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:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
61,095 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 transmission problems

transmission problem

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2001 Honda Accord Owner Comments (Page 4 of 7)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #65

Jan 172009

Accord

  • 32,945 miles

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

Driving @ approx 5 mi per hour and approaching a stop sign in front of a local dept. Store; my husband depressed the brake and the car did not stop; rather, it revved up and began to lunge forward at rapid speed; my husband quickly shifted into neutral and the car stopped. Had it not we would have hit 4 people. This is the 3rd time this has happened since 2001; 2 previous times: I hit a neighbor's parked truck; when we attempted to stop as we neared a stop sign we hit the car in front of us. Each time the acceleration seems out of control despite the brake being depressed. Expensive repairs necessary both previous times. I will have the car towed to Honda next week; I will not drive it. Mileage: Under 33,000.

- South Bend, Indiana, IN, USA

problem #64

Jan 152009

Accord

  • 70,000 miles
Never notified as owner of Honda that transmission warranty was extended due to settlement, a indicator light display notified maintenance, car was brought to Honda dealership and stated warranty was expired by two weeks. Honda failed to make proper notification.

- Manhasset, NY, USA

problem #63

Mar 242007

Accord

  • 105,730 miles
Honda Accord 2001 transmission and coolant system.

- Deerfield Beach, FL, USA

problem #62

Sep 092007

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,874 miles

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

In April 2001, I purchased new Honda Accord ex from its dealer, planethonda in union, NJ. The car had been sore for the last three years. The car was recalled because of faulty transmission. The faulty transmission affected the engine and brakes. Not only, Honda should have replaced the faulty transmission, but also the engine should have been replaced. The faulty transmission made the car run in the low gear, damaged the engine. My car engine is burning more motor oil and I have to add one quart of oil for every 700-800 miles. I also had to replace the brakes, rotor/drum, brake shoe pads every 6-8 months because of faulty transmission. My car has the side air bag and ABS lights on since 30000 miles. I was advised by NHTSA to send the complaint to NHTSA. Please forward the copy of the complaint to the appropriate department, so that they can look into the matter. Thanks....... ashok kumar

- Port Chester, NY, USA

problem #61

Jul 012007

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 105,027 miles
Transmission failure. The differential assembly was rebuilt I paid $1,377 for it at cottman transmission of erie, pa. After that the transmission never shifted the same and later on a horrible noise start to sound when put in reverse. Cottman transmission said that's normal on this car. They kept my car for 13 days inthe month of June 2007. Finally, they decided to put the reverse selector gear on this trasmition thus ending up with same noise when as previous when you put the car in reverse. I took it to the dealer they said the transmission is bad, they replaced the transmission now it is running well but when you put it in reverse it still makes the same bad noise, like a clunk kind of noise. I am not talking about a little click sound, it is a bad sound, really loud. The dealer say that's normal on this car and I told the manager you are crazy. They don't want to do anything else they already made there money, now work begins. But they don't want to do anything else. So I got a car with a rebuilt transmissions with no warranty because according to them if the extended warranty pays for it, there is not warranty. Beautiful, well done Honda. Last car I buy from Honda.

- Erie, PA, USA

problem #60

Mar 102005

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles
PCM was giving off false error codes, dealer was the first to bring up problem after recalled transmission was installed. Dealer did not acknowledge that it was a dealer's problem. PCM will create the check engine light to go off, and will appear at various times of operation. Has caused me to constantly go to dealer and various mechanic shops to get error codes erased. Car with check engine light will not pass smog test. Also will consume more fuel than it should. Cost to replace PCM is approximately $800.

- Van Nuys, CA, USA

problem #59

Jul 112006

Accord 4-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,695 miles

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

- the contact stated that the transmission started slipping, and the vehicle started leaking fluids. The seals were replaced. The contact stated that the seals were replaced again in August. The contactwas unsure of the mileage. The seals were replaced again on January 3,2007, the failure mileage was 119, 311.. the Honda dealer and the contact's mechanic diagnosed the vehicle as needing a new transmission. The Honda dealer had extended the warranty twice due to the transmission problems, but will not cover the full cost of the transmission. The cost of the transmission was approximately $3,000-$4000. The dealer was willing to bring the cost down to approximately $1336. The contact stated that the Honda dealer would not replace the engine free of charge because she was having the vehicle serviced at a non Honda dealer.

