If it is true then I am going to be a very unhappy Honda camper, since I spend most of my driving time on such crowning roads. Is there any highway in the US that didn't built with crowning??. Also, why the car not pulling to the right on inner lanes where the crowning is in opposite to the outer lanes. I have also noticed that when a crowned road is curving the car give an impression of being not stable within the curve.
I've got about the same number of miles on a '97 SE with the 4 cylinder engine. I've not experienced any of your problems until recently. In fact, the car was pretty much bulletproof until about 70,000 miles. Then the Engine Control Module went south (took almost two months to get the part and to get it installed). A few months later the upper radiator hose started leaking (part not in stock). Then the radiator started leaking (I suspect the pressure test for the upper coolant hose leak killed the radiator and the part was not in stock). The the front wheel bearings went. Then the right wheel hub and bearing went. All were covered under the extended warranty that I purchased when we bought the car.
Of the things you mention, the water pump going at 40K is the only thing that I see as being out of the norm. My water pump was still fine when it was replaced with the timing belt earlier this year.
My driver's side window is getting really slow and I should try to lube it. There's a funny noise in the front suspension when slowly going over speed bumps.
Personally, I'd mark it all down to just owning a ten year old car. I suspect when I get past these couple of issues, we'll have a another long quiet period.
Oh, I'm using Mobil 1 (5w-30 along with a Pure One filter) and our engine really has no discernible oil consumption between changes (5,000 mile change interval which equals every 3 months).
Check out post number 631 from the "Volkswagen Passat Owners: Problems & Solutions" forum. That's the worst story I've ever heard (short of an engine fire) about a car still under it's factory warranty. Wow.
last week during a routine oil change, my honda dealer found a leak in the drivers side muffler (2 really small holes).
i was advised to replace it with an estimate of almost $350. i declined at that time, but was told i shud get it done asap.
i also showed it to 2 other people one of which said it was a weep hole and was required since the passenger side muffler didnt have one. the other guy said it WAS a leak and because the passenger side muffler didnt have one, i need to get it replaced.
i went to another honda dealer. he said that there were 3 holes that signified rusting. but when i asked him whether the driver side muffler should have a weep hole or not, he said he wasnt sure. estimate from him was almost the same.
now my questions:
1. whats going on here ? who's right ?
2. if i need to get it fixed, dealer - 350, independent - 250. which one is a better option ?
please help. im not very familiar with mufflers and whats the right answer here.
The difference between a punched weep hole and a ragged rust hole should be pretty obvious. Either way, if the exhaust noise is okay, why bother changing anything? If the exhaust is too loud, then by all means get new mufflers but I'd use a muffler shop instead of a Honda dealer.
Water is a by-product of the combustion process and many cars have a steady trickle of water coming from their exhausts. Water collects in the mufflers and promotes corrosion. Many muffler shops will ask you if you want a tiny weep hole punched in your new muffler so that the water drains instead of accumulating. Not a big deal.
there are three holes just above the bottom seam of the muffler. atleast two of them look punched to me (coz they're proper round). however there is discoloration around 2 of them which again makes me believe its coz of the rust as ive been told.
the independent shop warranties the muffler for a year and the labour for 90 days. the dealer warranties the muffler for as long as i own the car (both muffler and labour). apparently this is a standard honda warranty on all mufflers.
all the quotes i have are just for the one muffler - the drivers side one.
I just bought a 2005. Does anyone have problems w/the idle? It seems when I first start the car, while it's warming up, the idle goes way up and down, making the car lurch forward a bit.
Oh good, its not just my imagination - somebody else with the same concern !! I just bought a 2005 EX-L and noticed the same thing as well - sometimes when I start (especially if its cold) the idle is high for just a few seconds, and if I start driving immediately my car also "lurches forward" a little. Usually if I wait just a few seconds OR of I just push down on the gas a touch while the car is in Park, the idle goes back to normal.
Now the question : is this "normal - just part of the engine warming up" - or should I get the dealer to look at it ?
