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Honda Accord (2003-2007) Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • seniorjoseseniorjose Member Posts: 277
    You could turn down the air thermostat. The air conditioning usually blends the temperature so that it matches the automatic temperature settings...kick it down to 60 degrees and then prepare to freeze. Automatic air conditioning id designed to make you comfortable and neither hot nor cold -- dependent upon your left and right cabin temperature settings.
  • blackexv6blackexv6 Member Posts: 503
    My '03 Accord EXV6 (traded in April) tranny failed at 42k. The car was out of warranty, however, Honda replaced for free (goodwill).

    I would call American Honda and open a case#. Enough is enough with Honda V6 trannies failing prematurely.

    Absolutely do not pay for the replacement. The Honda trannies have major design flaws and the consumer should not suffer.

    P.S. I just bought a new '06 Odyssey EXL/RES+NAV last month and the car has some major mechanical problems (engine mounts replaced, exhaust A-pipe replaced, power steering rack bad + tranny is downshifting worse than average - bad torque converter?)
  • medicmelmedicmel Member Posts: 8
    Hello All,

    I am new to this community but I would like some answers to problems I have experienced. I purchased my Accord in 11/05 as a one owner resale. I believe the former owner's lease was up. I currently have 41,500 miles on it and drive 70 miles round trip daily to work. It is mostly interstate driving. I previously owned a 94 Accord without any problems.

    My first concern is the AC does not get near cold enough for me. I place it on Lo and it takes forever to cool down. Is this something with the new generation of AC's? It has been hot lately and it never cools down to where I am comfortable. Any input?

    My DVD in the Nav says 2002. Has any one upgraded to a 2006 DVD for the Nav system? Is it worth the price? 189.00?

    My sound system sucks. I am a metal head and like to crank the radio while driving but once I hit 30 it becomes distorted. Has any audiophiles upgraded their original system. With the CD player and Nav its not possible to just put a new player in the dash. The windshield antenna sucks too. If its overcast the stations are staticy(sic).

    I find some oversteer when accelerating. Has anyone else experienced this?

    Has anyone upgraded the brakes to ceramic? I feel the brakes dont have the stopping power they should. Yes I speed and make sudden stops so that may have something to do with it.

    Thanks for any and all input.
  • djm2djm2 Member Posts: 712
    Hi Dave:
    First let me strongly suggest that you purchase an extended warranty for this vehicle. The A/C compressor has a life expectancy of about 50,000 miles on the four cylinder Accord. On or about that mileage, you may also experience a problem with the drive's door power window assembly, the motor mounts ---(vibration at idle with the trans in gear and the brake applied), and a radio dash display failure (that will require the replacement of the radio. (BIG DOLLARS!)
    Second, the A/C compressor issue will cost at least $1,005.00 dollars to repair. This alone will give you back the cost of the extended warranty. YES, the four cylinder Accord has some issues, but nothing like the transmission issue and body noise issue of the V6! --- Best regards. ---Dwayne
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    >50,000 miles on the four cylinder Accord.
    >drive's door power window assembly,
    >the motor mounts
    > radio dash display failure

    Aren't these the cars that are failure proof and used as the archexample for what those American brands "should have been building"? Not a good forcast. Looks to me like there are failures reported in these discussions that indicate the wunderkar image has cracked?

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    With a combined 220,000 miles on our 3 Accords, I have to disagree completely. If I had an extended warranty on my 1996, it would've gone to waste. The first out of pocket expense put into the car came at 131,000 miles, and then it was only $140 + 2 hours labor. My 2006 has had only a minor issue - a creaky console lid. My father has approx 50,000 miles on his 2005 Accord (puchased Christmas of 2004) and hasn't spent a dime or had a problem on his. Sorry it sounds like you've had trouble with Honda in the past, but it isn't the norm.

    (To cover all bases, my grandmother has a 2002 model also, with 80k give or take 5k, and she has no issue with her car either (I wash it regularly, so I drive it and know for myself that it has nor problems). So, for us, the last 4 generations of Accords have been trouble free (we also sold a 1993 w/ 110k miles on it to buy our Odyssey back in '00; that Accord never even had so much as a rattle!).
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,435
    I don't use mine much, but I did have it on yesterday and today. I think it will freeze a side of beef in a few minutes if you want it to.

