Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

iota67 · February 2004

The car has about 105K miles on it. It has had a tune-up in the last 4-6 months. The battery is ok. A new starter was recently installed. On several occasions, the car starts without problems. However, usually in the mornings and a day without driving, it will not start. It will turnover, but not fire. I have had it tolled 3 times. It starts after being tolled. Any suggestions? thanks in advance

stump21 · February 2004

I'll do it this weekend!

chucko3 · February 2004

Have you tried pushing the gas pedal half way and hold it there while cranking?
Once the engine starts, release the gas pedal slowly.

yoribe · February 2004

My 03 Accord has just hit 10K miles. When the odometer hit 10K, the Maintenance Required light came on. At 10K, the owner's manual calls for changing the oil and filter (which I had done) inspecting the tie rod ends, CV boots, adjusting the brakes and lubricating hinges.

Does the reminder light stay on until it is reset by the dealer or does it turn off after a certain number of miles? I just don't want to have pay for things like lubricating hinges that I can do myself.

mikeysoft · February 2004

You can reset the "Maintenance Required" light. The owner manual tells you how. I don't know the page but you hold in the button on your dash board as you turn on your car. You hold the button for several seconds (about 8 I think) until the light reset.

aggie1995 · February 2004

Someone posted a while back about recalibrating the outside temp gauge on the Accord.

I looked in the owner's manual and could not find it.

Any ideas. I consistantly read 8-10 degrees high in all weather and driving conditions.

cryon1 · February 2004

I was reading about sway bar bushings for a 92 Accord sedan, and you gave some advise for Sukal to lubricate or replace the bushings because Sekals car was making creaking/clunking sounds going over bumps. The description sukal gave describes the symtoms of the 92 Accord I just bought. Do you know if that solved sukals problem? Do the bushings have to come off to lube them? What else might cause the symptoms?

Thanks in advance!

pgm17 · February 2004

aggie1995,

I think it was under temperature in the index of the 04 accord.. but it only allows a calibration of +\- 5 F, sounds like u may have a problems with the sensor, make sure nothing is blocking it, its behind the front bumper.
does it occur at different speeds? (i think the manual says u ahve to be above 20 mph for it to start adjusting, and then who knows how long after for it to get to correct temp
good luck!

I also saw another post that they had noticed that in teens or below temps it would be off also...

auburn63 · February 2004

If the noise is loke a creaking bed spring or dry rubbing sound then you will need to remove the 2-12mm bolts on both sides of the sway bar that hold the bushing in place. Lube it with a heavy silicone( I use Dow Corning 111) reassymble. These bushings are holding the bar upto the frame not the links at the end of the bar.. Good luck

chucko3 · February 2004

Does anyone own one?

aggie1995 · February 2004

It occurs at different speeds. Actually at idle the temp is lower than after I start driving 50 mph on the highway. Go figure.

I couldn't find anything in my owner's manual about it. Is it a feature of the V6 only? I have an I4.

cryon1 · February 2004

Thanks for the reply auburn, there is a metal to metal sound as well and it pulls to the left. I thought it might be struts, but my mechanic bounced the front end and said they're fine. Could the end links have come loose and are causing metallic clunking?

What other possibilities could it be?

thanks again for your help!!

chucko3 · February 2004

I would check the tie rod ends.

elbian · February 2004

I have a 4 cylinder, 2001 Accord EX with 29k on it. The dealer says that I should have my valves adjusted and timing set at 30k. Has anyone ever heard of this before? It seems a bit soon (30k?)and it is expensive. Is this just a way of making money for the dealer or do I really need to do this? What are the consequences if I do not have it done at 30k? Any help would be appreciated.

according2me · February 2004

This is indeed a known issue with 6th Gen (98-02)automatics. The carrier bearings in the differential do fail prematurely on this series. It had not been known to occur on previous model years.

Mine failed recently at 112K miles despite ATF-Z1 fluid changes every 15-20K. Cottman confirmed this issue and Honda dealers had been aware of this for years. Honda didn't recall these models, they extended the warranties for 00/01 model years only.

Many Accord sites, including this one, are full of reports of these failures. Use the search function.

Here's mine according2me Jan 17, 2004 1:17pm

I got to my high-mileage faster than most and I suspect that as others roll up the miles thousands more will be affected.

BTW, I'm a 27 year Honda customer. My first new Accord was a '77 hatchback and I've been an avid Honda spokesman about their products in the past. Unfortunately it seems the bean-counters now rule the roost.

ashford3 · February 2004

I have just purchased a 2002 Honda Accord EX from my local dealer. I have now noticed that there is a small gap on the steering wheel cover. I found a similar problem on another forum about an Acura. That owner insisted on either a repair or replacement. The dealer repaired it.

