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It has been in twice for alignments and once for the "subframe shift". It has also been in four times for a suspension rattle that no one can seem to find. The sound comes from the right side of the vehicle and is only audible with the windows down at which time it is very loud and noticeable. It is a "loose rattly" sound that resonates off the bottom of the car and happens when I hit small to med. size bumps on the right side. It sounds like something is seriously loose down there. The dealership told me quite frankly that they can't find the problem and really don't know what it is but also told me that it isn't anything to worry about. I'm mechanically inclined so I took a look at the car while it was up on a lift expecting to see that a rubber bushing had worn through on the sway bar mount or something like that. Nothing. The dealership has replaced both sway bar links.
I did file a lemon law on the car and settled with Honda for a comprehensive extended warranty to 100k. (didn't want to get a new car because it would have cost me $ because I filed at 20k miles...you pay for a percentage of the mileage you've driven!).
Any ideas what could be causing this????
Heres the Malfunction Indicator Lamp history:
Honda Accord 1998, LX 4 Cyl
Mileage: 80,000
1. Trip of 1600 miles (almost non-stop), Light comes up
2. Stays for few weeks
3. Trip of 400 miles, light goes off
4. Comes back after 2 weeks.
5. Dealer told me something like replacing exaust system, only thing that was clear in what he said was $1000. I said NO.
6. Goes off for a couple of months in between
7. Drove 2000 miles (non-stop) with the light on.
8. Light goes off in 2 weeks. Light does not come for 5-6 months.
9. Drove that 2000 miles back. Light comes up and stays.
Current Mileage 100,000
I really dont understand what is happening. The car works great. I've never had a single repair on the car so far, just regular maintenance.
Can anyone please advise me what is going on. I think it has something with long drives, but I dont know what. I have done 20k miles with no problems.
I guess you need to give your Accord a long vacation "with pay". It was a little bit too much for a small cute LX I4.
Past messages have suggested premium fuel is okay for normal compression engines: check the message in the Cadillac forum about premium usage.
walterm3 "Cadillac DeVille" Oct 15, 2004 8:40am
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
From the few places I have called, no one has a 5 speed. So I am still looking.
Basically what I was asking was: Does anyone have this problem.
Essentially, I think there could be more than a bushing or sway bar causing rattles that you describe. Maybe you should look at the strut and it's connections.
The service department states that they have checked all of the front suspension components and have no idea what is making the noise. It is definitely more noticeable when it is warm out but seems to disappear entirely when it is cold.
What clutch TSB are you referring to? I haven't heard of that one.
Was the sound your suspension made a severe rattling sound or was it more of a tapping that you could hear from the interior? The reason I ask this is because I had a constant tapping sound that was coming from the rear of the car. The dealership narrowed it down to the top of the passenger side rear strut mount and replaced the strut and ground down the spot welds....same as with your car.
You might mention this to the dealer to see if it's a possible cause.
The other benefit of a removable tuner is that I can use my receiver in my wife's truck also, all I had to do was install the car kit. Also with Sirius, the second subscription is 1/2 price.
I can also use the receiver at home and with the boom box - can't do that with factory installed sattelite radio.
Good luck. Sure would be nice if you could use the factory installed sattelite antenna on the roof.
The car is plagued by numerous squeaks and rattles, including: (a) the windshield issue (sounds like cracking ice, even after windshield was re-sealed by dealer), (b) rubber rubbing sound at door seals (sounds like two pieces of wet rubber rubbing together), (c) rubbing rattles and squeaks in the posts (at least one of which was traced to the shield surrounding the airbag canister), and (d) rattles in the headliner and passenger door panel.
Of course, all of them seem to be intermittent (as in they make noise when I drive the car until a day or so before I'm scheduled to bring the car in for service). Dealer has been cooperative but he can't fix what he can't find.
I also have another problem: freeplay in the stickshift, particularly on the 2-4-6 side of the gearbox. Even with the car in gear, there is still an inch or more of freeplay in the stick in both directions. My dealer says he took it apart and cannot make it any tighter but I think that's BS. I've blown the 1-2 shift a couple of times too when the synchro didn't line up properly and the gears ground.
Anybody else having these problems? My last Honda (a '91 EX-5 spd. sedan) ran like a top from start to finish with only one minor squeak that was quickly fixed. I still love my car but I spend 2 hrs. a day in it and these noises are annoying.
Thanks!
Other squeaks and rattles that were fixed have reappeared.
HOA knows these cars have terrible interior integrity, and they will try to fix stuff until the cows come home. But working on your car will only create more rattles.
They even put a 6 inch stripe in my bumper (replaced at HOA expense) during a trip to the shop. Too many cars in a small space for kid mechanics to be driving around in.
Am afraid that you are stuck with your rattles - I have accepted the fact. Some Honda owners I know have no problems. If you get a "rattler" like we did.....well, that's the risk you take with this car.
After turning my radio off on my last road trip was able to identify 5 different rattles from dash and door panels. Have decided this is not the car for me and will be replacing it. I am fortunate that at this point in life the monetary loss will not affect my standard of living, would probably replace the car even if it did.
I have a 05 EX-V6 ACCORD. Do the heated seats come on automatically or is there a setting?
My car color is Pearl Graphite. It seems to always to be dusty Is this a color problem or my envirornment?
Thank You
Ralph
Also, in case you're not aware, the passenger side heats only the seat cushion, not the seatback. This is because heaters in the passenger seatback would compromise the functionality of the sensors that turn the side airbag off when the passenger is "out of position".
