Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

saads · May 2005

I was wondering if anyone else has noted a low grade interference or hissing noise when playing CD's out of the 6 disc Honda CD Audio system. Since I listed to classical music and audio books I notice it more and it only happens while playing a CD and not the XM or regular radio. Its somewhat annoying and I wonder if anyone else has had this experience - of course when I took it to the dealer he put his country music CD in it and tested the system and said everything was normal. He ran some other tests which turned out reportedly fine as well. I had an old acura RSX audio system which I didn't notice it on but then the sound quality of the actual performance wasn't as good and perhaps it is because its a better audio system

dwynne · May 2005

Ah, the bad old days of Honda - wait and take whatever color comes in. Don't miss those at all. They SEEM like nice folks, but also SEEM small-time and for sure will not deal much on a new car. Capitol used to be a nice place, but Crest purchased it and moved it. I have no idea how service is there, but the sales department turns MY stomach

I have not had any problems the the folks at Waltrip, and the place is full of Darrell's trophies and even the Daytona winning car. My Mom used to take my brother and I to the fairgrounds back years ago and our favorite "local" driver was Waltrip. So I got a kick the first couple of trips down there looking at all the stuff - gives you something to do while you are waiting.

Dennis

julieh · May 2005

The motor that moves the driver's seat forward and backward has quit working on my 1996 Accord EX Coupe. The tilt motor still works. I took it to a reliable mechanic, and he looked up the replacement part. He said that the part alone is $865 because he is not able to buy just a motor, he has to buy the power seat assembly. Has anyone else had a similar experience? He suggested checking with salvage yards for the part, but I have not had any luck. To pay over $1,000 for parts and labor for a seat motor is outrageous. Any suggestions?

user777 · May 2005

julieh,
try here:
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/PartsSearch.jsp
Looks like $478 potentially for the assembly. Not sure.

I'd probably go to a pull-it place. First I'd determine what model years used the same assembly.

Another alternative, go online and put in a request.

you sure there isn't a cable loose in the seat?

blane · May 2005

julieh:

Most automotive salvage or "junk" yards are able to access a nationwide network to find a part for just about any car in a few moments at a keyboard. Check your local yellow pages for one that will do a search, locate the needed moter and have it shipped to their local facility.

jp007 · May 2005

Thanks. I'm eagerly waiting for your results.

temj12 · May 2005

I have a 2005 Accord with the 6 CD. I have not noticed the hissing noise with my CD's.

hpm · May 2005

I can not get the dome/overhead light to turn on when I open the door in my new Honda Accord LX. I have looked in the manual and it talks about an on/off switch for the EX model but not for the LX model. Please tell me that I didn't spend over $18,000 and the car doesn't come with a dome light when I open the door. :mad:

My old chevy cavalier had a dome light. Yes, it has been a long day.

I appreciate any help you can provide. Thanks.

02accord · May 2005

My '02 Accord LX has a front strut that is leaking oil. It has 34k on it and is still under the 3/36 warranty. My question is: Is this a "normal wear" item or should it be covered under warranty?

Thanks
Stephen

mrbill1957 · May 2005

I don't know how Honda will handle it, but a leaking strut is not normal. They will become less effective over time, but a leak is a failure of a seal, and not a wear out condition.

Good luck

Mrbill

blane · May 2005

hpm:

You have not indicated whether you have a sedan or coupe, but pages 103 and 104 of my 2004 Accord Coupe Owners Manual, under Interior Convenience Items, Interior Lights, have a very clear illustration. They also state:

"The ceiling light has a three-position switch; ON, Door Activated, and OFF. In the Door Activated (center) position, the light comes on when you:
- Open either door.
- Unlock the doors with the key or remote transmitter.

After both doors are closed tightly, the light dims slightly, then fades out in about 30 seconds.

The ceiling light (with the switch in the center position) comes on when you remove the key from the ignition switch. If you do not open a door, the light stays on, then fades out in about 30 seconds.

If you leave either door open with the key not in the ignition switch, the ceiling light will go off after three minutes."

Yup, it has been a long day. I hope this helps. Enjoy your new ride.

hpm · May 2005

By the way I have a sedan. I have had it for about 3 days and only drove it at night yesterday. After I typed the message at work...I found it after getting out of the car when I got home.

