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A/C Condenser Prone To Damage By Road Debris
2003 Honda Accord (Page 2 of 2)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Honda dealer.
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.
8.9
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $690
- Average Mileage:
- 65,650 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 23 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
- Install a new condenser (13 reports)
- Honda needs to redesign the exterior front air vent system (7 reports)
- not sure (3 reports)
AC / heater problem
Helpful websites
- No one has added a helpful site for this 2003 Accord problem yet. Be the first!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I bought a brand new 2003 Honda Accord. After five months the Air Conditioning System quit working. I took the car to get repaired at Checkered Flag Honda in Virginia Beach, VA where the car was purchased. They claimed that they fixed the Air Conditioner problem, but refused to tell me what they found wrong or how they corrected it. I then spoke to the service department manager and he would not provide any information either. My brother was with me and he felt that the dealership was hiding something. At this point, I refused to take the car unless a mechanic looked over the car. The Service Manager sent their best mechanic with me and I instructed him to open the hood. When he opened the hood we noticed a big screwdriver laying on the engine beside a discarded mechanics rag. We also noticed that the refill caps for the Air Conditioning lines were not installed and we located them on the venting for the front windshield. We went back to the Service Manager and then he admitted to adding freon to the system. The dealership also refused to provide any paperwork covering the repairs. Within five months (four of which were during winter) the A/C failed again and the dealer quickly pointed to a leak in the A/C condenser and quoted me $800 to fix the car. The Manager said a small pebble hit the condenser and damaged it. Honda refused to pay for the repairs and I believe they found the leak during my earlier visit. The real problem is that the front venting system does not protect the A/C condenser from the smallest of pebbles or debris that may hit it. Honda knows about the venting system defect and the dealers are given a standard story to avoid any liability. Honda is confronted with an $800 recall problem for newer Honda Accords and they have chosen to cheat their customers rather than fix their product. The INTERNET is full of 2003 Honda Accord condenser failures on low mileage cars. The Automobile Transportation Safety Authority has received numerous complaints regarding 2003 Honda Accord condenser failures so they be able to force Honda to recall the cars, fix the defective air vent design, and pay any customers who have paid the $800 repair bills. This was my first new car and I cannot afford the $800 repair at this time. Maybe a class action suit will get their attention.
- Marjorie S., Virginia Beach, VA, US