Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

new2honda3 · December 2003

Hi,
First I'd like to say I'm new to this board and hello to everyone... :-) After having driven a Camry for the past eleven years, and a Corolla before that, I recently purchased the Accord EX 4CL automatic. I think I'm still getting used to the car but a few things are bothering me: There is a sulfur-like (similar to rotten eggs) smell when I am stopped at a light or pull into my garage. The smell is much less when I have the AC on re circulate but it's still there. A friend's husband thought it sounded like it could be the catalytic converter - will this subside and should I be doing something to help it along, like heavy highway driving? The car has only 600 miles on it so far. The second thing is the rust on the inside of the alloy wheels is pretty heavy. The salesman had said it would go away when the car was driven a while but this isn't the case. Can that be cleaned or do I have to just deal with it? Thirdly, I am getting "ghost" refections in the rear view mirror which I never had in other cars. Does anyone else find this distracting? Thanks in advance for your help and have a good evening...

kendrid · December 2003

I smelled that today on two different occassions. I have an 04 LX 4 with 1000 miles on it.

At first I thought it was something outside of my car, but it was definetly inside. I am going to try and get it to the dealer next week.

auburn63 · December 2003

thats it, after car is warm remove those 2 screws put your finger over the hole and there should be no vacuum.

lelandhendrix · December 2003

My 2003 Accord Sedan was stolen from my driveway last night. Worst part is, they had stolen a key from my apartment (long story).

They drove the car and then jumped a curb and hit a small tree.

I have the car back from the police now, and there is some damage. The aftermarket rims and tires are ruined on the passenger side, where it looks like they skidded sideways onto a curb. There was a loud roar from the rear at over 20mph, and the dealer is ordering a wheel bearing for the pass-rear position. Other than that, the front bumper cover is really scuffed and badly scraped underneath.

Can anyone suggest any other things I need to check before feeling comfortable with the car again?

Oh, and the little fools got my aftermarket GPS, brookstone massaging car seat, and other goodies to the tune of $1200 just in property loss.

atlantabenny · December 2003

Sorry about your new car. Suggest checking for sub-frame (and possibly but less likely frame) movement. A 4-wheel alignment, including a full underbody inspection by a keen mechanic/technician, should do the job. The trouble indicator is if the 4 wheels can't be aligned to factory specs no matter how hard the shop tries.

Also have the transaxle casing and lower engine parts checked. These may have hit the curb and cracked, later to leak oil.

This is one of the few times I'd recommend the inspection and any underbody work be done by the Honda dealer with the best service/body shop you can find.

For body panels and parts, search eBay to save some money if you plan on getting an insurance cash settlement.

imidazol97 · December 2003

The insurance company should pay for
the inspection for the potential damage from the
theft and accident. I'd suggest a dealer with a
captive body shop that deals with accident damage
as well as a good service shop.

I had a theft long ago and the insurance company was very cooperative.

sunangela · December 2003

I used to get 30 mpg. Gradually its down to 27 now. What kind of maintenance service is necessary to improve mpg? Except spark plugs and air filters, everything is original under the hood. It has 80 k miles.

inspector3 · December 2003

I own a 2003 exl 4 Accord. When I stop at a stop light
a vibration starts to build for about 5 seconds &
lasts for about five seconds. This usually happens in colder weather.

Any thoughts?

rleong · December 2003

I have a 2003 lx I4. My dealer replaced the engine mount a few of months ago. I think my idle problem is still there, but it feels a little better than before. I believe this is a common problem with this engine.

I suggest bringing your car to different Honda dealer that will address the problem. The dealer had to over night the part and I got a loaner! It wasn't a Honda, but I was surprised they offered one to me.

