Honda Accord (2003-2007) Maintenance and Repair

jonahdog · February 2010

Having owned many hondas (2 civics / 6 accords) I totally agree with the brake issue. After 15-35k, a pulsation always seems to appear no matter what brakes I've tried. However, I have never chosen honda to replace my brakes due to cost. I have had good success at Tire Rack on line. You can search reviews by owners of other "hondas", not just other cars... and you can search for local installers.

elroy5 · February 2010

I have always used Honda pads (two Accords since 91). I found the rear pads needed to be changed a little early (47k miles) on the 03, but since the brakes work well, rotors are still good, and they make no noises at all, I am willing to stick with them. I didn't want to switch to semi-matalic or ceramic, and possibly have squeaking or rotor problems later. I don't pay someone else to change them, so it only cost me the price of the pads. I've never had to have the rotors turned or changed. How many miles do you have on the pads? Are you having any problems with the brakes?

he8833 · February 2010

Elory5

We have miles 36k. I have a 07 SE v6 but I swore today they guy @ the dealer told me they sell ceramic for pads?

I also couldn't believe the dealer would tell me that often times they simply re-surface them. Whereas the local shop in my neighborhood said he always likes to replace rotors and pads.(namely because of the pulsating issue and they fact that were in MN with all the salt etc they simply wear down faster. He could replace both rotors and pads for 300.00

What do you all think? I always could buy some pads from the Honda accessories web link I see on here, but have yet to convinced the Honda pads are all that great?

jonahdog · February 2010

I don't buy the salt theory wearing out the pads faster. Re-surfacing rotors is common, but it doesn't cost that much more to replace, depending on where you buy and who installs. Absolutely, replace the pads. Honda vs aftermarket? Up to you and your pocket.

tankbeans · February 2010

Since these rotors aren't pressed on they shouldn't be hard to get off. They're probably about $40 per rotor and the pads are $30 IIRC. So that plus labor would probably be around $300. I'd say the shop is offering a good price.

elroy5 · February 2010

I can't tell you what you will get with the aftermarket pads and rotors, but if you do change pads to aftermarket, I would also change the rotors to whatever that shop recommends. If they have been using this setup on other cars, they should know if it works or not. 36k miles is kind of low, so I would seriously consider the $300 job over the dealership price. Chances are, they'll last at least as long as the originals did.

robgrave · February 2010

I see that I can get "Genuine Factory" replacement pads from handa-accessories.com. I gather from your post that they are neither semi-metallic nor ceramic. What are they then? And is there an equivalent after-market replacement, one that "marries" well with the rotors?

EDIT: Since you do recommend changing rotors when switching to after-market pads, I guess your answer to question #2 would be "no."

stickguy · February 2010

I had the rears done on my '05 EXL at tires plus. Cost about $225 I think (with a coupon). That was some upgraded pad, and resurfaced rotors. Dealer price is not that bad (the cheaper one), but man, he wis charging a lot for the rotors!

I think the indy guy prefers replacing because it is quicker and easier, and less chance you come back with warped rotors. You can get after market rotors fairly cheap sometimes, so not much more cost over the labor of cutting them.

anyway, every place I have ever been said they would resurface as long as it didn't bring them too close to the minimum thickness. FIne by me, especially on the rears. I might put new rotors on the front if/when it ever needs front brakes (not likely anytime soon, I think the 2nd set of rears will wear out before the original fronts!)

elroy5 · February 2010

I think Honda pads are organic compounds, at least the rear are, not sure about the front. I'm sure some other companies make them, but I've never looked into it. I've heard that harder pads will wear down the Honda rotors quickly, that's why I would change the rotors if I changed to semi metallic or ceramic pads. I would never have rotors turned. If the rotors are warped, I would just change them. Turning the rotors, makes them thinner/weaker, so they would warp even easier next time.

robgrave · February 2010

And do you find that the rear brakes require replacing more frequently than the front? Stick-guy's post (#5188) to that point surprises me, really. I've always thought just the opposite was true, at least generally speaking.

elroy5 · February 2010

It surprised me too, when the rear pads on my 03 V6 needed to be changed at 47k miles. The front pads lasted until 60k miles. It's the first time I've ever changed rears before fronts, but then it's also my first car with EBD. From what I've read, the new EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) on cars now, puts extra braking power on the rear, to reduce nose-dive when braking. I have a feeling some car makers will start increasing the size of the rear pads, to even the wear.

