Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

jmellenb · December 2003

I have an intermittent problem with my ignition switch. Sometimes it makes a buzzing sound when I turn it to crank the engine. My Accord is a 2003 LX with a 4 cyl. Does anyone have advice for this? Thanks.

lelandhendrix · December 2003

This definitely sounds like it needs a trip to the dealer. I haven't heard of anything like this yet, and I've been reading the board for a while.

You in Wichita by any chance? Was wondering if you had experience to share regarding Scholfield's Service Center.

Good luck.

gregoryc1 · December 2003

The fact that your "vibrations" occur between 60 & 80 MPH would lead me to believe that it is a wheel balance problem. (It is related to the spinning of the four wheels). QUESTION, if you go over 80 MPH does the "vibration" go away? ----POSSIBILITIES: ---1.)A bad set of tires. (Something wrong with the construction of the tires internally). 2.) A wheel balance problem ----SOLUTION: ---Find a speciality shop that deals with alignment / wheel balance problems. (NOT A TIRE STORE! ---- An esay way to check this would be if you have a buddy with the same vehicle, switch the four wheels and take the car out for a ride. If it is a tire / wheel balance problem you will know it right away! ---or--- have someone follow you while you drive on the highway, and look at the action of the wheels as you are experiencing the problem. ---Just my opinion. -----Greg

snakehair · December 2003

according to the tech at my local dealership.There is a shim set for the seats that shift on left hand turns; there is a replacement plastic bushing that gets replaced when the seat shifts to the rear after a "firm" stop, and in the case of my '03 V6 w/leather, I need a whole new seat frame for the seat shift on firm stops. He said this isn't common but they have seen it before. I think most dealer techs jhave seen most of the problems, but it is difficult to get past the service advisors at times.

aggie1995 · December 2003

seat shift problems if you know it.

jmellenb · December 2003

I'll have the dealer look at it at the next oil change. I live in K.C., not Wichita.

pmhtv · December 2003

I own an '03 4 cyl EX and experienced the same issue. I figured out that I wasn't turning the key quickly enough when starting the car - the buzzing/electrical noise was a result of the ignition cylinder being "caught" between off and start.

jmellenb · December 2003

PMHTV, thanks for your reply. I have been called "slow" before, so that makes sense. So you aren't asking the dealer to look at it? Thanks again.

ken972 · December 2003

I have both problems on my 04 EXV6. The dealer couldnt duplicate it and they didnt see a bulletin regarding it..so they didnt do anything. The seat will shift on hard left turns and shift on a firm stop..It shifs forward however on firm stops. Ill bring it up again next time I am there.

auburn63 · December 2003

If you turn the ignition switch very slowly to start the engine, all Honda models except Passport
have this little quirk: the starter relay buzzes. theres really nothing wrong. Just tell your customer to turn the ignition switch a little faster, and the relay wont buzz.

03honda · December 2003

Hi all,
Today the side of my Accord was keyed (actually, it looks like someone used the side of a coin), but anyway I was able to lighten it greatly with TurtleWax Color Cure. However, the scratch is still lightly visible, but not too deep, are there any really good scratch removers or procedures recommended to remove the remaining mark? Thanks a lot!

imidazol97 · December 2003

You might check with a body shop for Hondas.
I had my car scratched fairly deeply next to the door handle. Took it to the dealer body shop for the brand of car. He said he'd try something first and then see how much he had to paint to touched up that area.
He called later. Tried something new in the realm of a compound and buffing. Perfect. $22. Best dollars I'd spent letting a professional try it on a car less than one year old.

snakehair · December 2003

My seat shifts forward during a firm stop, but the detectable motion is the backward "resetting" when the car comes to stop. I was able to demonstrate this to the tech by having not feather the brake coming in toa stop, just hold the brake pedal down firmly until the car stopped (and the seat jolted back into it's set position). really a feeling in the seat of your pants, but very dertectable and repeatable. I am not aware of a TSB, only his remearks that he had seen it all before. In my case they have ordered a whole new seat frame woithout arguement once the tech verified the problem. good luck, the hardest part is getting the dealer to duplicate problems before doing warranty work.

jvssbn742 · December 2003

My fuel gauge is erratic or sits near empty except right after the tank is filled. After the tank is filled, the gauge will register full and after approximately 50 miles approaches empty and stays there until the next fill up. I am looking for any advice on why this is happening and how to fix it Thanks.

mntnfishn · December 2003

My Honda which now has 112000 shook when I went out to start it this morning. It shook as if the idle was too high. I still ran but after a block of driving the check engine lamplight came on. Any ideas as to what has happened?

althea_uddi · December 2003

Happy Holidays Edmundsers...