Good luck.

dust90 · December 2003

Type of tires and tire inflation will effect the fuel mileage. Also, alignment, normal wear & tear on engine(although this shouldn't be a factor with only 80,000 miles.

b10751 · December 2003

'03 accord exv6. Sometimes, when you press the homelink button to open/close the garage door, BOTH garage doors open/close. I have tried removing the code from homelink and re-programming. Everything is fine for about a week, and then both doors start operating when you press the button. I have another vehicle with homelink and have never had the problem of both doors operating when you press the button, so i don't think the problem is with the openers.
Has anyone ran across this problem before?

notwor · December 2003

I have the Dash at windshield/A pillar rattle in an 04' Accord Coupe. Back in August you posted a fix:

"Creak or Click at Dashboard
or A-Pillar: 03 Accord
If youve got owners of 03 Accords complaining
of a creaking or clicking from the dashboard or
A-pillar when driving over rough roads, the
problem may be a loose clip on the windshield
portion of the roof molding.
You can check if this is the problem by sticking a
piece of cardboard between the molding and the
windshield glass and test-driving the vehicle. If
the noise goes away, a loose roof molding clip is
the culprit.
To fix this problem, remove the inner fender, and
look up at the roof molding clip. If the clip isnt
fully engaged, just slide the clip down to the end
of the molding, and push it into the hole.
Have a try at this and if it is your problem have your dealer fix it for you..good luck"

This rattle is driving me nuts and if you have the time please email Dan at notwor@aol.com for further clarification. It would be greatly appreciated.

rcc8179 · December 2003

I, too, have a 2003 4-cylinder Accord. I noticed this problem about a week after I bought the car. The service manager at my dealership said that they have received numerous complaints about the problem and that all the new ones on the lot have the same vibration.

He said that Honda knows about the problem and is supposed to be working on a fix. I check with him almost every time I am in for service whether or not he has found out anything from Honda yet. So far nothing. Try turning the defrost/AC on at a stoplight--it's even worse.

gregoryc1 · December 2003

When this vibration occurs, does the exhaust also have a rotten egg smell? ----If the answer is "yes", you might have a "hung-up" / carbon fouled fuel injector! Change your brand of fuel, or try some fuel injector cleaner in the fuel tank! Not all fuels have the same additives.

charles125 · December 2003

Someone please send me service b. on how to correct this problem. It is driving me crazy.
Thanks.

ebart1 · December 2003

I noticed the emergence of this phenomenon around 13,500km. The service dept linked it to a 'brake condition' as a 'repair'. Upon returning the vehicle for a 'product update' around the 14,800km I drew the service advisor's attention to this condition again. After having taken a technician for a 'demonstration' drive---you know, the 'demonstration effect' caused nothing to show up. The technician's reply was "not to worry about it". Now I'm back for the same condition---only much more pronounced and more audible. It appears to have taken 2 technicians to 'discover' this issue---and on Tuesday next week I will submit the vehicle to 'technician no. 2' to solve this problem, I hope---once-and-for-all! But reading of the above owner's similar concern---how hopeful can I be? This is my first Accord and it is an early production model. Odometer reading at this stage is 18,500 km. As well---front brakes' wear is another issue.
Thanx for reading this.

rcc8179 · December 2003

My car has never produced a rotten egg smell from the exhaust. I only use name-brand gas (Shell, BP/Amoco, Exxon, etc.) from busy stations (gas doesn't sit in the tanks very long), so I doubt that is the problem. I have had a couple '03 Accords as loaners and they had the same vibration.

It is amazing to me that the 4-cyl engine in the Civic produces very little vibration, but the Accord's engine shakes the entire car. I would have thought the engineers would have found this in pre-production testing and corrected the problem--especially since Honda sells 400k Accords per year and about 2/3 are 4-cylinder automatics. But there are other problems I didn't expect from Honda as well--brake rotors warping at 6k miles, poor interior assembly quality, etc. Hopefully Honda will figure out the problem soon.

kendrid · December 2003

My 04 LX 4 cyl has produced the rotton egg smell on a couple of occassions now, but the engine is always smooth once it is warmed up.

rcc8179 · December 2003

In fairness, I should say that the vibration is not too bad with temperatures above 40-deg F with the A/C (or defrost) off. I live near Indianapolis, and temperatures drop well below freezing in the winter and it is usually hot and humid in the summer. So I do notice the vibration about half the year.

ebart1 · December 2003

Seeing that this is my first Accord---having bought it on the assumption that I would have zero 'problems' right from the start---on account of the acknowledged 'quality' ratings on record over the years---and the positive experience with our '95 Civic----I am rather disappointed! My Rabbit, Mazda 323, and '90 Jetta all had 'start-up' problems; I certainly did not anticipate any problems with the Accord---even though it was an early '03 production model---! What am I suppose to think? Will Honda eventually 'come clean' on this condition?
What exactly is their 'track record' on matters such as this? I am willing to learn.
Looking forward to any and all for 'answers'.