I appreciate you taking the time to help with this. Thank You!!

chucko3 · May 2005

It should be covered under 3/36K warranty. Struts should last at least 100K.

pab123 · May 2005

I just bought a 2005 Accord coupe 2 weeks ago and had to bring it back for minor work and the service person looked at my car and said you already have "dings" in your front condensor - looks like rocks from the road. And he said this is common. He said "we don't sanction this but go to grill tech and buy those grill covers for your car. I did some research and they would cost about a hundred dollars and look easy to install with plastic ties. Has anyone else on this board used them? Also, am I the only one who thinks that the paint chips very easily on this car? This is my first Honda and so far, I am not thrilled.

Peggy

norain · May 2005

Hi, I have a 200 Honda Accord 2000. It has delayed engagement going into 1st gear after it has been driven on the highway for about 30 minutes. It doesn't have this problem when driving around town. It has 86k miles but the problem started right after I bought the car at 76k. I just could never get it to happen for the dealer so they couldn't fix it. I could change the fluid ahead of the recommended 90k to see if that fixes the problem, but I didn't want to waste the money if it is really something else that would be covered under warranty (they extended it to 100k for this model year and make! They know they have problems). Would appreciate any help/advice/experience you folks can give. Thanks Kevin

megaman319 · May 2005

I have a 2005 Accord EX-4, Ever since new, I have noticed when I had my foot on the brakes and ride over a pothole or turning into a driveway while braking when there is a dip. It transmitted so much vibration from the suspension /brakes thru my braking foot. It gets really scary. It feels something is going to break. Anyone has similar experience None of other car /van had this problem going over the same pothole and dip. Any suggestion or similar observation from 03-05 owners would be appreciated.

dwynne · May 2005

It looks like $60 + shipping for the sedan

http://www.grille-tech.com/detail.html?prodid=158

$60 for the center grill on the coupe

http://www.grille-tech.com/detail.html?prodid=159

and $35 extra for the side grills

http://www.grille-tech.com/detail.html?prodid=160

I don't know that you HAVE to have the side grills, other than to just unify the "look" on the coupe - do you? We have the sedan, so I am not sure on the coupe if anything is in danger behind the side openings on the coupe or not.

I had a similar grill (maybe even from the same company) on my Miata years ago. Mostly for looks but also to keep the bugs and rocks from messing up the A/C and radiator. Seemed to work fine and was easy to install. Some fokls have concerns about the airflow being reduced and leading to overheating, but I never had a problem - and it gets pretty hot here in the summer.

I will probably order a grill for my wife's sedan - I noticed the exposed parts right off when we started looking at them and worried about damage. Every time someone posts about a problem that is not covered, just makes me more sure I need to get a grill.

Seems like EVERY car these days has easy to chip and easy to scratch paint. I think in "the good old days" they had that nice lead and other unfriendly stuff in there to make it tougher. Now it is better for the environment but not as tough? We got a small chip in the trunk over the plate area just installing my wife's license plate. Overall though, my wife just loves her new Accord.

Dennis

mrbill1957 · May 2005

I know this may not look as good, actually it probably will be hard to see.

Take a piece of hardware cloth, it comes in different grid spacing, cut it to size, spray it black, and attach it just behind the opening in the bumper with black tie wraps. The whole thing should cost a few bucks, and will solve the damage problem.

jp007 · May 2005

My SRS light came on, and I wanted to reset it using the MES connector. Unfortunately, I do know know where it is. The closest thing that I found was located on the driver side by the fuse box. Is this correct?

I did take it to the dealer and I was told that it would be a $90 charge for diagnosing the issue. I just want to reset it, so that I know whether it is a real issue or not. If it is, then I will pay to have it fixed. I do not understand why it recently came on. The car has less than 60,000 miles and has not been in any accidents. I just hope that it was a false alarm and resetting it would be all that is needed. They told me that if it is caused by the seat belt issue, then there will be no charge. Is there an easy to determine if it is the sear belt that is causing the SRS light?

