Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

ssp5168 · March 2001

I posted a question a couple months ago about my 2001 EX-V6 burning oil with only 3000 miles. I took it to my dealer and they could not find a problem and as you mentioned they started an oil consumption test. Well, I'm getting ready to take it back to the dealer after another 3000 miles and another 3 quarts of oil added. They had mentioned possibly putting a whole new engine in the car if they could not locate the problem. My problem is this, I think they should give me a whole different car! I have put a total of 7 quarts of oil in this car and only have 7000 miles on it. The problem obviously started the day I drove it off the lot. They mentioned to me that they had a similiar incident with another car that had a leak in something major (not sure what) at 800 miles so they just gave the lady a new car. I feel I should have the same treatment. I was wondering what your thoughts are on this. Do you think I have a leg to stand on or will I have to settle for them putting a whole new engine in a brand new car? Thanks for your help! PS I take it in on Wed., March 14

dillard1 · March 2001

I have an arbitration hearing this month regarding the electrical problems I have with my 2000 2-Door V-6 Accord. The manufacturer states it's only a "characteristic" of the vehicle. Whenever I use the turn signals, the entire electrical systems flash and blink (exterior and interior). If I'm sitting at a traffic light and use my blinkers, my headlights start flashing at the vehicle in front of me. I've had another driver coming in the opposite direction flash their lights in response when I turned my blinker on to signal a turn.

I'm concerned for my welfare with this uncontrollable defect. I've refused to allow children ride in the car -- in case a road-rage incident occurs --. In the state of Florida, where we travel to for family vacations, it's a ticket-able offense to flash your lights. I won't drive the vehicle in Florida again.

It seems there is a range of VI N's that have this defect. I'm told by Honda to "enjoy" my car.

Any assistance to help my case?

auburn63 · March 2001

ssp5168
Well it is up to your dealer and American Honda as to what they will do. I can't say one way or another what they will say. If the only major problem you have is the motor I would think it would be best to go ahead and get the long block(motor). I have not seen any thing like this at our dealer so far but I know I would be fine with a motor replacement.Good luck

comboy · March 2001

I had the transmission replaced on my 2000 LX V6 (the infamous clunking problem). After the fix, I noticed that I don't have a light under the hood that comes on when you open the hood. Did it never have a light, or did they somehow lose the light when they were working on my car? Maybe I'm just paranoid, since they did forget to put one of the black plastic covers back on the engine (the part on the side by the air intake), and I had to take the car back for them to put that back on. Am I just crazy, or did 2000s not have engine compartment lights?

enternamehere · March 2001

No, there's no light under the hood of my 2k ex i4 either.

fritz1224 · March 2001

I was standing next to my 2k lx v6 while my wife was backing out the driveway. Heard a whining while she was turning the wheel. The kind associated with the PS pump. What's going on here? This is what a 10 year old Chrysler sounds like, not an accord. One more time to the dealer I guess, with the same "it's normal" response I'll wager. 20 k miles and already demonstrating characteristics of a 100k car? Say it ain't so!

comboy · March 2001

Thanks for the info. Guess I hadn't noticed it wasn't there. My '88 Crown Vic had a light under the hood. I know that *for sure* from all the time I spent working on it after dark.

dillard1 · March 2001

Thanks for the reply.

3senough · March 2001

We have a 86 lx Accord with 103,000 miles. Before we got it,(a gift) it had spent several years in Texas without being driven and rarely started. It didn't have any problems before being parked. Now it runs at 2700 rpms and dies if carb is adjusted below 2200 rpms (should idle at 1700). We have been told that this carb was a strange one and is expensive ($600+ for parts, $600+ labor)to replace. The car has some other needs, new tires, new shocks. We are probably looking at $2000.00. We aren't sure if it is worth the price to fix it, or for sure if a carb replacement would solve the problems. As is it wont pass state smog test due to too high an idle. Any thoughts?

reb331 · March 2001

I had an 88 Accord LX 5 speed, and it was one of the best cars I owned. I had over 300,000 kms on it before someone "sandwitched" it and wrote it off. As far as the carburator go's , someone is out of line for charging $600 for parts and $600 for labor.