    I will try it out later to see how fast it cools down a black leather interior that sat outside in 90degree sunny weather all day, but the temp itself if very cold IMO.

    I also will be getting my first oil change in my '05 4 cyl this week (purchased just before christmas last year). $19.95 special with the coupon from owner's link.

    Also, those other problems aren't exactly guaranteed to happen. The radio display seems to have been soemwhat common, but hopefull they have fixed it by now! Motor mounts and AC compressors also lifetime (or at least very long lived) components, so a failure is still going to be a rarity , on any car.

    So, get the warranty if you want, but this isn't exactly a FIAT we are talking about here!

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    This may sound trivial, but still, check it:

    When you enter a hot car you need to
    First OPEN THE WINDOWS for a minute or two so that the extreme inside hot air will find its way out.
    Then shut the windows.
    Put your AC on maximum (check that the dial is set all the way to the coldest setting) and turn the air to RECIRCULATE, instead of regular setting which is letting fresh air in. That way your AC cools the small volume of inside air first, which is much easier and quicker than keep "fighting" more and more volumes of incoming hot air.

    Then you can switch to regular fresh air in and set your AC accordingly.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Pushing "Max A/C" is a simple way to accomplish max cooling.. push Max A/C, dial the temp knob all the way to cold and the fan all the way up.
  • djm2djm2 Member Posts: 712
    Kindly be advised that there was a "back order" on AC Compressors for the 2003 four cylinder Accord throughout the United States last Summer,(2005). I waited almost four weeks to get a compressor installed in my Accord under the Honda Care Extended Warranty. My dealer tried to get a unit from other dealers, but no one had a compressor in stock. Based on this experience. I would say that there is a problem with Honda Compressors. Honda Care to date has put in somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 dollars worth of extended warrnty repairs on my 2003 Accord. (AC compressor, Motor Mounts, Power Window assembly, & Radio). While I think the 2003 four cylinder Accord is a well made product, and I receive very good service from the dealer, I think that the quality has slipped, and the Honda product is not what it was in the past. -------- Best Regards. ---- Dwayne
  • seniorjoseseniorjose Member Posts: 277
    Correction: I put Michelin Microedge 225/60/16 on my Accord V4 last fall...work great and their wet/snow handling is super. These tires are directional so make sure your local mechanics can read a direction arrow on the tires. Got them at Sears...warranty is 80,000 miles. But then I am old and cautious about tires and other safety parts.
  • bimmer4mebimmer4me Member Posts: 266
    If I recall, you purchased your 03 Accord from an estate sale. Prior to the purchase, I believe you said it sat in a garage for over 2 years, not driven. Perhaps the seals on the A/C compressor dried out and is why it failed prematurely?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Keep in mind, also, that you had a first year model, which for all car companies are known as their most problematic (not all the bugs worked out). The same is true for basically every car company (like the new 2007 Camry having total transmission failures on some of its V-6 cars).
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Maybe the V6 Accord is a totally different animal (I doubt it), but my 03 Sedan is trouble free. Not even a rattle.
  • seniorjoseseniorjose Member Posts: 277
    AC is really cold on my 05 Accord Black leather interior I4..putting AC on LO will freeze orange juice. You probably have a small leak in your system, take it to your dealoer for repairs
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,435
    It was the other guy with the problem!

    Mine does seem like it would chill beer, although if the car is out in the sun (so really hot inside) it deos take a while to get the interior cooled down, with all that black leather holding onto the heat. But, if it is in the garage, it stays quite chilly from the beginning.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,435
    had my first oil change done (just over 5 months, at about 4,600 miles). A whopping $21.40 total, including tax, thanks to the coupon from Owners Link. And it wasn't even from that dealer!