Am having brake problems with my 2000 accord v6, hope someone else has some similar experiences
When I brake very lightly at low speed, as when coasting up to a stop, I am hearing a "creaking" noise from the front end, loud and in sync with the turning of the wheels. Increasing pressure on the brake pedal slightly usually stops noise. I am not feeling anything in the pedal or the steering wheel when this happens, but sound is very easy to hear.
I have had a shop i trust check it out, he had 3 of his mechanics check everything out and he says all is good, car is safe to drive and i just have "noisy brakes", that this is not uncommon with Honda after the rotors have been turned as part of a brake job.
Anyway, if this sounds familiar to anyone out there, I would much appreciate to hear from you as right now I am unsure what to do next. This is my fifth honda, and have never had problems like this before.
My wife 01 Accord Coupe EX V6 is on its third transmission. The first started leaking and the dealer couldn't fix it and was replaced at 27K. The second transmission shifted harshly and towards the end it started to hesitate getting into 2nd from 1st gear and was replaced at 67K. Well the third transmission has about 5K miles on it and seem to be shifting better than first two. Gotta get rid of this car before the extended 100K milles warranty is up.
Good luck.
FOR SALE 01 ACCORD COUPE EX V6 in exc condition...
We have a 2003 Honda Accord with 41,000 + miles and it is very quiet. What noise are you talking about? There are no "Creaks or Rattles. Maybe it is the way you operate this vehicle.
Some people do not believe that there is a problem with the Accord V6 automatic transmission. Honda needs to redesign this unit! We purchased a 2003 Accord with a 4 cylinder engine, because we read about the problems with the V6 Accord on the "net". We have 41,000+ miles on the clock, and no problems with the entire vehicle. (The automatic trans fluid has been drained twice. We requested this service from the dealer as part of our own preventive maintenance program.) We will stay with the 4 cylinder model. Yes, Honda does build a quality product, but this transmission issue needs to be corrected in the manufacturing process. This whole issue is an embarrassment for Honda!
I have a squeeky noise from the roof of 04 ex accord. Its been in for service 5 times. But the problem is not fixed. The noise is intermittent. Factory rep is coming in a few days and will see him. What should I do? I am also thinking about lemon lawsuit? Any suggestions!
You're probably out of luck regarding using your state's Lemon Law for a squeak. Many if not all states limit their lemon laws to conditions which effect the safety or use of the vehicle.
No doubt that part of your problem is that the technicians working on your squeak aren't skilled enough to find and correct it. Hopefully, your Service Manager isn't being stubborn and assigning the same technician each time you return. The Honda rep may know of a technician in your area who is particularly good at fixing your type of problem - ask him. If that other dealer is too far away to visit, get the other technician's name and phone number and give it to your Service Manager so they can call for advice.
Even though the '04 EX model didn't have side-curtain airbags, I still don't think I'd trade. At least not for $4,900! There is zero guaranty that an '05 model wouldn't have the same, or even different, squeaks and rattles. For example, my '05 Accord went through a brief spell with the "cracking ice" sound from the driver's A-pillar (went away on it's own after a week).
If I were in your shoes, I'd stick with it even if I had to find and fix the squeak myself. Hopefully, the Honda rep will be able to help you when he sees your car.
I also have that problem. Man are these cars going downhill or what? I can not believe how disappointed I am with my brand new 2005 EXL only 700 miles on it took delivery 11/17/04. What a rattle trap all from the headliner/visor/windshield/pillar area up front inside.
True but the burden of proof is on the plaintiff, not the defense. It would be up to the car owner to prove that a particular squeak or rattle compromises the safety or use of the vehicle as defined by state statutes, no?
After all, it's not a "Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back" law.
I don't know if this will help, but we just got our 04 EX V6 coup's rattle-squeak repaired at our Honda dealer. We thought the noise was coming from the headliner, but it turned out to be coming from the A-pillar, a bracket and tweeter on the left side of the dash. The noise was most frequent in colder temperatures when the humidity was low. It is now two weeks and the noise seems to be gone. The folks at Martin Honda followed an excellent problem solving procedure that enabled then to pinpoint the problems and then repair them.
