CarComplaints.com Notes: The 1999 Honda Accord suffers from widespread transmission failure, subframe rust, engine shuts off while driving, & peeling paint. We recommend avoiding this model year like the plague.

The transmission begins slipping & eventually has to be replaced, typically soon after 100,000 miles & with a repair cost of over $2,000.

Subframe rust near the front passenger side wheel has become a problem recently, due to the poorly positioned A/C drain hose directly above that area. Repair cost to the subframe is over $2,000.

Engine stalling while driving in the 1999 Accord is typically caused by a defective ignition switch -- inexpensive to repair (under $200) but dangerous.

Peeling paint has also been an issue for these Accords. Most of the complaints are with darker paint colors -- especially green & blue.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
53,233 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1999 Honda Accord miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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1999 Honda Accord Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #31

Jul 252020

Accord

  • 217,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While I am driving my car shuts off. The radio and lights stays on but everything on dash is off, milage and speed. I have had everything tested but there is nothing wrong. In Jan 2020 I had this recall issue addressed at the dealer or at least I thought I did. It doesn't matter what I am doing when car shuts off. At stop light, turning the corner, on freeway... after car shuts off, I put car in park and try to restart. 90% of the time car wont restart. Pumping gas pedal doesn't help. Actually sometimes it starts and then just shuts off again or starting the car doesn't seem completed, maybe because my foot was on the gas pedal, car raves up but drops right down/off. I have been tapping the battery terminals with rubber handle of screwdriver and that seems to allow my car to start. Sometimes I drive 200 miles and it does not happen. It happens once in 90 days or twice in one week or twice in one day. This has been going on for three or four years. It is just happening more often this past year. Also, the recalled airbag is taking too long. There should have been an airbag waiting for me seeing how Honda knew it was recalled and I was still driving the car. My teenage son sits in passenger seat and now that I know of the recall I fear for his life while I drive. Covid-19 is no excuse. Eight months waiting so far.

- Northridge, CA, USA

problem #30

Jun 012019

Accord

  • 311,000 miles
My car was towed while I wss in jail and I cant find

- Gastonia, NC, USA

problem #29

Mar 112019

Accord

  • 149,170 miles
Car repeatedly shuts off when driving. I was driving in the highway and my Honda lights started flickering and the speedometer hands started flickering. My car then shut off and my wheel locked. I tried to restart and it would not turn back on. It sounded like my car was dragging something but I checked underneath and didn't see anything. After gassing the car while starting, it finally started back up but you could tell it was barely being powered. It sounded like it was trying hard to power but it was only doing it so much. Now I'm sitting still on side the highway and it also runs hot so I filled the antifreeze and now I'm letting T run, hoping that the antifreeze is the cause of these problems. My car sounds awful!!!!! it doesn't even have 150K miles!!!! for it to be a 1999!!!!!!

- Cambridge, MD, USA

problem #28

Aug 192017

Accord

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Clear coat is coming off trunk area and on the hood area should not be happening since the vehicle is garaged 65% of the time

- Pasco, WA, USA

problem #27

Apr 262017

Accord

  • 175,000 miles
In mid to late April 2017 I began hearing a crunching/popping noise coming from the front passenger side of my 1999 Accord. I took it to a mechanic and was informed that the sub-frame on the passenger side had rusted through and broke. I had never in my life heard of anything like this happening to a car. I understand living in the northern part of the United States there is a heavy amount of salt put on the roads in the winter and cars rust, especially when they are older. But actually breaking! I was told the total repair would cost 2,000 dollars! I cannot afford a new car as I just got out of college. Thus, I had to pay for it out of pocket. I find this absolutely unacceptable. I have driven several cars over last 17 years and never have I ever been told the steel sub-frame of your car has rusted through and if you don't fix this you could injure not only yourself but others, not to mention you're car could be destroyed. I discovered after some online research that this is a wide spread problem with 1998-2002 Honda's in which the A/C drain hose drips on the sub-frame causing it rust and weaken prematurely. I also realize that Honda has yet to acknowledge this design flaw, which is concerning because there are still tens of thousands of these cars out there on the roads right now. I have been a Honda driver since 2009 and have stood by them, but this is reprehensible and I truly hope there will be some kind of class action or settlement brought about because this hit me hard financially and soured the reputation on what has otherwise been a wonderful, well maintained car I expect to get a few more years out of.

- Spring Valley, WI, USA

problem #26

Dec 152015

Accord

  • 168,000 miles
The automatic transmission is slipping a problem with Honda, and the car was getting a state inspection and found out the sub frame was rusted on the passenger side. Will not pass a Pennsylvania state inspection this is a problem with 1999 to 2002 Accord call Honda they will not help ( 168000 miles on car ).

- Greensburg, PA, USA

problem #25

Jun 132016

Accord

  • 121,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Took my 99 Accord to the dealer for an exhaust-they said the engine subframe has a hole and is rusted where the A/C hose drains on it - this is a defect which affects the safe operation of the car and should be replaced by Honda.

- Hinckley, OH, USA

problem #24

Oct 212015

Accord

  • 225,000 miles
My 1999 Honda Accord 4cyl now has a broken subframe assembly. The subframe has so much corrosion that bushing, etc. Has disintegrated. However, this has only occurred on the right corner just behind the front passenger tire. This is also the location of the A/C drain hose. Apparently the hose drains right onto the subframe and has caused this issue. I have read online that thousands of Accord are affected but nothing has been done by the manufacturer to recall this engineering issue. With the subframe broken, I cannot drive my vehicle and I cannot afford to fix it either (since a new one is $700 + labor).

