend
--I did hear a flunk when I shifted from park to Drive while on an incline once too

Heck...whats going on? This is my very first car. I do have the Honda Care on the car too. My friend told me my oil changes are included is that true? The dealers web site did list this under the program....

I would really appreciate everyone input because you guys are very insightful.

Thanks for your help,
Angela

2kaccordv6

Fellow V6 owners,
I was just curious as to anyone out there with a high mileage Accord with the V6. How well has it endured? Just wondering if the V6 is just as durable as the famous Honda I-4 with proper maintenance of course. The reason I ask is because I think I finally found a car I really like after about a half dozen previous vehicles. Thanks.

jrct9454

The backward-roll in drive on an incline is normal for Hondas...this is technical, but has to do with the stall speed built into the torque converter vs the idle speed of the engine. If you want it to stay put, you need to either use the brake or the throttle, the former being preferred to the latter to avoid generating excess heat in the converter.

There will always be some small noise [a click, or muted clunk] when engaging either drive or reverse from park...this is also normal. If you are doing this on a hill, the noise and jump can be a bit louder, depending on how you shifted into park in the first place. If you set the parking brake first, there can be less pressure on the pawl that moves in the transmission to lock the drive axles; if you put it in park, release the foot brake, and then set the parking brake, it is likely the pawl is going to be under a lot of stress when you try to shift back out of park. This is hard to explain via this medium...suffice to say I haven't read anything in your messsage to be concerned about, unless you can define what you mean by "wierd vibration".

bullit71

I have a '98 Accord LX V-6 with 68,000 miles on it. Overall it has performed well (I've enjoyed driving it) so I think it will last a long time (200K + miles) but there has been some glitches on this car that haven't occurred on the 4 previous Hondas I've owned. The first problem is with the fuel gauge reading incorrectly -- I had the unit replaced when the car was under warranty and for a short time the problem was resolved only to crop up again 10,000 miles later (it reads 3/4 of a tank when it the tank is full or over filled). The next problem was with the EGR system - I've had to have various parts of the EGR system replaced and/or cleaned on three different occasions (one under warranty, two post-warranty). The tires were next -- the Bridge stone Turanzas (sp?) needed to be replaced after a year due to excessive wear and damage due to road debris (most of my driving is on the highways of ATL and I've had no problems with the replacement tires -- Dunlop SP5000's). After the tires came the brakes: 2 sets of rear pads and one set of front pads. And finally, the automatic transmission has developed the habit or hard upshifts (it chirps the tires) between 1st and 2nd gear after a cold start in the morning (fortunately no clunking noises though). The engine note has also picked up a strange harmonic at 1900 rpm. My opinion may change if the transmission problems persist . . . Has anyone else had this type of transmission problem with their Accord V6 Coupe?

bobgordon

Have a 2001 EX 4 Cylinder Automatic. Do you think it is worth purchasing the Honda extended warranty? Plan on keeping this vehicle for as long as possible.
Any advise is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

anselmo1

You have an EX 4 cylinder automatic so you shouldn't really have any trouble for at least 10 years. If you owned the V-6, I would recommend the extended warranty.

2kaccordv6

Thanks for your info. Have you serviced the transmission every 30k as required by the factory?

maq4463

Hi everyone,
I have 90 Accord LX 5spd with 173K miles with original engine and still going strong, no oil leaks (lately) etc.

The problem that's killing me is that the spedometer keeps dying out. Sometimes it does not work at all or if its working, suddenly the needle would fall and rise regardless of actual car speed. Plus the check engine light would come on also. The light is not on when I start the car, it always happen after couple of minutes of driving and when the needle starts dying out.

I read a while back someone was suggesting that it is the speed generator in the spedometer or it could be the speed sensor on the trasmission.

Should I take it to dealer and let them find out what the code is for or repalce the speed generator/sensor (either) and hope the the check engine light would go off after replacing either part. Any suggetion would be apreciated,

Thanks

jill66

I have a '01 Accord EX V6 with 1400 mi. on it. When going 50 to 60mph there is a noticeable hesitation felt in the gas pedal. It is particularily noticable when going up a hill at 55 mph. I took it in to the service department and they said it was due to the way the air conditioning unit functioned. That it cycled on and off and when it cycled on it would cause this hesitation. They suggested I try driving without the a/c and see if this solved the problem. Well, yes it did --no hesitation with the a/c off but I can't believe this is how a Honda product functions. This is my first Honda. Is this a common experience? If so, do I just have to learn to live with it?

anselmo1

Are you driving the car in overdrive when you are going up the hill? If so, I would suggest you go to drive 3. Overdrive isn't meant to be used when driving up a hill as it creates a burden on the transmission.

drobertson1

Very windy day today! Constant wind noise from near the top of the windshield. At least, that's where it seems to be originating. Tried the masking tape along the back edge of the molding, the front edge, down the sides, over the lower molding at the bottom of the windshield and, around the washer nozzles on the hood. Even when the wipers are moving the noise does not change in any way. The windshield guys think they should lift the windshield out and reset it. They have already done the service bulletin work which places a silicon seal under the back edge of the molding... they went all the way around. Do you think it isn't quite totally sealed yet? This is a real puzzle... testing again for wisdom in the cyber space of honda-world.

auburn63

I haven't had time to keep up this week with the board so sorry it took so long to get back to you. I think your question was about the block drain, it sounds as if you found the right plug, its usally a 19mm head with a cruch washer under it. It takes alot, usally a breaker bar to get it loose and the only time we really use it is when we are doing a head gasket or motor. Which is not very often. As long as it is not leaking you don't need to worry about it if you got it to move slightly. If I missed something else that you asked just re-post if you will I have read way too much tonight... See ya