Finally took my 2002 Honda accord to the deal for the smell. One technical consultant stepped over to my car to check the mileage. When he came back, he said it smells.

Waited for about two hours in the waiting room before he came back with the conclusion: there is no leaking. (In other words, they were not able to identify any apparent cracks on the tank and pipes.) He said the oil shop when removing the filter, somehow allowed the oil come out. I lost some oil but there is no leakage. They had wiped it out.

I saw the wire-shielded pipe from the bottom. Is it the manifold exhaust?

altheaU

sunangela · December 2003

sounds as if fuel filter is clogged

stangelj · December 2003

Hi, on my daughter's 1992 Honda Accord, her rear window defroster stopped working. When pushing the rear defrost button the light no longer comes on and the window of course does not defrost. I checked the 40 amp fuse for the rear defrost in the fuse box and it looks ok. Any way to verify this with a multi-meter? Any suggestions for how to troubleshoot? Is there a relay that I should check? Thanks.

vijaypatel_1 · December 2003

A strange thing happened on my wifes 2000 Accord EX Coupe. While driving, several check lights came on at once, Battery indicator, Brake indicator, and the Door open indicator. I stopped the car and checked fuses, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary under the hood. No smells or no indication of a short. Could this be an issue with the alternator or battery?

The car currenty runs fine, but I've refrained from driving it, until I can fix this problem. Anyone else experienced the same situation? Thanks

lenny20 · December 2003

My Accord 2000 LX V6, 61,000mi, maintained according to Honda manual,in dealer's shop. Sometime stalls on warm starts now and then. Dealer replaced EGR with kit (service bulletin, also have read Nov 2003 posting re EGR), also cleaned fuel jets ($170). But then halted state inspection when car stalled. Shop said carbon residual, bring car back in a few days for inspection. Said failure to follow dealer's (not Honda's)30,000/60,000 mi service lists, including cleaning fuel jets means emissions warranty may not apply. What if my Accord fails inspection again? Half of the 61,000 mi is highway with major brand gasoline. Does Accord V6 require fuel jets cleaning every 30,000mi? Does dealer service schedule ($$$) supercede manufacturer's? By the way, is 91 oct. necessary in Accord V6 despite manufacturer claim? (This is second posting, as first one seems to have disappeared.)

bd21 · December 2003

No, your car does not require a 30,000 mile fuel injector cleaning to maintain emissions warranty. You only have do do what is required in your owner's manual. Your dealer is feeding you B.S.. However, it may be hard to pin down what is causing your problem and you may have to pay for it. Clogged injectors can cause you to fail an emissions check, but so can a lot of other things. Honda doesn't have to pay for the trouble shooting, but if it can be traced to a part covered by the emissions warranty, then they should cover the part(s) and related labor for changing the items. Also, I believe your owners manual states 86 octane or higher, so using regular gasoline is what you should have been using. There is no advantage to using higher graders than required, but there are several documented negatives when your car doesn't specifically call for it. Good luck!

biketow · December 2003

Our 97 Accord is cutting off while driving. Without warning, the interior light will come on, all the dash indicators light up and the engine quits. You can turn the ignition switch off, and then restart the engine, and everything returns to normal. This was happening only about once a month, today it happened three times in one trip!  not to safe on the interstate!Any suggestions? --biketow

according2me · December 2003

Have you had the ignition recall work done already?

