CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2003 Honda Accord suffers from widespread transmission failure & problems with the stereo backlight failing. We recommend avoiding this model year like the plague.
The transmission begins slipping & eventually has to be replaced, typically soon after 90,000 miles & with a repair cost of over $2,000. Transmission failure has been a huge problem for the Accord & several other Honda models all through the early 2000s model years. Honda extended the transmission warranty to 93 months/109k miles for the 2000-2001 Accord as a class action lawsuit settlement, but owners of other Accord model years with transmission problems are out of luck.
The stereo backlight problem has been an issue since these Accords were only a few years old. Honda eventually issued a recall which covered the repair for 7 years/100k miles, which was nice while it lasted but now that period is over. Honda initially was replacing the entire radio ($800) but eventually began replacing just the PCB which at ~$300 is much cheaper. That sounds like a deal, but keep in mind we're talking about a backlight bulb that costs $2 to fix in most other cars.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
7 / 0
Average Mileage:
109,175 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.
In larger city after many red lights, the warm transmission began slipping when the light turned green. This has continued to happen. The problem now is intermittent but I think can become quite serious. I received no sympathy from the dealer. From the internet I see many similar complaints and all have no resolution from Honda.
On October 20, 2010 I took my car to the Honda dealer to change my transmission fluid as regular maintenance job on my 2003 Honda Accord ex-V6. They told me that they found that I needed to replace the rear main seal on my transmission due to regular wear and tear. However, I didn't do so at the time since it was going to cost $900 to do so. On October 29, 2010 my transmission started jerking my car as it was slipping while I was driving on the highway at 70 mph. I towed my car to a reputable transmission shop and the cost to replace the parts was $2,956. I found many forums with hundreds of people with the same problem on the year and model. This is a lemon car that Honda made and they need to man up, pay up, and recall these vehicles!
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. While the contact attempted to park the vehicle she wasn't able to shift into the park position. The vehicle was taken to a transmission center where the gear shift was replaced. He manufacturer will be contacted. The failure mileage was 79,000 and the current mileage was 83,000.
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact was driving approximately 45 mph and attempting to accelerate but the vehicle would not respond. The engine exhibited an increase in rpms yet the vehicle independently began to decelerate. The vehicle responded within several minutes after the accelerator pedal was depressed and accelerated up to 45 mph before the failure recurred in a cycle. The vehicle was parked and was not repaired or diagnosed for the failure. The failure and current mileage was 115,708.
On July 31, 2010, I was driving about 45-50 mph on a highway. Twice when I lightly accelerated, the car jerked forward as if I had hit the accelerator very hard rather than very lightly. This happened twice that day; nothing like this had ever happened before. My transmission failed the next day on August 1, 2010 while I was on the interstate. It failed very spectacularly. I was driving 70ish mph (that is the speed limit). I slowed when I approached a car in front of me. When it pulled over so I could pass, I lightly touched the accelerator and the car jerked as if I had hit the brake very hard. I was shocked and scared; I quickly took my foot off the accelerator and let the car slow. I removed my sandal to be sure my foot was only touching the correct pedal and I could feel exactly the pressure I was putting on it; I put my sandal in the seat beside me. I lightly stepped on the accelerator again with my bare foot, and again the car jerked as if I had hit the brake hard. I braked gently and pulled over to the shoulder, stopped and put the car in park. After I calmed from the fear, I shifted into D3 to try another gear (rather than D). I slowly accelerated and in a few seconds the car started jerking as if I hit the accelerator hard, then the engine revved with no engagement of transmission, then it jerked as if I braked hard; all this in a matter of seconds at a slow speed on the shoulder. Again I braked gently, stopped and put the car in park. Last night, Aug 1, I had it towed to the dealer where the technician test drove it this morning, Aug 2. he told my service advisor the car was frightening to drive; he told my service advisor that the transmission was very bad, that he felt as if he might get whiplash. They gave me an estimate to replace the transmission at $4500.
- Decatur, GA, USA
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I was driving my 2003 Honda Accord V6 and it spontaneously downshifted to first gear. My car slowed abruptly and caused my passenger and me to physically "jerk" in the car. I shut off the engine and re-started, and the same thing happened again. Fortunately, there was little traffic and no collision, but it could have been fatal. In reviewing a number of websites, I see this transmission problem is not unique. I will now contact Honda for repair.