The lemon law in my state also provided for "loss of value" to the vehicle. My cracking noise was so irritating that no one with normal hearing would have bought it.
The area rep will probably be genuinely interested in fixing your problem. He is your last line of defense - be sure and approach him with a good attitude. Most get yelled at after 5 visits to the shop to fix a problem.
Unfortunately, Honda sees this as "just a noise" so other than trying to fix it forever - you'll get no reparations from HOA.
You can view my past messages about my efforts to get this fixed "pre - TSB" and experiences with the BBB help line (it really works but it takes time that you may not have). No need bringing it up again.....
We have a 2003 Honda Accord with 41,000 + miles and it is very quiet. What noise are you talking about? There are no "Creaks or Rattles. Maybe it is the way you operate this vehicle.
---------------
How does the way you operate the vehicle (other than hitting potholes) determine whether or not your vehicle rattles? In my trips back to the dealer with my 2003 Accord, I have driven several 2003 & 2004 Accords and Civics as loaners (all with < 5k miles). Some were tight and rattle-free; others were not. When products are mass-produced, not every one is perfect.
From what I've read in your posts, you take very good care of your car. I am truly happy that your car is still solid--but not all are. Mine is not. I had noises from A-pillars, glove box, window regulators, door panel, sunroof, stereo panel, bin under stereo, etc. Many of of these appeared at 10k-15k miles. My car now has 48k miles and most of these have been fixed, but a couple still remain. I take care of my car and avoid as many potholes as I can, but I live in Indiana--smooth roads are hard to find.
Before I bought my 2003 Accord, my previous Accords (1985 & 1989) went well over 200k miles. When you drive older cars, you tend to listen for anything that doesn't sound quite right. Unfortunately, that means I hear every little noise. My previous cars were still pretty tight--not perfect, but pretty solid--even after 200k miles.
I have complete faith that the driveline in the 2003 will hold up for many years. But it is the interior that has been substantially cheapened (in terms of assembly *quality*). For years, Honda had a clean, simple 1- or 2-piece dashboard. Now there are several panels. The interiors used to be screwed together, but now everything is held together with 2-cent plastic clips. Add this to the fact that the interior is more insulated from road and engine noise than previous Accords, and it is no wonder some/many owners have noticed rattles.
Other than the noises, I like my car. It is comfortable for 4 people, gets 35mpg on the highway, and will cruise effortlessly at 80mph all day long. I have been in some other cars recently (Intrepid, Jaguar X-type, Cavalier, Malibu, others), and the Accord is quieter than most, but noises are still annoying and ruin an otherwise enjoyable experience. Good luck to everyone in their attempts to eliminate noises and rattles.
I also have a 2003 V6 Accord Coupe. For about a year I also had that creaking and pop thru the drivers side A pillar. It seemed to be affected by the temperature and humidity. Going over certain bumps would make a rattling sound around that area. I went to 3 dealerships to try and get it fixed. Concord, San Francisco, and Dublin. Dublin Honda got it fixed whereas the other two dealerships couldn't. I think the technician was very good. During the ride with him he knew exactly what sound I was hearing. He told me I would need to leave the car for an extra day because I came in late. Well it took 4 days and Honda paid for a rental for me. The technician told me he had to remove the windshield and unweld something. Whatever he did it worked!!! I haven't had a pop or rattle from there for about 2 months. I am finally fully happy with my purchase. So my advice is try a different dealership because I think in San Francisco the got sick of not finding the cause that they really never looked for a cause. Whereas Dublin Honda the tech knew what to look for.
