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.
9.3
really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,710
Average Mileage:
98,000 miles
Total Complaints:
504 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
replace/rebuild transmission (348 reports)
not sure (72 reports)
Honda to pay cost as this transmission was a previous recall (45 reports)
NHTSA official complaints - Guys, please keep pushing persistently to get the justice. Honda USA and all Honda dealership have been robbing us!
Transport Canada Defect Complaint Form - If you are in Canada, you can file a complaint with Transport Canada. If the link above does not work try using the secure URL: https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/PCDB-BDPP/
Transport Canada Defect Complaint Form (New URL - If you are in Canada, you can file a complaint with Transport Canada. If the link above does not work try using the secure URL: https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/7/pcdb-bdpp/fc-cp.aspx .
I just had the 90K mile service performed on the the Accord (the car had 94800 miles on it at the time). Part of the 90K service is a transmission flush and fill and replace the transmissoin drain plug washer. Now at 98120 miles (less than 4000 miles since the service) the transmission has completely failed. This evening, (Friday 9/29/06) I was driving down to Waco Tx cruising along at about 70 mph on I35. All of a sudden the engine rpm revved to 5000+ and the car started slowing down. I pulled over and it smelled like fluid burning off on the hot exhaust system. I looked under the car and transmission fluid was leaking onto the road. I had to have the car towed into the nearest Honda dealership. More to follow once I find out what failed, what caused the failure, etc.
I purchased my 2003 Accord with 27,000 Miles on it. The transmission started slipping but only every now and then. I took it to the Dealer, they said they couldn't find anything wrong. About a month later I was pulling into a parking spot and I shifted into Reverse and heard gears grinding. After work I headed to the dealership. On the way whenever I applied the brake approaching a stop light the Transmission was down shifting all the way into first gear. Sending my head slamming forward. I didn't think I would make it to the dealership. When I got there, they had a Technician come out to my car. He had me shift back and forth from Reverse to Drive (Automatic Trans.) Several times it made a really bad grinding noise. The Techinician said the Transmission was shot. It's been about 5,000 miles since it'd been fixed, and again I'm starting to hear noise.
With the car being LESS than 2 years old and with only 55,000, I can't believe the transmission went. My husband does a lot of traveling on business so it was mostly highway miles and we had no choice to get the car fixed. The dealer seems to think he did us a HUGE favor by putting in a refinished transmission at a cost of $1,600, but to me this car should not have had to have a transmission replaced in the first place with it being less than two years old. What a piece of junk Honda makes and I urge everyone who reads this not to buy any type of Honda vehicle.
- Kathy S.,
Grand Island, NY, US
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I just had the 90K mile service performed on the the Accord (the car had 94800 miles on it at the time). Part of the 90K service is a transmission flush and fill and replace the transmissoin drain plug washer. Now at 98120 miles (less than 4000 miles since the service) the transmission has completely failed. This evening, (Friday 9/29/06) I was driving down to Waco Tx cruising along at about 70 mph on I35. All of a sudden the engine rpm revved to 5000+ and the car started slowing down. I pulled over and it smelled like fluid burning off on the hot exhaust system. I looked under the car and transmission fluid was leaking onto the road. I had to have the car towed into the nearest Honda dealership. More to follow once I find out what failed, what caused the failure, etc.
- Peter T., Lewisville, TX, US