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.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
106,962 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.

2001 Honda Accord engine problems

engine problem

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2001 Honda Accord Owner Comments

problem #13

Jan 012001

Accord

  • 0 miles

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

The contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a delay while shifting gears. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the failure was due to the transmission. The contact was informed that the check engine light would remain illuminated until the repair was completed. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Holly Pond, AL, USA

problem #12

May 142021

Accord

  • 156,000 miles
I am writing to you in regards to a safety concern with my 2001 Honda Accord. The engine subframe of my 2001 Honda Accord LX has 1/4 engine connections rotted through. This is located on the front passenger side near the strut assembly, beneath the air conditioner drain, as noted by others on posting on the internet. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the subframe was rusted. The vehicle is in excellent condition otherwise, especially with very low miles (156,000) there is very little rust on the vehicle considering it's age. My mechanic says it is unsafe to drive. He writes: 'during degreasing (and repair of radiator) found engine sub-frame rusting out and coming apart. Advised client the vehicle is a safety risk to drive in this condition'. it appears to be the result of a design flaw relating to the location of the air conditioner drain. Honda should be held responsible for this design flaw and Honda should be held accountable to repair this unsafe situation. I am shocked this catastrophic safety condition was allowed to continue without warning by Honda and/or the NHTSA!!

- Arden Hills, MN, USA

problem #11

Nov 052005

Accord

  • 25,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the vehicle did not start and the overheating indicator illuminated. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

- Drakes Branch, VA, USA

problem #10

Jul 012017

Accord

  • 133,875 miles

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

The contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. While driving various speeds and driving over bumps in the road, the contact heard an abnormal rattling noise. Additionally, the passenger side undercarriage was rusted and the service/maintenance warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the engine cradle needed to be repaired and the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 133,875.

- West Bloomingfield, MI, USA

problem #9

Jan 012018

Accord

  • miles
The engine is knocking

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #8

Jan 102017

Accord

  • 184,000 miles
Takata recall - on Jan 10th 2017 my son was in a car accident with his 2001 Honda Accord and the airbag deployed and stuff hit him in the face he was bleeding all over his face. The car was totaled and its now sitting in a junkyard here where we live I have pictures of the car. My son was rushed to the emergency room in reno, nv. He is ok now and he a lot of cuts, bruises and had whiplash. This car was not safe for a teen to be driving for his first car! the car lost control on the highway and bounced several times off the guard rails at 65 mph.

- Carson City, NV, USA

problem #7

Jan 182017

Accord

  • 163,450 miles

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

Upon a standard oil change at 160,000 miles, I was informed that the front sub frame had rusted through on the passenger and driver side. I was told to talk to a body shop immediately because the car wasn't "road safe". looked into this a bit and found that this is a common problem with Accord from this time period due to the placement of the air conditioning drainpipe (which empties right onto the subframe). The car for the most part is reliable, minus the transmission that failed at 130,000 miles. But a frame shouldn't be "rusted through" after 15 years! sounds unsafe, considering the amount of these cars that are still on the road. Called Honda today and was informed the repair would cost over $1200 with no goodwill on their end. Figured this was the best alternative to the situation.

- Elyria, OH, USA

problem #6

May 012016

Accord

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the engine frame was corroded. While driving, a noise emitted from under the hood. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic whom performed and inspection that located a defective air conditioning tube that caused fluid to leak onto the engine frame. The engine frame was severely corroded. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #5