robgrave · February 2010

Yes, the EBD explanation makes good sense. BTW, the mileage numbers (47k and 60k) are pretty darned good; well above average from what I've seen, even if the rears did wear down "prematurely." I'd be more than satisfied go get the same service from mine.

thegraduate · February 2010

I'm at 57k in my EBD-equipped 4-cyl EX Accord with plenty of visible life left on the pads. I'm pretty good at anticipating stops to coast, though.

tallman1 · February 2010

And I'm at 77k on the original brakes in my 06 EX-L. I'd be interested to see if I would have any of the problems others seem to be complaining about on the newer Accords. I live in a pretty hilly region but I do have a lot of highway miles on my car.

elroy5 · February 2010

plenty of visible life left on the pads

Just wondering, visible from where? Even though the pads you can see (outside) have plenty left, that doesn't mean the inside pads are not worn down a lot more. Not saying your inside pads are worn out. The wear indicators should let you know when they are, but looking at the outside pad only, is not always a good indication.

20honda08 · February 2010

What ever happened with your starter? Mine is doing the same thing but my car is newer so I am really annoyed. It grinds once in a while when i start it... when never know when so when i asked someone else to listen to it they didn't hear it... how do i get the dealer to hear it when i don't know if it make the noise when i am there... but it will when i get home... lol - please let me know~ scerb

lilengineerboy · February 2010

Just a few more thoughts on the brakes...

So an OEM Honda pad is designed to optimize a few things - brake dust, rotor wear, stopping distance, pad life, heat resistance and cost. Some engineer signed off some where that this is the best they could do for $xx.xx and he was happy with it.

You might decide you can spend more than $xx.xx and you value stopping distance and heat resistance over minimizing brake dust (or not, just an example). Going with a higher performance aftermarket pad lets you do these things.

There are two schools of thought to the rotors too. One is that they get thinner over time and more likely to warp. The other is they have been heat cycled so many times that they become hardened and less prone to warping.

I hope to be out of my '07 EX before I have to replace the brakes, but when I do the brakes on our Legacy wagon, it will get an upgraded, aftermarket pad and either stock Subaru rotors, or Brembo blanks. I am waiting for the thaw before I tackle that one.

Factory parts are always designed to work well within a wholesale cost. By the time the part gets to a retail outlet (the dealership), there is so much markup, the value of that optimization is totally out the window.

robgrave · February 2010

My understanding of the ABS/EBD technology is limited, but I gather that the system is calibrated to work correctly with the friction characteristics of the OEM pads. A switch to pads that behave differently could result in a ABS/EBD system that no longer functions as designed.

This is not necessarily an argument against using after-market linings, but it is something to keep in mind when considering an "upgrade." At least with OEM, I know that I'd be replacing the old with "correct" pads, i.e., pads that were made to be used with the braking system as Honda engineers designed it.

(I know this sounds like a typical warning from a Honda service manager, but in the case of brake-lining replacements, I'm not sure it isn't a warning worth heeding.)

lilengineerboy · February 2010

My understanding of the ABS/EBD technology is limited, but I gather that the system is calibrated to work correctly with the friction characteristics of the OEM pads. A switch to pads that behave differently could result in a ABS/EBD system that no longer functions as designed.

There are 4 wheel speed sensors that count wheel rotations. If there is a big difference between 1 wheel and the other 3 (assuming 4-channel ABS/EBD), the brake releases on that wheel. This is also tied in with stability and traction control for those vehicles so equipped. Having a pad that has increased frictional characteristics will improve the performance of the system. It could, however, cause the system (especially ABS) to intervene more often since the brakes are more effective at slowing the wheel, your tires may become a weaker link in the chain.

At least with OEM, I know that I'd be replacing the old with "correct" pads, i.e., pads that were made to be used with the braking system as Honda engineers designed it.