With regards to the issues with the 2003 Accord that you have stated, I find that these conditions seem to be with the V6 model, rather than the 4 cylinder model. Could it be the extra weight in the vehicle that is causing a problem in the vehicle, especially when going over bumps? Maybe the vehicle was not built strong enough to carry the extra weight of the drive train! Maybe what the V6 owners are experiencing is a flexing of the Accord body! Personally, I do not like the body style of the 2003 Accord. We had a 2000 4 door Accord on a 3 year lease, and I liked that body style much better. If you look at some of my other postings about the 2003, you will see that I have some issues with the body style. On one side, I really like the quality of the Honda vehicles, but on the other side, I do not think that Honda tested the prototype of this vehicle properly prior to putting it into production. On a long trip, the seats are too hard! Even with a power driver's seat, there needs to be some improvement in this area of the vehicle. I would assume that there will be a body change in 2006, which is just about the time that we will have 100,000 miles on this vehicle. At that point in time we will take a long hard look at the "NEW" Accord, especially in the areas of seating comfort and visibility. If the issues still exist, then we will probably look at the GM line and possibly Toyota, if they get their "act" in order? Chrysler is not even in the running,(too many problems with engines, suspension and transmissions), and Ford is a "possibility"! When you look at the new car offerings and factor into the issue "Quality" the choice is limited. Do a search on any vehicle on the "net" and you will see customers who have problem vehicles. Some might have abused their vehicle, but some vehicle owners are just stuck with lemons. Some manufacturers think that a 1% failure rate is acceptable, but when you think about it, 1% of 100,000 units is 1,000 vehicles! That is a lot of vehicles on the road with problem transmissions, ball joints, head gaskets, steering issues and electrical problems. And on top of that, these owners are making monthly payments on vehicles that they cannot drive, or that they do not enjoy. But it is our own fault as consumers, because we keep making excuses for the manufacturer, and we keep purchasing their poorly designed products. Remember, the people with the "money" have the power, as we as consumers have the "power", because we make the monthly payments. Without us, the banks or the car dealerships would not be in business. They need us!
Rattle free operation isn't the exclusive domain of the 4-cyl Accord. I have a 2003 Accord V6 with 24,000 miles and it is very quiet.
And clearly, many of the complaints about creaking and other noises on this forum are coming from owners of 4-cyl Accords, not just from owners of V6 Accords. Here's a sampling...
And Honda has issued 2 TSBs for rattles and creaking that apply to both 4-cyl and V6 Accords.
03-018 - Rattle From the Rear Shelf
03-058 - Creaking or Popping When Accelerating and Decelerating
So a little research demonstrates very clearly that it's inaccurate to claim that creaking and noise problems among Accords are limited to the V6 models. The truth of the matter is that, unfortunately, some units of the 4-cyl Accord also suffer from these problems.
I was hoping that Honda had fixed some of these concerns. I am afraid that some of your cars may be experiencing the infamous popping noise that affected V6 models produced in Feb. and Mar. /03. The only proper fix for this is a re-weld of the floorpan/firewall area.
Do a search for popping noise or check my post #6616 from Jan. 7/04
A creaking or popping when accelerating and decelerating
I don't recall that the people commenting about creaking said that it only occured with flexing of the engine cradle and the main body during acceleration or deceleration. They seemed to be saying it just occured with typical road driving.
My 2004 cpe is a lot noiser than the 4 dr 91 sedan. The cpe has 8000, the sedan had 230,000. This new one is a rattle trap that makes noise all the time. The ride is not as smooth in the 2004 and it only has 8000. I have no idea why is is such a sad car. All my other new cars i have purchased have lasted forever. Not these newer ones i am guessing. The dealer put me in a Ford loaner car and it is quiet, rides well and i do not even like fords.
The Coupe is somewhat more bumpy than the sedan due to the stronger suspensions. My V6 EX 2002 is smoother than my son's V6 EX 2003. I dont feel comforatble to drive the coupe.
i have a 91 honda acoord and while in park it idles real high then real low i was wondering if anyone has any ideas on what is wrong with it i appreciate the feed back
The coupe's wheelbase is 2.8 inches shorter than the 4 door's. That alone would make the ride and handling characteristics of the coupe a bit choppier than the 4 door's.
On overall build quality of the 7th vs 6th gen Accords, having owned both, there are definitely more rattles and other bugs in the 7th.
As Honda crams more new features into cars, it needs more R & D, testing and other resources to approach zero-defect as it once did with older, simpler cars.