Oct 272014

Accord 6-cyl

  • 115,000 miles
Dear sir or madam: I took my 2001 Honda Accord V6 to Honda dealer ([xxx] of frisco, tx) for airbag recall on Oct 27, 2014. I was also getting engine warning sign on my dash board. After airbag repair I returned home and found following comment on my invoice : "redesigned airbag inflators are not available for installation at this time." Next day I called the dealer and american Honda. Dealer has not responded to my voicemail and american Honda customer service said they will respond within 24-48 hours. So far no one has reached out to me. My question to them was if you did not have the redesigned airbag inflators then how have you fixed the airbag recall issue. Regarding dashboard engine warning sign dealer said I need to install ega pipe kit to avoid clogging of ega port. Honda is aware of this issue as per their service bulletin 99-085 and were supposed to install the ega pipe kit free of cost. Honda never sent me any communication nor any of past Honda dealers informed me about this problem. The dealer asked me $650 to fix the problem and even charged me $107 for diagnosis of this problem which was diagnosed earlier by autozone technician in just 1 minute for free. Honda dealer even refused to do state inspection saying my car will fail the inspection if this kit is not installed. I asked both american Honda and dealer to install egr kit for free since it's a design issue with their engine but so far both of them have refused to install it for free. I would request you to take these issues with Honda especially the airbag, egr port issue and lack of communication regarding problems in their cars. No wonder Honda comes at top in quality surveys since they are not transparent enough to communicate problems with NHTSA or customers. I am worried about me and my family's safety while driving this car. Thanks.

- Plano, TX, USA

problem #4

Dec 012013

Accord

  • 196,678 miles
As I pushed down on gas the car hesitated to go and my check engine light pops on. I took my car to advanced auto parts to check it and it read transmission torque converter.

- Columbus, MS, USA

problem #3

Jun 152008

Accord

  • miles

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

The transmission in my Honda Accord 2001 has been faulty for at least 2 years now. There was a recall on the transmission but the recall expired according to Honda. There is no option but to fix the transmission if it blows and that's basically what I'm waiting for. Honda has not guaranteed that if the transmission is fixed, it will not happen again. I took my car into a Honda dealership twice for airbag recalls and my airbag light is still lit on my dashboard. Overall, I feel as if these issues are safety hazards and I feel stuck in a horrible situation with no help from the manufacture.

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #2

Aug 272012

Accord

  • 190,000 miles
My mother had picked up my niece from her school and was waiting for my nephew and his friend to get out of high school. When ready to go, the car was difficult to start. Took about 10 min to get the car to start. After the car started, went into reverse and backed out of the parking space. Put the car in drive and it "chugged" a couple of times. Then the car accelerated unexpectedly. She was unable to slow the car down by applying the brakes. The car traveled 460 feet accelerating the whole time.the approximate speed of the car was between 60-80 mph. At the end of the parking lot, she turned left and the car hit a curb launching them into a pole that holds up the chain link fencing around the school. They went thru the fencing and into the block wall behind it coming to rest there. All 4 occupants were seen by a doctor and released that day. My mother has numerous cuts and bruises. My nephew shoulder and back are hurting him. My niece has scrapes on the right arm from the block wall. My nephews friend has a black eye.

- Canyon Lake, CA, USA

problem #1

Jul 152012

Accord 4-cyl

  • 126,500 miles
I bought this car brand new in 2001 from a Honda dealership. A couple of years later, the transmission had failed. I called the Honda dealership where I had bought the car and they acknowledged that this generation had a known transmission defect. They repaired my car for free because it was still under warranty at the time and I was told that the transmission now had an extended 7year/109,000mile warranty. On July 15th, 2012, I was driving on highway 101S at 65mph when the check engine light suddenly came on. I noticed a slight loss in power, but my car did not die out. The check engine light stayed on. The next day, I decided to test drive the car again to see if the check engine light was a one time occurrence. I started up the car, put it in reverse, and then to drive. There was a sudden delayed jerk from reverse to drive. I managed to plug in a code reader into the car's computer port and pulled up two codes: P0700 and P0740. Both of these codes are associated with the transmission. Not again"!"! my car has now exceeded the extended warranty and I am afraid that Honda will not cover the repairs. I read on several forums that this has also occurred to Honda owners where the dealership has refused to repair the vehicle due to the expired extended warranty coverage.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

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