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Older Honda Accords

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  • joe122joe122 Member Posts: 68
    I'm sorry, Blane, but I must respectfully disagree. South Florida summers are severe. The reason is that the temperature rarely drops below 90 degrees during the day for over four months. The further south you go, the more direct are the rays of the sun, i.e. less atmosphere for them to pass through. UV radiation is much stronger here than on a hot day in New England.

    If you read my original post, I never said that Honda's glass was inferior to other manufacturers. However, tinted windows make a huge difference for two reasons: 1. The 60% UV transmission referred to in other posts is significantly reduced. Not only does this protect the occupants, but it also increases the life of the interior materials. 2. Tints have been proven to reduce interior temperature in direct sun. This is a benefit because the car cools off much faster and again...interior materials suffer less damage from heat radiation and have a longer life.

    My last car had 3M film with a medium gray tint. I was never burned by the sun as I am in my present car. It matters little; my Honda dealership recommended a good tint man.
  • joe122joe122 Member Posts: 68
    Blane:
    I found these links interesting:

    http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=551464

    http://www.wonderquest.com/windshield-dots.htm
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    I am here to offer the REMEDY:

    3 mornings ago, leaving my garage, when pressing the brake pedal to shift into gear, I felt a slight vibration coming from the brake pedal, and a buzzing noise that sounded abormal to me...

    I turned off the engine, opened the hood, and started checking for the fluid level in the "clear" plastic ABS reservoir... It is quite difficult to determine the level of brake fluid in that reservoir, and since I have a can of brake fluid in my garage, I decided to try and pour some in... What do I got to lose...

    ...Well, a HALF CAN worth of fluid was able to enter the reservoir, till I could see it filled up.

    .... I turned on the engine again and VOILA, THE ABS LIGHT NEVER CAME ON AGAIN (so far, knock on wood)!!!......

    I love my old Honda!

    ...Not so sure about my dealership service department, though...
  • djm2djm2 Member Posts: 712
    Have your brake system checked. You could have a "leak" in the hydraulic system! Pouring a "Half Can" of brake fluid in the system is something to worry about!
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    I do not see where you can get Traction Control on the 4-cylinder Accord. Have I missed it somwhere?
  • lmacmillmacmil Member Posts: 1,758
    "Have your brake system checked. You could have a "leak" in the hydraulic system!"

    Check your pads too. As they wear, the fluid level in the reservoir drops.
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    No the pads are in good shape.

    ..And I was refering to the ABS fluid reservoir, not the Brake fluid reservoir. They are 2 separate reservoir (in this model at least.)

    ...Yes, there MAY be some leakage somewhere in the ABS system. But with a 10 year old car, I'd rather pour in half a can of fluid every few months, than pour out hundreds of more $...
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    "...I'd rather pour in half a can of fluid every few months, than pour out hundreds of more $..."

    If we're talking hard dollars and sense, then what's your and your family members' lives' worth? We're not talking about a dead power window motor or a balky CD player. There are two essential safety systems in every car, and they're not air bags and enhanced side structural protection. They're the abilities to reliably steer and stop your way out of trouble before the additional systems have to be depended on.
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    ...Now let's not get overly emotional, haefr...

    The brakes work perfectly fine even without the ABS, as you should know.

    I have so far invested over $1,500 in maintaining the ABS functioning, being a big believer in ABS.

    But with a 10 year old car, you have to make some compromises, sometimes.... So, I will keep driving a safe car, and pour in a half can of brake fluid into the ABS reservoir, if necessary, every few months --- and be happy and safe.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    Best of luck.
  • avianfluavianflu Member Posts: 33
    Honda had an excellent end of year special: Leased an LX for $2,500 down & 199 a month for three years. We are very pleased... That's less per month, than the gas we were putting into the tank of our '98 Expedition.

    The top speed of this vehicle can be no where near the 160 mph of the Speedo; what is in fact the top speed of this car?

    Probably has a governor limit or hp limit of 110.
    Accord has seen fit to placed its huge speedo right in front of me with numbers of 100, 120, 140, 160... I pretty much never go over 80, so half of it is wasted.

    Other isocracy is that it's fuel capacity is listed to be 17.1 gallons, but we have been only able to get 15 gallons into ours, even when the needle is buried deeply into E. We know one isn’t suppose to run them dry, but in a bind it is nice to know you aren’t carrying 2 gallons of inaccessible fuel.

    Excellent Forum. Keep up the good work folks.
    Learning a lot here... maybe more than I need to know about defrost ac.

    As for oil change interval we will stick with the Honda manual, and when the 3 yr 36K warranty is up, will switch over to Castor Oil Synthetic 5w20. We do wonder who makes/blends Honda’s 5w20 motor oil. I haven’t seen any indications of Honda having its own lube oil plant. Consensus is, that perhaps K&N may be the best oil filter. Again wonder who makes Honda's oil filters.

