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Maybe the best way not to have Honda trouble is to buy a Ford (or if you read the Edmunds site, a C-Class Mercedes). Do that and it's unlikely the Honda will appear to be such a troublesome experience after all....Richard
I've transitioned out of necessity from a '94LX 2DR 5spd MT, to an '02LX 4Dr with/4spd AT.
I know the coupe weighed less by about 300lbs, and the '02 at 150HP has about 20HP more than my '94 did, but we are talking AT vs. MT here so I know I can't expect the same experience w.r.t. acceleration.
In addition, my AT experience is a bit skewed by a 5spd AT in an '03ODY with 240HP.
So - I need to calibrate my expectations as to what is suitable shifting and acceleration in the '02, because the '94 with the manual, and the '03ODY with the extra HP (and extra gear) are throwing me a bit off...
Any info so I can determine if the '02 is shifting where and when it should would be helpful. thanks.
Also, at about 40-50 mph, I feel a "roughness" coming through the accelerator pedal. It usually happens on hilly roads. Is this the transmission?
And, finally, sometimes I hear a grinding noise when braking, usually after the car has been sitting for awhile. Is this normal?
Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
jrock80: What exactly is happening with your transmission that makes you sure it is failing? Did the transmission fail on your 2003 Accord? What were the symptoms?
So since then we have owned 9 new Hondas. None of them have been the disasters that you guys have had but we have gotten rid of 3 of them for various issues that we just didn't like. Sure it cost money to do it, but as Anony said, if you hate something that much, why are you keeping it around? I mean I got rid of a 2001 EX-V6 because I didn't like the way the transmission shifted. It was in perfect operating condition though. I just didn't like it. I didn't come in here accusing Honda of making crappy cars though. Not even a couple months ago when we got rid of our 04 EX-L for the same reason.
Sorry if I hit a nerve on the $$$ sentence. But if you'd read a couple posts before that, someone said that getting rid of the car was not an option because of the depreciation hit. That sounded to me like they didn't have the cash or at the least they didn't dislike the car enough to get rid of it. And if the latter is the case, quit yer [female dog]in'.
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notice, when i complain about my car, i don't blame anyone in here. heck, i don't even post my complaints to a specific person in here. it blows my mind that a select few in here feel the need to make personal comments, when they weren't asked for their feedback in any way, shape, or form.
we have to admit it - there are some "personalities" in here that don't mesh. i won't name names - but isn't the adult thing to do to just ignore those that are begging for an online altercation? been down the same road over and over again with the same people. enough is enough. i won't be replying to certain people. be offended or not. now STOP COMPLAINING about my complaining!
and jrock - i know what you mean. having to have a transmission replaced, but on their terms, not yours, gives you an easy feeling. also, it is such a huge component in the car, it makes you wonder if it will ever be "right". kind of like getting in an accident - you know when you get the car out of the body shop, it is never truly the same. i am hoping and chanting that they will find no issues and just give me the stupid oil jet kit thingy.
Some of us want to know what things do go wrong. It helps the next time I'm shopping for a car. Coworkers often discuss their car shopping. I want to hear what failures/deficiencies are occuring.
I want to find time to do a search to reread some posts from the past. There have been posters who claimed they never had any problems with Hondas. But now they finally admit that there were things about the car they didn't like and/or had trouble with. I only get concerned with opinions when they start getting hypocritical when someone else does choose to share their problems.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
My dealer did a great job of taking care of the problem, and of course Acura extended the warranty to 7/100. But that did not really put me at ease, knowing full well that it would [not might] happen again. Many CL owners have had their trannys replaced 2-4 times. Two months later I traded it in, and I have never looked back.
Almost 2 years later, I see that Honda is still having transmission problems on several of their product lines, leads me to scratching Honda off of my buying list.
So after 3-4 years of transmission problems how does Honda manage to keep their stellar reputation in tact?? Maybe they're NOT. Nissan has bumped them down to the #3 slot over in Japan.
justing: I am honestly not sure what "trouble in paradise" you are referring to but if there were trouble in paradise do you think we would keep buying Hondas? Seriously. Currently our plans are for a TL, TSX, or maybe even an RL when our leased Odyssey and Accord go back. Or we may just keep this Accord and buy a 2006 or 2007 Odyssey.
And that's what this discussion is for.
Yes, people do get a bit overwrought and make sweeping statements about Honda in general.
But you and your S.O. have a tendency to question and criticize even when people are very careful to limit their issues to their specific vehicle.
It really makes for an oppressive atmosphere on this board, and I think it makes it even more difficult for people to "let go" of their issues.
I am a owner of 2000 Accord EX.
Recently i found out that if i cold start the car, i need to press the gas pedal really hard to
make it move forward. But once it's moving, i no longer need to press hard.
Does anyone here have the similar experience?
What seems the problem? Thanks.
That's what the manual says, so I had the oil changed because the car was one year old. Acids and other contaminants that build up in engine oil should be drained after a time, so that must be why Honda says to change the oil after one year of "normal" use no matter what the mileage is.
