CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2002 Honda Accord suffers from widespread transmission failure, subframe rust, & problems with the airbag system (SRS). 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.

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.

The SRS warning light likes to come on due to a defective seat belt sensor -- typically the driver's side. This sensor is covered under Honda's lifetime seat belt warranty, but some dealers charge a $100+ "diagnostic fee" or tell customers the entire SRS unit ($800) is bad.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
46,421 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.

2002 Honda Accord seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2002 Honda Accord Owner Comments

problem #11

Jul 192009

Accord

  • 123,345 miles

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

Our vehicle was in the southbound left turn lane of a three lane road. (one North, one South left, one South straight). At fault vehicle coming from a side road on the passenger side or our vehicle collided with our vehicle. Impact to our vehicle was at the passenger door. Our vehicle was spun 180 degrees and stopped facing North in a painted divider area between the South bound left turn lane and the North bound lane. Side airbag of our vehicle did not deploy. After the accident the SRS fault indicator was on.

- Winter Garden, FL, USA

problem #10

Jul 082009

Accord

  • 71,000 miles
My 2002 Honda Accord has a failed SRS unit which Honda will not repair under the extended warranty. It will cost me $580 to fix it. It affects safety because if I do not repair it my air bags will not deploy. There was a class action suit for opds so now they pay that but they will not pay for this.

- Agoura, CA, USA

problem #9

Sep 242008

Accord

  • 144,000 miles
2002 Honda Accord, 4 dr, manual trans, SRS light stays on after passenger seat got wet or two much humidity in car. First time, dealer reset under warranty, second time, they wanted $75 - found website www.geocities.com/myintegra96/SRS.html where directions are listed for resetting - it works, have done it on my car. Someone should force Honda to correct this, though - love my Honda, hate the light.

- Doylestown, PA, USA

problem #8

Apr 152008

Accord

  • miles

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

I suffered a severe head injury requiring 13 stitches to the side of my head/face. I was T-boned in the driver side door. My side air bag did not deploy resulting in this injury.

- Knoxville, TN, USA

problem #7

Jan 302006

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 57,000 miles
: the contact stated the SRS light illuminated in the vehicle. The dealership was contacted and stated this is a reoccurring problem in this type of vehicle. The side air bags will need to be replaced.

- Savannah, MO, USA

problem #6

May 052005

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Side airbag lights often come on and off for no reason. This has happened for almost two years now. I had called dealership regarding this situations. But they advised me that they could not do anything unless the side air bag light kept staying on. I assume whenever the light came on passenger was leaning on the chair in a certain way, but I noticed that the side airbag light would come on with or without a passenger in the seat. Besides the on and off situations with the side air bag light, I was involved in a driver side impact. The other party hit on driver's side door. The impact complete wrecked the door, but none of side air bags deployed or nothing. I assumed that the impact was not hard enough to deploy the side airbag. Also, many friends who also had Honda Accord experienced the same problem. I hope some one could investigate this problem because there was a malfunction and I could have gotten seriously injured from the accident or maybe from future accident if there was something wrong with the side airbag.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #5

Nov 252004

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 45,000 miles

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

Side air bag light comes on from time to time.

- Fort Myers, FL, USA

problem #4

Jan 262004

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 32,289 miles
Side airbag light keeps coming on by itself, what this does is that it shuts off the side airbags on the car when the light somes on, nothing has been done to correct the problem Honda will charge for fixing it even if the car is still under warranty

- Stamford, CT, USA

problem #3

Mar 072005

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 38,000 miles
The side air bag light intermittently illuminates. To force the light off, I pull the side of the passenger seat towards the center of the auto. This only occurs when the seat is empty. I have taken to the Honda delarship and they state their diagnostics show nothing wrong and that I must have the light on in order to possibly find something wrong. Of course the last time it came on, I entered the parking lot of the dealer and the light wehnt out.

- Kathleen, GA, USA

problem #2

Aug 102004

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
1) auto accident by SUV-side impact-driver side front & rear doors 2) driver's side airbag did not deploy. Jaws of life used to open door. 3) contacted Honda case#N032004-09-07-01546. Insurance carrier sent letter for Honda to come out and inspect. No response as of today. Accident date 8/10/04.

- Morris Plains, NJ, USA

problem #1

Sep 062002

(reported on)

Accord

  • miles
In a frontal collision only driver's side air bag didn't deploy on impact.

- Gathersiburg, MD, USA

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