And it would be the same compromise the engineers had to use, but at a much higher, lower value pricepoint.

elroy5 · February 2010

ABS/EBD/VSA are not designed for a certain pad. Nor are the pads specifically designed for this car. Since the rear pads are wearing faster than the front pads, since EBD was introduced, I'd say Honda could have done a better job picking the pads. I think I could pick an aftermarket pad rotor combination that would work as well, or better than the oem setup. There are plenty of aftermarket companies (Brembo, Raybestos, etc.) that are used by auto manufacturers as performance parts in their performance cars. These are very experienced companies, who know what they're doing, not just some company trying to make a killing selling cheap replacement tail lights. When Traction Control/VSA are activated, a little light comes on in the dash cluster, so I don't think it could be the cause of brake problems or early wear issues. That's my .02.

stickguy · February 2010

at least in my case, I think it was a poor caliper design. 3 pads were fine, 1 inner pad was shot (this was on the rear).

The guy at the tire place said they saw a lot of this with accords, and that it was a result of the caliper hanging up.

I might blame the EBD if all the pads wore together, but not 1 out of 4.

And no way they could bias it so much to the rear that the fronts would last 2-3times what you get from the rear! Especially since in most cars, it is reversed.

hondalova · March 2010

I have a 2004 Accord V-6 EX-L with 6 spd. manual. Hit a pothole in last weeks weather madness and put a nice little hop in my right front rim. Tried balancing and rotating - no help. I need a new rim.

Any suggestions for where I can get a new factory rim to match my other three at an affordable price?

Thanks!

-FS :sick:

lilengineerboy · March 2010

Any suggestions for where I can get a new factory rim to match my other three at an affordable price?

Craigslist, eBay, Majestic Honda, HandA, some other guy that has the same rims but isn't looking...

thegraduate · March 2010

I needed to replace a chewed up rim on my '06 EX 4-cyl. The dealer wanted $229.50 just for the rim. I found one online brand new, printed it out, and asked the dealer to match it, knowing they'd still make money on this price ($165). They did.

You can try that if you'd rather buy new and still dont want the hassle of paying full price at a dealer. Just a suggestion from a guy who's been there. :shades:

Mide · March 2010

Hi! What is your opinion regarding the use of a laptop in the front seat of my 2003 Honda Accord, and my airbag light coming on? Upon browsing the internet, quite a few sites mention this correlation but I can't find much explanation. I took it to my local Honda dealer that reset it and said if it came on again I woukd need to replace it at a cost of almost $700. Not what I what I want to hear!!! Thanks for your time. Michelle

tallman1 · March 2010

Wow... that's a new one on me. I'll have to go check that out. Er, maybe not.

Mide · March 2010

That's new but if you typr in 2003 Honda Accord Airbag light you'll see it.

brian434 · March 2010

I have a 06 Accord LX SE 4cyl with the mass air sensor. I'd like to get better mileage out of it and thought about a cold air intake. Anyone of you already do that change? Was it worth the $200+ for the intake?

temj12 · March 2010

Look on ebay. You will need to know your bolt pattern or find your year. They often have single rims.

elroy5 · March 2010

Most guys who buy an intake, are intoxicated by the sound, and actually end up burning more fuel. Not saying you are one of them, but it would still take a long time for the fuel savings to add up to $200. Not worth it, IMO.

Mr_Shiftright · March 2010

If you don't modify other parts of the car, including throttle body, and perhaps fuel enrichment, you really can't justify spending $200 for what amounts to a lot more noise and maybe 2 HP at full throttle....maybe. The throttle plate restricts air flow, so unless that's wide open, you're not doing very much with a CAI.

lilengineerboy · March 2010

I agree with Elroy as well, I find myself intoxicated by the sound. The Contour with the 2.5l 24 valve V6 sounded awesome with that and the SVT/Borla exhaust. I miss that car.
Yeah CAI mostly good for noise more than power (they do make you feel like your going faster though) and put you at risk for sucking up water and hydrolocking the motor, depending on the design.

stickguy · March 2010

I have a slightly bent rim on my odyssey (hard but doable to balance). I googled a while back, and was amazed at how cheap you can get wheels for. Some used, but other new, and I am pretty sure they are OEM. The $165 mentioned above sounds reasonable.