I did find the following page showing how to reset the SRS light.
http://www.geocities.com/myintegra96/srs.html

kratas101 · May 2005

Own a '02 LX Accord Coupe and as of today its going on its 4th transmission. First one had weird jerking problems when starting from a stop, second one had weird whining noise. Picked my car up today for the new 3rd one and i noticed a rattling noise coming from near the bottom of the car, brought it back half an hour later and after waiting around they told me I needed a new one because the one they JUST put in was defective! Plus I realized they put 30 miles on my car while I had left it with the dealership, I don't think test drives take that long?

What I'm wondering is why would a dealer put in a DEFECTIVE transmission into my car if they know its defective after half an hour of looking at it on the SAME DAY. They say the 3rd one is defective from the manufacture....so how come they didn't catch it when they installed it and test drove it? I hate this dealer but other Honda dealers were too far and I would've driven it past 36k. Ugh, I prefer Honda value, content and styling over other companies but this is getting quite bothersome.

I've been thinking about trading it in afterwards but my father is laid off and I haven't found a job yet so I'm not sure what to do. Sorry about the ranting, just thought I'd share my experiences. I wish I hadn't come back to the dealer...

blane · May 2005

pab123:

I've driven my 2004 Accord Coupe about 15,500 miles since December 2003. I've never had any reason to look at the condenser, nor have I had a single chip in my paint.

Perhaps it's because I rearely drive fast on unpaved roads.

temj12 · May 2005

I have a dash rattle above the steering wheel. What do they have to do? Do they have to remove the dash? I am not sure I want to do that. I don't want it messed up.

blane · May 2005

temj12:

Since nobody here has sat in your car and heard your specific sound, we can't possibly tell you what's wrong. Your beautiful new car is under Honda's factory warranty, so you should address your question to an authorized Honda service department.

badgerfan · May 2005

I don't own an Accord, but I would bet you are feeling your ABS system actuating.

Go to an empty parking lot on a wet surface and drive at medium speed, say 20-30 mph, then slam on your brakes as hard as you can, to try to cause the wheels to skid. IF you feel the same vibration, that is your ABS system activating.

My Taurus will do this occasionally as well, as the ABS system gets fooled by rapidly going around corners with the brakes applied, and it can also happen if one wheel leaves the ground for a brief period of time, ie going into a pothole. The ABS detects this as a slipping wheel and starts actuating with a rapidly vibrating brake pedal the result.

joe122 · May 2005

Thank you for the helpful information. I just ordered this grill for my 2005 LX sedan. Hope that it is indeed easy to install, as I would prefer not to have to pay someone to do it. Why do they design cars in this way? Surely the engineers know the potential for serious damage and expensive repairs. BTW, like you, early on I noticed how vulnerable the exposed parts are.

dwynne · May 2005

My wife can't decide between "race" and "diamond" or black or silver - the car is beige so I am thinking black. If these a like the others I have had, they come with heavy duty plastic ties and you just strap them in place. Sounds cheesy, but seems to work.

I don't know why, but even Honda engineers mess up from time to time. My old (89?) Civic Si could not be driven in the rain with the window cracked. There were no rain gutters on the roof so when stopped the rain ran off the roof in every direction - including down the side. With the curve of the window, cracking or opening the window would deposit the run off on your left leg and arm. The whole time I had that car I kept thinking "they NEVER drove this in the rain when it was a prototype".

Dennis

imidazol97 · May 2005

> but even Honda engineers mess up from time to time

No, really? Some people will never believe that.

joe122 · May 2005

I looked at the pictures and decided the black, race looked best as my car is the graphite pearl (as pictured). Because of the location, I don't think it will be noticable as race or diamond anyway as long as it is black. The beige is really a gold color and that does make the choice harder. Without seeing the instructions, I can only imagine how it will go on. Dwynne, do you have to remove the inside trim in front of the engine, or is access easy from behind the bumper? So far, I haven't really looked at it all that closely.

isellhondas · May 2005

Those grills don't impede air flow and cause overheating.

I just don't think installing thse would be worth the trouble and expense given the remote possibility of damage.