Have you thought of an autowrecker for parts? Keep the car, it's a good one and if not I'll buy it off you!!! Good luck

Ray

mwcarlso · March 2001

I have a 93 Honda Accord EX auto with 135,000 miles. Once the car warms up it idles at 700 rpm but I can feel a vibration in the steering wheel and sometimes in my seat. If the A/C turns on the idle will sometimes go up to 800 rpm and the vibration will be almost non existent. I have had the front and rear motor mounts replaced but that didn't help much. The vibration seems worse when the car first reaches operating temperature and seems to lessen a bit as it is driven longer. Could this be a problem with carbon build up in the engine or the idle control valve?

snuke59 · March 2001

I have a 2000 Accord, EX/V6 with 5,000 miles. Occasionally, when attempting to start the car, the car will not start and instead, it will make a strange noise when the key is turned. The noise reminds me of the scratching sound that a car makes when turning the key in the ignition and finding out the car had already started and the engine is running. However, that isn't the case in my situation. Afterwards, I will turn the ignition to off and try to re start the engine and it then starts without any problem. Has anyone had this problem with their Accord and/or does anyone know what could be the contributing factor for the problem?

fritz1224 · March 2001

Sounds like a starter or flywheel problem to me. If the sound is actually like what you hear when trying to start an already running car. Have the dealer pull the starter and check the gears. A bad spot on the gears could explain the intermittent nature of the problem.

snowman · March 2001

It is very sad that I involved an collusion with my accord on March 15th. Many thanks to God that nobody got hurt-small scratches and bruses and the other vehicle was not a SUV.
After the accident I have disappointment about Accord's structure.
I received a 90 degree impact at right headlight. The other car was Ford Taurus. The way the other car spun really far away, Police is stating that it was speeding around 55-60 mph at 40mph zone.

This is the worst part: After the accident both front doors were not openable. I kicked my door to open it four five times. I got out and hardly pulled out my wifes door. I wish I had a digital camera to post the pictures of it.. Entire front section of the car was smashed. When I was retrieving my personal thins from the car the day after, I have realized how heavy the damage is. Windshield was broken. Some components in engine compartment broke the firewall and got into dashboard and brake the dash too. The dash was broken right under the streo, behind the gloves compartment and under the gloves compartment. I saw metal sections of the engine in the gloves compartment. I could not even open the hood. Right rim is out of the body It is in horrible condition.
And the more upsetting thing is that Ford has very minor damage compare to my car. I can say easly around 2K-3K. It is total, not because of the damage; because of the age. My accord will most likely be total too. Front is the strongest part of the body. And my entire front end got smashed like a coke can.I will scan the pictures and post it, so this might give an idea how accors are valnurable. I can not imagine what would happened to my wife and me if the other vehicle was an SUV.
At this point I am not thinking to buy another vehicle but considering something stronger then accord. My wife will share her car with me since our jobs are very close to each other.

auburn63 · March 2001

Glad to hear that you were not hurt in your accident and sorry to hear about all the damage. Sometimes in a case like yours there is more damage to the car than you think there should be, but maybe the car took the brunt of the accident instead of you. Meaning by design they take most of the energy of a crash and fold up in order to keep the passengers inside the car from absorbing the energy. Either way atleast everyone but the car are ok.

mack20 · March 2001

3senough,

I have a 87 Accord LX. I have had carb problems before. After taking it to a few independant shops I finally decided to replace the carb. The cost was pretty reasonable. If I can remember correctly it was around $200-$250 Canadian, around $130 US. I would recommend that you take to a few shops.

The problem with my carb is that the fuel tank rusted and trash got into the carb. This seems to be a fequent problem.

I replaced it around a year ago and have had no significant problems.

