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Honda Accord (1998-2002) Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • lll3lll3 Member Posts: 10
    2000 Accord EX (75,000 miles)-about 2 weeks ago the SRS light appeared on the dashboard and stays on. A few days ago lost both regular beam headlights but high beams, turn signals and parking lights work. Is there any connection? What to do for either.
  • marvin6marvin6 Member Posts: 72
    IDK about your headlights - it could be that they simply burned out at the same time. I've had that happen to me and spent a lot of effort looking for something only to find out both bulbs went out at the same time. The SRS light is a safety issue that is covered by the manufacturer. Probably seat belt tension pulley or something like that. They had several TSBs on that issue for 2000 accords and it is covered regardless of mileage.
  • lll3lll3 Member Posts: 10
    2000 Accord EX paint sealant is chipping. What to do to address problem.
  • bajajoesbajajoes Member Posts: 48
    After sitting overnite my car seems to have a clutch contact problem starting. On
    Accords with the manual transmission the clutch needs to be depressed for the engine starter to activate. I am having difficulty with the clutch making contact with whatever is needed for the engine to start. After many tries I can succeed but it obviously needs
    maintainence. Thankfully this problem does not reoccur once car has been initially used for the day.
    I am seeking advice from fellow board members who may have experience or knowledge about this issue. Thanks. B.J. :shades:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Not much you can do with peeling clear coat but have a body shop prep and re-spray that panel.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'd recommend you crawl under there and find the switch that contacts the shaft of the clutch pedal. It might be nothing more than loose in its screw-down holder, or a wire could have come loose from the push-on connector. At worst, you'd have to replace the switch, which would be a simple operation.
  • rhubertyrhuberty Member Posts: 18
    Could anyone help me with a slow crank issue. I have a 98 accord 4 cylinder auto transmission with 170K. This is an intermittent problem. Sometimes the car cranks normal, sometimes slow (like a mid winter below 0 start) and occasionally a click, click, click. Had battery checked at 2 auto parts stores and was told it checks fine. Redid the negative ground, and most recently replaced starter. I'm at a complete loss and any ideas would be appreciated. The only think I can think of at this point is to replace both battery cables - while they have aged a bit I really don't think that will solve the problem. Thanks in advance.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Before buying new ones, I'd clean the current ones with baking soda and water (when unhooked from the batt, of course). They may be corroded to some degree.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Battery efficiency drops markedly when the battery is that cold. By the time you get it out and to the auto parts store, it's warmed up and might behave a lot better. Many a battery that does just fine for *years* in a mild climate would fall flat on its face in sub-zero weather.
  • rhubertyrhuberty Member Posts: 18
    Thanks for response - cold / warm nothing to do with it. It's not subzero now. Installed new starter after two auto parts store battery tests said good. They tested battery with handhld units...Same problem after new starter installed. Took battery to a place that load tested. Dead cell. This was my second bad battery in 3 years. Never would have guessed it after two guys told me it was good and it was only about a year old....anyway battery replaced no charge but I now have a new $130.00 starter and learned another lesson. I've lost confidence in Fleet Farm batteries and my ability to solve a simple problem.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited September 2010
    Don't be so hard on yourself...there are shops out there that have big neon signs proclaiming "EXPERT AUTO REPAIR" who have made mistakes a lot more elementary than that. At least you were working *logically* based on information you were given. I've seen shops replacing the starter because the car didn't start, even though it was cranking over!!! :cry:
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    I get all my work done at the Honda dealer. Oil changes 2x per year and the required State inspection. The dealer checks the battery,etc. when they do the oil change and inspects additional items at no charge. Discovered my battery was low at my last oil change. Bought a Honda replacement battery. 36 free replacement/96 prorated. Took the old battery back to NTB and,after some hassle,got a refund on the old battery from NTB.
  • healtha29healtha29 Member Posts: 1
    2001 Honda Accord EX Coupe, Hi everyone,

    I am in the process of buying a 2001 Honda Accord EX from a private owner, the car has 120K miles, and the owner says that it is in good condition. I like to know how reliable will this car be at that point? and for how many more miles it will last at a reasonable maintenance cost? I used to own a Chevy Celebrity that lasted up to 280K miles. Appreciate your answer, Many thanks in advance.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    The biggie will be to find out if the timing belt has been changed. If it hasn't, count on $500-$800 to get this done, and make sure the water pump is changed at this time as well.
  • bajajoesbajajoes Member Posts: 48
    edited October 2010
    I have a 2001 Accord coupe with M/T and 4 cyl. I am very satisfied with this car but I have read many reports of '98-01's with Automatic Transmissions having problems. So much so that Honda increased the warranties on them. Other than that I know of no other issues. I would have preferred a v6 but they were not offered with a stick shift at that time. Good luck! :shades:
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    120,00 is nothing for a well maintained Honda.