    Nice service too. In and out in 40 minutes (even at 9:00 in the morning, so peak time for drop offs and waiters), plus free coffee, donuts and muffins.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • medicmelmedicmel Member Posts: 8
    I've done all the tricks I know. On the East Coast its been in the 90's with 60% humidity. I have no knob to turn. On my car you have a red or blue button to adjust the temperature. The display is electronic. Even if I put it on LO it still does not cool to where I would like it. I am a fan of sub arctic temps! Also with this system it wont let you put it on recirculate if the temperature is not hot enough. I believe it all goes back to the new technology they are using which stinks. In the morning when its some what cool the AC will freeze you out. But after sitting in the sun all day and driving home it never cools down to my comfort zone. I also leave it on automatic for the most part but I have occassionaly tried to override it manually but no luck. Went to the dealer today for the oil change @ 41,500 and they found the rear brakes 1mm and the rotors need turned. What I thought would be a cheap in and out service cost me $319.00. By the way I did purchase an extended warranty form a private company. Warranty direct. Thanks for the suggestions.
  • djm2djm2 Member Posts: 712
    You make a good point for this particular vehicle, but that would not account for the back order of AC compressors, during the 2005 Summer, for the four cylinder 2003 Accord. I am not trying to destroy the Honda image, but rather, I think that if the Engineering / Management team of Honda, would take care of the so called little issues, the Honda corporation would have a outstanding product. I just returned from a road trip to Gettysburg PA., and I was cruising at 65 mph most of the time. The AC system was outstanding! The acceleration was very good both from a dead stop, and passing other vehicles on the highway. I could easily jump from 65 mph to 80mph in a few seconds to pass a vehicle. I am very happy with the performance of the vehicle, and the quality of service that I receive from the dealer. Looking into the future, I would like to see Honda offer an E85 compatible engine in the Accord and / or a diesel engine in the Accord. I would also like these engines to be four,(4), cylinder units. GM is producting 400,000 E85 compatible cars in 2006, so it is obvious that this fuel is a reality in the near future. As a consumer, I have to consider this fact for my next vehicle. I would like to stay with Honda for my second vehicle, but I have not seen any movement on the part of the Honda Corp in the area of diesels and / or E85 engines in the United States. Once the E85 fuel hits the market place, there might be a price difference between conventional gasoline and E85, or there might be an allocation problem getting conventional gasoline once E85 is being stocked by the local gas stations. I want the flexibility of being able to purchase either gasoline or E85. At the present time, the only passenger car that offers this opition is the Chevrolet Impala with the 3.5 V6 engine. What is Honda waiting for with regards to E85? ----- Best regards. ----- Dwayne
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    I have an '04 EX I4 Navi and have had no problems with the A/C keeping up with hot days.

    One suggestion, do you have the drivers and passengers temp setting set the same? I'm guessing that Honda (and anyone else) that has dual climate controls actually adds heat to the side with the higher temperature, not adding more cooling to the side with the lower temperature. Like I said I'm guessing, but throttling the heat is alot easier then throttling the cooling. So if you want the coldest output, make sure the temp is equal on both sides.

    Other then that, maybe you do have something wrong with your system.

    The one thing I miss on my '04 that my old '88 has is a sightglass in the A/C system. It is a quick way to check the refrigerant level in the system.

    Mrbill
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Honda is supposed to start selling diesel engine cars in the near future (2008 or 2010). And just because Chevy is making E85 cars, doesn't mean it's a good idea (right now). GM is not exactly the company others want to copy.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    If the "Auto" button is off, on the climate control, you should be able to control fan speed and recirculate like you want. If you can't something is wrong with it.
  • dhoffdhoff Member Posts: 282
    Well, I may have thrown in an unintentional red herring in my original post. When I wrote 4 cylinder "automatic" I meant the transmission, not the climate control. Oops. I never thought of that.

    Be that as it may, my a/c would never be considered cold enough to chill beer (for some reason I love the sound of that example...) I will have to take it it. Hope I can get a warm day to do so.

    Dave
  • joonjoon Member Posts: 121
    dhoff,

    I have an '05 EX 4cyl (no leather) with roughly 20k miles and I too don't feel my A/C is cooling my car adaquately. I plan to have Honda take a look at it in my next oil change and will post what I find out. I would appreciate it if you could do the same.