Apart from that, your car has few miles. However when you let a car sit for a long time many problems can arise. Only your mechanic can tell you if its worth it to repair. $2000 is pricey for those repairs.

lancerfixer · March 2001

If I were in your position, I'd be thanking my lucky stars that the car absorbed all the crash energy and didn't transfer in onto you. Sure, the car's a mess, but you and your wife are not, and that is the point, no?

mack20 · March 2001

Additionaly,
It might be worth it to go to a dealership for your carb problems. At least get some type of estimate. If you find it too high, go someplace else. For finicky items like carb's, sometimes the dealership knows best. I found that a lot of places I visited could not accurately diagnose the problem with my car.

snowman · March 2001

Auburn63: Thanks for every answer you gave, every phone call you made for me.
Lancerfixer: Believe me, everytime I close my eyes, the seen comes up to me and I start thanking God that we are alive.

td51 · March 2001

I have a factory service manual and an electrical troubleshooting manual for a '94 Accord EX 4-door for sale - $70 for both. They came from Helm Publications. If interested, drop me a line at tgdelc@msn.com.

duper · March 2001

Hello all,

I have a 01 LX with only 6500 miles, last few days when start the car the Maint' Required light stays flashing for a few seconds. It had its first oil change at 5000 miles. Is this something I should have the dealer look at?

Thanks

bidandsell · March 2001

Just got through washing my 2001 Accord and my 1994 Grand Cherokee. Guess which one had the most paint chips? The Accord , I can't believe how thin the paint is on this car . You can't hardly even feel the chipped out place on the Accord but you can see the primer/metal. So remember to only wash these with air and use the car cover only when driving!

fritz1224 · March 2001

That maintenance required light is only a reminder indicator. There is a procedure in the owner's manual for resetting it. Not the same as the "check engine" light.

timadams · March 2001

duper: look in the index of your owners manual for "maintenance required indicator" (I think it's page 67). It tells you how to reset the light if you change your own oil or have it done non-Honda. Basically, you turn you key off, push and hold in the tripometer reset button, turn your key to "II" and wait 10 seconds until the maintenance light goes off. Then you release the tripometer button and you're good for another 6500 miles. I just did it on Friday.

snuke59 · March 2001

Thanks Fritz for responding to my question. I will have a dealer check it out.

carguy62 · March 2001

First off I am glad you and your wife are ok. Now for my preaching; check out the safety rating of the Accord vs. any other vehicle. The Accord gets five stars in most categories. For comparison some Pontiacs get one star. There are safer vehicles out there but you would have to look pretty hard. You were hit by a car travelling 60 mph and you walked away, I would say the safety features did their job.

Our four month old Accord was involved in an accident and rolled over (pretty hard to do considering the Accord was rated the least likely sedan to roll over). I was very happy we had the Accord as I suspect more serious injuries would have occured in any other vehicle.

snowman · March 2001

Thank you.
That is wright, car did its job and protected me. Possibly I became jealous when I saw the Taurus. I will definetely get side airbags on my next purchase.

kaycee41 · March 2001

Paint on the 2001 Accord is lousey! I'm worried what the car will look like in 5 years. Just curious, what color is your Accord? Maybe this is a common problem with all newer cars. My friend has a fairly new Buick, and she is complaining about the same thing

snowman · March 2001

I forgot to ask, did you get your accord repaired or it was total? If it was total what you drive now. Chevy impala and CRV took my attention but I am not buying anything now. I will wait until end of this year

bidandsell · March 2001

My Accord is the Gold Metallic and I bet the paint is maybe a micron thick. I wonder if you could spray a couple more coats of clear on it. That might help it last a little longer.

carguy62 · March 2001

After some cajoling they totalled it. The body shop guy helped quite a bit, I think they were up to $27k in damage when they stopped. Believe me it was a relief.

I am still driving my '89 Accord, the '01 was the SO's vehicle. She is looking now and unfortunately has crossed Honda off her list. We have different opinions on cars and since she is paying this time it's her choice. I pointed out to her that if she had been driving a Pontiac (her favorite) she'd probably be dead, but in one ear...

When I replace my Accord I am leaning toward the next generation CR-V (assuming it will be that much better than the current one).

BTW our '01 had side airbags and the drivers side deployed.

m9431 · March 2001

If you need this service manual (excellent condition) please email me; very reasonably priced!

audioarts@enter.net

gye · March 2001

Steering column on my 2000 lx-v6 rattles for little over a year now. Finally took it in for repair. What they found out and fixed is that steering column is not snapped in all the way when assembled. Now rattle is gone.

To me this is crude assembly and it is one more evidence that Honda quality has gone down hill dramaticly, which is especially hard for me to swallow being a long time Honda loyalist.