But...that's me.

chucko3 · May 2005

The AC line has been there in my 89LXi. Been driving the car for almost 17 years, haven't had this problem.
I just looked at an 03EXI-4, and I don't see any AC line at the front grill as my
03EXV6. Weird.
Instead of placing the cover at the grill, can we put something like a foam insulator around the line like people do it for the water pipe in the house?

pab123 · May 2005

I guess I wasn't clear in my post. Its not the look of the condensor that I care about but if I have to replace it (rock really does damage) it will cost a lot. Latest update: new chip in hood. I just called Honda and they said bring it back to the dealer as I am not the only complaint. The paint may not have been done correctly at the factory and they will have someone check it out. My last 3 cars were Chevy Impala's and never had a chip in the paint and I am driving in the same area.
Peggy

joe122 · May 2005

Perhaps what you say is true. I cannot comment on years past, but the 2005 Accord has a large lower grill opening with only one (very thin) fin running horizontally. The vertical fins are also few in number and very thin. Of all the cars I have owned, I have never seen such a large area of the radiator (and other parts) exposed directly to road hazards. It is obvious that a strike by a large rock would do considerable damage. The Camry, for example, has a more complex arrangement of grill fins covering a smaller opening. This makes a direct strike less likely.

My guess is that the odds of it happening with this particular design are based on the type of driving you do. Local, low speed driving would probably be the lowest risk. However, in my area, driving on the Interstate has a much higher risk. Often I will actually see rocks thrown up by truck tires and hurled into front ends and windshields of the cars around me. The only defense is to not follow too closely.

dwynne · May 2005

I haven't put one of these in (yet). I was hoping someone would do it and report back how easy it was

Seriously, I would think it would fit in through the opening then just secure it in place.

The large opening is strange, since it appears that aerodynamic considerations and more efficient cooling have led to most cars having much smaller openings or grills than in years past.

Dennis

isellhondas · May 2005

Peggy...All I know is, if a rock decides to hit your car, it doesn't matter what the make or model is. If it hits your hood, it's probably going to chip the paint!

pab123 · May 2005

I think my first mistake was buying a black car. But it looked so nice in the Showroom!!!!

isellhondas · May 2005

Joe,

I just think it would be an oddball thing to ever have that happen again.

I once had two broken windshields in a six month period. That was about fifteen years ago and I haven't had one since. Same driving conditions.

And, yeah, some people do follow much to close. I see this everyday and I would guess those folks get the most damage from flying rocks.

joe122 · May 2005

He is right, of course:

http://www.web-cars.com/detail/touchup.php

http://paintscratch.com/cgi-bin/log_affiliate.cgi?AFFIL=1049

dwynne · May 2005

Insurance should cover the windshield, but neither our insurance NOR Honda cover the A/C components or radiator if they are damaged. If that chance can be eliminated for $50 or so it does not sound like a bad deal.....

Dennis

thegraduate · May 2005

"My grandmother gave me her car a couple years ago, and it has always made this horrible vibrating/metallic/grinding/growling noise around 2000rpm. It sets the pedal and steering wheel to vibrating, and caused my aunt to ask me what was wrong with it. It is more noticeable when using light throttle input, say, maintaing 40 m.p.h. on a level road. It is an LX 4-cyl with the 4 speed automatic. Other than this (LOUD) noise that it always makes, I have had no other problems on this car. Not bad for 147,000 miles. I know I shouldn't expect a perfect car, but if someone out there has had this same problem, I would appreciate your input. If you know what the problem could be, please report as well! Thanks for your help.

emc1 · May 2005

I have three separate noises in the moonroof/headliner of my 2005 EX V6. I am hoping that they may be related. Has anyone else had any of these noises?
1) When tilting open the moonroof, after it has been closed for a while, there is a loud popping sound, sometimes after a short delay. 2) There is an intermittent rattle coming from the back of the moonroof - lubing the moonroof hasn't helped. 3) I hear a tapping or hitting type noise in the headliner behind the moonroof when going over rough road or bumps.

Thanks for your help!

tifftiffshonda · May 2005

I had this same issue with my 2001 Honda Accord EX. I had been having this problem over the past year and a half. With time and age the problem got worse. I had it into the dealership one time for this problem. They said that there were no error codes reading on the car's computer. They said it was time for a transmission flush and recommended that service. They said if it did not fix the problem to come back. The problem did not fix itself with the transmission flush though caused it to slack off some. My opinion is do not waste your time or money thinking that the transmission flush will fix it. It started warming up this Spring and the problem was back full force. It was happening all the time. I returned to the dealership with about 78,000 miles on the car. They test drove it and the service manager came back and said, "Usually we need to check for error codes, but your transmission is so bad, we are going to go ahead and replace it under warranty". They put me in a rental for about a week and paid for it and they replaced my transmission at no cost to me. I have a wonderful dealership that I go to in Charlotte, N.C. Hendrick Honda, I can' t say enough for all they have done for me. I did not buy the car from them but, they have done all my service on it. Warranty and non-warranty items. My suggestion would be to take back to the dealership and test drive it with a service manager. You may notice it is worse on really hot days, if so, make sure you take it in on a day that it is really hot. I hope they take care of it for you and my experience helps you.