Recall TSB:
02-031 SEP 02 Recall - Ignition Switch Replacement

biketow · December 2003

This was a preowned car, I am not sure about the recall. Could I call someone to find out?- a dealer maybe?.... thanks for the help.

ken972 · December 2003

You should be able to call a dealer, give them your vin, and they should be able to tell you about any recalls or other service information about your car. Also on the honda website. www.hondacars.com you can register for something called owner link. When you register your car there it should tell you about recalls etc for it.

south77 · December 2003

I recently started experiencing fuel problems with my 1989 honda accord dx. The car sometimes srarts fine without problem, and other times takes 5 or 6+ cranks before it feels like any fuel is being delivered. The car seems to always idle way too high around 2200 rpms, that is until I tap the accelerator real quick, then it will maintain a steady 800 rpms. When I am driving on the highway it performs quite well, however when I am in the city it will act like the fuel is being shut off while I am trying to accelerate. The car never actually stalls out, but comes really close.I have changed the fuel filter and checked the spark plugs thats about it. Does anybody out there have any advice? P.S.------Does anybody know if accidentally putting fuel injector cleaner into a carbureted engine has an ill effect on the vehicle? PLEASE HELP!! ;(

bthom07 · December 2003

I have a 91' accord coupe 130,000 miles(Beauty). 4 months ago I developed a light steady miss (more like a stumble)in the engine. Most noticeable during idle. Dealer and an independant mechanic was unable to find a cause. New Honda wires, plugs, cap and rotor. Fuel injector cleaning done yet still there. Acceleration and cruise performance is fine. Stumble is there even during morning start-up fast idle or after the vehicle is at operational temp. It sometimes feels as thought the car was going to cut off at idle.
Any pointers on trouble shooting this little headache?

gregoryc1 · December 2003

Look for a Vacuum leak somewhere on the engine. ----Greg

albert2828 · December 2003

once in awhile my car will not start until the 2nd or 3rd try. does anyone have any ideas what is wrong with it? it is a 2004 v-6 coupe

imidazol97 · December 2003

Have you been using premium fuel in the car and adding a fuel additive for upper cylinder lube? Too have you been having the honda dealer do all the servicing every 5000 miles so that it's under warranty?

mikeysoft · December 2003

You do NOT have to have the dealer do the servicing to keep the car uner warranty!

ken972 · December 2003

This just seems to be the way the car is. I have an 04 EXV6. There is a section in the owners manual for it. I believe it says to press the accelerator 1/2 way down and then start. On the occasion it wont start the first time..I do that and it starts right up. You do have to hold the key to ignition a little longer on these cars as well.

lenny20 · December 2003

Following up on my recent notice re:warm-start stalls/egr/fuel jets/inspection issues with Accord V6 2000 LX: after dealer installed egr kit (full) and cleaned jets, car did go thru. Warm starts for now do not stall. The dealer's shop was especially helpful and responsive. As has been noted elsewhere on the board, it is the track record of manufacturer and dealer responsiveness that should receive strong consideration when deciding on a car. By the way, 89 or 91 now and then with this V6 does greatly reduce pinging, as the manual cautions.

tommister2 · December 2003

not sure where to post this, but I want to look at the long term test of the 2003 Accord. When I go to the long term test page (http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/longterm/?tid=edmunds.e- .landing.roadtests..5.*) and click on the Accord it takes me to the used car home. I reported it through the Edmunds feedback page a week or so ago but it still doesn't work. Is this car no longer in their long term fleet? Thanks

Karen_S · December 2003

Hmmm....try this link.

tommister2 · December 2003

Thanks, that works. I'm anxiously waiting for the next update.....

waltandjan · December 2003

I just bought a 2004 ES V6 with the navigation system. I live in Minnesota and its in the 20's here this week. For the first 20 minutes after I start the car the navigation system simply does not work! The ok button does not respond. When it finally does the map display starts scanning to the east and cannot be stopped. None of the buttons have no affect on this. The radio works but the navi system goes bazzerk!! Anyone else have this problem??

docsaccord1 · December 2003

I have an Accord Se, with 62,000 miles, and my SRS light is on constantly. I haven't had any other problems up until now. There was a recall in 2002 for the passenger side airbag replacement and I'm wondering if that"s related. Any ideas before I bring it in to the dealer?

atlantabenny · January 2004

Honda dealer put in "updated" (lower metal content) front brake pads on my wife's 03 EX-L after persistent grinding noise and initial pulsing.