Now I can focus on my transmissin leaking problem. Already bought in twice and no fix, will keep trying.

eric2001 · March 2001

Has anyone replaced the mega-$$ NGK platinum plugs with the Bosch Platinum Plus 4's? I am having trouble finding the NGK's in my area, but the dealer has them for $27 each, while the local auto-parts all have the Bosch's for $5-6 each. Let me know your experiences. Thanks.

joefriday · March 2001

I have a '98 V6 Accord with about 52K miles on it. It's been a great car, with only minor problems.

Recently the check-engine light came on. I tightened the gas cap and drove it for a few more days but the light didn't go out. I took it to the dealer (I've been pretty happy with their service department in the past) and the service rep checked it out with his diagnostic tool. I didn't ask him what the code was, but he said the problem could either be a loose gas cap or a bad "vent shaft valve". He had me tighten the gas cap and he turned the light off. He said if the light came back on then the problem is probably due to the vent shaft valve.

Well, the check-engine light came back on. I called the service rep and he said it would cost about $300 to replace the vent shaft valve. He said I wouldn't harm the car by driving it the way it is. I notice that the engine runs just fine and my gas mileage hasn't changed.

So my question is, what is a vent shaft valve? What does it do? Where is it in the car? Having a bad one sure doesn't seem to bother the car much, so what if I just don't have it fixed at all? Would it be a safety problem, or maybe a pollution problem?

I appreciate any help anyone can give me.

joefriday

jandrews5 · March 2001

Chris, I have 98 Accord that had same symptoms over poor braking. It was right after I had front brakes done at Midas. I went back 3 or 4 times---they replaced pads twice and turned rotors twice with no difference. I finally went to dealer thinking I had master cylinder problem. When I was explaining symptoms to service advisor, he interrupted me to ask if I had brakes done at Midas. Anyway, he turned rotors and replaced with Honda pads and evryhting was fine after that. I have to give Midas credit in that they truly tried to correct my brake problem and they refunded the cost of the brake repair, too. Hope this helps.

duper · March 2001

Thanks Fritz1224 and Timadams for the responses.
I'll try it out today. Do you have to do this for every 6500 miles? I had the dealer change the oil last time.

Thanks

cards_200 · March 2001

Anyone who has changed the rotor in 4 cyl. Accord - Is this an easy thing to change out? Or better to leave for dealer service?

auburn63 · March 2001

The part that he is guessing at is probably called a canister vent shut valve. This valve is part of the fuel vapor recovery proccess in the car and although it serves as no danger to the car it would be a good idea to repair the problem if you can.There is however no need to guess at it and they should be able confirm if it is bad or not.Also the part is covered by most extended warranty companies so if you have one you may want to check it out. Find out the code if you can a P1456 is almost always a loose gas cap and a P1457 is either the shut valve or a Purge control valve but we have had a few other parts go bad also.The most common being the shut valve. Good luck

auburn63 · March 2001

The cap and rotor are fairly easy to replace so you should be ok if you are comfortable working on it.Just as a bit of info,they usally do not need replacing until atleast 60k and the spark plug wires on a Honda last almost forever so not much need to replace unless you have a specific problem.One more note most 96-97 accords get a one time free emissions tune up bettween 75,000 and 150,000 which includes oil change,plugs,cap,rotor and wires.

adc100 · March 2001

but to me, in my long experience, 60,000 is way pushing it. I like 30,000 max. If it has screwe on the cap, wiggle it to make sure the cap is seated and go back and forth from one screw to the other to tighten. I believe "Blue Streak" makes excellent caps and rotors. Perhaps Honda parts are O.K. (probably are)

cards_200 · March 2001

Thanks, one more question for you please - regarding valve adjustment. My dealer says I need adjustment routinely at 30 K. Owners manual says to adjust valves (@ 30 K miles) "only if noisy". What is your experience? Should I get adjustment if not noisy?

timadams · March 2001

duper: yes, you have to do it every 6500 miles. I do it when the light starts staying on.

dudleyr · March 2001

I know this is a Honda board, but this seems like the best place for advice.

I have a 1990 Acura Integra with 130,000 miles. The Alternator light just started coming on. I was driving on the highway and it started flickering lightly and went off when I sped up. When I pushed in the clutch to see what happened the tach jumped between 700 and 1400 rpm and the light flickered. I turned around not sure if I would make my destination and on the way back I turned the fan all the way up to see if it would make the light stay bright instead of flickering lightly. The problem stopped and the car even idled normally with the clutch depressed.