isellhondas · May 2005

I don't know why your insurance company wouldn't cover this. It should be covered under your comprehensive just like a windshield would be I would think.

Same kind of damage, the rock just hit something other than the windshield.

Did you ask them?

slawenda · May 2005

This might have been brought up before, however to my knowledge, there's never been a definite or obvious fix. Has anyone had luck fixing a rattle/squeak/creak/"flexing" noise from driver and passenger window seals area? I have a 2004 Accord EX-V6 Sedan (with navi). This rattle is such that if I am on uneven pavement or going up driveways, etc., the noise sounds like a "flexing" or creaking sound. If on a bumpy road, it is more of a creaking rattle. It sounds like a very old car or bus. If on a perfectly smooth road, it might disappear (temporarily). When it rains, the noise seems to go away completely. If I lower my windows the noise goes away, but of course wind noise enters.

Two dealers have replaced run channels twice, with significant improvement only temporarily (1-2 weeks only). One dealer tried to lubricate the seals but this didn't seem to help at all, and in fact might have made it worse. I am not sure if that dealer lubricated them correctly, since I have heard on this board there might be different ways to do it.

Please advise! Thanks.

toygetr · May 2005

Unfortunately Slawenda there really doesn't seem to be a definative cure to the problem. Never in my life have I had such a rediculous problem with a "new" car, my '04 accord EX initially had a windshield that began rattling on day 2 of ownership. The shield needed to be resealed which the dealer did take care of. No problem from the windshield but the driver and passenger door/window seals have had a squeek/rattle sound to them from about day five ...dealer response, it's normal to have some play in the window therefore the noise is normal. Now, I was born at night but not last night so that line of garbage is just another joke from Honda that unfortunately we are paying for. Don't get me wrong, Honda generally makes a good product but there is definately something wrong with latest generation Accord interior, many complaints of squeeks/rattle, poor fitting dash pieces etc. My '98 Accord DX didn't have any interior noise/fitting issues, I sold it foolishly when I bought the '04. My 1992 $6400.00 Toyata Tercel believe it or not was quieter because it had NO squeeks or rattles. :sick: It's really a shame because I have always liked Honda's but I will definately be looking elsewhere for a better executed design package.

blane · May 2005

Try applying inexpensive silicone spray (hardware or auto parts store) to the window seals. Spray a small amount on your finger or a rag and apply it to the rubber so you don't overspray parts of your vehicle.

toygetr · May 2005

Sadly that option has been tried a long time ago but it doesn't work. :lemon:

gee35coupe · May 2005

1992 Tercel and a 04 Accord is rattles and squeeks, that was SOME Tercel of that is a sub-DX Accord.

hondalova · May 2005

I have the same rattles behind the moonroof, which my dealer (of course) could not duplicate. A friend of mine who owns a body shop took a ride with me and said he believes it is the guiderails for either the sunroof/moonroof glass or the moveable headliner panel. Although he offered to fix it for me (and for free) I don't want to do anything to void my warranty and so I deferred for now. Just haven't had a chance to go back to the dealer. It occurred to me also that the emergency crank is located back there in the same spot (round plug in the headliner) - perhaps that could be the source of the noise.

-FS

slawenda · May 2005

Blane,

Does your car have the same problem? Have you tried this, and did it work? Where exactly did you apply the spray? It seems that if I roll the window down, the noise goes away, so maybe I need to apply it to where the glass meets the seal? Or where the seal meets the door? Where exactly should this be done? Thanks.

hondalova · May 2005

Are you sure it isn't the ABS activating? I've noticed that the ABS system on my o4 EX V-6 coupe is extremely sensitive and will activate over the smallest of bumps and potholes.

Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

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