    Happy motoring
    Houston TX
  • whitecloud1whitecloud1 Member Posts: 268
    Top speed of V6 is regulated at 135. I know the I4 will do 120 top.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    Honda's factory fill motor oil in the U.S. is probably a conventional ExxonMobil 5W-20. Honda-branded motor oil in quart bottles sold by Honda dealer parts departments was at one time identified as produced by ExxonMobil - dunno whether that's still the case. (ExxonMobil bottles two conventional motor oils in the U.S.: "Mobil Clean 5000" and "Exxon Superflow". They're identical in all but name.) I'm not familiar with "Castor Oil Synthetic" 5W-20, but I have seen "Castrol Syntec" fully synthetic 5W-20 (Castrol is now totally owned and controlled by British Petroleum) stocked at most auto parts and discount department stores. Motorcraft (Ford) 5W-20 is a fully additized, synthetic blend and routinely discounted to ~$1.80/qt. at Wal-Mart. It's blended and bottled for Ford by ConocoPhillips, and like all current 5W-20 formulations, fully meets Honda's rigid specifications, too. Other very reasonably priced conventional alternatives are Chevron Supreme and Havoline 5W-20 (both blended and bottled by Chevron Oil Company).

    (Castrol at one time marketed a castor oil-based racing oil. The oil from castor beans is an extremely stable and effective engine lubricant that withstands the high temperatures typical of high output engines run close to the max for several hours, but it has one minor problem: once heated to operating temperature, it undergoes a non-reversible molecular change that results in the stuff agglutinating into a semi-solid glop in the oil sump that defies extraction once allowed to cool back to ambient temperature. Competition engines in the late forties and early fifties which ran castor oil had to be drained immediately after race time, refilled with a conventional mineral oil, restarted to thoroughly circulate it, and only then be shut down and allowed to cool.)
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    Thanks for your informative post. Why is Honda and some other manufacturers now recommending 5W-20 oil? I always use 10W-30 in my vehicles because it gives a little "thicker" oil at high temperatures. Why the change? Will I void my warranty if I use 10W-30?
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    Those fuel gauges are not always very accurate... I'd say yours, when showing E (is the light on?) still has 2 gallons. It's just a nice way for the car maker to give you an extra 10-20, soemtimes even 30 miles to find a gas station....

    Many years ago I got stuck in the middle of nowhere in Montana, driving my aunt's Mercedes with the needle on the fuel gauge showing 1/4.... It took us a half day to be towed to the nearby (40 miles away) town and another few hours before the mechanic told us smiling that we were simply out of gas...

    And don't worry about those 2 gallons of "inaccessible fuel".... of course you car DOES use that fuel...

    ...Enjoy your car. Don't worry too much...
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    The one thing I read on why they are using lighter weight oils is they are suppose to give a slightly better gas milage. I suppose it takes more HP to deal with the thicker oil.

    Mrbill
  • roberts5roberts5 Member Posts: 35
    I sometimes wish my 2003 Accord 4I - 5A had more power. Back in the late 90s, the Acura TL had a 5I putting out 178 hp. What happened to this engine and 5 cylinder technology? The new 4I probably is more effecient, and for 06 puts out 166 hp. Thanks Honda.
  • stacey_burkestacey_burke Member Posts: 88
    I live in colorado and yesterday when I went into the mountains and stared down a steep grade I needed to use my breaks. When I did it felt like ABS kicked in. It happened several times and I was NOT appling the brakes hard. This felt like a shaking and happened at least 5 times. Again, I did apply the brakes lightly and after the first time I made sure not to press down hard, in fact I did so VERY lightly and still had the felling of the ABS coming on... Anyone have this happen to them? Should I take it into the dealer? The rest of the drive (about 3 more hours) I never felt it again.
  • hoatshoats Member Posts: 1
    I am considering buying a 2000 Honda Accord EX which has 130k miles on it. The ride is smooth and quiet and it has new tires, belts, hoses, and everything works great! I am only hesitant because I do not know how durable Hondas are! I need this car to last me a few more years! Will it last as long as a Camry? How much life is left in it?
  • rbevz67rbevz67 Member Posts: 69
    HI,

    For people with an 05 sedan, do you have lights on the bottom of the rear doors that light up when the door is opened?

    In the front doors, there are lights which illuminate when the doors are open. In the rear, there appears to be a red reflector but I'm not sure if it's supposed to light up. Both my rear doors DO NOT light up...
    How about yours??