greggo1 · December 2003

What would happen if I removed the A/C filters and did not replace them?

nacho2271 · December 2003

I bought a new 2003 accord 3 months ago. Since day one I'd noticed a fog on the inside of the back glass. Now, with the cold temperatures, isntead of a fog, is ice inside the glass!!!!. I can not clean this properly, especially with freezing weather. What can I do about this? I called the dealer were I bought it and they were not that much of a help. Any similar situation? Thankyou for your response

ral2167 · December 2003

do you keep this car garaged overnight? or outside? have you used your rear window defrost?

seems to me you shouldn't have ice inside on the glass. sounds like some broken seal. but i'm not an expert.

sounds like a simple warranty item to me... am i nuts? talk to your salesperson.

bd21 · December 2003

When I changed mine at 24,000 miles they were very dirty (grass, dust and grime). I live in a low dust area and I only drive on paved roads. I was surprised that much crap made it to the filters. If you leave them out that means you will get to breath all that crap, plus it will gather around your condenser, which will impact your air conditioners efficiency.

scout2003 · December 2003

I have a 2000 Honda Accord with 75,000. It's a five-speed manual LX. I just had to replace the rear crank seal. I find this unacceptable for a Honda or Toyota. I'm concerned that this is a sign of things to come for this car. Anybody else hear of any problems with rear crank seals on 2000 Accords?

chucko3 · December 2003

Same here. The car was foggy for a few months.
But after driving the car more often, the problem went away.

inkie · December 2003

Sorry to read that your crank seal started leaking.What engine do you have? The four or six?

isellhondas · December 2003

This isn't something I've heard of before but, anything can happen I suppose.

You find this "unacceptable"?

Well, things can and do happen to the best of cars. 75,000 is a lot of miles too.

I think people expect perfection from Honda and Toyota these days and when a mishap occurs it's unacceptable.

I guess that says a lot for the expected quality of these cars compared to others.

Still, sorry to hear of your problem. I have no idea of what's involved to change this seal.

03accordman · December 2003

I don't think that crank seals in Honda should be going at 75k. We buy Hondas as a mark of reliability, and if this happens, then its surely not acceptable. And anyway, 75k is not a lot of miles. I have a 03 Accord on which I have put 25k miles in a year, so in 3-4 yrs I will be at the 75 k mile mark, which to me is just the start of middle age for a Honda.

aggie1995 · December 2003

What is your choice for an alternative that meets your needs as good as your 03 Accord if the reliability is a concern?

aggie1995 · December 2003

2002 Honda CR-V : Made in Japan
5 recall letter

2003 Honda Accord : Made in USA
1 recall letter

I'm not sure what that means but I offer it as pure antecdotal data.

isellhondas · December 2003

I probably wasn't clear with my post.

I don't think a seal "should" fail at 75,000 miles either.

Still, it's a seal and seals eventually will fail.

If the "average" life of that seal is, say, 200,000 miles, this means some will last 400,000 miles and a few will fail at 75,000.

I guess I show my age when I can remember when it would have been cause for celebration if a car went 100,000 miles without major engine work.

The better the car the greater the expectations I suppose and that's the way it should be.

Still, things will break in the best of cars...that was my point.

kendrid · December 2003

Cars are machines and machines break. It does not matter what symbol is on the hood, they can break down at any time for any reason.

Some brands just have fewer problems than others. None are perfect.

exalteddragon1 · December 2003

of your accords comparing to the new Malibu, it should have little to none mechanical problems but I know Honda is sturdy too.
What do you guys think of the sedans in particular??

ral2167 · December 2003

from what i hear, the malibu engine wasn't new but merely something's that been around a while... that's been the criticism, right? am i nuts?

alcan · December 2003

It shared the LG8 Car Engine "3100" with Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick Century. Variants of that engine have been used extensively across GM carlines for years.

justin · December 2003

Off topic, but someone brought it up. Doesn't the new Malibu remind anyone else of the Queen Family Truckster from one of the Chevy Chase "Vacation" movies? The front end of the new Malibu makes me laugh everytime I see it!