This assumes that the functionality of the heated seats hasn't changed from 2003 to 2005... I believe that's the case.
Don't know about your color question.
One time, I rode in a 2001 Accord LX with MT driven by a friend, and noticed how rough the ride as the clutch is released. I guess this rough drive is normal for Accord owners.
Also, I came across a discussion group for Volkswagen/Audi car drivers and many complained about their springy clutches. One mentioned that he had mastered a workaround -- by controlling the leg muscle as the clutch is released.
For those of you who are contemplating on buying an Accord with manual transmission, do your test drive thoroughly. Observe how smooth or rough you accelerate as you change gears from 1st to 2nd, and 2nd to 3rd. Focus on the momentum of the car as you release the clutch after shifting to 2nd gear or 3rd gear. Do this on a busy traffic, not just around the dealer's lot.
I really hate my Accord 2003 MT -- too heavy and weak that even an old Dodge Neon can outrun it from a stop light.
I suggest you stick with you automatics.
The TSB I am referring to is #02-002 March 16th 2004
I can send it to you if you like. Basically if you press your clutch pedal down and it clicks or is otherwise not smooth on the way to the floor then there may be a problem.
Either that applies to yours or you may need a new 5 speed!?
The shop lead mechanic drove our Odyssey with me, and noted it right away and said he had seen it before. (In addition, we had a loose hood release cable on the driver's side that rattled when we got above 35mph which he knew right away was missing something which secures it in place).
Anyway, yes evidently there was grinding of the spot welds and lubrication before re-assembly, and it has been quiet ever since.
Regards,
I saw this when trying to order from the Honda website. how can they charge this? Can that be correct? if this is true, I'll stick with the old one.
Does anyone else think this is unfair? I can understand charging for this first one, but after that its just updating a few roads. I am seriously upset about this.
Here's a page with PDFs (Adobe Acrobat will open them for free) detailing how to remove your stock radio so you can determine the cause of the problem.
http://www.installdr.com/InstallDocs/Honda/Accord.html
"ramida: You have posted a version of this post in several forums."
Not several, just ONE --see comment from pat HOST Oct 07, 2004 (9:52 am)
"Hi ramida - you did the right thing when you found our Problems discussion and reposted there..."
Now to [luvmyaccord5sp]'s message:
"If there is any type of hesitation or stutter it is either when the clutch is getting dumped too quickly or there is not enough RPMs... that's mine any how."
This hesitation or stutter is exactly what pisses me off, when it happens. But this is only half of the problem. Even if the clutch is not dumped too quickly and there is enough RPM (at least 3000), the RELEASE of the clutch after shifting to the 2nd gear is a pain to make it right all the time! It does not create a smooth drive as I want it to be. It's okay maybe 85% of the time, but 15% of the time, this Accord stutters or hesitates because of the unintuitive nature of this clutch. This could be an isolated case, but I have seen another poster/driver [jason9450] complain about the same problem.
As [isellhondas] RUDELY implies in another post, there could be a problem with the driver [pointing to me or jason]. I've been driving sticks for at least 12 years and my experience tells me that this Accord LX 03 manual clutch sucks (when RELEASED after shifting to the 2nd gear; no problem with the other gears).
I'm bringing this lemon again to my dealer.
ramida
I had to learn how to deal with this clutch. Basically by letting it slip more than I was used to with other cars. If you have your RPM's up to 2K-3K and you don't ease off of it slow enough then for some reason this i-VTEC takes a nose dive and almost stalls!!! Maybe because there is not enough pedal travel?! She has lots of mid-high end torque but doesn't do well in the lower end when load is applied.
If this is what you are dealing with then yes, it's a Honda trait and I feel for you! I had forgotten how much I hated that stutter.
-D
This car is sort of a 3rd car that I use around the neighborhood area to keep miles off the 2 primary cars. (a 98 Chev. Prizm and a 2004 Accord EX-L Sedan)
My first thought is to take it to the dealer and tell them to permanently get rid of SPORT mode but I still have the problem of it not shifting now. Or would eliminating SPORT mode (which it is stuck in) fix the problem.
Anyone know anything about this?
Thanks
Hope you are able to get your issues resolved.
Hi luvmyaccord5sp, you got it -- thanks! Your workaround is my workaround too, but I hate it! Aside from its tiring effect on my left leg, it could adversely effect the longevity of the clutch!
Honda trait? :-) Lousy Honda!
ramida
Sorry, ramida
VEDDY FWUSTWATED! :-)
Thanks for the help.
Glad it's the same issue. I have got it down now where I don't need to let the clutch slip as much... really i only do it if I am trying to accelerate hard. I tend to agree with you on your point about extra wear and tear on the car and your leg. I kinda look like one side of me has been hitting the gym. One other point worth making... I had 6 mo. prior experience on a manual, you have had 12 years, so your style is probably hardwired into you a bit more than mine. So I think this puts it to bed... your not crazy!!! And neither am I.
Mmhtv:
I 100% agree with the precision comment of this transmition! My buddies Chevy feels like there are marshmallows under his pedal!
FYI I have a 2005 lined up with a 5 speed gear box for a test drive! hehehe time to see if Honda managed to fix that excessive motor vibration when under load problem. If they did, watch out cuz I want mine fixed too!!!!! Normal vibration my butt!
How the heck did air (if this is the case) end up in my brake lines?! Any thoughts on this one? No brake work has been done other than having the pads replaced months ago.
is this normal? and when everything goes dim like my lights i hear the fan to the ac slow down too
is this a bad alternater?
i just changed the battery cause i was stranded but i havent had problems since