Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

mikek37 · June 2003

Thats a nice deal. I wasnt aware they price matched..

maxhonda99 · June 2003

auburn,

Got another problem now. The tape the dealer put around the moonroof opening to stop the squeaking sunroof is now peeling off. What do I do? If I remove the entire tape, the roof will start sqeaking again. IS there anywhere I can buy that tape? or is there another fix?

auburn63 · June 2003

You should be able to buy it from the Honda dealer but they should put it back on for you at no charge in my opinion. We call it slip tape tape but I think it has another name I just cant think of it..Good luck

umyaya · July 2003

Hey,

As far as taking to my dealer for the window, I actually called my insurance company to see who they recommended and that place, giving me the insurance rate (though I was paying for it) was $60 over my dealers'. Also, I needed the other services done so I didn't really want to take it two different places to get it all done, which again wasn't an issue when the dealer was the cheapest I found... yeah, surprised me too. Would have been nice to have them wash and vacuum like yours. I personally think that should be standard for a place charging $82hr labor, and is just good PR. What I think is even funnier is that after writing a complaint to the service manager (which also took the time to give credit where credit was due) I have not even recieved a response. Oh, well. To all those out there in MD, I would honestly recommend Jim Coleman Honda's internet sales department, it was a VERY easy sales process, but I'd stay the heck away from the service department.

umyaya · July 2003

Hey,

My troubles with my dealer brought me to thinking, how do I find out who the best rated Honda service departments are?

storm11 · July 2003

mrfoxy54:
I have an '02 EXL V6 sedan. This is normal for this car. I thought it was odd too and had it checked at dealer. Alternator was putting out 14.2 amps. What happens is both the compressor and the A/C fans engage at the same time, creating a split second drain on the alternator. That creates the blip you're seeing. The car is designed this way. Part of Honda's efficient motors.....Puts out the minimum req'd amps and kicks them up when there's a requirement. Tell them to run a check on it when you bring it in to make sure. Mine was fine and the test gave me some piece of mind.

mazda_jim · July 2003

Our '00 EX-V6 did this from the time it came off the lot. When stopped behind a car at night, you could see the headlights dim whenever there was the slightest change in electrical load (e.g., A/C compressor cycling, auto climate control adjusting itself, using power windows, seats, or locks, etc.). Since the frequency and amount of dimming seemed excessive, I brought it to the attention of our dealer. They tested and ended up replacing the Delphi-sourced alternator under warranty (about a $500 repair otherwise). This reduced the amount of dimming, but it still does it more than any other car we've owned. As mentioned earlier, some amount of dimming seems to be the result of the car's design. In any case, you definitely want to get this checked out before you are out of warranty, if only for piece of mind.

pmassey · July 2003

Have a 2003 Accord EXV6. Have experienced wind noise and rattle through the drivers side door. Most annoying however has been a high pitch whining sound as the transmission downshifts between 45 and 20 mph. Car has 12,000 miles and the noise is becoming more and more pronounced.

Anyone experiencing the same problems? Solutions??

Thanks

ammathis · July 2003

I have always wanted a new Accord. I almost bought an Altima but figured I would be disappointed that I didn't get a Honda so in October of 2002 I bought a 2003 Accord LX V6. I have been very disappointed in this car. It hasn't held up to "Honda's reputation" that I always hear about. Since the car was brand new I have had problem with it pulling to the right. Every time I take it into the dealership they say they have fixed it one way or another but it always keeps pulling. Last week when I took it in for service I told them it was pulling to the right again. This time they claim the wheel alignment was off and said this was covered under warranty for 9,000 miles. Well guess what I had 13,000 miles. Needless to say I refused to pay this since the problem has been occurring since the car was brand new. They even tried to suggest it was my after market rims. The car was doing the before the rims were even bought!! Another problem I had was one day after getting in it to go home from work it jumped when going from 2nd to 3rd gear then stayed in 3rd gear. I got the car home a called the dealership. They towed it in and kept it for a week they said the famous "could not duplicate problem" When this problem occurred the check engine light came on, the traction control light came on and the indicator light on the instrument panel that shows you are in drive began flashing. It did this once again (this time for about 5 minutes) and quit. Sometimes it doesn't shift right. The dealership claimed they called Honda and they have had no other reports of this. So, basically I am just waiting for this to happen again. There is also a popping noise coming from the passenger side (sounds kind of like it is coming from that front tire or door) that happens either when stopped and then accelerate or when driving a slow speeds and the accelerating. Haven't fixed this yet either. My CD player (a 6 disc changer) works when it wants to. Have the most problem when you are on a higher disc (say 4 or 5) and try to change to another disc. You get an error message where it won't load the cd. So after you eject all the cd's and put the one you want to listen to in. Then give it a few hours and it works again! Then just this week the air conditioner quit working (this is a serious problem since I live in SouthGeorgia) I pulled over turned the car off and back on and the air conditioner works fine now. So I know the dealership won't be able to figure that one out! I have had other problems with this car but these are the major ones. I can only imagine what will happen when the car runs out of warranty. I also have the problem where the car doesn't always crank on the first time. The dealership acts as if I am the only one with these problems. Looks as though this will be my last Honda. I am seriously considering writing Honda. Problem is I haven't kept up with every time I have taken it in. Bet I will now though. Please email me at ammathis@yahoo.com if you are having similar problems or have any suggestions.