It's interesting that in a recent (Dec 04) survey on initial quality, Honda vehicles show less defects than Acura. Conversely, Toyota products show predictably more defects than Lexus. Honda however has less defects overall than Toyota.
As I stated uptopic, my 2003 Accord EX V6 sedan, even though it was built two model years ago, is virtually silent as well. Fortunately for me, not all 2003 Accords were affected by this issue.
But if only it were true that rattles and creaking were limited to the 2003 model year. Unfortunately, a quick perusal of recent posts shows complaints about rattles and squeaks from owners of 2004 and 2005 Accords. So it seems that the issue isn't completely under control even now.
I don't think it affects all Accord's. I think when you sell 370K-400K Accord's a year there is going to be problems. However, I don't remember as many complaints for rattling/creaking for 98-02 Accord's than they are for 03-05 Accord's. There is like 5-8 people on this board with the rattling/creaking problem on 03-05 Accord's.
I know a few people who have 03-04 Accord's at my work and nobody has said anything about rattling/creaking problems.
I hope Honda works out these rattling/creaking issue's on the next generation Accord's and puts more thought into the exterior styling. I have slammed Honda for over 2 years with the 03 Accord bodstyle on these boards. I think they made a mistake with the current exterior design of the Accord. The 98 Accord looked better in my opinion than the current generation does.
I don't think a rattling/reaking is a big deal but it is a big deal when the service department cannot fix it. It has to be annoying hearing that sound all the time.
I know a few people who have 03-04 Accord's at my work and nobody has said anything about rattling/creaking problems.
I have ridden with people that have rattles and creaks in their cars. I ask how do you stand that noise? Most say what noise? I don't think the average person even notices the little creaks and squeaks that some cars have..
Comments
Thanks for you input
Thanks everyone...
Of the things you mention, the water pump going at 40K is the only thing that I see as being out of the norm. My water pump was still fine when it was replaced with the timing belt earlier this year.
My driver's side window is getting really slow and I should try to lube it. There's a funny noise in the front suspension when slowly going over speed bumps.
Personally, I'd mark it all down to just owning a ten year old car. I suspect when I get past these couple of issues, we'll have a another long quiet period.
Oh, I'm using Mobil 1 (5w-30 along with a Pure One filter) and our engine really has no discernible oil consumption between changes (5,000 mile change interval which equals every 3 months).
i have a 98 accord v6 coupe with 55k miles on it.
last week during a routine oil change, my honda dealer found a leak in the drivers side muffler (2 really small holes).
i was advised to replace it with an estimate of almost $350. i declined at that time, but was told i shud get it done asap.
i also showed it to 2 other people one of which said it was a weep hole and was required since the passenger side muffler didnt have one. the other guy said it WAS a leak and because the passenger side muffler didnt have one, i need to get it replaced.
i went to another honda dealer. he said that there were 3 holes that signified rusting. but when i asked him whether the driver side muffler should have a weep hole or not, he said he wasnt sure. estimate from him was almost the same.
now my questions:
1. whats going on here ? who's right ?
2. if i need to get it fixed, dealer - 350, independent - 250. which one is a better option ?
please help. im not very familiar with mufflers and whats the right answer here.
thanx in advance ....
Water is a by-product of the combustion process and many cars have a steady trickle of water coming from their exhausts. Water collects in the mufflers and promotes corrosion. Many muffler shops will ask you if you want a tiny weep hole punched in your new muffler so that the water drains instead of accumulating. Not a big deal.
Does the independent shop warranty the muffler for life? Also the quote is for one or two-muffler replacement?
the independent shop warranties the muffler for a year and the labour for 90 days. the dealer warranties the muffler for as long as i own the car (both muffler and labour). apparently this is a standard honda warranty on all mufflers.
all the quotes i have are just for the one muffler - the drivers side one.
I would go with the dealer.
Since the muffler doesn't make any loud noise, I wouldn't bother replacing it now.
Now the question : is this "normal - just part of the engine warming up" - or should I get the dealer to look at it ?