- Plainwell, MI, USA

problem #23

Sep 012010

Accord

  • 190,000 miles
Car died as if someone turned the key off. First 5 times it was while slowing down. Last time on 2/7/11 was going 65 mph on freeway and was in the middle lane of traffic when it just quit running as if I turned the key off. It was due to faulty ignition switch. Honda claims that my particular vehicle was not part of a recall for this identical problem, however, many Honda's of that year and other years were included in the recall. There was a recall for another part of the ignition system that covered my year and model. That was not the problem.

- White Bear Lake, MN, USA

problem #22

Oct 082005

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,000 miles
Purchased a pr-owned vehicle from power Toyota cerritos and the vehicle has major problems after 6 months of ownership.

- Norwalk, CA, USA

problem #21

Aug 082005

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I purchased a new 1999 Honda Accord LX in the summer of '99. Several months after purchase, my husband and I noticed that the black paint was starting to chip and flake. I took the car back to the dealership from where I purchased the vehicle (performance Honda, fairfield, oh) to inquire about the situation. The service supervisor offered many excuses such as that I must have driven through a street painting project, encountered acid rain, used a power washer too often, or didn't keep the vehicle clean. My husband and I take very good care of our vehicles with the intent of keeping them for many years. This vehicle was waxed within the first month of purchase and had been washed and maintained on a regular basis. We continued to see more paint specs missing in the black paint. At each service visit, I complained about the situation. The service manager even came to our house and to my place of employment to inspect the vehicle. All of the excuses pointed to our inadequate care of the vehicle. On my last visit, they asked if I would like a quote on a new paint job from their body shop. I have seen other complaints on Honda web sites and I wonder if there was ever anything done to resolve the situation with this batch of bad paint. Honda seems unwilling to rectify the situation or offer any compensation for the paint troubles.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #20

Apr 182004

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I have Honda Accord LX model 1999. I had been experiencing intermittent problem of my car stalling while decelerating. This problem is since last 12-18 months. I have shown this to car dealers multiple times but nothing significant was told to me. Most of the time I am unable to duplicate the problem when at service center but it happens intermittently. Sometimes even on the freeway it stalls during decelerating. Please consider if there is anything that can be done to fix this problem.

- Placentia, CA, USA

problem #19

Mar 082004

(reported on)

Accord

  • miles
The consumer was dissatisfied with the Honda dealership whom performed the recall and other unnecessary work. The dealer disconnected the security alarm but did not cut back on which resulted in an out-of-pocket expense for the consumer. Recall# 1000000

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #18

Jan 012002

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Just prior to a cellular phone ringing, the car makes clicking and buzzing noises which seems to be coming from the driver's side dash in the area of the fuse box. Once the cell phone is answered, the clicking and buzzing noises stop.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #17

Jul 102003

(reported on)

Accord 6-cyl

  • miles
The consumer requested all documents related to mechanical and technical problems concerning 1999 Honda Accord V-6 transmission.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #16

Apr 222002

Accord 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
While driving and in motion, the car suddenly and unexpectedly shuts off. It happens after shifting out of gear when coming to a stop. For example, Ill be in 3rd gear (or any gear for that matter) and I have to stop and therefore I shift out of gear and the vehicle shuts off. Due to the fact that it shuts off unexpectedly, I feel that this problem is very dangerous. One time, the vehicle turned off while making a left turn almost causing an accident due to the car turning off. This problem has happened approximately 4-6 times. It started early in 2002 and the problem continues. In 2003 the problem has occurred about 4 times. I have taken the vehicle to the maroone Honda dealer (because I have an extended warranty with them) to have it checked out, the technicians say they canT figure it out and that they do not know what is causing the problem. Please advise if any other owners have reported similar problems and/or if a remedy is known. Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #15

Feb 062003

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Paint on hood is chipping off and has bubble in center of hood close to windshield. Paint is also chipping off in other areas

- Goleta, CA, USA

problem #14

Jan 302003

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55 miles
Throttle wire broke disconnecting the accelerator petal from the engine while driving on the highway. I was lucky that I was in the right lane and could get onto the shoulder.

- Roanoke, TX, USA

problem #13

Oct 302002

Accord

  • miles
Noticed lurching and trasnmission slipping. The car was having difficulty changing gears. Next day I had car checked out was advised that transmission fluid was black( burnt) and the motor mount was also weak. The following day I took the car to ed voyles Honda for my 45,000 mile/3 yr service. I was then advised by service advisor, jim vartiak, that large metal pieces came out when the trasnmission fluid was being drianed and was a sign of deterioration of the trasnmission. After my service on 10-28-02 I went to work. On my commute back, I heard a loud noise and then the check engine light came on while I was on the expressway. The vehicle was not accelerating well, the gears were not shifting. When I got to my destination I noticed that I was parked. When I put the car in reverse the engine had to be reved up to make the slightest move. It took several minutes to move three feet. The next morning, 10-30-02, the car was driving about 40 mph then sudddenly dropped to 10 mph during a busy hour approx. 7:30 am. At times the Honda Accord would not even move at all and then it would suddenly jot out. I made it home, but the car is completely immoble the transmission is gone. The worst part is there was no help offered for a resolution. I have made calls and also written to America Honda motor co., Inc, but I have not yet recieved any response from my. Correspondence.

- Marietta, GA, USA

problem #12

Oct 012001

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Accelerator pedal sticks when applied. Dealer contacted.

- Davie, FL, USA

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