Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

bgabel1260 · January 2001

That's just silly to pay $161 for "inspect" items. I'd be concerned that they wouldn't even do it! Just as you said, how many checks are actually done in those "xx point inspections"? When I took my old Accord to the quickie oil place, they ALWAYS wrote down the door jamb tire pressures on the receipt instead of actually measuring the pressures by gauge.

I'd tell the dealer: oil, lube, filter, tire rotation. Check the air filter and wiper blades yourself and get these parts at the dealer if you need new ones. Before you hit 30K, I'd get the brakes inspected for wear. I'm pretty firm on giving the dealer all of my service needs, but I don't let them service whatever they'd like.

silvercoupe · January 2001

My local dealer charges $180 for the services that you mentioned. All that I will let them do on my 2000 LX Coupe is an oil and filter change at 15k miles. That's only because I have a $20 off coupon to use. I will rotate the tires and check the air filter. The manual does not call for a valve adjustment until 30k miles.

dnguyen65 · January 2001

U can have it done by a reputable auto shop at a cheaper and
keep the service rercords.

purina1_us · January 2001

ON MY 98 EXVL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT 31,000 MILES OR ABOUT 900 MILES AFTER THE 3OK SERVICE WAS PERFORMED. DEALER RESET THE LIGHT AND SAID TO BRING IT BACK IF IT CAME BACK ON. IT CAME BACK ON WITHIN 24 HOURS AND THE CAR WAS IDLING POORLY, TO A POINT WHERE IT WOULD ALMOST STALL AT TIMES. TOOK IT BACK IN AND THEY CLEANED THE EGR VALVE. GOT IT BACK AND THE LIGHT WAS OFF BUT IT WAS STILL IDLING POORLY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON WITHIN 500 MILES. AFTER TAKING IT BACK, THEY REPLACED THE EGR VALVE. CAR WAS IDLING ALOT SMOOTHER. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS POOR GAS (USE TEXACO PRIMARILY) AND THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED PROPERLY. THEY DIDN'T SAY MORE FREQUENT GAS TREATMENTS WOULD ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM.

fritz1224 · January 2001

I had a problem with my v6 lx 2k shortly after I bought it. Occassionally it wouldn't start without 3 or 4 attempts. Told the service mgr and guess what his first words were. "Poor gas". This is the norm I believe. Probably in the curriculum for training. Any how, after 2nd return for same problem, poor gas was not to blame and parts were replaced. If I ever have any type of starting or running problem again and immediately get the poor gas routine I'm going to ask them for their opinion on who has the "good" gas. I just hope they name the one I always use--Chevron. Don't really know for sure about its quality, but haven't any further problems and it does have "Techron" in it, whatever that's worth. Price difference isn't all that much compared to the Thrifty or Superamerica stuff and really no difference compared to name brands such as BP, Amoco, etc.

dnguyen65 · January 2001

Anyone know why u r supposed to step on the brake when u shift
the transmission from neutral into drive? Does it harm the transmission
if u just skip applying the brake?

I used to a manual tranny & can't explain this?

Thanks

alcan · January 2001

1. - to stop the car from lurching ahead

2. - no, it doesn't hurt the transmission

auburn63 · January 2001

3.Unless the car is in motion

The main reason they want you to have foot on the brake is to be sure that the car is not in motion when engagement is made.Mostly they are concerned about any reverse motion before going into a forward gear.This can and does casue internal failure. However excessive forward motion before shifted into drive could cause damage.

alcan · January 2001

Good point. Low roller clutches or sprags don't like shock loads.

dnguyen65 · January 2001

Thanks, Guys.
Auburn, does that mean i should do that (stepping on brake when shifting
from P or N) when I start driving my car away in the morning? By the way,
could u clarify on what u meant by excess?

Thanks a bundle.

jnz24 · January 2001

I am also having the same problems with my 2000 accord cpe ex-v6. This is its second time back and they told me that it only effects the v-6 engines and the mixture of gas that is used in the winter. What parts were replaced on your car to fix the problem.

mack20 · January 2001

Hi,..Auburn and others...I have a few quick questions about the 94 Accord.

1) Does the temperature gauge on the dashboard have to be perfectly centred when the car is at operating temperature? Mine seems to rest slightly below the middle hashmarks. Is this allright?

2) Regarding that balancer oil seal recall. i think that there are in the process of recalling them here in Canada. Any idea of how long the job usually takes? It sounds pretty labour intensive. Is all the oil drained from the engine? I.e will i be getting a free oil change

3) Regarding the "maintenance required light". I understand that it turns to red every 12500 kilometres. I had the car checked out at a dealership around 2 months and 3000 km's ago. Is it pretty safe to reset this? The manual just says to put the key in the slot.