So, I believe it's safe to say that more damage (if any) could be done running with old, break-in oil than running with new oil that wasn't the original break-in formula. I'm no engineer and it would be interesting to hear PROFESSIONAL opinion on this.
The manual also says to use 5-20 oil--that's what my Honda dealer said they did and it follows the instructions in the owner's manual.
In addition, there is a special "crush washer" that is to be replaced so the drain plug in the oil pan will seal without over-tightening. That was noted on my invoice along with the 5-20 description, so I assume the dealer did everything the way it's supposed to be done. Of course, unless you get under the car with the mechanic you never know what they're doing or not doing.
I'll add here that I used my dealer rather than Jiffy Lube or equivalent because the local Honda dealer (San Francisco Honda) has an express oil service that costs the same or less and the dealer knows what the Honda Accord requires. That service is also available on Sundays--a great convenience, I think.
There are lots of opinions regarding oil; however, the best choice is to follow the advice of the people who built and tested the car......Richard
i guess i could have taken it to a Jiffy type place, but wasn't sure they would have the Honda filter washers.
anyway, i have a feeling my dealer was just being weird. i don't see how you could have messed your car up by getting an oil change at almost 4k miles. its not like these are running on special synthetic oil from the factory like Vettes and Porsche.
When you requested your first oil change, how old was your car? Was it one year old yet?......Richard
they (my dealer) were REALLY against changing it that early.
but again, they haven't proven to me that they know much about cars period, so who knows how much weight their opinion should have.
I have a 2003 Accord EX 4-cylinder sedan. I have the rattle in the driver's side front corner of the sunroof. What is the fix? IS there a fix?
Also, at about 40-50 mph, I feel a "roughness" coming through the accelerator pedal. It usually happens on hilly roads. Is this the transmission?
And, finally, sometimes I hear a grinding noise when braking, usually after the car has been sitting for awhile. Is this normal?
Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I think your dealer was being honest with you--they could have made a few bucks charging you for an oil change you didn't need, but they didn't do that.
The '04 Accord owner's manual is clear about keeping the break-in oil in the engine for 10,000 miles or one year, whichever comes first.
So, your car was only 3 to 4 months old--too soon to change the break-in oil even for a car driven under more extreme conditions which most cars are not.
If you were driving in extreme heat or making short trips in winter (where condensation builds in the engine oil), then I think the manual recommends changing the oil at 5,000 miles or 6 months.
I think your dealer did you a favor by telling you an oil change for your car was too soon.
Happy driving!.....Richard
I am experiencing the exact same problem as in post 953 of this group. Alt light flickers, goes away with higher revs (sometimes), went off and on seemingly randomly during the last trip I needed to make. I personally installed a car amp with a 60A fuse a few weeks ago, but disconnected the cables as soon as the alt light flickered on which was recent. There was some belt squeal awhile back but that was short-lived and went away also. Judging from the response to post 953, I'd like to try and replace the brushes, brush holder, and insulator before forking out the cash for an entirely new alternator. Haven't gotten a chance to look since it's dark out (no garage), but does anyone know if I can do this without removing the alt (which seems like it would be a pain according the the service manual)? Also, do you think the amplifier draw (driving full range speaks only, no sub) or perhaps the short-lived belt squeal caused or contributed to the demise of my alternator? Any suggestions, comments would be welcome. I understand car audio a little better than I do car mechanics, but am hoping to learn from those more "seasoned"
BTW, the car is a 90' LX with 155K. 4 Gauge wire runs through the firewall to the amp in the trunk and it is grounded with 4 gauge under the rear seat. The amp is doing what it is supposed to and a trip to Auto Zone along with some preliminary (and very basic) multimeter testing by me confirmed that my alt is being finicky. Thanks!
You'll have to pull that alternator in order to replace those parts. After 155,000 miles it probably has other worn parts too such as bearings etc.
I would just replace it with a QUALITY remanufactured unit.
Adding that amp may have caused a already tired alternator to give out.
The battery charge light came and went away like my 89 Accord at 142K. Take that as a warning sign.
I ignored it and stranded on a highway. The car completely lost all power. Luckily enough, I was able to pull over to the break-down lane.
The alternator has probably been assassinated by the extra current drain. You might want to consider a higher amperage replacement when you do replace it.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I called Honda dealers (since I read that it was a possibility in the older post I mentioned and the first one told me that no repair kits of any kind existed and he couldn't even order me any alternator parts. He did however offer to sell me a $250 alternator...no thanks. The next offered to order the parts for me ($40 for the brush assembly) and was very pleasant, but I wanted to finish this all ASAP. Called some local auto electronics places and after a struggle identifying which exact brushes I needed, I ended going to "The Clark-Son Co., Inc" in New Haven, CT. Very helpful and I got 4 new brushes at their minimum allowed charge....$10!
My battery is set to charge overnight and running a massive load to check things out before (Hi-beams, A/C to max, wipers going, and my stereo up beyond normal volume, the alternator was holding its ground.
If you have a multimeter, some instruction from Auburn and some patience for finding your problem and parts...it's amazing what even a novice can do. $10 vs $175 ($100 alt + $75 labor), thank you Auburn and townhall archives...