aggie1995 · July 2003

Consider filing lemon law if Honda can't fix these recurring problems.

Consider getting Honda Care x-Warranty if lemon law route doesn't fly.

keep checking NHTSA web site for latest and greatest TSB for this car. Your problems may show up there.

bburton3 · July 2003

Have used several different dealer service depts around the country and most of the techs and supervisors are at least knowledgeable and some are really sharp. Now prices can vary significantly-found the best service deals in smaller towns.

With reference to the sales people-well let's say it is almost universal within the car business-over the years have encountered a few who are honest-but for the most part I find most of them worse than useless. Course it is not a job I would want-think of having to deal with every yahoo who walks thru the door. A good motto for car sales people-"There is a seat for every [non-permissible content removed]".

nemaio · July 2003

Don't know if this is a problem or if it's normal, but when people turn on their headlights, or parking lights on their 03 accords, does the electro luminescent gauges automatically dim to almost no lighting versus full lighting when the headlights are off?

inky4 · July 2003

My 03 with 8000 miles has, well, what I will call brakes that suck. Going 70 mph when you first tap them they have the awful waffle of wobble which I have seen traffic on here. There was HOnda service notice about brake chudder on 03 Accords back in January. The problem is most likely premature warped rotors and poor brake design. Honda will never admit that. My concern is many of you have had fixes that only last a few thousand miles. HMM
JIM

outlawtitan · July 2003

The illumination can be adjusted. Read the owner's manual and it explains what you are describing and how to adjust it to your preference.

bburton3 · July 2003

OOOh Chudder good name. Has anyone for any reason removed the front tires-if so they could have bent the rotors by not using an accurate torque wrench to retorque the lug nuts. Had one set of warped rotors due to apes using a impact wrench "Chudder" ain't fun.

03honda · July 2003

Turn the knob that sticks out under the gas gauge (it's somewhere in that area).

umyaya · July 2003

I've had the same! When you're on the highway and hit the brakes even softly at a high speed it go thump-thump-thump... and is even audible. Sucks!

stickershox · July 2003

I do mostly city than highway driving, about 85%/15% respectively. I am only getting like 22 mpg. I have approx 3300 miles and have hit above 26 mpg only once.

Is there any way to improve the fuel economy? Or should I bring it to the shop?

ian2 · July 2003

What's the mileage on your car? From my experience, the gas mileage improves as the car breaks in. I have reached over 30mpg on 100% highway trips and average around 24 in the city after a few thousand miles of driving.

moolman · July 2003

If it wasn't a sterotype, ask anybody who has every bought a car. If they have gone to at least 3 dealerships, they will meet at least 2 dishonest salesmen.

Alex

atlantabenny · July 2003

...this post is probably not off-topic because Honda salespersons still impact "the Honda experience." Thus, some points to ponder: 1) the repulsive salesperson could very well be our own cousin just wanting to support his/her family, 2) a highly saturated and competitive business like car retail brings with it lapses in taste and ethics for some people in it, and not that they are genetically predisposed, 3) as car buyers, it perhaps helps the blood pressure and stress level for all to just look past the industry's flaws, and 4) there are, as some have pointed out, really sharp, highly informed sales professionals.