Thanks a lot for answering these questions.

Auburn...remeber the time I asked you about the 86 Accord with startup problems and problems when it was cold? Well..the problem isnt entirely resolved. I took it into the dealearship to replace a leaking power steering fluid reservoir. They had a look at it and had some difficulty coming up with some solutions. The car runs quite well when fully warmed up. So I will leave it at that. There is no use spending too much money on that car. I am quite happy with the way it runs when warm.

thanks again

mack20 · January 2001

Hi..

There should be some guys from Toronto here...TitoPuente? others?

Can anyone here recommend some mechanics in Toronto, Ontario that are good with Honda vehicles?

I have visited the shop of "Dr. Honda" based in Mississauga Ont. I wasnt very impressed. Its a pretty dirty workshop.

I would be intersted in getting some recommendations.

Thanks

alcan · January 2001

Can't help you out in the Toronto area, but Sterling Honda on Main W. in Hamilton has a good service dept. And probably a lot lower door rate than in TO. I heard last week that some TO dealers are now up to $96/hr for service. Besides, Hamilton's just a quick hop down the QEW and a luverly place to visit. And I trained most of the younger tech's here. :-)

auburn63 · January 2001

dnguyen65
To get the most out of your trans without any self inflicted problems it is best to always be at a complete stop before changing gears.Rocking(like when stuck in mud or snow) and shifting on the move causes internal damage.Any motion can cause damage but the faster the motion the more likely the chances of hurting something.

Mack20
Outside temp usally effects where the guage will be. When it is cold outside it will remain below the half way point for the most part and when it is hot it will be as far up as 3/4 and still be normal.Anything lower than 1/4 or higher than 3/4 will most likely be a problem but sounds as if you are ok...
The balancer holder recall takes about an hour from write up to completion.Depending on how many are a head of you if you are waiting.It doesn't require the oil to be removed so no free oil change this time.:(
The light comes on every 7500 miles so as long as you know it has been serviced then reset it.
I would and actually am doing the same thing with my car. It starts rough in the cold and then runs great warm so I am waiting for summer to come around.:)

fritz1224 · January 2001

They replaced the fuel pressure regulator and the ecm/pcm(which I think stands for engine/power train control module-the computer). They have to reprogram your keys also since there's a new computer. On my work order there are a couple of service bulletin numbers that probably refer to this work. They are S/B#98-040 and S/B#98-075. Hope this helps.

mover1 · January 2001

Thanks for confirming my earlier issues on the 15k service - I have 3 additional questions for the forum. (1) Low Fuel Light - Up to recently, this light came on when the gage showed 1/4 to 1/8 , now it goes on & off around E. I know I still have 3 gallons approx. left at E, that the light works on a float mechanism and factors such as speed and slope come into play. The service advisor said that "it depends where in the tank the float happens to be, that determines when the light comes on". So it's normal (even though this wasn't the case before)? (2) The bottom "inside" corner of my front license plate area on the bumper has a nick showing the dark plastic. Repeated paint touch ups don't seem to keep the spot covered. Is there any prep needed for this before using touch up paint here? (3) Does the top 1/4 or so of the rear window heater "not work" because its actually the radio antenna? Thanks.

afielding · January 2001

Has anyone experienced water leaking form somewhere behind the brake pedal. I have replaced the windsreen and tried to seal every possible place with silicon and yet the water still comes in. Apart form this the car is great, but I can only use it when sunny at the moment as I don't want the water to damage the computer under the front seat. Thanks

emaison · January 2001

Well I used to own a 1984 Civic and I too had problems with water gathering in the front. I went to a specialist and you know where the water came from? The back. The car was leaking from the hatchback. I think with water, the leak can come from almost any where.

mack20 · January 2001

Hi!

Auburn,

Thanks again for the information. Its not that cold here in Toronto. Slightly below freezing. The gauge is still slightly below middle. The car was bought fairly recently used from a Honda dealership. My dad knows a tech there and he gave the thumbs up. However the temp gauge was not noticed until later. Is there any reason for a temp gauge to be slightly below middle? The car runs fine. Heating, etc works alright. I have taken it for 90 minute highway trips a couple of times. No problems!

alcan

I looked at your profile here on Edmunds. Where do you teach? Hamilton is not THAT far from where I live. Probably around 45 minutes. We only very recently started taking our car to the dealership. We usually use an independant. But after a few mixups, there are some things better taken to a dealership. We have been lucky that any repairs have been few and far beween!
The hourly repair rate for mechanics is extremely high! I wish I had more of an interest in mechanics back in high school. I would have become a mechanic! $96 an hour! Wow!

