Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

dkrab

Old issue that seems to pop up from time to time on many different makes of cars. The fact is, if the driver is applying the brakes hard, the car will stop, even if the accelerator is floored. With that being the case, uncontrolled acceleration can only be explained by a lack of brakes, either because the braking system failed or the brakes weren't being applied. If the braking system failed, it would continue to malfunction even after the acceleration incident. So if an accident is caused by unintended acceleration, and inspection of the car shows the brakes function properly, then the driver was mashing the gas instead of the brake pedal.

Unintended or sudden acceleration accusations have been hurled at all car makes. I would not worry about it in the least.

spokane

I agree with dkrab. Studies have revealed unintended acceleration to almost always be due to driver error. In the very rare cases in which the driver was not at fault, the mechanical failure could be readily identified. Don't worry about your Accord, Maq2.

alcan

Audi had a bout of that "problem" about 10 years ago. Inspected affected vehicles after frontal collisions showed deformation of the accelerator pedal and the sheet metal in the area of it's support bracket, but none to the brake pedal. Obvious where the drivers' weight was on impact. Problem was traced to ergonomics, the pedals were offset somewhat to the left and panicked drivers were hitting the wrong pedal.

brucer2

It was more than years ago (since I'm in my late 40's my feel for time is a little off also). The Audi model was the 5000. Based on sales data here: http://www.audiworld.com/model/historical/sales.html

The story came out on 60 Minutes in 1986-87.

alcan

Seems like yesterday. I'm looking at 50 from the other side now. Guess time flies when you're having fun.

hbund216

I have a 2000 accord and the instrument panel lights, radio and clock pulsate between 10-0 MPH. Anybody else have this problem or know of a fix?

hondaaccordguy

Mine does that too!!! HAHAHA, i thought I was the only one with that problem. All my friends comment about how the lights flicker. But mine only does it when i set the light to low. If you have all your inside lights on high, it doesn't do that. ALso, if your going above 80 mph, it starts to flicker also.

elgriton

I am experiencing major leakage at the top front of my radiator. It appears to be seeping through a long black foam that could be a sealer of some sort for the radiator lid, not the pressure cap. Is anyone familiar with what I'm describing and know of a remedy?

Thanks.

hbund216

You're right. Mine does it around 85mph. I always keep my lights on low. It does it on medium also. Do you have any after market equipment on the car? Like an alarm. Is yours an automatic or stick?

hondaaccordguy

I have a cold air intake and a sound system. I thought at first it was my system draining the power, but i guess it happens on all accords UNLESS u have a system too? Anyways, nice to know someone else is sharing same problem... Oh yea, r u experiencing tranny problems???

hbund216

I only have an alarm installed that the dealer and honda wants me to take off before they will diagnose the car. The problem started long after installing the alarm. I'll keep you posted.

Anybody else notice this problem?

chiexv6

Anyone else noticed this ...

I have recently noticed something on my 3mo old 2002 Accord V6 Coupe. While driving, when I give the car gas to accelerate, I notice the green light around the D4 indicator dims slightly, then comes back to "full" brightness when I let up on the gas. I also noticed same thing if in D3 and also if I put it in N while I'm going and "gun" the engine. It will NOT happen if I'm stopped and put it in N (or P)- need to be moving. Doesn't seem to be related to any certain speed and does NOT happen when the lights are on and the PRNDL indicators already "dimmed" from auto dimming.

bd21

I have always done all maintenance on my cars to include major stuff. I keep up with current technology and I enjoy maintaining cars. I bought my first Honda Accord (2001 LX, automatic, w/side air bags) last year for $18,400 out the door.

I now have almost 11,000 miles on it. The only problem I've had was a blown rear strut, which the Honda dealer ordered and replaced. Overall, it's a great car for the money, but I do have some gripes and I thought I would share them with you.

I think the gas mileage I get is poor for a car this size. With very mild driving in totally flat areas, I rarely get over 23 MPG city and 28-29.5 tops on the interstate. In my experience this poor, I think a 4 cylinder ought to at least get 25 MPG city and 32 on the highway with my conservative driving style. And yes I have 5W-20 oil in it.

My main gripe however, is Honda has gone way overboard to monopolize parts and maintenance on their cars. Look in your owners manual and it will tell you that you pretty much have to use HONDA antifreeze, transmission fluid, and brake fluid. The antifreeze in particular blows my mind. Honda charges about 7 bucks a gallon and it comes premixed with water. Your are only getting half a gallon of antifreeze, yet Honda is charging you over 3-times the price of name brand products. Transmission and brake fluid are also triple the regular price.

