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:
10 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
8 / 0
Average Mileage:
38,981 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.
My drivers seat side airbag deployed and my SRS light is on. I took my car to the Honda dealership and they told me the only thing covered in the recall is the igniter, which is in my steering wheel. They replaced this, which was described as the SRS driver inflater and told me that the car will need to undergo a diagnostic test which will cost me $110 and that I will also have to pay to get my seat fixed, where the airbag deployed. I'm not sure why this wouldn't be covered in the recall when it's all related. My car has not been in an accident and the airbag did not deploy while I was in it, so I'm not sure what the heck happened. The bag is just hanging out of my seat and I don't feel I should pay to get this fixed. An airbag recall should cover anything related to the airbag system. I thought the airbag was controlled by the igniter that's in the steering wheel. I'm not sure why they would fix one thing and not the other. From what I have read, this is happening alot! there has to be something done about this. I don't have the money to pay for the damage that was done to my seat. It's ripped down the side and the airbag is hanging out.
I got in my car one morning and my airbag (passenger side in the seat) was deployed. No accident, nothing happened, just deployed. Honda will not acknowledge the fact and insurance looked at it and calls is a mechanical failure.
Honda Accord 2001: Both airbags (driver's and passenger side) deployed without any specific reason while vehicle proceeded on slow speed (10 mph) along residential road. Under distress the driver damaged 2 parked cars. Both the driver and the passenger sustained airbag-deployment related injuries. This car belongs to my father and he and my mother were involved in this accident.
Honda Accord 2001 needs new opds unit I noticed that my side air bag light came on and shortly after that the SRS light came on. When I took it to the Honda dealer they told me that I needed a new opds unit at $6662.70. Now that seems ungodly steep. But to top it off when I went online to research it, I find that many Honda owners are experiencing exactly the same thing I am. I think Honda should replace it.
- Kansas City, MO, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
Re: NHTSA action no: PE05043 (closed investigation) SRS unit light remains on indicating that passenger side air bag will not work. Opds unit has was previously replaced. The SRS problem is caused by a faulty wiring harness, and Honda wants to charge me $450 to replace it. Shouldn't Honda pay for this in light of your prior investigation as well as the high safety risk? I notified Honda corporate two weeks ago - no response. Dealer cannot help because it is a corporate decision.
SRS light on. Failed side air bag sensor. Had sensor replaced August 1, 2008 at the Honda dealer and at my expense. In may of 2006 the SRS light was on and the control module was replaced by the dealer under warranty. Why isn't the entire air bag system of sensors and controllers covered by warranty rather than just the front air bags? seems like Honda, S SRS system has significant problems with failed control units and sensors.
2001 Honda Accord SRS light remains on. Service dept. Said car is "safe" to drive. "good news is that the airbags won't deploy when you are driving around. The bad news is that the airbags won't deploy in an accident." My research shows that Honda is not concerned about consumers with this issue. There is no type of warranty coverage and it is a very expensive fix with marginal results (likely to recur). I should think that seat belts and airbags would have a lifetime warranty.
Owner of a 2001 Honda Accord with only 20,000+ mileage. A week after an annual inspection, the SRS light came on and has remained so. Dealer indicated a $90 diagnostic charge would be required and only waved if a part was found to be defective. I researched this issue on the NHTSA website and found this problem had been investigated in recent years after a significant number of owner complaints. I also found some revealing correspondence between the NHTSA and Honda regarding continuing problems with the SRS light issue and although SRS light warnings on some vehicles continued to occur repeatedly after addressing the dtc 15-3 code, NHTSA closed its #PE05043 investigation. I assumed this action was taken after it was determined that a safety issue was not involved and Honda agreed to extend the warranty on SRS illumination and opds issues to 10 years or 150,000 miles. I never received a notification letter from Honda indicating a no cost replacement of the opds unit. My concern is, does the dealer have the right to charge a diagnostic fee ($90) if Honda extended the warranty and the history of issues involved in this frequently defective SRS warning light apparently remain unresolved.
I was hit by a car running a red light. The left front and rear quarter panels hit and the side air bag did not deploy. I called Honda to find out where sensors are and was told that they are in the areas I was hit.
Noticed that the airbag indicator light would go on and off frequently. Contact dealer who indicated that the side airbag sensor was overly senstive. During a side collision in the rear quarter panel, side airbag did not deploy.
Side airbag light comes on intermittently; owners manual states this can be due to passenger in passenger seat. Then SRS light came on last week and stayed on. Owners manual instructs to contact dealer immediately. I did and took it in on the day contacted. Dealer paperwork states "SRS cleared SRS code 15-3, found cell phone accessories in proximity of seat, code did not reset". verbally instructed not to put cell phone or any other electronic device on passenger seat or near it; as this can interfere with the airbag system. As of right now both lights are off - whether or not my airbags will deploy correctly is a question mark.
2001 Honda Accord ex... broadsided by Ford Excursion SUV running red light... approximately 40 mph... impact centered on left side front and rear doors and center pillar support... buckled floor and roof.. no damage to front quarter panel or rear quarter panel. Honda totaled... driver sustained broken pelvis and ribs.. 5 days in hospital... front seat passenger sustained broken ribs... all parties had seat belts on... side airbags did not deploy. $18,000 + property damage & $30,000+ medical bills.
Air bag sensor light came on and stayed on. Contacted dealer, they sad this was nothing. Onsumer was in an frontal collision, and none of the air bags deployed on impact. Contacted dealer, fixed problem. Consumer was in a side impact none of the air bags, including side air bags deployed on impact.
After stopping at a red light, consumer made a left hand turn slightly bumping the curb, as consumer turned the curb the rate of speed was about 2-3 mph, there was minimal damage to vehicle, after completing the turn approximately 15 seconds later the side passenger airbag deployed, consumer states she was approximately 10 feet passed the curb.
While traveling 60mph on highway vehicle slid on the ice and lost control, resulting in a collision. Driver's side airbag didn't go off. Dealership was aware of problem.
Vehicle bounce off the curb at approximately 10 mph. Later on panel cover was off, exposing the passenger side airbag dealer was notified, and informed consumer that sensor must have sent out a signal, but the air bag failed to deploy. Consumer stated that the passenger side airbag should not have deployed, because she was not going that fast.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Redmond, WA, USA