Also..I noticed that you are a forensic mechanic. What does that mean?

Thanks!

mack20 · January 2001

Hi...

Does anyone here know if replacing the timing belt on a Toyota Camry is cheaper than replacing the timimg belt of a Honda Accord?

I was lurking in the Camry discussions and it seemed cheaper to replace the camry timing belt.

Also...while car shopping, I looked at an engine for a 4 cyl Camry and it seemed that there was a lot of room under the hood. The accord engine was really packed. Seems like its easier to work on a camry.

I would be intersted in the opinions of any techies out there!

Thanks

alcan · January 2001

I'm at Mohawk College, Faculty of Technology, Motive Power Dept., Fennell campus. We provide Auto Service Tech, Truck and Coach, and Auto Body Tech apprenticeship training, GM and Chrysler new product dealer tech training, and night school advanced automotive electronics updating for licensed techs.

That $96/hr is the service dept. rate. Good techs in TO make about $26-$30/hr, flat rate (piecework). But you're quite right about taking some concerns to the dealer. They can more often pinpoint the problem and correct it faster than independents, considering they have factory training, specialized diagnostic equipment, and the familiarity of dealing with a limited number of models.

A forensic mechanic inspects vehicles after fatal or serious injury accidents to determine if mechanical failure was a contributing factor.

If you post the year, model, engine of the Toyota and Honda, I can quote you the flat rate time for timing belt replacement on both from my Mitchell mechanical labour estimating guide. BTW, after changing a timing belt on an '89 Accord with AC last weekend, I'm now firmly of the opinion that anyone who'd work on them without it being court ordered community service must have been dropped on his head at birth.

rgaines · February 2001

The steering wheel on my 2000 Accord SE is not centered when driving straight. It seems to remain a few degrees (but noticably) to the left. The car does not pull right or left when I remove my hands from the wheel. The dealer perfomred a 4 wheel alignment (under warranty) at the 7500 mile maintenance stop but it did not correct the problem. The degree of off-center seems to be more than normal compensation for a roadway with a high crown. Any ideas?

auburn63 · February 2001

alcan,
It was a drop on the head for me but if you think they are bad you should try a late 80's civic with a/c and p/s or almost any dual cam prelude.We won't even rehash the pain of the top mount a/c in the early 80,s..:)

rgaines
They should be able to get the steering wheel centered so if it is not then I would go back and have them get it right..

alcan · February 2001

Judging by your posts you seem pretty knowlegeable about them. Are you a dealer tech or an independant? And did the lump ever subside? ;-)
BTW, did you ever take a few spare minutes and slip a timing belt on a Lumina 3.4, or a chain on a DOHC 2.3 Quad Four? Now I know what Purgatory's like LOL.

sflora · February 2001

I have the same car. The first few days I owned it I noticed the same thing. Took it back to the dealer and they fixed it. They said something about the tie rods needing adjustment. It's been fine ever since. Hope this helps.

auburn63 · February 2001

I have been a Honda tech for 18 years at a dealer and as for those other foreign cars you mentioned I avoid them like the plague.:)

mack20 · February 2001

Auburn63,

Do you know of any possible reasons why my 94 Accord would show a temp gauge below normal? Car runs fine and I had it cheked at a dealership when i bought it a few months ago.

mack20 · February 2001

Hi Alcan,

Can you tell me how many labour hours needed for:

1994 Honda Accord EX 2.2 L

1994 Toyota Camry XLE 2.2 L

These cars both have AC, and power everthing!

Thanks!

alcan · February 2001

Hi Mack, this should be what you need. The Honda's a treat...

1988-94 Accord 2.2 w/A.C....... 4.5
Add:
where cruise cont interferes (it will).... .3
where Power steering interferes (it will).. .3

1987-94 Camry 2.2 w/A.C. ...... 3.0
Combinations:
Gear or sprocket, camshaft (ea), R&R... .2
Gear or sprocket, crankshaft, R&R...... .2
Seal, camshaft (ea), R&R............... .3
Tensioner (pulley), Timing Belt, R&R... .1

Looks like the Accord's 5.1 and the Camry's 3.8

Don't forget the $175.00 surcharge for BandAids :-)

auburn63 · February 2001

mack20,
If your temp is just below half this time of the year then that is normal.As long as it is comming off the cold mark.If you think that it is not normal then one reason for a colder reading would be a stuck open thermostat.