Sunil
Am having brake problems with my 2000 accord v6, hope someone else has some similar experiences
When I brake very lightly at low speed, as when coasting up to a stop, I am hearing a "creaking" noise from the front end, loud and in sync with the turning of the wheels. Increasing pressure on the brake pedal slightly usually stops noise. I am not feeling anything in the pedal or the steering wheel when this happens, but sound is very easy to hear.
I have had a shop i trust check it out, he had 3 of his mechanics check everything out and he says all is good, car is safe to drive and i just have "noisy brakes", that this is not uncommon with Honda after the rotors have been turned as part of a brake job.
Anyway, if this sounds familiar to anyone out there, I would much appreciate to hear from you as right now I am unsure what to do next. This is my fifth honda, and have never had problems like this before.
Good luck.
FOR SALE 01 ACCORD COUPE EX V6 in exc condition...
Do you have evidence of problems in the current V6 automatic transmission that you can point us to?
No doubt that part of your problem is that the technicians working on your squeak aren't skilled enough to find and correct it. Hopefully, your Service Manager isn't being stubborn and assigning the same technician each time you return. The Honda rep may know of a technician in your area who is particularly good at fixing your type of problem - ask him. If that other dealer is too far away to visit, get the other technician's name and phone number and give it to your Service Manager so they can call for advice.
Should I be thinking about trade-ins? I am very much upset by the noise as my only reason to buy a new car was "being trouble free".
The dealership asked for 4900 to switch to a 05 accord with same features.
Any thoughts?
If I were in your shoes, I'd stick with it even if I had to find and fix the squeak myself. Hopefully, the Honda rep will be able to help you when he sees your car.
If Honda can fix it, OK, they can state that is not a safety issue--it was just a rattle, squeaking noise...
If they can't, how can they (and we) know this is not a safety problem?
After all, it's not a "Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back" law.
The area rep will probably be genuinely interested in fixing your problem. He is your last line of defense - be sure and approach him with a good attitude. Most get yelled at after 5 visits to the shop to fix a problem.
Unfortunately, Honda sees this as "just a noise" so other than trying to fix it forever - you'll get no reparations from HOA.
You can view my past messages about my efforts to get this fixed "pre - TSB" and experiences with the BBB help line (it really works but it takes time that you may not have). No need bringing it up again.....
We have a 2003 Honda Accord with 41,000 + miles and it is very quiet. What noise are you talking about? There are no "Creaks or Rattles. Maybe it is the way you operate this vehicle.
---------------
How does the way you operate the vehicle (other than hitting potholes) determine whether or not your vehicle rattles? In my trips back to the dealer with my 2003 Accord, I have driven several 2003 & 2004 Accords and Civics as loaners (all with < 5k miles). Some were tight and rattle-free; others were not. When products are mass-produced, not every one is perfect.
From what I've read in your posts, you take very good care of your car. I am truly happy that your car is still solid--but not all are. Mine is not. I had noises from A-pillars, glove box, window regulators, door panel, sunroof, stereo panel, bin under stereo, etc. Many of of these appeared at 10k-15k miles. My car now has 48k miles and most of these have been fixed, but a couple still remain. I take care of my car and avoid as many potholes as I can, but I live in Indiana--smooth roads are hard to find.
Before I bought my 2003 Accord, my previous Accords (1985 & 1989) went well over 200k miles. When you drive older cars, you tend to listen for anything that doesn't sound quite right. Unfortunately, that means I hear every little noise. My previous cars were still pretty tight--not perfect, but pretty solid--even after 200k miles.
I have complete faith that the driveline in the 2003 will hold up for many years. But it is the interior that has been substantially cheapened (in terms of assembly *quality*). For years, Honda had a clean, simple 1- or 2-piece dashboard. Now there are several panels. The interiors used to be screwed together, but now everything is held together with 2-cent plastic clips. Add this to the fact that the interior is more insulated from road and engine noise than previous Accords, and it is no wonder some/many owners have noticed rattles.