    If you can get 280,000 out of a Chevy Celebrity that Honda should last forever!
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    The AT problems were mostly on Odysseys and they weren't nearly as widespread as the internet forums would have you believe. Some of the V-6 Accords were affected too but not the 4 cylinders.

    Minivans tend to get overloaded and abused and this was the cause of much of this. Still, for Honda, it was unacceptable.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    edited October 2010
    Minivans tend to get overloaded and abused and this was the cause of much of this. Still, for Honda, it was unacceptable.

    Sorry; I'm a Honda guy but I'm not buying the "overloaded" bit. Vans have heavier payload ratings and should have heavier-duty transmissions to match. Cars get overloaded too. Ever put 5 men in an Accord? I have, the front seat had 575 pounds alone. Guess what, it was overloaded while still being within seating capacity. I never had a problem (even climbing mountains in Chattanooga), but it was still technically overloaded.

    Honda had a period of transmission problems, now they've left that behind and started a new trend of braking problems. Affecting everyone? No; but it's a very un-Honda thing.

    Speaking of "un-Honda," my 2006 Accord was fun to drive, but in the end, all the warranty work I had done while I had the car spooked me right out of it once the warranty expired at 63,000 miles.

    Fuel economy had dropped by an average of over 10 MPG very suddenly, dealer said no Check Engine Light, so nothing they could do
    CD changer
    Major unfindable suspension rattle
    Auto-off headlamps not working properly (dead battery anyone?)
    Center console came apart
    Rear-view mirror glass literally fell out of housing
    Gas-flap malfunction
    Horn broken at 50k miles
    Misaligned airbag cover on steering wheel preventing horn operation without pushing REALLY hard -- seperate from the actual horn that broke.

    That said, I sold the Accord, got an 09 V6 Sonata with lower miles and more equipment than my EX Accord 4-cylinder, and left without a car payment.

    Honda needs to focus on quality once again. I still have my 1996 Accord with 217k miles and it is a tighter vehicle than my 2006 ever was.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Oh, I beg to differ. Minivans often have a very hard life.

    We would get Odysseys in our shop that had Class 3 hitches on them, along with roof racks. Interiors looked like they had been lived in and after 100,000 miles, the transmission fluid looked like it had never been changed.

    Of course, severe usage is going to contribute to early failure of a transmission.

    Yes, they did have some failures areat were well above the norm for Honda but Honda stepped up to the plate and replaced transmissions that were well beyond the warranty period. People don't talk about that much.

    I started selling Hondas in 1995 and did this until I retired in May. I can honestly say I never noticed any decline in quality during that time. Our 2007 Accord has been flawless without one warranty repair.

    Having said this, Honda is faced with a lot of tough competition. More than they ever had in the past. The Korean cars that we scoffed at have improved markedly and others are breathing down Honda's back.

    People have short memories and being loyal to one brand is a thing of the past.

    Honda can't let quality slip. They have to maintain their edge.
  • marvin6marvin6 Member Posts: 72
    edited October 2010
    The AT problems were mostly on Odysseys and they weren't nearly as widespread as the internet forums would have you believe. Some of the V-6 Accords were affected too but not the 4 cylinders.

    Really? Honda has long been known for transmission problems and not just in the odyssey. They had a class action lawsuit against them on the accords in the late 90s and early 2000s. My 2000 4 cyl accord had FOUR automatic transmissions in it.
    In fact, honda's class action lawsuits (plural) have mostly been for transmissions - including the odyssey class action lawsuit(s).

    One other thing you want to be aware of on the accords is the motor mounts. The accord also has a history of front motor mount problems.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    First of all, please realize that I'm retired now and I no longer have a "dog in the fight".

    I never heard of a class action suit on Accords and I never, once heard of an early transmission failure on a 4 cyl Accord. Maybe after 200,000 miles.

    Most of the problems were limited to Odysseys and a few V-6 Accords.

    Four transmissions in a 4 cyl? Even I couldn't go through that amny when I was a reckless teenager!
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    We would get Odysseys in our shop that had Class 3 hitches on them, along with roof racks. Interiors looked like they had been lived in and after 100,000 miles, the transmission fluid looked like it had never been changed.