    Joon
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ...a/c would never be considered cold enough to chill beer (for some reason I love the sound of that example...)


    ......on a hot day, beer over OJ for this sailor.........

    However, de guispitus non-desputandum prevails.........


    ...ez....
  • yankeryanker Member Posts: 156
    I too had the radio replaced because the message thing went out. I was told I was not the only one. my car had36500 miles and they the (dealer) were most helpful. I can't complain at all. I don't have an extended warranty but I think the observation that new model might bring some problems is a valid one. Honda on the whole should be trouble free. I have also had a new catalytic converter and the back brakes replaced . The dealer has been outstanding. For info on a new model that is troublesome to some degree look at the new Avalon
  • tygerleotygerleo Member Posts: 16
    What you are doing is very interesting, please let us know how it works out. But I think you may also consider AVON Tech m550, Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S and Yokohama. In my view the tires you choose may be too good for Accord, they are for the high perform sport sedan. BTW, according to the forum at Tirerack, ContiExtreme Contact has very short life due to its relatively soft compound.

    I have a 2003 LX V6, which has the same size of tire like yours, and I will look for a new tire soon. I have no plan to change the rim, I think I will buy Bridgestone G009, or Re960 A/S, which is new product. Both of them is relative cheap, compared with OEM Michelin MXV4, which has very poor wet and snow traction.
  • tygerleotygerleo Member Posts: 16
    I agree with your point (1) about the visibility. It is the common problem for today's car design. It needs have aerodymic and crash worthiness, so car makers come with design that has narrow angle and large windshield pillar. as matter of fact, the British car magazine, The Car or EVO ( I forgot which one), also pointed out this problem few months ago. They compared a 2005 Mercedes CLK and 85 BMW 528i. The old BMW has a much better view at the intersection than the modern Mercedes.

    I have 2003 LX V6 with extended warranty. It is just out the regular warranty few moths ago. In the three years I have it, it has a list of problem2:
    (1) Engine knocking: it takes Honda several time to fix the problem, including re programming ECM.
    (2) Radio Light: I also have the problem with the radio light, that ended up to replace whole unit.
    (3) Front Brake: When the car was in the 30K service, the dealer indicated the both front brake pad, the rotor need to be replaced, after I complained that the brake made some noise when the car is cold. I called Honda complain about the rotor replacement, they in turn call my local Honda dealer, they replace the front brake pads for free, and claimed the rotors were still in good shape. I later checked the rotor myself, they still have 10 to 12 MM thick. Overall, I believe the brake for the Honda is not sufficient.
    (4) Dash Light: My dash light sometime behaves strangely, it turns bright and dim without any reason. It often happens when it rains during the date time, I turn on the headlight, it will dim the dashlight a bit by design, but since it is still a date time, so the dash light will turn bright and then dim upon the ambient sunlight. It is annoying. Again the dealer is not able to find the problem, so it is not the problem for them.

    Other complains for this car are
    (1)Wind Noise: I can not drive the car with the front window open on the highway, the noise is just too loud. Again this is the problem for modern car, the aerodymic design creates a large Eddy current around the front widow. And even with widow close, the wind noise is noticeable, it is not as quite as the Camry.
    (2) Road Noise: Its suspension is very busy and noise.
    (3) Front Seat: it is not very comfortable for long trip. I used to own an 1992 Integra, other Honda product, it had a very comfortable front seat.
    (4) Back Seat: It has not slit fold-down. I never understand why Honda does not offer this feature, I am even willing to pay extra for this feature.
    (5) Glove Box: It can not close tightly, the light can be seen at night, the dealer has to install a seal on it, the seal is part of the original design.
    (6) Dash Board: The once famous one-piece dash board was replaced with a multi-piece one, it looks cheap.
    (7) Right Front Wheel: For some reason, my front right wheel keeps hitting curb. I think it is sometime to do with the interior design, it causes the drive mis-judging the curb from the driver seat. I notice a few same model of Accord has the same problem.