- Farmington, NY, USA

problem #58

Sep 242006

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles
1. bought the 01 Honda Accord LX 4 cyl from duval Honda in jacksonville fl, with the transmission barely slipping. 2. the transmission slips for about 5 to 8 seconds between gears and knocks in and out of gear. 3. nothing done to fix it. Tried changing the transmission fluid but that doesn't help. I heard that Honda of America will pay for the transmission but not the labor. Is this true?

- Newberry, FL, USA

problem #57

Sep 212006

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 106,000 miles
: the contact stated at 72,000 miles, the transmission began slipping. The dealership replaced the transmission. Then at 106,000 miles, while at a toll booth, the vehicle would not go into gear. The vehicle was towed to the dealership who determined the transmission needed to be replaced.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #56

Sep 152006

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles
: the contact stated after the vehicle was put in reverse, a clunk was heard. The contact then reversed and could not stop which resulted in the vehicle hitting a pole. The vehicle was put in drive and accelerated uncontrollably. The vehicle hit a building. There was minor damage to the vehicle and building. The vehicle was towed to the dealership where a rebuilt transmission was installed.

- Lake Bluff, IL, USA

problem #55

Aug 312006

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 48,000 miles

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

The last 6 months, the car has been riding rough. The check engine light, tcs light and the D4 light kept coming on. I had the idle valve replaced and it was riding fine from there. I mentioned some of the symptoms to a friend and found that he and another person he knows who has the same make and model had the same problem. He explained that Honda had extended the warranty on the transmissions for 2001 V6 models and that I should contact the customer service line in ca. Apparently there had been many complaints/problems with the transmission in the 2001 Honda. I called the 800# and the representative explained to me that my car could not be covered since the speedometer/odometer had been changed - I didn't know the exact mileage on the car. I explained to her that the Honda dealership changed the speedometer/odometer without updating the mileage and I should not be penalized for not knowing the mileage. 1. failure is in the transmission 2. I think my car is past the extended warranty period 3. I was never notified about the possible problem with the transmission. 4. nothing has been done to date.

- Fairfax, VA, USA

problem #54

Aug 142006

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
2001 Honda Accord V6 worst of 4 Honda's I have owned. Replaced all electrical under drivers seat, replaced brake sensor 3 times - allows gearshift to release. Rear main seal leak, transmission replaced, door lock motors replaced, led readout on odometer won't show one number, replaced the master cylinder. Car has not been in accident and had to have casters on front frame adjusted so it wouldn't chew up the tires. Most of this happened under warranty except for the rear main seal. This should have been a jag.

- Houston , TX, USA

problem #53

Apr 022006

Accord 4-cyl

  • 100,002 miles
My Honda Accord 2001 just died on the highway while I was driving. It was first diagnosed as "engine lock up" but after changing the engine my car still did not start. After checking further my mechanic found out that it was the transmission that was locked up. My car has 100,002 miles when this happened.

- Oklahoma City, OK, USA

problem #52

Apr 202006

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 115,500 miles
I bought my Honda Accord V6 in Dec. 2000 (2001 model). I driven for few thousand miles and had to bring in my car to the dealer to redo the windshield. About 23000-24000 miles brought back to the dealer for transmission leak. Probably 1 month later had to bring in for transmission leak against. And April 20, 2006 (115000 miles), the transmission finally broke. I had to replace with the remanufactured one that cost me $ 2300. I feel that I bought this car as a lemon.

- Montclair, CA, USA

problem #51

Dec 152005

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 89,000 miles
: the contact stated while driving, the vehicle will not go into third gear. At 30 mph, the revolutions per minute continue to rise, but the vehicle will not change gears. A private mechanic was consulted who determined the transmission needs to be replaced.