Brings to mind my first Accord ('98) salesman, who said that the sunvisor extenders are "receptacles for gas receipts and other things." And the 03 coupe internet salesperson who said over the phone "...your new car's been washed and it's flawless, waiting for you to just sign the paperwork" - well, the car was not washed and it had 2 dings. Oh well...

imidazol97 · July 2003

I have to second the 2 out of 3. It makes it very hard for the 1 who's trying to sell, make a profit for the dealer, and a commission for his/her livelihood.

I was turned off by honda salesmen as I shopped this time. They felt the stereotype and marketing of honda's past should sell the car this time. Didn't work for me. Guess it works for those who think that mortgage rates used to be 8 percent so now they should be happy to pay 8 percent.

But then you talk with the one guy who's sizing you up and trying to work with you and still do his job for himself and the dealer.

Please don't be offended by my anedotal evaluation through 35 years of car-buying. I believe the 1 out of 3 is the reason the internet is not making great cuts into car selling in my area of the midwest. People still like to deal... My analysis there is shaded, perhaps, because I'm in a heavy GM and Ford worker/related business area, so lots of people get 3 percent below "invoice" with no dickering. Wish I worked somewhere that gave good perks like that, grin...

e4bnav · July 2003

I haven't seen anyone complaining about this on these boards yet but on my 2003 Accord V6 Sedan, my seat belts don't always retract "nicely" and will get jumbled up between the drivers and passenger's seat backs and their respective pillars and over time will leave scratches on the pillars from the constant buckling and unbuckling. If I hold the seat belt all the way to retraction, then everything is fine but I don't always remember to do this. Now, I have to put some sort of protective piece on the pillar to keep it from getting scratched which will look tacky itself. I don't think it is just my car since the seat belts retract fully and work fine. I just don't think they left enough room between the seat backs and the pillars for the seat belt to retract to a flat position every time. I don't see any way that this can be fixed either without completely redesigning the interior. Anybody else have this problem or am I just too picky about this?

bobst · July 2003

We have a 1997 5-sp Accord with 74K miles, and I can hear a rapid 'chirping' noise from the engine when it idles. I just had the oil changed today, and they said it was the distributor. Does that make sense to you?

I recall being told that our 1995 Accord had a noisy distributor, and then a few years later at about 120K miles the tach started acting funny because the distributor went bad, so we got it replaced.

Have any of you ever experienced this problem?

Thanks,

Bob

bodble2 · July 2003

Open the hood while the car is idling and listen for the noise around the drive belts. I had weird clicking noise when idling, and squeaking when the AC was on in my CL. They changed one of the belt tensioner which appears to have solved the problem.

bburton3 · July 2003

Replaced both the countershaft and main speed sensors and no more cel. Probably just the countershaft sensor but was in there and why not-onlyu $65. Easy task-just remove passenger side wheel-nuts holding sensors in tranny case are 10mm not 6 as the book sez-were a little tight getting out but no problem back in. Holders were rusted on in the sensor connection to the wiring harness-just hung them on using cable ties.

Apparently the speed sensors do go out of operating limits and this causes the CEL codes. My crack tranny guy said the solenoids and clutches rarely crapped out on honda trannies-hope he is right.

nwng · July 2003

recently, I experience a "swooshing" water sound coming from behind the glove box everytime I corner a little bit hard in my 97 accord. Today I discover that there is water coming down the carpet by the front passenger side footwell. I remember I read somewhere that something was plugged and it is a pretty easy fix. (I have the ac on) Can someone help me?

thanks

inkie · July 2003

Catching up on the posts after 15 days vacation, your last post says the sensors were the problem. Does this mean you did not have the tranny rebuild? Or is this in addition to the tranny rebuild. Thanks for your explanations on how you make the repairs its easy to follow.
I also use Fair Honda"HondaPartsForYou". Usually recieve order in 2 to 3 days max.

alcan · July 2003

"nuts holding sensors in tranny case are 10mm not 6 as the book sez"

Fastener sizes refer to the thread pitch diameter, not the head size.

atlantabenny · July 2003

Sounds like a clogged drain hose from the a/c evaporator. From underneath the car, I'd first poke the hose with a straightened wire hanger or similar object to drain remaining water then remove the hose to clean it thoroughly.