Other than the noises, I like my car. It is comfortable for 4 people, gets 35mpg on the highway, and will cruise effortlessly at 80mph all day long. I have been in some other cars recently (Intrepid, Jaguar X-type, Cavalier, Malibu, others), and the Accord is quieter than most, but noises are still annoying and ruin an otherwise enjoyable experience. Good luck to everyone in their attempts to eliminate noises and rattles.
And clearly, many of the complaints about creaking and other noises on this forum are coming from owners of 4-cyl Accords, not just from owners of V6 Accords. Here's a sampling...
dizzy01, "Honda Accord Owners: Problems & Solutions" #4953, 2 May 2003 1:07 am
atlantabenny, "Honda Accord Owners: Problems & Solutions" #4955, 2 May 2003 9:24 am
samironi, "Honda Accord Owners: Problems & Solutions" #5632, 25 Aug 2003 12:03 am
ystress, "Honda Accord Owners: Problems & Solutions" #6313, 20 Nov 2003 11:26 pm
eney, "Honda Accord Owners: Problems & Solutions" #9073, 20 Dec 2004 2:52 pm
And Honda has issued 2 TSBs for rattles and creaking that apply to both 4-cyl and V6 Accords.
03-018 - Rattle From the Rear Shelf
03-058 - Creaking or Popping When Accelerating and Decelerating
So a little research demonstrates very clearly that it's inaccurate to claim that creaking and noise problems among Accords are limited to the V6 models. The truth of the matter is that, unfortunately, some units of the 4-cyl Accord also suffer from these problems.
Do a search for popping noise or check my post #6616 from Jan. 7/04
Honda Service Bulletin 03-058
Creaking or Popping When Accelerating and Decelerating
SYMPTOM
A creaking or popping when accelerating and decelerating.
PROBABLE CAUSE
Body panels are rubbing against each other at the front of the floor tunnel.
VEHICLES AFFECTED
2003 Accord L4 2-door:
From VIN 1HGCM7...3A000001 thru 1HGCM7...3A020335
4-door:
From VIN 1HGCM5...3A000001 thru 1HGCM5...3A068936
2003 Accord V6 2-door:
From VIN 1HGCM8...3A000001 thru 1HGCM8...3A022702
4-door:
From VIN 1HGCM6...3A000001 thru 1HGCM6...3A050879
CORRECTIVE ACTION
Add two welds so the body panels do not rub against each other.
A creaking or popping when accelerating and decelerating
I don't recall that the people commenting about creaking said that it only occured with flexing of the engine cradle and the main body during acceleration or deceleration. They seemed to be saying it just occured with typical road driving.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
On overall build quality of the 7th vs 6th gen Accords, having owned both, there are definitely more rattles and other bugs in the 7th.
As Honda crams more new features into cars, it needs more R & D, testing and other resources to approach zero-defect as it once did with older, simpler cars.
It's interesting that in a recent (Dec 04) survey on initial quality, Honda vehicles show less defects than Acura. Conversely, Toyota products show predictably more defects than Lexus. Honda however has less defects overall than Toyota.
My '04 Accord V6 Coupe is virtually SILENT, compared to many other vehicles that I've driven, or been a passenger, in.
But if only it were true that rattles and creaking were limited to the 2003 model year. Unfortunately, a quick perusal of recent posts shows complaints about rattles and squeaks from owners of 2004 and 2005 Accords. So it seems that the issue isn't completely under control even now.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I know a few people who have 03-04 Accord's at my work and nobody has said anything about rattling/creaking problems.
I hope Honda works out these rattling/creaking issue's on the next generation Accord's and puts more thought into the exterior styling. I have slammed Honda for over 2 years with the 03 Accord bodstyle on these boards. I think they made a mistake with the current exterior design of the Accord. The 98 Accord looked better in my opinion than the current generation does.
I don't think a rattling/reaking is a big deal but it is a big deal when the service department cannot fix it. It has to be annoying hearing that sound all the time.
I have ridden with people that have rattles and creaks in their cars. I ask how do you stand that noise? Most say what noise? I don't think the average person even notices the little creaks and squeaks that some cars have..