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Older Honda Accords

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  • patrick620patrick620 Member Posts: 6
    Hello all. This is my first post. I just bought a 1990 Honda Accord and really like it. My question is , would a 91, 92 or 93 accord factory service manual or electrical trouble shooting manual apply to my 90 model or should I wait until i can find the exact year? Thank you for any replies.
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    So, fuma, was that good enough of an answer for you?...

    Thanks, mrbill.
  • fuma20fuma20 Member Posts: 6
    Thanks for taking the time to answer my question mrbill.
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    The December Car & Driver magazine is out. They tested V6 models of the 2006 Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata and Ford Fusion. Some of the results are surprising.
  • allfiredupallfiredup Member Posts: 736
    They tested the same cars in the December Motor Trend, too. The Accord won in MT, but the Fusion was second which I found surprising. The Fusion is a little cooler looking that the Accord, in my opinion, but nothing could ever match the interior refinement or driving dynamics of the Accord.

    Another big surprise, Camry placed last- behind the Hyundai! hehe

    How'd the Fusion, Camry and Sonata place in the Car & Driver test? I know Accord won first, but after that?
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    ...Actually I am curious, WHAT EXACTLY DID EXPLODE THERE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT? I can't believe it's the engine itself.... Maybe the radiator?
  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    How'd the Fusion, Camry and Sonata place in the Car & Driver test? I know Accord won first, but after that?
    The same way MT ranked the cars :P
    I didn't agree with the way MT compared the vehicles. They put a Sonata GLS and Camry LE against a Fusion SEL and a Honda Accord EX V6 NAV.

    I'm getting off topic, if you want to discuss the comparison visit the Accord/Sonata/Camry/Fusion thread.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    "WHAT EXACTLY DID EXPLODE THERE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT?"

    Who knows for sure? Broken piston, broken valve, broken connecting rod cap, broken timing chain, oil pressure failure? Any, all of the above, or something else entirely may've been involved. All I know for sure is the owner didn't drive that car back home at the end of the day's festivities. (I'll bet he also said something that rhymed with, "luck".)
  • hermannhermann Member Posts: 38
    How do you know the Fusion has poor driving dynamics? It is very similar to a Mazda 6 which drives much better than the Accord does.IMHO.. I have driven one, have you? In fact it was a very nice car which steered like a European car( it had road feel and feedback through the wheel) , rode smoothly, accelerated briskly and had a marvelous interior with more room. Also it is a much nicer looking car on the outside. It brakes were more linear and felt like you were in control, not the computer. Will I buy one soon? Maybe

    Hermann
  • mafernamaferna Member Posts: 83
    According to the website:

    "A 456 test driven until a coolant hose explodes"

    M
  • gee35coupegee35coupe Member Posts: 3,387
    that's what I thought it was looking at the way the smoke/steam enveloped the car. When an engine goes kablooey it usually make other noises first and any smoke in the engine compartment usually has fire. Additionally, the Ferrari is still running after the big pop.
  • pj23pj23 Member Posts: 158
    I owned an '04 Mazda 6s for a year, owned an '03 Accord EX-L I4 manual for 18 months, and now have an '05 Accord EX-V6. The Mazda has better handling through the twisties, but I think any advantage it has is probably due more to the agressive tires (which I wore out pretty quickly) and larger rims than anything else. The Accord wins hands-down for overall dynamics and refinement IMO.
  • udsavudsav Member Posts: 11
    Anyone know if Homelink can be added to a 06 accord EX aftermarket. I see where it goes, but trying to find the part has been hard. It is available on the 06 Ex V6. Any help will be great.
  • mafernamaferna Member Posts: 83
    College Hills Honda sells it for $178, but it is temporarily unavailable.
  • tthomptthomp Member Posts: 1
    I have a honda accord sedan 1999, and the engine light is own it seems to running properly but I really would like to know what the engine light means. I don't have an owners manual. Please help.
  • whitecloud1whitecloud1 Member Posts: 268
    Problem with the light is that it could be many different things. There is a fuse on the passengers side panel (interior) that I would take out to reset the engine light and see if it comes on again. Since you bought the car used, you (in my opinion) should see if the light comes on again before seeking further help.
    I don't have my manual around right now, so I can't say which fuse to pull, but maybe someone else here knows what I'm referring to. If you don't find out today, I can give you that fuse location at another time.
  • mitchfloridamitchflorida Member Posts: 420
    It could possibly need a new egr valve, which costs around $400. Honda may fix it for free under a special warranty extension. I think the car must have less than 70,000 miles on it though.