As for maintenance, I looked ahead to find out how hard it was to change the timing belt at 105,000 miles. Honda has made it impossible for a good mechanic to do it, because you have to have a special $300 wrench. And you guessed it, you have to buy from Honda to do the job. By the way it is very easy to do without a special tool on Toyota and Nissan.

I do like the car, but I just wanted to share some of my new owner observations with you.

dnguyen65

Hello Folks,

I haven't used cruise control on my Accord 2000 for a while. This morning, I noticed that as soon as i set the cruise control, the green light is on for a few seconds and off right away. The car is slowing down after that. This means that cruise control never kicks in.

My car is new w/ only 9K on it. Any hint on why this happened?

PS: auburn63, have u seen this problem before?

auburn63

The few I have seen do that all had mis-adjusted brake switches. I could confirm this by using my left foot and pulling up under the pedal while I was setting the cruise. This will make sure the brake switch is all the way up and contacting. Doesn't however tell you if the switch is good or not just if it is mis adjusted. Good luck

auburn63

It is possible that under normal conditions the lights can dim slightly as the conditions change. Such as rpm, a/c signal on/off and engine load. The Electric Load detector(ELD)controls the alternator output as needed to help in fuel economy as well as in power. This calculation does take a small aount of time to calculate and correct so you may see it show up as a dimming affect. Most of the time this condition is only a minor dimming and then the correction brings it back to normal until the load changes again either requiring more or less current.

rob133

Has anyone with an Accord had the engine sludge problem that the Toyotas have been having? There are hundreds of posts from Toyota drivers who have had their engine fail. Supposedly more than 3000 people have had the problem so far. I dont know how to link to a different page, but you can search by Sludge and you will see what I am talking about.

jrct9454

...is no.

What happened is that Toyota, in an attempt to raise combustion temps for better emissions control, narrowed the cooling passages enough that the post-97 engines could start cooking the oil. Honda leads the world in making engines that make good power and low emissions, and in general, doesn't band-aid their basic engine designs like this. And the fact is, if you used synthetic oil [like I have for the past 10 years], and stick to a reasonably conservative oil-change schedule [every 6 months] and make sure the filter gets changed at the same time, very few of these Toyota folks would have any problem, either.
Lots and lots of Toyotas from this era are running trouble-free, and will until they reach the usual end of service life at 180k miles or so.

In any case, no one makes a perfect car - but Honda comes as close as anyone in the world to making nearly perfect engines. This is, after all, an engine company that happened [quite recently in the big scheme of things] to get in the car business. Engine design is still their number one priority and great source of company pride...

rob133

Thanks for the response about the Toyota engine problem.

Seems like Honda makes a better engine than Toyota or at least ones that are not as sensitive.

I'll stay away from 1997-on Toyotas.

rob133

By the way, found this article on the problem with the Toyotas. It mentions what you said about the engines running hotter to pass smog tests.

http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=38302

inkie

bd21 I do agree with you 100%. Servicing other cars was much easier but I was getting sick and tired of all the squeaks and groans and quirks American cars have new or otherwise.So I bought two Hondas no squeaks or groans[very few quirks]. You can get parts,filters,fluilds,etc, a lot less on the Internet. I live on the east coast and deal with Hondapartsforyou.com they saved me a lot of money and shipping is free.I did not get any parts but I purchased the filters, oil,maintenance items and accessories. Look into it, ask for info on this site for someone in your area. Good luck.

hbund216

Previous reply did not work so here it goes again...

Thanks auburn63. However, my car will do this continuously. If I am driving at 5mph (1st or neutral) the interior lights (minus dome) will pulsate. I let the car coast for about 50 feet at 5mph (in 1st and neutral) and it happened. I drove at 85-90mph and it pulsated until I slowed down. It's bizzar.

mark218

I Have a 98' accord that has had the "Check Engine light on now for the past 50K and I'm tired of looking at the amber light on my dash. The code indicates "Low Gas Recirculation Flow" . I have changed the EGR valve out but did not fix the problem. I have the Honda shop manuals but there is not enough info to trouble shoot the problem. I have heard that there is a Tech bulletin out that deals with this problem and it has to do with carbon plugging a small orifice line somewhere. Can anyone direct me where to look ? The car runs fine, and passes the emissions tests, so I don't think it is a major problem.

carguy62

I agree as well, to a point. But here's how I look at it. It's a >$18K vehicle. If I spend $7 for antifreeze, every few years, is that the end of the world?