Isellhondas - nope, didn't have to pull it. The back shield comes off by taking out two plugs and about 5 screws...no biggie. The bearings seemed fine and the diode pack checked out a-ok. Go nippon denso! The brushes were VERY worn down, but it had been 155K miles. I too think the increased load contributed to the alternator cycling more and wearing down the brushes a wee faster. But its a $10 job that requires about 15 mins of work...if I do it every year its still worth it to me.
chucko3 - Anytime a light decides to make its presence known on the accord I generally take heed right away. As opposed to my experiences in American cars, when an idiot light goes on...something is very wrong somewhere.
imadazol - Actually from what I saw, that is not an entirely true statement. Some smaller output alternators make more power at lower RPMs. If you check around, it seems more important to carefully match the alternator and pulley to the situation that it will be most utilized in. I was trying to find a link quickly but I forget where I saw some good articles.
gee35 - I was very careful to keep the battery charged when possible and I did not use anything more than the bare minimum of accessories while driving. A good battery can take about 6 total dishcharges (unless you are lucky enough to have a yellow top or similar deep cycle battery) from what I saw before it bites the dust. I expect mine to survive.
Mainly I was distressed that nearly everyone I called said no one bothers to fix alternators anymore. Especially when a little time and patience is all that is required to determine what is ACTUALLY causing the problem. I don't know, I like troubleshooting, learning, and then fixing the problem myself. This board has made that very possible time and time again.
Happy motoring all!
Of course, given today's labor rates, it often doewsn't make financial sense anyway.
Of course, given today's labor rates, it often doewsn't make financial sense anyway."
Not to mention "modular" design. My favorite was the '97 Olds Cutlass that I had just prior to my first Accord. For the record, that was the only domestic car that I've owned in almost 30 years, and it will be the last I ever own.
Anyway, the climate control used the fairly standard 3 knob approach, but the mode control moved very stiffly, which resulted in the knob breaking in fairly short order. Well, it turned out that Olds only sold the climate control panel, including the knobs, as a modular unit. So instead of being able to buy a knob that would probably sell for a couple of bucks that you could easily replace yourself, you'd have to buy a whole climate control panel assembly for around $225, NOT including labor.
Fortunately there was another problem with that panel, so Olds replaced the whole thing under warranty. But I couldn't help but think about what you'd do if one of those knobs broke after the warranty had expired. A trip to the junkyard, I guess...
The old days are gone...
A bit upset as we have a 93 civic coupe that has never had a single problem in 179k miles. Didn't realise Honda quality had taken a turn for the worse. I will never trade in our 93 civic (even under my wife's protests, especially in summer as it has no A/C!)......im sure my son who is now 2 will be enjoying this mechanical marvel when he is 16.....it still drives like new.
According to specs, those wider tires are 0.3 inches shorter in diameter.
Am i asking for potential troubles to mix them up?
And on either FWD or RWD, the tires with better traction (hence, wider) would be at the rear to mitigate spinout.
Some cars like the Corvette, S2000, M3 and of course the tail-heavy 911 have 2-size tires, with wider tires at back, but they're all RWD. Which is a good thing, because the rears would be providing both forward and lateral traction.
Which begs the question, why put wider tires on a FWD car if they'll just be on the back ?
I'd go for the same size all around for the FWD Accord, with the newer tires on the rear.
The service team at Gladstone Thomason Honda in Oregon were excellent. Fixed everything, did 2 software updates and a recall problem regarding a coolant hose that might pop off. Replaced the stereo, rubber door stripping, and replaced a part in the front suspension that was making the weird noise up front.
Honda paid for the rental car overnight and the service manager even gave us a voucher for a free oil change. They needed to drive our accord around a bit to hear the front suspension noise as it was raining hard all day so they filled up our gas tank. Also topped off our coolant which was near the min. level.
Nicest bunch of people you will ever meet and all paid for by Honda. Cheers. Makes me want to get the Honda extended care package even tho it is a complete rip-off!
We just picked up our new '04 EX V6 and I have to say, it's just an excellent feeling car.
There are two little things I've noticed though and would like to ask about:
1. there is a slight "strange" feel in the first 1 inch of the brake pedal. I can't tell if the pedal is rubbing/squeaking - or if it's basically going through 1 inch of loose travel and then "hitting" its first resistance. But it does make a noise. Does anyone else's do this?
2. there seems to be a fair amount of distortion in the windshield glass at the bottom inch or so - especially on the passenger side. It's the 1/2-1 inch just above where the black checked pattern is on the bottom of the glass. There is bit of this in our Odyssey's windshield too, but not nearly as much. Is this common on the Accord?
Thanks in advance for any answers.
-n
Sitting normally and looking over the hazard light button, through the window, at the bottom so you're looking "over" the hood - that's the area. It's actually about 2 inches of glass (just looks like an inch vertically because of the angle). Quite noticeable though.
Is this common/normal for this piece of glass? If not, is this something I should try to have addressed (if they will address it)?
I've always been hesitant to mess with a factory installed windshield unless absolutely necessary. I've had two replaced (for cracking) in previous cars, and both either had seals fail, or rusted around the windshield after several years.
-n