    Of course, severe usage is going to contribute to early failure of a transmission.


    All usage situations that I can relate to cars (A '93 Civic, a Subaru Legacy with a loaded roof-rack and a used U-Haul frequently behind it, and a friend's Pontiac Grand Prix all come to mind).

    I started selling Hondas in 1995 and did this until I retired in May. I can honestly say I never noticed any decline in quality during that time. Our 2007 Accord has been flawless without one warranty repair. -Congrats; my dad's '07 Civic with the rear-suspension/tire-eating problem and my '06 Accord are 2-for-2 in being noticeably lower in quality than their counterparts of 10 years ago. I'm done with Honda for awhile.

    Having said this, Honda is faced with a lot of tough competition. More than they ever had in the past. The Korean cars that we scoffed at have improved markedly and others are breathing down Honda's back. Good. Maybe this will help Honda turn things around from their odd exteriors and their quickly-becoming-dated feature and powertrain options. 5-speed Auto + 162 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 RPM + 3,400 lbs = Underwhelming around town performance by today's standards. And come on, $24,905 and no USB/iPod integrated hookup? They're kissing their younger buyers goodbye with that.

    People have short memories and being loyal to one brand is a thing of the past. True. Too many good options out there now to limit one's self to a specific make.

    Honda can't let quality slip. They have to maintain their edge. They've already slipped back into "decent" from "exceptional." I hope they quit slipping further and start climbing, learning a thing or two from *gasp* Ford and Hyundai.

    I apologise for veering somewhat off-topic here. Would you like to continue the conversation elsewhere? I'll gladly follow. :)
  • bajajoesbajajoes Member Posts: 48
    I really like Honda Accord & Civics but I too think quality has suffered when compared with earlier years. My brother has an '01 Accura and has needed to replace
    2 automatic transmissions thru the years....yet he still loves it.
    Styling on the '98-02 Accords seem better than current models but I like the new Civics.
    Maybe the key is to find a way to make an automatic from a "good" years model work in
    a model thats prone to failure. It can be done but I don't know about cost$?
    I am glad I like sticks as I've had no problems. :shades:
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Sure, you pick the place.

    Rear suspension problems on Civics is something else I've never heard of.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    How about here, the Quality Control forum?
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Good idea. See you there!
  • marvin6marvin6 Member Posts: 72
    First of all, please realize that I'm retired now and I no longer have a "dog in the fight".

    I never heard of a class action suit on Accords and I never, once heard of an early transmission failure on a 4 cyl Accord. Maybe after 200,000 miles.

    Most of the problems were limited to Odysseys and a few V-6 Accords.

    Four transmissions in a 4 cyl? Even I couldn't go through that many when I was a reckless teenager!

    I am in my 50s and have owned quite a few cars - to include some real crap when I was a young soldier and when I was a college student. I have NEVER abused anything I owned and I have never been ticketed for anything. To this day, the accord is the only car I have ever had a transmission problem with - FOUR of them in less than 100k miles. I know others with 4 cylinder accords with the same issue. I realize you're retired and not interested in a dogfight. Neither am I. But I can't imagine you working for honda and not knowing about the class action lawsuits on accord transmissions in the late 90s and early 00s (for 4 and 6 cyl accords) or the current class action lawsuits (I believe they have started) on the latest generation accord brakes. Honda has historically made very good cars, but their transmissions have been their weakness and I believe it is the case to this very day.

    We bought a new car this year and the first car we considered was the accord - primarily for reliability and resale value. We did not want another 4 cylinder so my wife and I drove the 6 cyl and we did not like the constant on and off of the VCM. It felt like the a/c constantly switching off and on even though the a/c was turned off. Between two dealerships, we drove three of them and they were all the same. Both salesman said they had no idea what we were talking about and had never heard of that issue. At the second dealership, I spoke with the service manager and he was very aware of what I was talking about. He said it bothered some people and others it did not. My son has recently purchased a 6 cyl accord and he feels the VCM switching off and on, but it doesn't bother him as his chevy pickup does the same thing and he is used to it.

    I think honda has historically made excellent cars, but I think other manufacturers have caught and/or surpassed honda. Although I did not buy a sonata, I believe the hyundai sonata is a better car than the accord. I never thought I would say that and I never thought I would buy a hyundai before a honda, but if it was narrowed to those two cars I would have bought the sonata! Different strokes for different folks.. that's why they make chocolate and vanilla.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    edited October 2010
    I realize that because of my username and my history with Honda that people in these forums tend to not believe me. This doesn't bother me and, I really don't care.