December 5th, 2007 I drove my 2003 Honda Accord onto our driveway pad, just like any other night. I turned off the car, took the key out and got out of the car. As I was getting ready to close the door, I realized the car was rolling backwards. I started back towards the car when the door was knocking me down. When I fell, I tried to get up immediately. I must have had my right leg bent, because the car ran over my left leg at the calf area. I sustained a crush injury to the leg. The squad was called. I was taken to unc memorial chapel hill ed, where I was treated for a crushed leg injury and sent home to observe for increasing compartment syndrome symptoms. I ended up with two large blisters/wounds to my left leg. One healed the other required skin graphs/donor site left thigh. Hospitalized one week on bed rest for the grafts to take. Have suffered permanent damage and chronic pain to the left leg.
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. While driving 30 mph, the second gear was failing. The vehicle would shift from fourth to second gear and from fifth to second gear, which caused the vehicle to jerk and slam. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop and they stated that the clutch failed, which caused the transmission to fail. The vehicle was repaired at the cost of $2,450. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle would not be covered by the transmission recall; therefore, no compensation was made. The failure mileage was 85,000 and current mileage was 86,000.
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle slipped out of gear and would not accelerate. There were no deaths, injuries or police report. The current and failure mileage is 102000.
Since purchase of the car, when I put the car into drvie or reverse, it takes off by itself, without my foot on the gas pedal at 15-20mph. The problem is worse in reverse. I have hit a rock wall, and this week, when I put the car in reverse from an angle parking slot and took my foot off the break, the car shot backwards and nearly hit a pedestrian. Again I did not have my foot on the gas. I have taken it it several times, with no success. Most recently was told it was a stuck throttle body, and that it was unsafe to drive. On replacing the throttle body, it is better in drive, but still bad in reverse. It is under warranty with 18,000 miles, and I am afraid to drive it, for safety reasons.
Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash. A clunking sound was heard by the consumer. Recall number (04V176000).
Around 6000 km, whenever I step on the gas pedal, I would feel the car shake slightly..and an engine sound. At first, I thought I just needed an oil change, even though 6000 was a bit low km for a oil change...I thought maybe because I purchase the car in winter time, and it was now summer time. I took the car in for oil change, also tellign them the problem...and sure enough..after the examination, they told me there was oil leak bottom of the car...and the whole transmission needed to be replaced. The service centre also told me that this is a very rare incident, and it is consider a defect..and this kind of stuff only happens to cars over 600,000. Also that, if I had waited...all the oil could have dripped and would cause a whole engine failure. Either way..it was not a good feeling to know that I needed to replace my transmission at 6000km.
Car developed a high pitch whistle noise at 1500 miles. Took to dealer who determined that there was an internal defect in the transmission. Transmission was replaced with a remanufactured transmission per Honda's warranty policy. American Honda was extremely curt in handling my complaint. Further research has shown that american Honda is currently suffering from a transmission failure crisis in its 1999-2003 Accord, Prelude, odyysey, and Acura TL/cl automobile lineup.
On one of my visit to the dealer to complaint about my the brakes on my car I also complained about the fact that my car makes noise when I am driving on surface that should not make my car sound like their doors are not put on correctly. I thought because it was new it was just a new car squeak but when I drive with the radio off I can hear this noise and I can just imagine what it will sound like when the car is not so new. When I drive in any other vehicle I listen for this sound and I don't hear this noise but as usual the dealer cannot find it. I will be taking in my car for the same brake problems again. On 9/12/203. This will be the fourth time. The first time was on Nov/6/2002, and they resurface the rotors. The second time was on Feb/1/2003, they replace both front disc. The third time may/01/2003, they replace brake pads. The pads are very high and the rotors are thick. There is no sign of warp or roughness that I can feel whem I inspect the brakes and I am some what familiar with brakes.
Vehicle did not shift into different gears, the gears jumped and hung up in gear, the gears hung up between second and third gears, also when putting vehicle in reverse, it would speed backwards without stepping on gas pedal.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Hamilton, AL, USA