I have just a short warranty period left. I want my dealer to fix this. The other message said that the dealer re-centered the steering wheel cover by remounting the air bag assembly--apparently it wasn't mounted properly.

Have any of you had this problem? Is it just cosmetic or is it indicative of a problem, i.e. with the air bag, or has the air bag been deployed even though the car had a clean, no accidents reported CARFAX? (Which I know is not foolproof!)

I appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

bd21 · February 2004

Read your manual under service schedual. There is no valve adjustment requirement ever, unless your valves are making excessive noise and the timing never has to be reset unless something wears out or part of the engine is disassembled. I wouldn't worry about either of these until you have at least 110,000 miles on the car and even then, you shouldn't need anything done. Your dealer just wants some of your money.

auburn63 · February 2004

yes it could be the sway bar link bushings as well as a few other options such as the brakes, front stut rod bushings,motor mount, coil springs,they tend to break and you have to look at them, you can't bounce test them or the shocks really as they could be leaking and still pass a bounce test. Possibly other things but they are the most common...Good luck

pgm17 · February 2004

i believe the temp gauge is a feature on the 4cyl ex leathers and the v6.
i can check my manual and let u know the page numbers, if i remember correctly i think u just hold down the trip button while the car is on and it cycles from -5 to +5 and u release it when the adjustment u want is there, but im not completely sure, ill check up on it for u

lawdawgfl · February 2004

Seatbelt warning chime, can it be turned off in the 04s? I wear a gun to and from work and the holster sits right above the receiver. The chime eventually stops but it takes awhile.

gee35coupe · February 2004

And I tried to google "accord carrier bushing" and couldn't come up with any useful info.

bd21 · February 2004

Not without disconnecting some wires, but isn't it against the law to drive without your seatbelt on in your state anyway? I know it is in Florida and most other states that I know of.

elbian · February 2004

Thanks, bd21. I kinda figured that is what is was.
This is my first Honda. Do all Honda dealers try to push this 30k service package? They wanted to charge me $380.00. Should I be looking for another Honda dealer for my service? I also have a Nissan and have never had this problem with their Dealerships, trying to sell me things I didn't need.

whitecloud · February 2004

Sounds like a crock to me too. Never heard of it.
I have a 98 4cyl. I can't see Honda going backwards and requiring a valve adjust. The engine does seem noisy sometimes when I first start up but it quiets after a few minutes.

aggie1995 · February 2004

Thanks! I have a 4cyl EX-L but had no luck with the owners manual.

Thanks for looking it up.

altair4 · February 2004

The "Check Engine" light came on in my wife's 97 Accord SE (with CA emissions package). This car has the 4 cylinder engine and automatic transmission.

Receipt says the following:
"Client states check engine light is on. Tech scanned for engine light being on. Had Code P0715 Input shaft speed shaft circuit. Performed tests and there is internal problems with ECM (computer). Ordered new computer."

I'm under an extended warranty and this looks to be completely covered. I didn't have a chance to really talk with anyone about this...what is this (input shaft speed circuit)? Where is this? Why would the ECM go bad?

Just curious...I'm not doing the job because of the warranty, but wanted to take the opportunity to learn a bit. Thanks for sharing knowledge!

PS: In 6.5 years of ownership, this is the first time I'm tapping that HondaCare extended warranty (which cost just about the same as this ECM ~ $800).

according2me · February 2004

It is noted here, but as shifting irregularities and driveability issues, before having to replace the tranny.

As I noted earlier, the dealer that repaired mine has been seeing these bearing failures for years with this generation and had contacted Honda support years ago to inquire about what they had been experiencing in the field.

It's even addressed in the May 2001 Honda Service News bulletin (page 1) that the dealers receive from Honda.

And there is a growing number of 98/99 owners experiencing problems at the 60K-80K mileage mark even though their vehicles were maintained at their dealers.

I visit a multitude of Accord sites and the trend is unmistakable. I thought I could deter the problem with frequent transmission fluid changes. I only succeeded in delaying the failure until 112K in my 3 year old Accord.

Some may think at that mileage, that I had gotten a useful life from the drivetrain, but my expectations were at least 200K miles for this drivetrain before major failure. Especially with my frequent tranny maintenance and "easy" cruising interstate miles.