    Thanks forum!!
  • whitecloud1whitecloud1 Member Posts: 268
    Depends on the kind of care it's received. That sounds like a lot of miles to me. What has been replaced? Will it last as long as a Camry? That depends on who owns the Camry just as who owned the Honda is what matters. One thing I would be concerned with is the timing belt.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    A well cared-for Accord can provide dependable service in excess of 300,000 before the engine requires extensive repair, though each case is dependent on prior service history, how the vehicle was routinely driven, and just plain dumb luck. However, Honda automatic transmissions have a checkered history and can be problematic as soon as 60,000 miles or less in some cases. To its credit, Honda bends to extend the warranty on their automatics, though I don't know whether this policy includes subsequent owners. Adhering to 30,000 mile ATF drains and refills can make a big difference in the service life of any automatic transmission, and Honda automatics are no exception. (30,000 miles is the "severe service" ATF schedule in the owner's manual). Are the service records on this vehicle available to inspect? The frequency of routine maintenance should be an indicator of how meticulous the previous owner was about maintenance. While Toyota reliability has earned near legendary status, Honda's no slouch either.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    ...down a steep grade I needed to use my breaks. When I did it felt like ABS kicked in.

    It's a Honda feature called Grade Logic. When the vehicle is going downhill and you apply the brakes gently, the transmission will downshift to help slow the vehicle down. It's in your manual.
  • rbevz67rbevz67 Member Posts: 69
    Will someone please check their car and post...im anxious!

    HI,

    For people with an 05 sedan, do you have lights on the bottom of the rear doors that light up when the door is opened?

    In the front doors, there are lights which illuminate when the doors are open. In the rear, there appears to be a red reflector but I'm not sure if it's supposed to light up. Both my rear doors DO NOT light up...
    How about yours??

    Thanks forum!!
  • bdymentbdyment Member Posts: 573
    They are reflectors. They do not light up.
  • stacey_burkestacey_burke Member Posts: 88
    It might be logic control, however, it did not feel like the trans shifting. It was a vibration like the anti lock brakes. The logic control would shift the car down from overdrive not a feeling like it was pulsating. This feeling continued until I took my foot off of the brake. Any other ideas?
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    A pulsing in the brake pedal?? It might be the ABS but it could also be warped brake rotors. Had any work done recently that required removing the tires?

    Have you ever felt the ABS - I mean really felt it?? It's more like a pounding under your foot IMHO.
  • mitchfloridamitchflorida Member Posts: 420
    Someone on another forum said that the 4 cylinder Accord MT is an easier shifting, smoother riding car than the Accord 6 cylinder MT. Easier to launch the vehicle from stop, and to change the gears. Is that true?
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    .....after test driving the 4 cyl 5M (my EX V-6 Coupe 6M odo sez 2400)............

    ...it's not the linkage but rather the need for careful engagement of the sensitive, precise clutch...............IMHO.

    ..which is to take nothing away from my well-engineered 6M coupe: it just requires that I drive better..............

    ..best, ez....
  • joe122joe122 Member Posts: 68
    "Have you ever felt the ABS - I mean really felt it?? It's more like a pounding under your foot IMHO."

    I would describe it as a loud rumbling or grinding sound. This is accompanied by a frightening shaking sensation too. When this happened during a panic stop in a friend's EX 05, everyone said what the heck was that???
  • blackexv6blackexv6 Member Posts: 503
    Front brake shuddering is common with Hondas. Both my '03 Accord and '00 Odyssey shudder on steep hills, off ramps, and sudden stops. I gave up fighting, my local dealer is top notch but there is nothing that can done. You will have to live with it. P.S. My company's '98 Toyota Camry has the same problem and cannot be repaired.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    I spotted the new '06 Accord yesterday and had to back up to see it. Honda finally got the rear taillights right...they look soooooo much better, more proportional with the rest of the car. Didn't get to see the front end, but folks...Honda's hit a grand slam with this car now. It was a charcol color and it looked awesome. The taillights are kind of Maximaish...more triangular though. What a difference.
    Honda has finally got back on track with the '06 Accord and Civic and all I can say to Toyota and Nissan...watch out guys!

    The Sandman :)
  • tcvb22tcvb22 Member Posts: 50
    I have a 2005 sedan V6 and would like to know how to activate the delayed headlight feature. I couldn't find anything in the manual. Thanks
  • steveoregonsteveoregon Member Posts: 41
    Does anyone have the optional Honda MP3 player installed in their Accord? If so, I need to know about one particular feature.

    If you are playing a disk full of mp3 files, will the it start playing the files exactly where it left off - since the last time you turned the car off? I believe this is called the "resume" feature. This feature exists on my Panasonic CD/MP3 player I had installed in my 95 Civic. It is a very handy feature. If you are playing 150 songs, you don't have to scroll through fifty songs to get back to the song you were listening to the last time you were in the car. I downloaded the manual for the Honda mp3 player, but it doesn't say anyting about this.

