CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2001 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 100,000 miles & with a repair cost of over $2,000. Transmission failure problems have been a huge problem for Honda Accords & other models all through the early 2000s model years. Honda eventually extended the transmission warranty to 93 months/109k miles for the 2000-2001 Accords as settlement for a class action lawsuit, but that period is over & owners of Accords 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. Also make sure your 2001 Accord has been checked for the airbag recall: excessive pressure may cause metal fragments during airbag deployment.
I noticed around my neighborhood and on the street many Honda Accords 1999-2003 Emerald green color G87P paint has same problem with my car exterior paint problem.
Ok, I know that the car is old but still the paint is starting to fade on the roof and I notice small spot on the trunk. It`s basically everywhere. Even if I want to sell the car, it is impossible! Honda should do better too many things are going wrong with this car!
I Love Honda Accords but I see so many Hondas on the road with peeling paint. I will probably not buy another Honda due to that. They have to be using the wrong paint.
This sort of paint failure is unacceptable and should be a recall with complete repaint, especially for original owners. The value of the vehicle is greatly diminished because of the paint problem. Loss of goodwill to Honda is huge - any time someone sees an older Honda with this paint peeling off they will think twice about buying.
- 01hondaaccord,
Garner, NC, US
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There is something definitely defective with the Honda Factory paint. Is there any service campaigns, customer satisfaction campaigns or recalls for this?
It is embarrassing. Plain and simple. I took good care of my Honda knowing it would drive forever, always had my service and oil changes done. I bought it brand new and it looks like a freaking junker....horrible. I am now purchasing a used car with almost the same mileage to begin a new sales job without being embarrassed over the aesthetics of my car. Honda should have repainted these vehicles.
The problems with the clear coat began several years ago with the top of the trunk. The corners near the rear window began looking grey. Then the grey areas expanded until it was clear that the top coat was coming off. Now most of the trunk, the roof and the front of the hood look terrible. It really does look like an abandoned vehicle. I didn't even bother taking it to the dealer. They did nothing when the wheel covers had a similar coating defect.
So i adopted my Honda from my father when i turned 16. Really, i'm proud of my car except the paint. it's awful, all the clear coat is coming off and looks terrible, my dad didn't really care about it, but how am i supposed to feel good about something that doesn't look GOOD. Look, its not the BIGGEST problem about a car, but it is the most noticeable. then, when i look up how to fix it.... i have to pay more money to get it re-painted. i don't really think this is going to work, but i hope it does because i don't have an extra 1000 to 2000 dollars to re-paint my car.... there needs to be a fix.... there's just got to..... i'm desperate.
As this is such a widespread and egregiously stupid defect attributable to inferior materials, Honda should provide remediation of some sort. Normal wear and tear my posterior aspect! I have owned 5 consecutive Honda vehicles, this 2001 Accord being No. 3, and so far reluctant to plunge for another now.
I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN MARCH 2012 AND IT HAD JUST A LITTLE PAINT PEELING ON THE TOP, IT HAS PROGRESSED FAST OVER THE 2 1/2 YRS. IT IS THE WHOLE TOP, THE TRUNK, AND TOP OF FRONT AND BACK DOOR ON DRIVER SIDE. I NOTICE ALL THE TIME, ESPECIALLY CARS THE SAME COLOR, HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I SEE OTHER CARS (DIFFERENT MAKES AND MODELS) ALL OVER THE ROAD, CHURCH, SHOPPING , FAMILY, ETC. THAT ARE EVEN OLDER THAN MINE AND THEY LOOK TEN TIMES BETTER. THIS IS JUST NOT NEGLECT TO THESE ACCORDS, IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THEM ALL.
Paint on hood and trunk lid deck is checking, also known as crow's feet, which will soon lead to peeling of the clear coat. Should not be happening as car is garage-kept 95% of the time, is well-maintained and has low mileage: less than 135,000 km. Very annoying as I recently spent 25+ hours compounding and polishing the paint only to find that the trunk lid, to some extent the front fenders and especially the hood look like crap compared to the nice deep shine on the rest of the paint.
This was a common problem on honda automobiles in the early 2000's. Honda should have recalled the cars and did something.... the cars are ugly. I call this problem "clear coat cancer". Honda did give me $500 "loyalty cash" for use on service or sales of a Honda automobile. I think it should have been more. Other than the paint issue, the car was basically okay (the transmission had to be replaced with a rebuilt one at 173,000 miles however).