Like the other poster mentioned, you can buy most everything cheaper on the internet.

As for the timing belt, well my new Honda has a timing chain and I would really prefer the belt. On my old Accord, I paid to have the belt replaced, yeah it cost a bit (I'm not handy enough to even attempt that with or without special tools) but it's a maintenance item and it was done. The timing chain doesn't get replaced as maintenance, but if it breaks I bet it will be just as much or more than the belt.

isellhondas

Whoever said there is a special 300.00 tool needed to change a Honda timing belt is pulling your leg! Funny!

donsexvl

I have a 2002 EX V6 L model sedan. When going over certain irregularities in the road surface I hear a rattle that sounds like it's coming from the front of the dashboard...almost like the windshield is loose. Funny thing about it is that you hear it when you drive over an expansion joint in the road surface between asphalt and concrete. Anyone experience this same problem? A friend has a '98 EX with a sunroof and he thinks the noise comes from the sunroof and not the dash. Any opinions on this?

sanandton

Any of the regulars here know where I might get my hands on an owners manual for a 1995 Accord EX sedan?

zoomzoom79

I know you can order one through Helms publications. The cost will be about $30 though if I am not mistaken including shipping. Go to www.helminc.com or call 1-800-782-4356.

bfyerxa

I posted the exact same problem about my 2002 SE 5 speed a couple of weeks ago. It comes from the front dash/windshield area and sounds like the windshield creaking. I am reluctant to bring it to the dealer until I know exactly what it is. I am starting to think it is the windshield creaking against the seals due to the following observations:

- Sharp bumps do not cause too much noise; the rolling, heaving stuff seems worse.
- It is the worst when cold (-10C or colder) and does not seem to improve much as the inside of the car heats up.
- No A/C setting or moon roof position makes any difference.
- We had some warm days last week (+5C) and it seemed to completely disappear on those days (but came back when it got colder).
- We had a freezing rain then rain storm and a subsequent freeze. I took the car out that night and the noise was unbelievable! It sounded like somebody was constantly crinkling plastic wrap over every little bump and heave! It settled back down the next day when it warmed up in the sun.

I believe water seeps into the seal around the windshield and freezes hence causing the creaking noise.

Given all of this I am going to wait until the weather warms up to see what happens. If it disappears with the warm weather it is the windshield. No one is going to start pulling trim and dash pieces off my car unless it is truly warranted!

sanandton

bd21

Isellhondas, I was in the Honda service center at the time talking to a technician, while I looked at the service manual. Honda Accord 4 cylinders do require a special socket wrench that goes on the crankshaft, so that you can remove the pulley allowing you to replace the belt. It is specially made, so it can fit in the tight space. The technician told me the price and maybe he was wrong, so please check with your mechanics and let us know what you find out. I'll do some more checking too.

auburn63

If you pull the intake off and flip it upside down you can see this small port that gets clogged. There is a service bulletin out for this and also a warranty extension. Not for sure of the exact details but put a call into your dealer and see. All else fails try to get the updated info on parts and procedure from them. Good luck

isellhondas

I spent a long time in the tool business but never heard of such a socket. auburn?

I do know that many times a "special" tool is suggested by the manufacturer but the technicians figure out a way to do the job without these.

phild_mason

I think there is some truth to the socket for the timing belt. My brother-in-law tried to change the timing belt on his 91 Legend and could not get it loose. Ended up taking to a dealer.

He is an excellent shade-tree mechanic. Working on engines, body, etc. He also did want to get to aggressive and mess something up.

isellhondas

One of the guys in the shop. He told me that on some Accords it takes a special tool, kind of a long bar to hold the pulley when the nut is removed. It's possible to do it without this tool but it makes the job much easier.

I would imagine that most independant shops have invested in this tool.

Most people would have NO IDEA what a professional mechanic has invested in his tools!

mazda_jim

You can add me to the list of Accord owners with this electrical problem. My 2000 EX-V6 sedan (with NO modifications) has exhibited this behavior since new. In addition to the instrumental panel, the headlights also dim noticeably and frequently when idling (such as when sitting at a red light). Basically, every time the load on the electrical system increases (using the turn signals, cooling fan cycling, automatic climate control system operation, etc.), all of the lights dim momentarily. This might happen 5-10 times over the course of a minute or two at a red light.