    Go to AutoZone and they will check the error for free.
  • avianfluavianflu Member Posts: 33
    http://www.ebaumsworld.com/flash/honda-ad.html

    Great Add & Sharp looking wagon
  • bobstbobst Member Posts: 1,776
    The CEL light came on in our 1998 Accord a couple years ago. I did a web search on 'Honda Accord check engine light' and found a website where people told their sad stories about paying hundreds of dollars to get the light to go out, only to have it come back on a couple months later.

    I put a piece of black tape over the light. The car has been fine ever since.
  • pj23pj23 Member Posts: 158
    Is everyone talking about the check engine light, and not the maintenance required light? These are two different things. The maintenance required light is very easy to turn off.

    I guess I'm of the opinion that warning lights aren't something to completely ignore, so I'm curious why you didn't at least get the codes pulled to see what the problem might be, rather than just assuming it would costs hundreds of dollars to fix.
  • stevecarstevecar Member Posts: 148
    I don't want to sound disrespectful. Either you put this posting up to elicit reactions or you really want to jeopardize your car. When my engine light came on recently,the dealer scanned for codes, found out it was a bad sensor, charged $200 to fix and that was that. It can come on again, or not. However, if it is something minor, that can turn into a serious problem, or not, it would be good to fine out. If a person continues to get a headache every day and takes an aspirin and it goes away, it may mean that their is something wrong that needs attention. Same with the car.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    "I put a piece of black tape over the light. The car has been fine ever since."

    Well, that's one way to fix it! :P (I wonder why Honda never thought of that solution...) Along the same line of reasoning, if you ever get a flat tire, keep driving. After all, it's only flat on the bottom.
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    ...When faced with desperate situation, it's sure good to react with a sense of humor.
  • bartalk3bartalk3 Member Posts: 692
    The '06 V-6 Accord has larger (17"), wider tires which should affect ride and handling, positively or negatively. Can anyone who has driven the '06 and earlier V-6s compare the ride and handling of the '06 V-6 Accord with earlier years?

    Is there a noticeable difference?
  • atlantabennyatlantabenny Member Posts: 735
    Honda revised the suspension specs of the V6 for 06, which should skew the comparison somewhat. But based on my experience upgrading the stock 16s of my 03 V6 to Honda-spec 17" wheels and tires, the ride stiffened noticeably - almost to "jiggling". I've not taken the car to even 70% of its handling limit (curves and turns taken gently to avoid early wheel bearing wear), so no real-world feedback there.

    In all, I'd say a more involved ride and drive with the early unrevised suspension on 17s. And, considering how HOA probably tried to achieve both comfort and appearance for the new V6, the 06 with 17s should ride and handle close to earlier 16"-equipped Accords.
  • bartalk3bartalk3 Member Posts: 692
    Thanks, Benny.

    Car and Driver just had a 4-car Comparo, and the Accord with the bigger tires came out numero uno. They didn't comment on the tires per se, but said the ride was fairly stiff for an Accord (the driver is in touch with road at all times), handling quite good, but there did seem to be considerable tire noise
  • philliprumansphilliprumans Member Posts: 5
    They tested a 2005 Accord, not a 2006. The Camry was also a 2005. The Fusion and Sonata were 2006.

    Also as a side note, I believe the Acura TSX ad on page 60/61 is showing the 2006 TSX. The wheels look like the 2006 TSX pics I have seen on the Honda/Acura news site. It is a side view, so I cannot see the front to make certain.
  • pj23pj23 Member Posts: 158
    That's not correct. The C&D December issue 4-car comparison test was done with a 2006 Accord.
  • oldjoeoldjoe Member Posts: 132
    I guess I am too old to change. I usually change my oil every 3,000 miles at the dealer and have never had oil usage issues with any of my high-mileage US cars. It is a cheap preventative as well as a check on the auto every 3,000 miles. Also, the dealer's trteat you well and are not expensive on oil changes. Spending many thousands of dollars on an auto and then running it 10,000 miles just tells me you overbought your pocketbook. Oil changes are the cheapest preventative maintenance item you can buy for any auto..
  • philliprumansphilliprumans Member Posts: 5
    My bad, it was the December MOTOR TREND which had the four car comparison that used the 05 Accord and Camry with the 06 Fusion and Sonata and it was also the Motor Trend issue which had the Acura ad showing what appears to be an 06 TSX on page 60/61.

    I have not seen the issue of Road and Track yet. I guess now even the comparison tests are being duplicated across the board. : )
  • gee35coupegee35coupe Member Posts: 3,387
    Not if running it 10,000 miles is recommended by the automaker. It does them no good to have the car breaking down and ruining a good relationship with the customer. If Honda thought the car needed more frequent maintenance it would behoove them to tell you. I've always run my cars to recommended oil change intervals and never had any problems. In this case that would mean I spend 1/3 as much for maintenance as the person who changes oil every 3000. That's anywhere from $40 to $60 less per 10,000 miles depending on the price of the change.