Other than this problem area, I continue to enjoy my vehicle. But, I wouldn't consider purchasing a used 6th Gen Accord unless I could verify that a reman auto tranny had already been installed or if it was a manual 5spd. JMO.

dako_tian · February 2004

You obviously have or use a PC. Have you ever had one act up? Did you ever find out why? It is sufficient to know that the likely problem is the ECM. Exactly why it failed is something that wouldn't be worth the time to find out because it is far cheaper to replace the board than it is to look at repairing one (everything is so tiny that it may, in fact, be impossible to figure out why it failed, especially if it is an intermittent failure).

It is an irony perhaps, but as we get more and more technology to manage information, we grow less and less able to identify exact causes of failure. It just isn't worth the trouble. So, in a very literal way, "The hurrider I goes, the behinder I gets!" ;-)

If we have a Honda ECM computer engineer monitoring these boards, then you might get an answer to your "what is this (input shaft speed circuit)?" question. If not, I'm sure that many of us can give our own WAGs, but they will be worth exactly what you pay for them.

Even so, stay curious.

chucko3 · February 2004

OK. Let me take a WAG.
The speed reading circuit on the ECM failed. Instead of debugging the circuit, it's cheaper and more convienence just to replace the whole ECM.
Circuit board failure is something not unusual.
Bad electrical components (diodes, resistors, etc.), ESD, or bad soldering could be the reason.

altair4 · February 2004

...for the chuckle. Yeah, I know computers can malfunction for about a kazillion reasons!

Okay, let me phrase this in my other car's experience...we also have a VW Passat wagon. One of the control units is under the passenger seat. This model (not my particular car) has a tendency to develop a clog in one of the drain holes, allowing the carpeting to get wet under the passenger seat. This, of course, puts that control unit in harms way...

So I was looking for a systemic issue, not why this particular ECM went belly up. I wanted to see if I was in danger of frying the replacement.

veasnalong · February 2004

For aggie1995
To recalibrate outside temp +/-3 F here how
with key on temp display press and hold more then 8 second
you will see calibrate # come up.
I saw someone post +/-5 F which is wrong I own
2003 accord ex with navi only shown +/-3 F.
if you had 10 degree off +/- 3 will not help much
but atleast help a bit don't you think?
Good luck.

alcan · February 2004

P0715 is input shaft speed SENSOR circuit. Used to determine transaxle input speed, compared to output shaft speed, for gear ratio purposes. If all external circuitry and the sensor test ok, it'd be an internal fault in the controller.

bburton3 · February 2004

Had a similiar problem and code on the counter shaft and crankshaft speed sensors-it was the sensors-replaced those and no more CEL. Sounds like it could be either the sensor in this case of the ECM. Starting with the sensor would be a cheaper option-course honda is paying for it so why not.

cryon1 · February 2004

Well the clunking noise we heard in the suspension at every bump turned out to be the bushings. All they needed was a quick lube. I got a complete lube job and extra lube on the sway bar bushings.

No problems with the stuts or steering components at all. So instead of $950 for front end rebuild and struts, it was $12.50 for a lube job.

Thanks to this message board! and auburn63 for the help.

pgm17 · February 2004

Actually for the 04 it states +/- 5 F in the manual, dont know if they changed it for 04, also for the 10 degrees off do u think it could be a faulty sensor, or what else can go wrong with it. I read other post about the outside temp gauge being off in really cold weather but thats about it, has anyone had their dealer look into this?

cryon1 · February 2004

We just got a 92 Accord EX and the ABS self check that I read about on this forum occurs over and over again, then after about 20 min. of it, the ABS light comes on. The PO said that they had some work done to it, and a new master cylinder was installed, but didn't fix the problem. The mechanic told them it was a bad chip that was causing the problem and it was $500, so they passed on fixing it.

I don't believe there is any chip out worth $500 and that it probably doesn't cost that much.

Does anyone have any ideas of what the problem might be? and how to fix it?

thanks a lot!

Chris

veasnalong · February 2004

Hi pgm17
In my manual did not say +/-5 F where did you find this information? when I calibrate it on my car it show 3,2,1,0,-1,-2,-3 when I press and hold reset button. mine show 67 degree when I set to -3 it adjust to 61 degree just right on it. Back to 10 degree higher by set to -3 should be around 63 degree don't you think ? also it has to be some kind of tolerance on temp sensor to confirm if sensor is bad by change setting -3 to +3 temp should be change if not at all then sensor is bad.Like you said 03 and 04 may be diffrent.

inkie · February 2004

Where did you get the lube work done for 12.50? Or is that the price of materials and you did it yourself?

spaceinvader · February 2004

My 98 Accord has logged 64k in miles. Is it time to change belts and hoses? If a hose change is necessary, should I also replace the thermostat? If no change is recommended, what is the recommended replacement frequency for all items mentioned?

anonymousposts · February 2004

spaceinvader: Follow the recommendations in your owner's manual. If you do not have an owner's manual go to www.hondacars.com and check out Owner Link. Enter your vehicle information and you will be able to pull up recommended maintenance.

bburton3 · February 2004

Suggest you change all drive belts, AC, PS and alternator when you change the timing/balance shaft belts at the recommended 105K miles. Would not mess with hoses unless they are getting mushy-have a 97 accord and the hoses are just fine at 168K. Changed the all drive belts at 113K including timing and balance shaft belts and all were in very good shape-could have probably gotten another 50K out of them.