There are also some places around that will repair the bent wheel, but off the top of my head I don't remember the names. Again, google is your friend!

airbag? You mean the a"airbag off" light? That happens sometimes when I put my briefcase on the seat (or a very light person). Did the light not go off when you took everything off the seat? Never seen that before.

hondalova · March 2010

Thanks for everyone's responses. My car as the five double-bar aluminum spoke rims they put on the V-6 Accord from 03-05 and the best price I was able to get for a brand new one was around $245 plus shipping. The car has 136,000 miles on it already and, while I hope to keep it for another year or two, I'm trying to balance need with cost.

My mechanic had "a guy" who could straighten my rim for me for around $175. However, I kept shopping, and finally purchased a reconditioned rim for $139.95 (including shipping but w/o the center hub cap) from www.hubcaphaven.com . This is an OEM rim that has been lathed and trued and then re-powder coated. They have a 14-day return for full refund policy (so long as it hasn't actually been used) if I'm dissatisfied.

The rim arrived yesterday afternoon and it looks great visually but I'll have my tech-guy put it on the balancer just to be sure it's true before we actually mount the tire on Monday or Tuesday. I have high expectations right now but will let you know if anything goes kablooey when I do.

-FS

ezshift5 · March 2010

Welcome to the family. (I have an '05 6M coupe with those same rims.)

If you are as impressed as am I with this fuel efficient rocket (well, I digress: best wishes for a balanced(vibration-free) replacement).

ez....

fm1381 · March 2010

I just recently purchased a CPO 2007 Honda Accord with Navi, everything is awesome with the car except for the Navigation system. After taking the car home I tried inputing an address to test the navi but the "menu" button would not bring up the menu (the display is showing a circle on a map of my current location). So I thought that was odd and began reading the manual to see if I missed something, but I didn't. Also, when I tap the indicator on the map that shows my position the Navigation system immediately reboots. So I took it to the dealer and they told and showed me that my navigation disk was badly scratched--it has round circles all around the disk. They told me it takes about 2 weeks to get the replacement disk which is a long time. I was wondering if I can make a backup copy of my disk will it work? It's not a big deal I can wait, but I was thinking that maybe if I made a backup it might work. Is making a backup even possible? My disk says version 4.73.

mrbill1957 · March 2010

The DVDs are copy protected, so you can't make a backup disk. How would you make a good copy of a scratched DVD anyway?

If the DVD has circular scratches, then there is something wrong with the DVD player causing the scratching. I'm surprised the dealer is only replacing the disk and not the player and disk. My guess is the same thing is going to happen with the replacement DVD.

Mrbill

edhollow · March 2010

My wife and I, are most impressed w/this year Accord; most say "bulletproof". We say for the most part--true! 1st--brakes--yes the rears wear 2 to 2 1/2 times faster than, the fronts. There is also the tendenancy 4 the rotors to warp particularly on the rears. One piece of advise we received; Do Not Set the Emergency Brake, as this action tends to isolate heat on the rear rotor, w/ a "clamping" effect. This has reduced the warping effect on the rotors--both rear(s). Also, we have been using the NAPA "Adaptive One" hybrid ceramic brake pads with Hi-Performance slotted & cross-drilled rotors, on the front. This seems to have taken care of any degree of warping--for the front--that is! Our rear rotors have been turned for the final time- and will be converted, like the fronts, the next time.

Our gas mileage has been phenomenol through-out; varying from 28.5 to 35.5 mpg, and whether we are using A/C, in sunny, hot Arizona.

No other major repairs, no alternators, A/C components, water pump failure, or otherwise! We run strictly Honda fluids--especially coolant (which has no surfactants, of any kind), thereby avoiding premature wear on metal or seals.
Also, flushing and running only Honda power steering fluid, minimizing wear on components.

We changed our oil every 3750 to 4000 miles up to 150,000 miles. Converted to full synthetic oil, changed every 5,000 miles.

Everything else has been followed religiously--according to Mfg recommendations!

Honda must love customers like us--huh?!

elroy5 · March 2010

Honda must love customers like us--huh?!

I don't know if they "love" me.

I do buy all my maintenance fluids and parts from them. They don't get to do the maintenance though, so maybe they just like me. They made some $$$ when they sold me the car, and a little now and then for parts, but they haven't made a dime on me for service, in quite a while (probably 15 years). I really enjoy working on my own car, and I've learned a lot doing so. The timing belt is going to be a challenge, but I plan to do it myself, when the time comes.

ezshift5 · March 2010

The timing belt is going to be a challenge, but I plan to do it myself, when the time comes.