    I say it's unreasonable to change oil every 3,000 miles when Honda has been recommending 7500 mile intervals since at least 1993 and 10,000 miles in some models since at least 2001. There should be enough data around to show it's really not hurting anything. Just check it every 1000 miles or so and you should be fine. The fact that soome models still have 7500 mile intervals shows that they aren't just arbitrarily jacking us around.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,667
    You can decide if you want to change before 5000 or 10000.

    There's always the method of dropping some hot oil off the dipstick onto paper towel from the kitchen and watching how much dark material is left in the center. You quickly develop a feel for when the motor has accumulated more particles and oxidation and you might change earlier than the recommended time. Check every 500 miles or so. You'll see the increase and can decide.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • gee35coupegee35coupe Member Posts: 3,387
    You might want to change oil filters or check your engine. I've never checked oil and seen "particles". Not even after 9750 mile when I change the oil in our Accord and Civic. The oil is a little dark but no visible particles though. But we run our cars hard though with very little idle time. Maybe that's the difference.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,667
    The particles are what leaves the darker ring in the middle of the spot as the oil spreads through the paper's fibers while the particles and oxidation, as a mechanic calls them, are left in the middle. I change my oil when that hits the size of a dime.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • goodegggoodegg Member Posts: 905
    That's how you decide when to change your oil? Whoa. And for twenty five years I've been doing it all wrong?

    I do oil/tire rotations every 5,000 miles. Nice round numbers to remember. Probably too frequent but I err on the side of caution.
  • haefrhaefr Member Posts: 600
    I go with 3,000 mile oil and filter changes, too, for just the reasons you cited, so take with a grain of salt the "Honda's engineers know best." blather. Isn't it odd that in the Japan home market, Honda still specifies 10W-30 motor oil (not 5W-20) and 5,000 km (3,000 miles for the conversion challenged) oil changes in their owner's manuals? Japanese winters are quite cold, too, nor do the engines bound for North America differ in their specified bearing clearances from those sold in Japan or the rest of the world.
  • gee35coupegee35coupe Member Posts: 3,387
    To each his/her own.

    But to explain the differences in the driving climate between here and Japan would take quite a while. Most importantly is the fact that Japanese Compulsory Insurance (JCI) get so expensive after 7 or so years of car ownership that there are very few cars that last much longer than that there. That's why there is such a rich market for used Japanese engines.
  • joe122joe122 Member Posts: 68
    "I've always run my cars to recommended oil change intervals and never had any problems."

    You are wasting your breath, Sir. Many people, including myself have posted such comments. With the 3,000 mile oil change crowd, it falls on deaf ears. They have complex and elaborate explanations about particulates and engine wear patterns, etc. Honda engineers only designed the thing; what the heck do they know about maintaining it? Takes a shade tree mechanic to do that.

    Hmmm, Honda wants people on the side of the road with a smoking wreck. Gee, I wonder why I seem to see so many old Hondas?
  • sheevatinasheevatina Member Posts: 2
    Could Someone tell me how to reset Maintenance required light off for a Honda Accord 1999?
  • sheevatinasheevatina Member Posts: 2
    One of the causes of "Check Engine" light to come on is the loss of vacuum in your gas tank. I'd remove the gas cap and check the threads and if worn, replace it with a new one. Re-install the new cap and make sure it clicks a few times. Finally, you need to remove battery power to your car by removing the main fuse and waiting a few minutes. Reinstall the fuse , this should take care of the problem due to loss of vacuum.
  • bobstbobst Member Posts: 1,776
    Hi Steve,

    I'm glad that you got your CEL problem fixed for only $200. From what I read on one internet web site, many owners were not so lucky.

    Yeah, all I did was put on a piece of black tape a couple years ago. The CEL may indicate a serious problem or it may be a 'false positive'. I'm willing to take that risk.
  • stevecarstevecar Member Posts: 148
    Hi Bobst

    I can agree with you considering many, if not most, of the CEL problems aren't really car problems, but are government requirements for emissions. In NJ, when the car has to be inspected, it would fail and have to be fixed. I figure, even though it didn't affect driving, when inspection time came, it would have to be addressed.
  • bobstbobst Member Posts: 1,776
    I like New Jersey. For a small state, it has great variety from the mountains to beautiful Cape May, where we, like Abraham Lincoln, loved to browse the beach looking for "Cape May diamonds".

    However, for car inspections, I would rather live in Virginia where a car can pass inspection even with the CEL light on.
  • vchiuvchiu Member Posts: 564
    Hello everybody. I am new to this forum

    I am a French Guy living In China, close to Hong Kong, and looking for a good family Sedan.

    The Honda Accord that I see here are quite numerous and sell well. A new 2.4 has a Retail price of about US$30K whereas a 3.0 will cost about US$37K. No bargaining possible here.