Most of the Honda's from the same generation of my car have this problem with peeling paint. I know that in the late 1990's Honda was using a different paint with new clear coat in it. So why Honda has not owned up to the problem they obviously have caused is baffling. I used to love Honda's and thought I would only by Honda's for the rest of my life (I'm 22), but I am quickly changing my mind. I understand that a paint defect isn't going to be the direct cause to injury or death, unless somebody driving by my car can't take their eyes off of it because it is so hideous and crashes into something, but seriously this is the first thing people notice about a car. I don't understand why Honda isn't more concerned with this problem; people who see all the cars with peeling paint are going to buy another brand of car. To me, Honda's are known for reliability and safety, but what they have failed to recognize is the reliability of the paint. My car has not been exposed to environmental fallout either, it has spent most of it's life in the garage! The clear coat isn't peeling due to 'excessive sun exposure', it's peeling due to a weak paint job from the factory.
It is a good car, but the paint has completely peeled off. It is not just on my car, I see other cars just like mine with the same exact problem. Obviously corners were cut in the production of this car and free paint jobs should be offered.
I take extremely good care of my Honda Accord. I am very disappointed with the paint. I hated it so much that I had the roof repainted a couple of years ago. Now the trunk paint is peeling off and the hood doesn't look very good either. I previously owned a Honda Accord and a Honda Prelude. I never had this paint problem with my two other Hondas. It is embarrassing to drive around in my Honda. The car looks awful.
So the paint or clear coat is totally coming off the car. Everywhere. It looks horrible. I took it to the dealership I bought it from, Fowler Honda of Norman Oklahoma. Service Manager said he could do nothing about it. It was a Honda of America problem. Said I needed to talk to a inspector from Honda America. Apparently the inspector comes to the dealership every couple of weeks or so. So I try to stop by on his scheduled day and they tell me the inspector did not come. The Service Manager tells me to take it to a local body shop and see if they can determine the cause. I take it to Body Works and they tell me it is delamination of the Clear Coat. I asked Body Works what caused it. They said it was due to Honda not putting on the Paint, primer or the Clear Coat properly. Apparently there are firm directions and timeline on how to put both on your car at the factory. So I take the explanation with the estimate that it will cost me $5,000+ to get it fixed, back to the Service Manager. He looks at it, says I will go inside and call Honda of America and see what they say. He comes back 10 minutes later and says that Honda of America will not fix it. They claim I spilled something on it, my warranty is long past and it was not their fault. I asked what my next step was, who do I appeal this decision too. I told them that I see other Accords around the same time with the same paint peeling problem. So I told them they knew there was a factory default, they should fix it. Service Manager said that was a Honda of America problem.
So obviously, Honda is making Billions of dollars and will not fix their factory error because it is so widespread it would cost them millions. Since to get the paint fixed would cost me about half of the worth of the car, I guess I will go buy another car. Guess which car company I will not be buying from unless they suddenly have a change of heart. I would love to hear an idea on how to enhance that change.
I have a 2001 Black Honda Accord Lx v6 coupe. I love this car so much, it is in such amazing condition considering the year of it, I got it a little over a year ago from a dealership. When I found the car at the dealership I fell right in love with it, I love Honda cars, they last forever! at just 42,000 miles, I asked the dealers if before i bought it if they were going to fix the apparent paint peel that was significant on the hood and roof of the car. like it was almost gone. which they did end up fixing those two locations when I bought it. Well now that its been another year since then.(there paint job sucked btw, looked nice for a week, now looks like they spray painted it on) The original pain on the car is literally like, falling off my car. Somedays I just wanna cry about it, It makes me feel like Im driving an old beat up looking car, when in reality, it drives amazing AND i have a car payment! But now the paint is to the point where I am going to have it re-painted because I don't want to start having it rust on me. I have looked all over the web to see if there was any sort of help from honda at all on this problem. and found hundreds of complaints, and it truly hurts that Honda hasn't gone good for the paint. I mean definately a paint job will be alot per customer complaints, but even if they paid for the $300 paint would make me a little bit happier. Oh, and reading some of there tips on how to protect the paint on the car is just too funny. 1. Keep it out of the sun. (its a car) 2. Avoid washing it as much as possible. (its a car) 3. Don't use heavy waxes (not a problem, waxing the car totally sucks, your lucky if you do it once without wanting to quit) and 4. avoid bird poop. Ok... those are rediculous. Im not sure if Honda realizes this, but, ITS A CAR!, what good is it to me if i can't even bring it outside? haha, bird poop isnt hard to try and dodge, i normally don't have that problem. or waxing really because its too much of a job for me to want to do. But Not to be in the sun or washing it. Uhm.. Yea... See, I like to drive my car. in the daytime. and uhm. Its black. and always looks filthy, so yea. I like to wash it like once a week. Even if it is pointless. But I really am NOT happy that Honda hasn't done anything about this very trendy problem. But i hope they have at least learned that taking the cheap way out never is really worth it. you always end up having to pay wayyy more in the end. Which Honda is clearly trying to avoid by just not owning up to there mistake. Which for being a honda lover, definately is a stab in the heart to me from them. Because it makes me feel much differently towards them as a brand.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Paint vanishing on hood, roof, trunk, tops of doors
- steve2335, Westminster, CO, US