Perhaps on a related note, I noticed on a long trip that all of the backlit LCD displays (stereo, clock, odometer) flicker constantly while driving at freeway speeds. The panel lights were set pretty low for driving at night on rural highways, so I may see if it goes away with the panel brightness turned up all the way (per a previous post).

Although Auburn63's description of the Electric Load Detector makes sense, it seems that such pronounced dimming would be out of spec. I plan to have this checked during the upcoming 30K/2-year maintenance, but I will be interested to see if anyone posts more information on this before then.

V-6 Automatic Transmission Data Point: 23K miles so far with no transmission problems (I think). This 4-speed does seem to have a Jeckyl-and-Hyde personality, though. The shifts are barely perceptible when driving at either very low or wide-open throttle settings. At medium throttle, however, it holds 1st gear too long and seems to slip/shudder quite a bit between 1st and 2nd (in the name of "smoothness," perhaps). The torque converter also locks/unlocks more frequently during normal freeway cruising (e.g., 60-80MPH with no steep grades) than I would expect in a car with a pretty strong V-6. Overall, I have to say I am glad that I got the HondaCare extended warranty at this point.

hbund216

thanks for the post. Definitely keep us (me) informed on what happens. what happens to you at high speeds is what I'm experiencing at high at low speeds. However, my lights don't dim while idling. Honda wants me to pull the alarm before they look at it. I would hate to have the alarm pulled then reinstalled costing me money. Again thank you.

auburn63

I looked on the Honda net today and the only other thing I seen was a mention of a dash light flicker while moving with the dimmer control all the way down(dimmest setting). The service news said that if you increase the brightness even slightly that the problem corrects itself. I will try to keep looking when I get the chance and time. In the mean time try playing with differant intensity and see if it helps..

auburn63

Yes as said there is a special tool(s) for the crank shaft bolt. We broke ours a few times before we went out and bought a heavy duty 3/4 high impact gun. Now, no more problems what so ever with the torque that puppy puts out:). For whatever reason that bolt gets on really tight. I have assembled and had to take back apart the next day and still had problems removing the bolt.

hbund216

thanks auburn63. I'll try this. Was this a Honda service news? If so do you know which one?

mazda_jim

Sure thing - I'll let you folks know the resolution of this. I should have the car at the dealer for routine service in another month or so and will have them look at this then. It sounds like my car may have a more serious version of this anomaly (since my headlights are dimming too).

Based on what I've read here, I can understand your reluctance to pull the alarm system before diagnosis. I suppose I am lucky that I haven't made any modifications that can be blamed when it comes to time to diagnosis the problem with my car. Good luck.

bburton1

I have noticed this happening on my 97 LX when it hits about 50-55 mph. This also happens to be the speed at which the ECM goes through it's check and since I have a funky gasket on my gas cap, I on occasion get a CEL to flash on at the same time. If your lights dim at around the same speed, it maybe your ECM doing it's thing.

Hope that helps.

auburn63

not off hand but I will try and remeber to get the number.

bolivar

I've got an almost new Accord EX V6, a few months old, that we don't drive much at all, only about 750 miles now.

I have seen the headlights dim (could even have been a 'flare') at least 2 times. Both have been at idle, or coming down to an idle.

I think I've seen people several months ago on one of the other Honda areas also discuss this.

I've not noticed dash or insturment lights do this, so far.

If the instrument lights start to blink, this is really going to bother me. I can 'see' florescent lights blink that noone else can. And they really, really bother me. If the dash starts this, I not going to like it at all.

talon95

I have a 2000 EX V-6, and I've noticed the dash light flashing problem since day one. The only time I see it is at idle with the turn signal flashing. It never bothered me enough to ask about it, because mine was one of the infamous "bad transmission" units, and I was more focused on getting that corrected.

isellhondas

Now you have me looking at my dash lights. They don't blink, but I do keep them on the brightest position.

jrct9454

...yes, they've got me going as well. Never had the problem, on either our '98 or '01, but I too have the dash lighting set on max. Clearly, there is something going with the dashlight reostat that can only be described as otherworldly...too many folk out there for this to be an accident. I reiterate: no problems on either of our Accords, but the dash is set to max and never fiddled with.

hbund216

I hear you. But try setting it on low or close to low. Then it might start up.

msurgeon2

Anyone here know how to replace the clock light in a 2000 EX? Does the dash need to be removed?

msurgeon2

Where is and how hard is it to change the cabin air filter?