    As I don't have that money on hand, I am thinking about second Hand. A 2003 0r 2004 model would be fine for me.
    Should I choose a 2.4 or a V6?
    My driving style is a mix of French, british and German, and I like to setup the speed control for a leisurely 90-100 MpH on the motorway. (Which I regret is not possible in the US). I am looking for torque and good speed pickup, but enjoy cruising at legal speeds in city area.
    I only consider an automatic gearbox.

    The problem is that the V6 is very rare in China, whereas the 2.4 is very common. moreover, as a top of the line, even second-hand models are pricey and the lack of motoring education here makes maintenance come very patchy. I strongly desire a V6, but the lack of choice and money may force me into the 4 cyl.

    In need advise from people who had experience in both models : will the 2.4 be a disapointment in regard to the 3.0 or is it a workable alternative?

    Fuel economy is not a key issue for me. I just hate cars with struggling engines. I have been spoilt by my BMW 740 that I left in France.

    Thank you for your view.
  • ctalkctalk Member Posts: 646
    I strongly desire a V6, but the lack of choice and money may force me into the 4 cyl.

    In need advise from people who had experience in both models : will the 2.4 be a disappointment in regard to the 3.0 or is it a workable alternative?

    I currently own a V6 model of the Accord. I did test drive the 4 cylinder model. It has ample power, and it's extremely refined. But enjoyed the V6 a lot more, especially since I do a lot of highway driving. This is all personal, both choices are good. I advice you to test drive both models and see which ones best for you.
  • atlantabennyatlantabenny Member Posts: 735
    We have both variants of the 2003 model year. I'll assess both cars on these criteria indicated by you: 40% driving experience (V6 wins), 30% maintenance & repair (I-4 wins), and 30% resale value (tie).

    It appears that you'll be happier with the V6 but would need to put up with higher M & R costs - the V6 has a much higher transmission failure rate and its timing belt needs changing, unlike the chain-driven I-4. Given that maintenance practices in PROC leave something to be desired, the pre-owned V6 could be a pile of trouble.

    Incidentally, I'm familiar with PROC driving conditions because of business trips there. Lots of stop & go avoiding pedestrians and bicyles, and some secondary roads are rough and rutted.

    That said, the I-4 could be the prudent (shucks) all-around choice especially if buying pre-owned and reselling it later.
  • bobstbobst Member Posts: 1,776
    Vchiu, we have an old saying: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

    Since most people in China seem to drive 4-cyl cars, you should probably do the same thing.

    Why only an auto tranny? I thought Europeans liked driving a manual.
  • tunkutunku Member Posts: 4
    Hi,
    I bought a Honda Accord LX 2006 about two weeks back.
    I just finished the first tank of gas, and it gave me barely 25 MPG, for the first 345 miles, most of which are on the freeway at ~ 60 MPH.
    Is that normal?
    The advertised mileage is 26/34 MPG.
    25 MPG seems terribly low, isn't it?
    Please advise.
    Thanks!
  • andywuweiandywuwei Member Posts: 26
    Hello Vchiu,

    I am a Chinese guy living in the US and will move back to China very soon. I am facing similar issue: have to get rid of my 03 BMW 330i here (love it!) and consider to buy a Honda Accord in China.

    I would choose 2.4 over the V6. On one hand, 2.4 has enough power, even in the US most people would agree with this; on the other side, you can buy a 2.4 in China for a little over USD28k, about 20% higher than US price (2.4 EX/L/auto, carsdirect.com price 23k); while price of a v6 in China is 40% higher than US price. I just cannot justify the extra money for the extra power.

    One thing to remind you: v6 has side airbags while 2.4 does not. If this is a big concern, you probably want to go with the V6 version.

    I would not recommend you to buy a used car in China. Chinese 2nd hand car market is still not mature. There is no historical report like CarFax and there is no fair value guide like KBB and Edmunds. A lot of more risk to take if you buy a used car.

    Well, good luck with your choice. Please keep us informed.

    Andy
  • jfergusjfergus Member Posts: 30
    Hello Tunku,

    This is normal. The engine is new and "tight" inside, so there is no wear on the parts. As you put more miles on the car, the engine wears and the mileage will get better. Also keep in mind, you will probably have worse gas mileage during the winter months, because the engine is not efficient until it warms up, so your overall fuel economy is lower. By the time spring comes around next year, you should see an improvement over your current fuel economy.

    You may want to join the Inside Line group "Honda Accord Owners: MPG-Real World Numbers" to read about the gas mileage experiences of other Accord owners. For what it's worth, I just picked up my 2006 Accord EX with Navi on Wednesday. Here it is Friday afternoon, and the trip computer shows a 25.4 MPG average. About 70% of my miles so far have been highway.
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