T-Belt times for Honda
Here in NJ we are getting 4.4 hours(3.9 T-Belt only) for the timing belt,water pump,seal holder and external belts.(Power steering,a/c and cruise control @ no aditional time)..

alcan · February 2001

Are those times for warranty repair? The times I quoted were right out of the Mitchell Mechanical Labor Estimating Guide. Alldata or Chilton may vary.

markz2k · February 2001

Out of curiosity, what would the times be for a 98-01 V6 Accord? I'll need it in about 10 years, should I start saving now?

auburn63 · February 2001

That is our customer pay times that we get. The warranty time is about 2.1 I think. We used to get our times from Chilton directly but these days due to trying to be competetive we are lowering even some of those times.

Markz2k, Alcan can give you a direct quote on that one, I am not for sure but I think we get 5.5 or 6.0 hours.

vcuan · February 2001

Driving back from work tonight in my 1992 Accord EX, the Oil Pressure Warning Light came on and blinked all the way home. Checked the oil level and it's reading right between the two marks. Owner's manual recommend taking it in to have it checked. Strong warning about driving with light on. I haven't added more oil and restarted to check to see if light goes off. Has anybody experienced the light going on? I always take the car for its mainentance and service at the dealer. Car now has about 130K.

alcan · February 2001

That 2.1 would be pretty tough to crack. I guess the only good thing about that is you have a lot more product familiarity. Do you get many on warranty?

Markz2k - sorry, my labour guide only goes to '96.

fritz1224 · February 2001

I've noticed a slight ticking coming from the left side of the engine compartment of my 2k lx v6. If I give just a slight rev I hear something like a pop(almost like an electrical arc sound) and the ticking will stop for a couple of minutes and then gradually return. The car only has 18k on it so I wouldn't want to think a valve adjustment would be in order but if so would that be under warranty and if not how much does something like that cost? All information appreciated.

auburn63 · February 2001

It may be a clogged oil presure switch we have seen a few of them lately. If not you may have a pick up screen for the oil pump that is partialy clogged.You should have it checked to see which.

Alcan, we can get them done and still make time and these days thats a good thing because some of the seal recall cars are not making it in, in time, so we have to do the belt also which Honda has been covering most.

Tick, V6's do not need valve adjustments as maintanance so I wouldn't think it was a valve noise either unless you have a lifter not working right.I haven't heard that kind of noise yet so it is hard to say what it could be.Take it in and see what they say.Good luck

purina1_us · February 2001

auburn, hope you can help me. I have a 98 exvl which has ~34,000 miles and the front brakes squeal. we have had several sets of new brake pads put on the front. the first set put on were bendex semi-metallics (which replaced the original pads), and they started to squeal after about 250 miles. the mechanic then "treated" them which lasted about 300 miles before starting to squeal again. he then put on honda oem pads, and they were silent for about 250 miles, then they began to squeal again. the rotors have not been turned, as they are in spec. the car stops straight and without any steering wheel shimmy. the squealing seems to happen mostly when you are going <20 mph. any thoughts as my wife is now really squealing. thanks

auburn63 · February 2001

Although it is normal for semi-metalic brakes to make some noise occasionaly they shouldn't always make noise. If you are positive about it having OEM brakes back on it and you are sure that you are not hearing the rear pads hitting their sensor then you may be able to get rid of the noise by removing the pads once again and sanding them down a little to get some of the metal of the surface.Then re-coat the shimms with molycoat and reinstall the brakes.One other thing that sometimes works is hard(but not to hard)braking, this sometimes moves the build up of metal in the pad and stops the noise.
You may even want to wonder in to your local Honda dealer and complain about the brake noise. If your pads are OEM then you will still be in warranty as long as they are installed correctly and you are within 3 years of purchase.Just so you don't get cought on the technicly side of things, tell them you put brakes on the front trying to get the noise to go away but it didn't work if they ask.Once again to cover your end also ask for a estimate if their is going to be a charge.
One last thought,if all else fails you can ask the dealer if they have a softer, less metalic brake pad.These will be quieter but last not as long.Good luck

jproulx · February 2001

Is anybody else having big problems w/ American Honda and balancer-shaft seal recall? I have a '94 Accord whose B.S.S. popped out last summer. Fortunately, it occured just a couple blocks from my home, so I was able to park it and have it towed to the garage before any major engine damage was done. It cost me $320 (non-dealer mechanic) to fix the problem. Fast forward two months, and it's recall time. The card says, "if you've had this problem, send us the receipts and we'll reimburse you in 6-8 weeks." I sent my paperwork in Dec. 1, and it's been 10 weeks, and according to Honda, it'll be another several weeks before they get to me.

Ugh! And they act like it's MY fault.