    Having said this...I'm trying to remember even one instance where I heard of a premature transmission failure on a 4 cylinder Accord and I can't. I sold them for 14 years and I was in constant contact with my huge customer base and our Service Department. I don't doubt that you somehow went through FOUR transmissions but I have never EVER heard of such a thing

    In another forum, people were complaining about the VCM on V-6 Accords and I had a customer switch from buying a V-6 to a 4 cyl because of this. I was dumbfounded since I had never heard of such a thing. I immediatly went to our Service Managers and asked if this was a problem and they had no idea what I was talking about. When our Factory Rep visited our store the next week he had no idea what I was talking about either.

    So, on my day off, I took one out on the road. Try as I did, I couldn't replicate this "problem" even when I tried a second car.

    I sold, literally, hundreds of V-6 Accords and never once did I have a customer mention this.

    I went back into that forum and expressed my views and about got booted out of there. To this day, only in these forums have I heard of such a thing.

    Somehow, I doubt if you believe me but if you knew me on a personal basis I think you would.

    Are Hondas perfrect? Of course not. I would much rather take my chances on a new Honda than a Hyundai. Never a fan of the Korean makes but I know they have made huge strides in recent years. Still, they can and will have problems too.

    BTW, I don't understand nor did I know about any class action lawsuits. Anyone can start one of these. I watched over and over as Honda extened warranties when there was evidence that something may have been a problem. Odyssey transmissions were a good example of that.

    Never a ticket? Wish I could say that!
  • marvin6marvin6 Member Posts: 72
    Honda did not extend the warranties out of kindness. The warranty extensions were a result of the class action lawsuits - NOT out of kindness. BTW - the class action lawsuit on the accord brakes (latest model accord) has been settled - you can find the results of it (or any of the other class action lawsuits against honda) via google.
  • wayne52wayne52 Member Posts: 26
    edited October 2010
    BTW, I don't understand nor did I know about any class action lawsuits. Anyone can start one of these. I watched over and over as Honda extended warranties when there was evidence that something may have been a problem. Odyssey transmissions were a good example of that.

    Not my dime, but I also have a 4 cyl accord that's had multiple transmissions in it - covered because of a class action suit. Anyone can start a class action lawsuit, but it's pretty rare unless a lot of people are having the same problem and getting stonewalled by a company!!!!! When you watched over and over as Honda extended the warranties.... well, that was a result of the lawsuits!!!! It was part of the settlement!!!! The reason for the lawsuit was people were having transmission problems and honda would do nothing about it (accord and odyssey). Just like the brake problems of the 2008-2010 accords. Honda did its best to avoid responsibility and were taken to court with a class action suit.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Class action isn't always as good as it sounds. Lawyers make most of the money, and often the settlements are quite modest. For the Honda brakes, for instance, the re-imbursement settlement is $125 maximum. True, better than nothing, but does it erase all the aggravation and expense? Not nearly. And often there's paperwork to fill out, and even a participatory fee on the part of the car owner.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I do know that forums attract people with problems like a magnet.

    It doesn't take a class action lawsuit for Honda to extend a warranty. I watched them do that many times especially when the customer was a loyal service customer. We would present our request to our factory rep. We would show evidence of good maintenance and he would usually OK the repair.

    Again, I doubt if those with problems believe me but transmission problems on four cylinder Accords are NOT common.

    If you are a person affected, obviously it's a BIG problem.
  • hbund216hbund216 Member Posts: 162
    While merging onto the freeway, my 2000 Accord stalled. Tried to restart and it would not restart. Noticed something was strange when the warning lights were not on and the speedometer was at zero while moving. Pulled over and noticed a few more things. When the key was in position one the radio came on and everything was normal. However in position two the instrument panel did not come on as it always does. So the odometer, and warning lights did not come on. In addition the power windows and sunroof did not work either. As if position two was just not there. I turned to position 3 and the starter cranked but the car would not start. After about 20-30 minutes the cars started just fine. Has anybody ever faced this issue before? Some research shows that this might be an ignition switch.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Strange...My guess and it's only a guess would be a bad ignition switch.

    In any event, I would definatly take it in because if it happened once, it'll probably happen again.