    Steve
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    There is something in the manual that does talk about the delayed headlights, at least the "04 manual does. Anyways, as I remember, there is nothing you need to do. If you shut the car off, the headlights turn off after a period of time.

    Mrbill
  • tcvb22tcvb22 Member Posts: 50
    Thanks for your reply but that doesn't have on my 2005. I'm wondering if they took that feature for the 05's. Does anyone else know?
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    "Front brake shuddering is common with Hondas. Both my '03 Accord and '00 Odyssey shudder on steep hills, off ramps, and sudden stops. I gave up fighting, my local dealer is top notch but there is nothing that can done."

    blackxv6 states the above in post #17939. I would like to know if this is true. The Accord is one of the vehicles that I am considering along with the Camry but I am concerned about this statement.

    I would like to hear from 2003-present owners of the Accord, particularly the I4 auto, if this is true concerning shuddering brakes. Shuddering brakes is usually caused by out-of-round or uneven rotors.
  • mitchfloridamitchflorida Member Posts: 420
    I would buy a 6 cylinder Sonata over a 4 cylinder Accord.
  • djm2djm2 Member Posts: 712
    I have a 4 cylinder automatic 2003 Accord with no brake problems! This vehicle was purchased used from an estate sale. While there are some other issues with this vehicle that I do not like, (blind spots with the front "A" post at intersections, blind spot in driver's outside mirror, and uncomfortable bucket leather seats on a long trips), the brakes are "ok"! If you are getting a "shudder" while braking, you most likely have warped rotors. You can have them re-surfaced or replaced. I have been told that if you replace them, they should be replaced with "cross-drilled rotors". They can handle the heat better.
  • lx_steallx_steal Member Posts: 45
    They have it. My 05 LX does. Just shut the car off, get out and walk. The headlights will go off later. Leave the switch on.
  • jimexjimex Member Posts: 46
    We've just come back from our vacation which we drove 2,232.1 miles. The car used only 59.38 gallons of gas....or 37.589 miles per gallon - and going an average of 5 - 10 mph over the speed limit to boot. We have a 05 EX, I4, auto, running with the recommended air pressure in the tires. The car ran like a dream - even through the somewhat challenging road course of RT 95 and the George Washington bridge!! No problems what so ever. Absolutely love the car...Now it's time for a good vacuum and wash....
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ..always pleasant to hear from folks (1) who can spell 'vacuum' and (2) can get 37.5 mpg.........

    ..best, ez.....
  • yankeryanker Member Posts: 156
    I had the same problem. I also drove a rental Dodge in Florida with the same problem. I mentioned it to the dealer and they called me back and said they would need an extra hour to work on the car (03 Accord EXL auto4) with 26000 miles. When I went to get it they said they had resurfaced the rotors and replaced the bakc brakes. Wow what a difference it runs like new and under warranty yet.
  • thoonthoon Member Posts: 74
    Anyone know if it's possible to upgrade the navi system in a 2003-2005 accord to the 2006? www.hondanavi.com says the 2006 accords have been upgraded to the white dvd system. The same system used in the RL.
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    thoon,

    Here's where you can order the most current Accord DVD:

    https://iweb.alpine-usa.com/pls/admn/ha.header?p_make=Honda

    The site states: "Never interchange DVDs with different colored labels, or ones with versions less than what is printed on your current DVD. Navigation DVDs obtained from friends, Internet auctions or outside of the normal ordering process may produce error messages, or cause the navigation system to malfunction."

    They also say: "The next version, 3.50, will be available for purchase October 2005" and "This year's update includes updated points of interest (POI) and map coverage. There are no additional navigation features."
  • richards38richards38 Member Posts: 606
    Go ahead. The Hyundai is a good car, but I'd bet that the Accord 4 will have higher resale value and will hold up better over the years than the V6 Hyundai. I have no proof of this, but it's a good guess IMO........Richard
  • tcvb22tcvb22 Member Posts: 50
    What switch are you talking about?
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,326
    I believe you just turn on the headlights normally. If you leave them on when you turn the car off and shut the door, they will go off after a set time (30 seconds?) and turn back on when you start the car back up.

    Try it next time you pull into the garage. Just leave the lights on and see what happens.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • 4runnering4runnering Member Posts: 10
    Good to hear of your mileage. I took my '04 EX MT on it's first road trip last week (Everett, WA to Salem, OR) and the mileage showed approx 37.5 at about 70. Returning, I drove it slow at 60 with cruise and it showed 45 mpg! All the numbers add up, (264 miles and 5.87 gal) but this seems high, anyone else have a similar experience?
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,326
    Oops, thought we were talking about the Odyssey. Not sure what will happen on an Accord.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

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