    Overall I will only give this car 7/10 scale.
  • danxpdanxp Member Posts: 47
    is it harmful to the engine or transmission in any way if i put the transmission into neutral while traveling at 60 mph downhill? sometimes the car seems to slow down when going downhill and i don't even hit the gas or brake... i put it into neutral and it resumes its speed while revving at around 1k or lower...

    is this recommended?

    i imagine putting it back into D from N at 60mph can't be too good either, huh?

    thanks for any insight...
  • accord6mtaccord6mt Member Posts: 53
    The first question in my mind is: Why would you do such a thing? and do you do it often? Is it because you don't like the car slowing down while traveling down a hill when you're in "D?"

    I believe it's important to say that it can't be all that safe to ride down a hill without the car "in gear" meaning, the transmission is in "D." What if, for some reason, you need to use the gas to accelerate and quickly change lanes?

    That said, I also believe automatic transmissions are designed to drive in "D" during almost all normal driving. I don't know the exact details, but engaging your transmission from Neutral to "D" while traveling at a decent clip can put certain amounts of stress on parts of the transmission, and doing this repeatedly throughout the life of your car will probably damage your transmission. Perhaps someone else can post a more detailed explanation.

    In short, I believe:
    1) It's unsafe to drive at 60 mph while in Neutral, regardless of going uphill or downhill.
    2) You're probably causing damage to parts of your transmission by doing this and chances are, if you're trying to save on gas by coasting down a hill, you really aren't saving much. Oh, and make sure your car is in "D" and not "D3." That might explain the slowing of your car.

    Best of luck!
  • danxpdanxp Member Posts: 47
    i suspected this was probably not the best thing for the car... it wasn't too smooth when shifting back to D from N... i'm just used to driving a stick and when it came to stretches of road where acceleration was not required, i would let it coast in neutral... or is that a bad idea too?

    as for the car slowing down, i always check and it's not in D3... it always seems to slow down just a bit annoyingly... could this be a problem with the tranny or something or just a "feature"?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Check your RPMs at that 60MPH...they should be right around 2,000 RPM unless your "grade-logic control" is holding a lower gear. This "feature" is made to hold a lower gear up and down hills to prevent excessive speed build-up down a hill (it will usually hold up to 3k RPM going downhill before going into higher gear when coasting down. Going uphill (a long grade at 35+ MPH or so), your car will likely hold in third gear, until you finish the grade or reach a high-enough speed (something like 55-60MPH) for the car to feel confident that it won't have to "Hunt" gears.time you go down that big hill, and let us know what the RPMs are. PLEASE don't go into "N" at speed anymore, it isn't safe, or good for your transmission.

    Check the RPM of your car in "D" next time, and get back to us.
  • ar39ar39 Member Posts: 61
    This evening a rock chipped my car's windshield. There is a star shaped crack & flake on the inside of the glass. The chip is slightly less than a penny's diameter. I've options of replacing the glass for $300+ or repairing the crack with resin for $60. I'm not sure how the finish would be after the repair because this is the first time I'm having glass trouble. What do you guys think about the repair?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I actually have a "star" from a rock hitting my windshield in my red Accord when it was two weeks old. Now, it's 10 1/2 years old (1996 model, chipped in Dec. 1995), and has not changed at all; no cracks, no splits. Yes, I have several other windshield chips now, but none that have cracked or caused me concern.

    If money is an issue, maybe wait and see if anything happens with it. My car has been driven 160,000 miles since that "star" happened, and I've not spent a dime on it. No cracks at all!
  • blackexv6blackexv6 Member Posts: 503
    You probably will not be satisfied with the resign fill. A hazy spot will still be visible after the repair.