    I learned that people who have a lot of keys on their key ring then to wear out ignition switches. Makes sense with the extra weight swinging back and forth over time.
  • hbund216hbund216 Member Posts: 162
    Thanks isellhondas. I've been reading that the ignition switch is a common problem on the cars and the symptoms match mine (google Honda Accord ignition switch). Older models have had recalls and I hear the problem comes back. Apparently it's the electrical portion and not the mechanical. Going to buy the part and install it myself.

    And I only keep the alarm on the key ring.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Well, I hate to see you guess and be wrong.

    It's really not a common problem unless your ten year old Accord has a lot of miles on it?

    Having it cut out at the worst possible time could be a real problem so I hope the switch fixes it!
  • hbund216hbund216 Member Posts: 162
    It is a guess but since the part has been recalled before and some research on the boards shows that people have had similar symptoms on this generation of the Accord and the fix was the ignition switch (electric portion) I'm going to take my chances. Sadly people with recalls have posted that they have had to have the same part replaced again. Before doing anything I'm going to see if my car has a recall or TSB against it.

    I don't understand your second sentence. But my Accord is somewhat low mileage at 104,000. Common problems can occur early on or later on in a cars life.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    104,000 miles isn't that many.

    If your Accord had 250,000 miles than I would think a bad switch would be more possible.

    If this is, indeed, a "common" problem I think I would have heard of it.

    Good lucj with your fix!
  • hbund216hbund216 Member Posts: 162
    Why do say a switch would be more likely to fail at 250K instead of 104K? Is the ignition switch failure based on mileage? Most of the posts that I see regarding this are around 07 or 08 but don't have mileages posted. I would think a switch failure would be based on number of times the ignition is cycled or something like that. As for it being common... it's subjective. Looking around different forums I see various people having stalling issues with their accords and this fixing it. I suppose I see a few forums with the same problem and the same fix working and I think it's common.

    I'll keep you guys posted on what happens.
  • dianeodianeo Member Posts: 2
    Hello. My ABS light goes on intermitently and my mechanic has found nothing wrong with the ABS. He reset the ABS light and suggested that I take the car to the dealership, since the light went on 5 minutes after he reset it.
    I am loathe to go to Honda with this, for I am sure they will find a problem that costs as much to fix as the car is worth.

    Thoughts? Experiences?
    Thank you.
  • dianeodianeo Member Posts: 2
    edited October 2010
    Hi,

    My clear coat seems to be flaking off on my poor 10 year old Accord. A quick look around the internet seems to indicate that I need a paint job and another clear coat added. YIKES!!!! My main concern is simply that the car resist rusting for as long as possible. I don't have a lot of miles on the car and I don't drive it very much, so I would like it to last for at least 5 more years, if possible.

    Thank you
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    You can get touch-up clear coat at most auto parts stores. If the base (color) coat is still there and you don't mind the so so look of the paint being touched up, I would think the clear coat touch-up would help.

    Mrbill
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    It's impossible to guess what your ABS problem is. It could be something inexpensive or it could be very expensive to fix.

    Can you live without ABS? I think that would be the worst case senario. A lot of cars don't have ABS and most of us lived without ABS for years.

    If you live in an area without ice and snow, it probably wouldn't be a big deal.
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    Gotta a question,guys. I select D3 for short errands around town. My question is: Does my torque converter lock up in D3 on my 2002 Accord? Thanks.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Hey blufz, may I ask why you select D3? It'll only hurt your fuel mileage.
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    Sure,if the drive is short at speeds below 40 then I don't want my transmission to make unnecessary shifts and the TC to lock up, any more than necessary. I'm just trying to prolong the life of my transmission. It's O.K. if it costs me 1 mpg or so. What do you think?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Seems like, if anything, there'd be extra wear from the extra heat of the modestly higher RPMs and the extra shift made by the gear selector every time. Just my personal and unprofessional opinion. In the grand scheme, I doubt it'll make too much difference either way. Was just curious. ;)
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    No extra shift made by the gear selector. If I know it's going to be a stop and go city trip,I just select D3,when I leave home, instead of D4.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    You still hit D4 and go to D3; a notch further in the selector.

    If you're staying in the low 30s MPH, your car likely won't go to 4th anyhow, right?
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    Yes. When I leave home,I just select D3 instead of D4 and that's it. Normally it would shift up to 4th at about 38-40. Selecting D3 just prevents the upshift to 4th, the TC lockup in 4th,and subsequent down shifting back into 3rd,etc., at the next stoplight. Also prevents any transmission "hunting" between 3 and 4. I figure less shifting is less wear. If I am going to run a freeway errand then I just select D4 when I leave home. Like it so far for so errand running.
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