obxncforme · July 2003

Hondas have fantastic engines (we all know this) They are extremely tight, and require a lengthy break in time. The fuel economy and engine performance gradually gets better and better..peaking around 12-15k miles where it'll stay for quite a while (100k miles) depending on how well you take care of it. Never fear, your fuel economy will greatly improve, as will your cars quickness and overall feel.

auburn63 · July 2003

I would have to agree that the older transmissions are tough and hardly ever wear out the clutches, so they will probably be ok. Glad to hear it was just the sensors, I think we had talked about testing them in an earlier post and this is why it is a good idea, as it saves you some money every now and then.

bburton3 · July 2003

All I had to replace was the speed sensors-probably could have replaced just the countershaft but tranny guy said if one has gone-other may follow. So no rebuild required-at least for now. Gee how dumb of me not to know what the number 6 meant-thanks.

And thanks for all the info provided-solution cost less than $140 and took 1/2 hour to fix under a shade tree. Hmm guess that is why some people are called shade tree mechanics.

greggo1 · July 2003

Hello Everybody,
Thanks for helping me before.
I have a 98' Accord with a 2.3L VTEC 4 cyl and would like to know when the timing belt/water pump should be replaced. I have also read about 3 service recalls including an ignition switch, lower ball joint and A/T noncompliance. Should I bring it in for these recalls? Thanks again, Greggo1

hondadriven · July 2003

Timing belt change is at 90K miles, I believe that holds true for your accord yr. Water pump change is mostly done when they're doing the timing belt, same goes for other belts you might need changed.
Re: recalls. IMO, if they mail you a recall that involves your car, It would be advisable to take it in and have them fix whatever needs to be fixed. It should be at no cost to you.

By the way, what mileage do you have??

greggo1 · July 2003

Hi, I only have 57,000 on my '98 accord 4 cyl. I never received anything in the mail from the dealer, but will have them check my vin number to see if I need to bring it in. I like to do my own oil changes and stuff, so I try to avoid the dealer unless I cannot help it. Thanks Again! Greg

philsmith76 · July 2003

Well the dealer replaced the front rotors on the EX finally. At 2k they resurfaced them now at 6k they replaced them. Wow what a difference!!! now I know how the brakes SHOULD feel. Ever since delivery I have felt that they have been "over boosted", when you would press the brake it was NOT a linear response. I beleive that has contributed to premature wear. Now that that are replaced it is a complete joy feel the difference.

They also did a 4 wheel alignment that I was complaining about. The invoice had 3.6 hours of labor all under warranty!

bburton3 · July 2003

For my 97 i4 recommended replacement mileage is 105K-assume it is that for 98 also. Really question replacing the water pump unless it is leaking. The ignition switch replacement thing applied to the 97 also-apparently some small fraction of them fail. Don't know anything about a tranny problem. Some of these free fix items go away after a certain mileage or time-try to find out if any of these fixes have a time/mileage limit.

Also shop around for the best value on getting the timing and other drive belts replaced. The dealers that said it was necessary to replace the water pump also had significantly higher prices on just doing the drive and timing belts without the water pump than did the dealers who only replace water pumps if they are leaking for the same timing/drive belt replacement. Range was from $300 to over $550. Hmm wonder if that is just a coincidence or do the replace the water pump guys also charge more. I think I know the answer to that one.

according2me · July 2003

Like bburton said, 6th Gen Accords user manual states 105K for timing belt unless very severe usage. You can register at the link below to see if you need any recalls. It's Honda's owner link and is VIN driven.

https://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/login.asp?page=/prod_main.asp

It was the 2000/01 that got the extended autotrans warranty from Honda, but other 6th Gen model years have gotten taken care of if they had tranny failure and were aware of the problems Honda had with this Gen.

dong99 · July 2003

Hello, need advise from your guys.

Front brake pad on my wife's Accord (98 I4 auto 4dr) was replaced at 54K miles, the dealer also cut the front rotors at the time, and inspected rear brake, that they said it was fine. After the brake job, my wife complained about vibration (shimming - as auto technicans call it) when braking at high speed (>50mph). Last week, I had dealer checked the brake, the car has 61KM now (I know, I should do this early, my fault), they said the rear drum warped and need to be replaced. My understanding is that the rear drum will last much longer than this (rear drum brake on my 96 Accord is fine with the original shoe and drum at 80K currently). I guess the service department at that honda dealer must did something wrong during last service, like over tighten the lug nuts. Otherwise, the car probably only need a pair of rear shoe. By the way no one took wheels off my wife's car during this period.