    Also, if you use your insurance to cover the damage, maje sure the glass shop uses an OEM Honda windshield. They will subsitute with a cheaper windshield if you do not specify.
  • jhinscjhinsc Member Posts: 399
    I would like to hear other owner's comments on their oil change interval. I called my local dealer to schedule service since my Maintenance Minder indicated 10% at 7,100 miles, with the code B1 indicated. The service tech told me I was way over my miles for the first oil change since it should be done every 3,750 miles. He goes into his speech about how difficult it is to read the manual, so they've prepared an "easy-to-read" maintenance guide for their customers. I responded that the manual was very clear and actually simple to understand - just let the maintenance minder tell you when service is needed. He then stated that the I4 can go 5,000 miles between oil changes, but the recommend interval for the V6 is 3,750 miles and that is what they will put on the sticker applied to the inside windshield. I said "whatever" as I was getting pretty annoyed by his apparent persistent ignorance.

    How are others handling their maintenance? Please, no lectures about how oil should be changed every 3k miles - it's overkill and I've heard enough of that. :shades:
  • djm2djm2 Member Posts: 712
    The cost of the average oil and filter change at the Honda dealer is about $23.00 dollars. At this price it is minor issue with regards to the operating cost of the vehicle. At 3,000 mile intervals it is costing 0.0076666 per mile. At 5,000 mile intervals it is costing 0.0046 per mile. At 10,000 mile intervals it is costing 0.0023 per mile. I have it changed by the dealer at 3,000 miles. I have a service appointment every eight weeks reserved at the dealer for this purpose. I am in and out of the dealership in less than 30 minutes, and I get to say "hello" to the Service Manager and the Service Writer. (These are good people to have on your side when issues arise with your vehicle and you need service ASAP!)----- Pick your own service interval and enjoy your new vehicle. Life is too short to worry about the small stuff! ---- Best regards. ---Dwayne ;)
  • ar39ar39 Member Posts: 61
    I inquired with a 2 Honda dealers. One said they would have to order the windshield from a glass retailer & the other wouldnt do the glass work. I guess there's no OEM glass although the name Honda is printed on the glass.

    I'm very particular about the looks of the car & dont mind the $300+ replacement. However, my insurance will take care of the cost to repair without the deductible. I hope my next premium wouldnt go up!

    BTW, I drove the car to work today & the crack has widened a bit.
  • ar39ar39 Member Posts: 61
    I got to take back my statement about Honda OEM windshield. I contacted another dealer & he quoted $639, labor included, for the OEM part replacement. I believe his previous customers wouldnt pay that high & went with a non OEM which costed $279 for the complete job.

    What are your views on Safelite glass? Their marketing is pretty impressive & so is their response to my queries!

    Thanks!
  • nwalker1nwalker1 Member Posts: 17
    The radio going out in a Honda is normal for our family. My wife's 1993 Honda Accord EX sedan had the radio go out and the same for her 1998 EX-L V6 Accord Coupe. So far the 2005 Accord sedan EX-L-Nav has been flawless...the A/C works great....but I'll keep my fingers crossed on the radio...(especially wit the Nav). This time we bought the extended warranty. Hope this helps.
  • wishmanwishman Member Posts: 3
    Ten days ago, I bought New 2006 Accord SE 4 cylinder Automatic Transmission. When I am trying to accelerate very slowly I feel a jerk when it shifts from 1st gear to 2nd which happens around 20mph. When I accelerate a little gradual or hard the jerk is not that prominent. The dealer says that this is normal for any honda because their transmission dont use a planetery gear system and the jerk is normal. I found that a little hard to believe.
    He suggested to satisfy myself drive another Accord. He pulled out a brand new Accord with 2 miles on it and I noticed the same jerk at slow aceleration when shifting from 1st to 2nd.

    Has anyone felt that before. Can anyone throw some insight to it. Is it normal. Any helpful information will be appreciated. Thanks.
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    What your feeling is normal. My 04 Acord shifts exactly as you described. As the dealer explained, Honda transmissions don't have a planetary gears in them, the trans is "basically" a solenoid operated manual tranny.

    If you think your 06 shifts hard, I'll let you try my old 88 Accord. It shifts way worse then my 04 Accord.

    Mrbill
  • jhinscjhinsc Member Posts: 399
    I agree the cost of oil changes is insignificant and I don't mind paying for it. What I did mind was the sort of "lecturing" I received from the service advisor like I was an idiot and didn't know better. Plus the fact he kept on with his little rant after I made him aware I actually read the manual and knew what it said really ticked me. But I'll give it back and ask where in the manual it calls for the kind of service they want me to do when I show up the appointment.