On another note, while I'm here: If my car sits out in the sun on a hot day (this is not a problem right now of course :0) ), then when I start the car, the airbag light stays on for at least five minutes, sometimes a lot longer. What causes this? Is it a hazard if (god forbid) I get in an accident? Can it be fixed? Has this happened to anyone else?

dudleyr · February 2001

I have a 1996 2.2 liter 4 cyl. Honda that I bought about 3 months ago with 42,000 miles. I took this car to a dealer before purchase to have it checked out, but they did not catch the engine sludge (I noticed when I went to change the oil after I got it home).

I recently had the valves adjusted and the mechanic said he has only seen one dirtier engine, and he seemed sure the oil was NEVER changed by the previous owner (I suppose others might disagree). I looked at the engine and saw it was coated with a black substance that looked like tar.

Currently I am changing the oil very frequently (every1,000 to 1,500 miles) (I also use gunk engine cleaner at 1/3 recommended strength between changes, but will stop that once the can is gone - one more change) I have just switched to synthetic oil (supposed to clean engines better) and will change the oil every 2,000 and work my way up to 3,000 (depending on how dirty the oil looks). After 30,000 miles the valves will need adjusting again, and we shall see if the cleaning worked.

The vehicle runs very well. It gets good gas mileage. It has decent acceleration. So far it sounds like most other 4 cyl Honda engines. (I also have an Acura Integra). The longest I have gone between oil changes is 1,650 miles, and over that distance I couldn't tell that it used any oil (less than .1 qt anyway). The car does not smoke. It starts right up and idles smoothly.

I have two questions. First, should I do anything differently, and secondly what are the chances that my engine will have a normal healthy life (well beyond 100,000 miles).

By the way the mechanic said that because Honda uses a solid valvetrain instead of hydraulic that may have saved my engine. He thinks a hydraulic valvetrain (self adjusting) would have been trashed.

silvercoupe · February 2001

Your mechanic is probably right. Go to the "Sludge" forum and read about the problems caused by sludge in other cars.

If your routine gets the engine clean without plugging anything up you should be good to go to well over 100k miles.

emaison · February 2001

Specifically, when I turn on the fan for the climate control it sounds as though there is something caught in it. Not something small like a leaf, rather something larger like a towel (or hell, maybe a bird nest!?) My question: Does anyone know how to access that fan? Where is the fan, under the passenger side of the dash (where the noise is coming from) or under the hood? Is this an 'easy' job that I could do? My car is a 2001 Accord 4dr. I was hoping to save a trip to the dealer. Thanks for your help.

leomort · February 2001

This might have already been address as I didn't go through the 700+ post. Do Honda's (Accord) still need their valves adjusted, for either the 4 cyl or 6 cyl? If this has already been address, I apologized for the duplication.

Leo

bgabel1260 · February 2001

I believe you still need valve adjustments on the 4-cylinders (it's basically the same engine design since 1990-ish), but not the new 6-cylinders.

vcuan · February 2001

Auburn63: I took my 92 Accord EX to my regular Honda Service Advisor for them to check the Oil Pressure Warning Light that had been blinking the day before. They determined that the "Oil Sending Unit" needed replacement. Relieved that it was not too expensive to fix. It was $130. Thanks for your help. While there, I had them detail the car as well. Boy, It looks great. Style still is attractive after close to 10 years.

auburn63 · February 2001

emaison
If no one answers your question by Sunday night then I will try and remember to look on monday and see. I haven't had to do one yet so I don't know.I know on Civics you can look under the right side of the dash and see the three screws that hold the motor in and can see that once removed the motor will fall out the bottom.Take a look and see if you can see yours.

Vcuan,
Yep thats the part I was talking about, some people call it a sender, so thats cool it wasn't anything more serious.I have 2 92 Accords one coupe and a 4 door I like that style/year range also.

bgabel1260 · February 2001

Honda really did hit it on all cylinders during 1990-93. Not only was the Accord fitted with one of the most attractive styling jobs in its history (which spilled over to the Legend), the 90-93 Integras remain the very best looking as well.

Fortunately, my 2001 coupe shares precious little sheetmetal with the sedan and I'd say its the most attractive 2-door Accord ever.

ericzlot · February 2001

When the engine is cold and I accelerate from a stop the car seems to hesitate before passing 2000RPM. Has anyone else experienced this? Also, when I accelerate from a stop my headlights seem to dim sometimes when the car has been running for a while in traffic. Any ideas would be fantastic! The dealer disavows any knowledge of these problems. I imagine that they will worsen as time goes by...good thing the dealer has three years to fix it beofre my warrany expires.

Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

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