So the question is: how often Accord's rear drum need to be replaced at normal condition? What usually will cause rear drum to warp? How much time is needed or dealer usually charge for a rear brake job, including replace the drum and brake shoe?

Thanks!

according2me · July 2003

in the steering wheel and pedal, I'm betting it's the front rotors again. From what I've read the rear drum/shoes last at least twice as long as the front pads, if not longer.

I'm at 100K miles and have not needed to repair my rear brakes yet.

canddmeyer · July 2003

My 1999 Accord owners manual also calls for replacement @ 105,000 miles under normal conditions, but it also recommends replacement @ 84 months (7 years), whichever comes first.

dong99 · July 2003

Thank you for your reply! I am pretty sure it is the rear brake that is going bad this time, because I can feel shimming when only hand brake is applied. By the way, the front brake did not cause shimming when the front brake was done, we did the brake job because the sensor started to scream. Yes, the rear brake should last longer, now the question is what we can do to get the dealer fix this on their tab, they claimed that all Accord need a pair of new rear drums at 60K, which is obviously B.S.

bburton3 · July 2003

Don't go back to that dealer-anybody that turns rotors when there is no shimmy is let's say not your friend. Yeah having to replace the rear drums at 60K is another example of their thievery-have over 156K on my origional rear shoes and still a lot left. You can trash your shoes if someone is silly enough (I have done this) with your parking brake engaged. Never heard of rear drum shimmy-unless when the put it back together again they did it wrong. Find another dealer or reputable place to work on those brakes and avoid the crook. Also avoid the franchise brake/muffler places-thar be danger about.

dong99 · July 2003

Thank you for your reply! I am pretty sure it is the rear brake that is going bad this time, because I can feel shimming when only hand brake is applied. By the way, the front brake did not cause shimming when the front brake was done, we did the brake job because the sensor started to scream. Yes, the rear brake should last longer, now the question is what we can do to get the dealer fix this on their tab, they claimed that all Accord need a pair of new rear drums at 60K, which is obviously B.S.

isellhondas · July 2003

To not replace the water pump during a timing belt job would be foolish.

Since everything has to be taken apart anyway, the water pump is exposed and only needs to be unbolted. No extra labor to speak of.

It really doesn't matter if it's leaking or not. a water pump with 100,000 miles on it has a questionable life span.

If it starts leaking three months later, the whole thing will have to cme apart again.

Not to mention the hassle factor.

aggie1995 · July 2003

What about all the 2.4l i-VTEC owners whose vehicles have timing chains that supposedly never need replacement or adjustments? What happens when our water pumps fall apart after 100,000 miles?

I own two vehicles with this engine. I bought them specifically due in part to the timing chain. My thinking was that I would never have to spend the ~$500 every 100k miles to have that service done. But now it seems that my water pump might break and I'll still have to spend the $$.

stringreen · July 2003

Nope - whether the headlights, etc. are on or off, the dash luminescence remains the same. The recycle air light and the green one to the left of that do dim however. (03 EX Coupe)

bburton3 · July 2003

Definately 2 schools of thought here-the replace it bunch had much higher prices for their work than the guys who said only replace it if it needs it. Let's see in over 500K of driving and maintaining accords-nada water pump replacement. Betcha a lot of these same people want to "cut" or turn your rotors every time they replace the pads whether they need it or not. Before letting a dealer work on my car-which I rarely do, I ask them about both questions-and if i get replace the waterpump and turn the rotors for answers-I look elsewhere. Lots of dealers around-particularly if you have a traveling job-dozens to choose from.

isellhondas · July 2003

Do you want to toss the dice and hope that water pump can go another 100,000 miles or do you want to spend the extra dollars and just replace it while it's apart.

Me, I want the peace of mind.

Turning rotors is a different story. Unless they are warped I don't want mine turned.

Timing chains and their tensioners wear out and fail too eventually.

Me, I don't think replacing a timing belt and water pump every 100,000 miles is that big of a deal. For most people it'll be a one time thing anyway.

Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

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