    For me, it's an issue of time - which means more money to me than the cost of the oil change and tire rotation. I'm leasing my car and don't plan on doing the overkill maintenance some people advocate. My brother is always spending way too much in preventative maintenance like he was going to keep his car/truck for 300,000+ miles, only to trade it in on something new before he's reached 30,000. Doesn't make financial sense to me, and I don't see how it gives anyone peace of mind with the durability built into new auto's today, unless they actually kept their vehicle forever.
  • wishmanwishman Member Posts: 3
    Mrbill, I find it a little hard to convince. How are you convinced that it is normal? Have you have anything to back it up. Any technical data or any references? You say that your 88 Accord shifts, I would think it does probably it is old and transmission might shift.
    But why would a brand new accord shift? So should we make our peace with the shift because of honda's transmission design? I appreciate your input.

    Has anyone else exerienced something similar? does anyone else has anything to share/contribute. Thanks

    wishman
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    My old 92 Accord shifted hard at low speeds the 12 years I owned it (kind of like a shift kit was installed). As far as I know it's common for Honda. My 03 V6 is much smoother, but you can still tell it's a Honda transmission. I have had no transmission problems or repairs.
  • vrborgvrborg Member Posts: 4
    I just bought 2006 Accord SE two weeks ago. I kinda feel the jerk too. My previous car was 1993 Accord EX, and I had the same feeling for it.

    I don't know much about car, so I just wanna ask about the gas consumption. My car just had its first full tank with 230 miles :cry: I don't think it's normal. I drive all in the city with too many stop signs. I just think partly it's much about the transmission shifting too, isn't it? Thx.
  • steveoregonsteveoregon Member Posts: 41
    I bought my 06 Accord LX back in October, and began noticing the prominent shift from 1-2 right away. There was some previous discussion of it here. To me it feels kind of sluggish - slowing the car down just slightly before it pops out of first (under slow acceleration). Accelerating harder, it shifts quicker and is less noticeable. Yes, it's annoying - and I had hoped they had fixed this from previous generations of Honda transmission - but apparently not.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    When I am trying to accelerate very slowly I feel a jerk when it shifts from 1st gear to 2nd which happens around 20mph.

    Accelerating very slowly your car will not shift from 1-2 at 20 MPH...That sounds like your driving pretty quick to me (my car usually shifts from 1-2 at about 2500 RPM, or 15 MPH when driven moderately slow).

    My 2006 EX I-4 5Auto shifts similarly to yours, though, with more of a hesitation in that shift than the 2-3, 3-4, and 4-5 shifts. I wouldn't worry, as my dad has the same car (2005 EX I-4) with over 51k miles on it and it shifts the exact same...No issues at all. I'm at 7,700 miles with no problem.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Jackrabbit starts from stop signs, will definitly reduce your mileage. You need to calculate the mileage, not just go by the tankfull. The tank is not empty when the light comes on.
  • rcc8179rcc8179 Member Posts: 131
    I would call around to different glass shops in your area (check the yellow pages or ask your insurance agent for a recommendation). I say this because the dealer will probably contract out to a glass shop anyway (and take a cut of the $$$ if you pay the full price yourself).

    You can get an OEM windshield (complete with 'HONDA' written on it, but it will be more expensive than an off-brand winshield, as you have already found out. I had to call a couple different shops, but I found one that would order one for me. If you are picky about your car, it might be worth it.

    Somebody broke into my old car (1989 Accord) a few years ago and I had to get the front passenger window replaced. The tint was slightly off from the other windows. So when a rock cracked the windshield in my 2003 Accord last fall, I decided to go with the OEM windshield because (1) my car was 3 years old and I wanted the new windshield to match the other windows, and (2) a generic one would cost me about the same as my insurance deductible.

    But to answer your specific question, I don't have personal experience with Safelite products, but I believe they are a reputable brand.
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