According to the service advisor, Honda USA will replace at no charge said pads within warranty even if they're wear-inherent parts.

Anyone experiencing rough and/or noisy front brake operation might want to get the pads soon to prevent brake rotor work.

mghoreth · January 2004

My door locks work intermittently. When they are not working, you can hear a faint clicking in the drivers door. Anyone else had this problem and know how to fix?
Thanks

akingsfan · January 2004

I just purchased an 04 Accord EX-L (4cyl, manual), and I am not quite getting the expected MPG. With freeway driving (70 mph avg.), I am only getting about 27 MPG. Is there a break-in period, and can I expect my gas mileage to improve?

bd21 · January 2004

Yes, it will probably go up a little after you have a few thousand miles on it, but you will probably rarely get the EPA figures. In 36,000 miles of driving my 2001 LX auto with a four cylinder, I have never got more than 28.8 on the Highway. I've tracked ever tankful and my average MPG has been 22.5 city & 28 highway. I drive about 80 on the Freeway.

bburton3 · January 2004

As previously mentioned when the engine gets some miles on it, the mpg will go up. Driving "style" really influences mileage. Some people accelerate as fast as they can and use the brakes a lot when freeway driving. You can get better mileage if you avoid jackrabbit starts, max acceleration at any speed and using brakes a lot. Just made a trip from So IN to So WI and going up I65 followed a bunch of Chi drivers-we seldom got below 75 and were running 85 most of the way-got 30 on that trip with my 97 I4 honda. Typically get around 30. Understand the newer I4 hondas will get better mileage than the older models cause they are much more efficient.

rcc8179 · January 2004

I have a 2003 Accord EX (2.4L 4cyl - auto trans) with about 26k miles. I drive about 40% city and 60% highway and have a running average of 29.2 mpg. I took 2 trips--one to Florida (from Indianapolis) and the other to Washington, D.C. On both these trips I set the cruise at 75-80 mph and averaged just over 34 mpg on both (sticker estimates 33 on highway).

The mileage did improve by about 2 mpg over the first 10k miles or so. But how you drive is a large contributing factor. I accelerate normally and don't tailgate or ride the brakes. Also, I generally drive alone or with one other person, and the only things I keep in my car are a few maps, a flashlight, and a tire pressure gauge (i.e. very little extra weight).

blane · January 2004

Sorry for the cross-post, but here goes, in case someone knowledgeable missed my question in the Accord Accessories & Modifications forum.

Before hardwiring my radar detector and possibly an auto-dimming mirror into my 2004 Accord EX V6 Coupe, I might as well seek some expertise here.

I'm planning on a non-compass mirror (Donnelly Model 19713 - CIPA 36100) since I already have Navigation and don't need a compass. Therefore, I don't plan to run a wiring harness down the "A" pillar.

Since I don't yet have a Honda wiring diagram, all I'm concerned with is determining (before dismantling my headliner) if anyone here has found an ignition-switched wire in the overhead lighting/sunroof area. If so, what color-code is it? I'm presuming that I can find a simple place to connect a ground in the same area.

auburn63 · January 2004

i Dont think there is a switched power up there but I can check for you come monday.

blane · January 2004

Thanks auburn63. I was presuming that the only switched power up there might be sunroof motor-related since the lights come on without the key being inserted.

mymo · January 2004

docsaccord1
Have your battery checked. On one of my accords the srs light came on and was caused by a cell in the battery which was going dead. The battery still seemed to have plenty of juice as the car started fine, but the slight drop in voltage triggered the srs warning light.

docsaccord1 · January 2004

If a low voltage battery causes a SRS light to come on, is it a dealer reset or will asimple battery replacement do it? Thanks for the help mymo.

jeffrey15 · January 2004

Not really a problem but, how many keys can the 03 accord have programmed? Is there a key available that doesn't have a the keyless buttons and does the total count include the valet key?

Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

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