Karen_S · December 2003

...it is off topic.

If you wish to discuss the Malibu, please go to the Chevrolet Malibu discussion in Sedans.

If you wish to compare the Malibu vs the Accord, you can create a discussion on the Sedans Comparison board.

Now back to Honda Accord P&S.

althea_uddi · December 2003

Hello to all:

The engine gave a burnt smell after I recently changed the engine oil in jeffy lube. They used 5w-20 penzoil (not synthetic). Everytime i stop at a traffic light, the smell becomes stronger. and I can smell it when I get out of the car. I talked to the jeffy lube manager of the problem. They redid the service to make sure there is no leakage. Things has not improved, instead, it became more severe. The smell resides in the vehicle. When I opened door in the morning, the smell make be feel nausiated...

Any hints shall be appreciated.

altheaU

pj23 · December 2003

I'm not a mechanic, but if the car is still running, then the engine hasn't failed. Is it possible that the oil was spilled somewhere and is now burning off, like the exhaust manifold?

chucko3 · December 2003

It sounds like oil is leaked on the exhaust manifold and burnt. Check the power steering fluid reservoir. If it's low, I would check the P/S (feed) hose for any crack.

hmurphy · December 2003

If anyone has had their 03 Accord's brake system replaced by Honda, can you tell me what exactly they replaced?

I've had my pads replaced and rotors resurfaced, then the pads and rotors replaced, and now am experiencing the same problem that I had initially. I've got about 9,000 miles on the car.

When Honda replaced your brake system (for those who had the system replaced), did they replace more than just the pads and rotors?

althea_uddi · December 2003

Thanks to pj23 and chucko3 for the responses.

the smell seems to come out under the hood. Is it still the exhaust manifold?

chucko3: are you suggesting that the power steering fluid is possibly leaking if not the engine oil? Luckily, the level is fine between the upper and lower.

what is P/S (feed) hose, where is it located? did jeffy lube do something? My car has been working perfectly all along.

thanks,

altheaU

chucko3 · December 2003

If the level is between H & L, then it's OK.
The feed/pressure hose is the long hose connected to the P/S pump from the P/S sensor. If there is a crack and when you steer the wheels all the way to one end, the fluid may burst out onto the engine.
Jiffy lube does nothing to it.
And yes, the exhaust manifold is under the hood.

Is it possible that Jiffy lube forgot to put back the engine oil cap before starting the car OR spilled the oil onto the exhaust manifold while filling it? The smell will go away in a few days.

rcc8179 · December 2003

I have a 4-cyl '03 Accord EX with 25k miles. The front rotors have been turned twice and the rear rotors turned once. The last time I had them looked at, the service manager said that Honda was looking at different pad/rotor materials and that should improve things. But he did not know when they would be available. Hopefully this will fix the problem--I have never warped rotors in 6k miles on any other car.

isellhondas · December 2003

Why a burnt oil smell was to do with "engine failure" since there is a BIG difference.

It sounds like the quickie lube shop spilled a LOT of oil and it's taking awhile to burn off. By this point, it's probably O.K.

anonymousposts · December 2003

Same thing happened to me in a 93 Accord I owned a few years ago. Had the oil changed at my place of employment. When I started driving home I kept smelling oil but figured they had just spilled the oil on the engine so no big deal. When I got home I popped the hood and found the oil cap no where in sight. Like the others have said, if your car was fine before the oil change then more than likely they just forgot something or spilled alot of oil on your engine. Maybe you should take it to another shop for confirmation though.

althea_uddi · December 2003

thank you all for the input. I appreciate it.

the title may be misleading...

I had taken it back to jeffy lube last week. They said there was nothing wrong with their last service and everywhere was dry, which tells there is no leakage. I did not ask about the spillage though. But if there had benn spillage, they should have cleaned that up. right?

I drive every other day for communicatin to work and the oil was changed on 29th of Nov. it is not showing that its gonna stop giving this smell.

thanks,altheaU

althea_uddi · December 2003

anonymousposts, my cap is right there...

isellhondas · December 2003

Is it STILL smelling like burnt oil?

If it is take it to a dealer. It's possible something else is leaking.

Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

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