My first thought is that I need new brushes. After all if a diode was bad wouldn't it just stay bad, whereas brushes could be jostled around and seat slightly better. Does anybody know how long the brushes usually last on Honda alternators? Have I made a reasonable assumption?

A new alternator would cost about $175 + $75 for installation. If I just replace the brushes the cost is about $10. Can the brushes be removed without removing the alternator? I have to remove the drive shaft to remove the alternator according to the service manual.

Thanks.

auburn63 · March 2001

I think that it is a good idea to keep the valves as close to correct as possible for best results in performance and efficency. However if they are not making any noises then they are usally not loose. It is possible for them to move in tighter, we have seen this before. So is it necesary, no, not until you can notice noise or running problems. Is it good, yes, if you can afford to have them adjusted then by all means do so.If it will put you in a pinch for the monthly bills then pass till you can.

brushes,
If you can access the back plate without taking the alternator out then you can put brushes in from the back side, in the car. If not then out it comes, it does sound as if it is the brushes that have started to go bad. Good luck.

dnguyen65 · March 2001

Hello Auburn63,

You are really knowledgable on thi subject.
Just have a quick question: is there any difference (i.e. quality, etc) between
oil filter # 15400-POH-305 and 15400-PT7-005 (made in Canada.) These are
the filters for Accord LX 4 cyl 2000. I changed oil the 1st time and noticed that
even though they fit just fine into the socket, the 1st one is a little bigger.

Thanks a lot.

auburn63 · March 2001

I don't think there would be a quality differance in them. However the one we use is the POH-305. I would think the other one would be of the same quality due to the fact that Honda is now leaning toward changing the filters every other oil change and that filter is rather new as compared to the POH-305 that has been around for a long time.If I can find out any more info on it I will.

mdames · March 2001

My 2000 EX V6 has about 8,700 miles on it. The car runs great and I love it. However, it makes an irritating noise on deceleration only. From 72 mph, with my foot off the gas and letting it drop down in speed, down to 60 mph there is a noise which sounds like a distant incoming artillery shell. Its a whistling noise that is somewhat faint but definitely noticeable. It never happens on acceleration or at slower speeds. My Honda service rep said it is the transmission. He said there's nothing wrong with it (it does operate perfectly fine). He said that some cars are much louder than mine. He said mine is very quiet compared to most. Has anyone else had this experience or heard of this?

Thanks

aimee6 · March 2001

Hi...I'm new here and have experienced many of the same accord problems that others have, but I have not seen this one, so please pardon me if this has been covered before.

Last week, I had the transmission replaced in my 99 Accord V6 (manufactured in 8/99) because of the infamous hesitation/stalling/etc problem. Since I brought it home, my key keeps getting stuck in the ignition. I don't know how/if this is related to the transmission replacement, but when I try to push in on the ignition and turn the key (as I always have), I hear a clicking coming from the glove box area...but the key refuses to turn. The first few times it happened I was able to start the car back up and then turn it off and get the key out....but now nothing works. It is sitting outside right now unlocked (of course! You can't lock it when the keys are in it). Anyone have any ideas about this? The dealership doesn't open until Monday and I might as well have a 'steal me' sign on the car right now...ack!

tomek · March 2001

Hi, you seem to know a lot about hondas as I have been following this forum for quiet some time. Here is what recenrlt happened to me 2 weeks ago I bought a brandnew 2000 honda prelude sh the other day when it had 700 miles I decided to try the vtec out for the first time. well , I guess I am an idiot because I was trying to hit vtec after driving onlu a couple of hundred yards(the engine was not warmed up yet), fortunatelt the rev limiter kicked in early at 6500, the next morning the engine seemed to be quieter than usuall and the loud roar that I first had is gone, however it idles fine and everything however I also have to mention that I live in Buffalo, NY and It became really cold the night after I reved the engine that way....
My question is did I damage the engine?
IS there a way to find away besides taking it to the dealer ?
I am very thank ful for any of your inputs

Honda Accord Problems 2000-2005

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