Faced with the same challenge: I'm digging into my Naval Reserve bread for the budgeted $1200 (high estimate just in case). Your competence will pay off in a huge saving. You got this sailor's respect.

best, ez....

fw_man · March 2010

I thought 4 cyl Accords of this generation had a timing chain. Thus no belt replacement. Was I wrong?

tankbeans · March 2010

You would be correct. The 4 cylinder has the chain 6 cylinder has a belt. If I recall correctly elroy has an 05 SE 6-cylinder. Of course I may be wrong.

If it is a similar cost to my old Accord (95 4-cyl) it'd run about $700, that is if you're talking about the 6-cylinder.

tankbeans · March 2010

...Hello all. Recently I've noticed that my passenger side door (I have a coupe) doesn't latch on the first try. It usually occurs when somebody tries to shut the door without paying attention. The door bounces back as if the latching mechanism is already engaged before it hits the hook in the jamb. I can get it to latch if I go over and lift up on the handle and push it shut.

Has anybody else had this issue and how have you fixed it, or should I even worry about it?

Thank you for your help.

elroy5 · March 2010

I thought 4 cyl Accords of this generation had a timing chain. Thus no belt replacement. Was I wrong?

03 EX V6, which has a timing belt. The car only has 75k miles on it, but it will be 7 years old in September. I still have time to study up for the challenge. I will be ready.

elroy5 · March 2010

When you close the door, notice if it seems to move up, when it closes. This means the hinge pins are bad, and the door is hanging low. If the door does not move up when closing, you might try lubricating the latch mechanism in the door. Don't know if any of this will help, but that's what I would check out. Good luck, and happy Hondaing.

accord6mt · March 2010

I've also had this problem after my passenger door was replaced by a body shop. The body shop didn't seat the rubber door seal correctly so whenever someone tried to close the door, the seal would bunch up and the door wouldn't close. Only when the door was slammed hard did it actually shut completely.

I agree with the possibility of the door hanging low... but it could also be a loose/unseated door seal. Good luck!

tankbeans · March 2010

I recently had my front fender repaired after scraping a pole (long story). Might the body shop have taken my door off and thus thrown it off balance? Do you think I should ask them to look at it? Is this seal easy enough to re-seat?

Coincidentally, I didn't start noticing the problem until after I got it back.

Thank you all for your help.

hondalova · March 2010

You don't have to sell me. Mine is an '04 (Blue) V-6 Coupe EX-L Coupe with the 6 spd. Still averages 27 mpg on my 100 mile per day roundtrip commute, with 136,000 miles and going. Did my timing belt and water pump at 101k for around $680. Other than an occasional stubborn Check Engine Light problem (I've posted about it before - multiple misfire codes stored P300 through P306 - but can't find source of problem) that is usually best fixed by re-setting and waiting until it happens again 3-4 months later, the car looks/runs fabulously. I'm going to need a new one in the next 12-24 mos. and, while the new V-6 2LT Camaro 6 spd. is very attractive to me (I have a GM Credit Card and can take about $3,500 off the purchase price with cash credits), I may bite the bullet and cough up the $27-$28k for another Accord just because the damn things last forever. This is my 3rd Honda ('91 Accord, current car, and wife's '07 Odyssey EX) and they've all been very good. Enjoy! :shades:

hondalova · March 2010

Final Update: The rim arrived on Friday and looked perfect. Had my guy put it on the balancer today and it was. Mounted the tire and threw it on the wheel (salvaged the center hubcap from the old rim) and drove it home. Perfect. www.hubcaphaven.com
Good stuff! -FS :shades:

ezshift5 · March 2010

(1) great outcome (2) you picked a winner!

At 75k, my 6M - like yours - performs big time impressive: (I've calc'd 40+ MPG in the flat AZ desert twice). Plus the 14.5 1/4-mile is fast enough for this sailor.

I really don't know what to consider (down the line) as a replacement - - - - I fear the buyer's remorse co-efficient would be high............

Glad your replacement wheel saga ended well.

best, ez....

Honda Accord (2003-2007) Maintenance and Repair

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