- Las Granjas Vega Baja, PR, USA

problem #50

Jan 292006

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,000 miles
Honda Accord 2001 ex coupe (automatic transmission) I have a huge transmission problem in which the gears slip before catching. The result is an unexpected bang feeling and an abnormally fast acceleration time which for sure will cause an accident one day. (for something to compare by, its like putting gas until your rpms reach over 5000 in a standard car and then suddenly popping the clutch) the transmission also does not shift properly into gear, often times shifting extremely early causing me to have a feeling "like I plowed into someone and then suddenly was hit behind". I have taken the car to windward Honda and the people there including the shop foreman continues to say that the huge bang and abnormal shifting is normal. Within one day after I took the car in I almost ran into a parking structure pillar when the transmission did not catch until the engines rpms hit past 3000. There has been one injury involving a slight case of whiplash after the engine somehow revved up past 5000 and then caught. (the gas was pressed down and even after the gas was released the engine continued to rev up and when it hit around 5500 RPM the transmission caught making it feel like I got banged by another car going 15+ mph) nothing has been done to fix the problem because Honda claims that if they cant duplicate it on their test drive around the area, they will not replace or fix the problem (Honda is very poor at duplicating the conditions in which the failure happens) the failure happens in the following conditions: 1. when you are in heavy traffic requiring you to stop and go constantly 2. entering short on ramps requiring the car to downshift 3. anytime I slow down but don't come to a complete stop and then accelerate. *Honda was testing the car in highway conditions with no traffic incidents started from June of 2003 and is still ongoing today January 31, 2006 (the exact number of times this has occured is unknown, occurs mutiple times in daily traffic)

- Kaneohe, HI, USA

problem #49

Nov 012005

Accord 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The contact stated the vehicle will lock while driving T 50 mph or more. The dealership said that the transmission locked and needed to replaced or rebuilt. There have been no repairs made to the vehicle due to excessive cost.

- Columbia, MD, USA

problem #48

Jan 092005

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Gears started slipping on 2001 Accord ex around 80,000. I had fluid changed often and last changed at 105,000 and gears are still slipping. Car jerks really bad and 2nd gear changes harshly. I can't afford another car now but when I am able to get another car, it won't be a Honda. This 7th generation of Accord 1998-2002 are the worst. I'm not sure what Honda has done. I also hear that the 2003-2005 are experiencing the same transmission problems. Transmission has not failed as of yet but am sure it will and if me or my family is hurt, I hope Honda is ready for a serious law suit. Trust me when I say this!!

- Stockbridge, GA, USA

problem #47

Nov 032005

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles
My car is a 2001 Honda Accord ex VIN# [xxx] this car has had two major problems. My transmission failed to work and the gear would not shift when I try to take off. The first time my transmission failed I was on the freeway and my transmission would not change gears which made my car go extremely slow and I was almost rear ended (the car in back of me screeched to stop and just missed my car by pulling to the side of the road). I took it to san leandro Honda and they failed to fix it. They charged me $115 to tell me they researched the car and found nothing wrong. They tightened all of my wires and it should be just fine. After I received the car back it did it slightly once again about two months later and than stopped. I called san leandro Honda and they told me not to bring it in until it is doing it bad. Recently my car did it again. I was driving along and the car would not change gears and got stuck in (drive 4) and the light was blinking w/ also the check engine light on. Again I was almost rear ended with my baby in the back seat both times. I now took it back to san leandro Honda and they are now going to replace the lock up solenoid and see if that is the problems. I do not have to pay because I bought the warranty but I noticed and was told from the dealership that 2000 and 2001 Accord have had major problems on their transmissions. I would like you to please investigate Honda that they research why my transmission and I noticed many other transmissions are bad and put a recall on them so now car accidents are caused. Honda should have caught the default the first time I took it in instead of putting me at risk again. If the car does not shift there is something wrong. Updated 07/18/2012 information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Hayward, CA, USA

problem #46

Jun 132005

Accord 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 94,000 miles
2001 Honda Accord, 95,000 miles. Transmission started slipping so much so it could have caused an accident. They checked and at first didn't find anything. Left the car for timing belt replacement and the next day they found the tranny problem. Since it's under the 100,000 mark, I'm covered. Thank goodness. The tranny I'm getting may be a rebuilt tranny and it seems the warranty on it may only be for 12,000 miles. I think that since Honda is having a problem with trannys that the coverage should be for at least 36,000 - 50,000 miles. I purchased a Honda thinking I would never have such issues. My next car will be a Honda now.

- Monroe, NY, USA

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