Would be a good idea to look at the drive belts and see if you see any cracks in the outside of the belt when it goes around a pulley and any wear marks. If any belt starts squalling-check the adjustment immediately. Take care with how tight you tighten alternator drive belts-too tight and the bearings go-alternators are really pricey on honda's.

lawdawgfl · February 2004

If you are an emergency worker like a cop, fire fighter, paramedic, and you must exit your vehicle all the time rapidly. Being a cop to and from work in uniform I am expected to assist people if something occurs. Plus, like I stated in the previous post, the holster gets in the way of the receiver.
In Florida it is a secondary violation, meaning a cop can not pull you over for not wearing your seatbelt, he can only add the violation after stopping you for another reason, speeding, stop sign, etc...
Funny thing in Florida, its the law that you have to wear a seatbelt, but you don't have to wear a helmet if you are on a motorcycle. I guess if you ride on top of your car its O.K.
So the answer is... there is no way to turn off the warning?

pgm17 · February 2004

Ok i finally found the info, its on page 68-69 of the 04 sedan manual. It can be adjusted -/+ 5 F or -/+ 3 C. So we were both right veasnalong

.
anyways with 10 degrees off there is probably something wrong with the sensor.

veasnalong · February 2004

Hello pgm17,
my 03 Owner's Manual on page 64 did not say anything about +/- 3 or 5 not sure why it doesn't list in the manual good luck for you with 04 Manual.Thank you for your response

dust90 · February 2004

I'm sorry to off topic, but:
"If you are an emergency worker like a cop, fire fighter, paramedic, and you must exit your vehicle all the time rapidly. Being a cop to and from work in uniform I am expected to assist people if something occurs."
THAT is the sorriest excuse that I have ever heard for not wearing a seat belt. As an ex-state trooper, I can assure you that I never had to get out of my vehicle that fast. As to the holster, I've carried weapons in uniform and civilian clothes and have always been able to adjust one way or the other to fasten the seatbelt. Again, sorry, but it is REALLY hard to fathom that anyone would drive with buckling up, let alone a police officer(if you in fact are one).

bd21 · February 2004

Yes all Honda dealers are going to push their 30K check, they like the money it generates. The reality is almost everything that they do is not required by Honda. Again, refer to your owner's manual maintenance schedual. With the exception of an oil change, tire rotation, and the brake fluid change (3 years), they are all visual inspections. If you went to a regular automotive center, you could have everything accomplished that is truly recommended by Honda for a third of the cost. If you are doing a transmission fluid change only use Honda fluid. It takes about 2 1/2 quarts at about 4 dollars a quart from Honda. Look at the service sheet for what the Honda Dealer wants to do to your car vs. the Honda manual. The additional crap is all unnecessary and is simply a cash cow for the dealer. And of course I always recommend following the severe schedual regardless of your driving habits. Good luck.

spaceinvader · February 2004

To bburton3: Thanks for the detailed advice. It is greatly appreciated:-)

brspeck · February 2004

Hi - my 98 accord has an odd steering problem - I can feel it in the wheel. It basically wiggles back and forth constantly while driving - it happens at all speeds but is most obvious at 20-40 mph or so. I am wondering if this is likely a tire problem, or alignment, or something else... any ideas? I just noticed this a few days ago and it has been happening ever since... but had never happened before since I have owned the car.

bburton3 · February 2004

Is usually out of balance tires-back and forth can be something serious like worn tire rod ends or possibly a tire ply seperation. Check your tires for any lumps and if you can jack up the front end with both front wheels off the ground and check for loose steering by pulling the tires back and forth at the 3 and 9 oclock position on the tires.

You probably need a balance job-find a tire dealer who is not a crook and have them check it out. driving with tires out of balance is not a good thing-decreases tire wear and some say it is not good for the front end.

dust90 · February 2004

If its happening at that low a speed, it is probably not a balance problem, but a bad tire or bent rim. Need to check it out ASAP. Good luck.

Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

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