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.
The contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. The contact stated there was a loud noise upon shifting gears. The service engine sensor and the gear sensor illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 11V395000 (power train). The vehicle was to be inspected and repaired by an authorized dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
The contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle started jerking. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a transmission failure. The dealer stated the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage were 91,000. Updated 08/11/14
When car turned on, RPM needle zoomed up to 4 and would not go down. Towed car and fixed transmission for $2000. Just a little over a year later, delay in shifting. Electronics of transmission were fixed. One month later, RPM needle jerking and hopping, car not responding well to gas input. Thank goodness all these incidents were on local roads and lots by my home. Imagine on the freeway or busy roads with my 6 year old in the back. Time for a recall!
The contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. The contact stated that after having repairs performed on the vehicle under a manufacturer's recall, the vehicle began exhibiting a loud noise and violent jerking while driving 30 mph and shifting gears. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 101,000. Updated evoq 01/24/12
I am the first owner of Honda Accord 2001 purchased it the same year, and currently it has 130,500 miles on it. First transmission failure occurred around 2008 when it had 65,000 miles. Fortunately, I had an extended warranty, and the cost for replacing it was covered. The second failure happened September 2011 when it had 130,000 miles. It seems that the transmission fails about every 65,000 miles regardless of timespan. I had several cars before, none of them had problems with transmission before 70,000 miles. I called american Honda and asked for a goodwill compensation, and I mentioned similar complaints in www.carcomplaints.com, and I was told that internet site does not concern them unless it was organized by american Honda and my request has been totally ignored.
- Van Nuys, CA, USA
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The contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. The contact stated that after placing the gear shifter in park, the vehicle continued to roll forward. The brake pedal was depressed in order to stop the vehicle. The failure occurred on three different occasions. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostics. The vehicle was not repaired. There was a recall under NHTSA campaign id number: 11V395000 (power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, PCM)) that may be related to the failure, but the recall only included 2005 through 2010 Honda Accord. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord V6. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph, the transmission would not shift from first to second gear properly. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated the failure was not serious enough to replace the transmission. In 2008, the transmission exhibited delayed shifting. Most recent the transmission failed; although the contact was able to drive at an extremely low speed with the illumination of the entire warning lights and the gear selector indicator blinking on the instrument panel. The vehicle was driven with caution to the dealer where they advised the transmission be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 52,000. Updated 08/24/11 transmission failed July 7 2011 updated 3/06/2012
Car would not accelerate when in gear. I left the car at the dealer and got a call the next day that it was a bad transmission and Honda would replace it for free. I had made no previous attempt to make a deal as this was the first news when I got the phone call. They must know they really have a bad design here since it was already out of warranty. Oh, the 2nd transmission is starting to have show problems also after 4 years.
The contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the transmission was exhibiting an unusually loud noise as well as sticking nad shifting hard between gears. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that there was an internal failure within the transmission. The transmission would have to be rebuilt. The manufacturer was contacted who informed the dealer not to repair the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Faulty transmission (torque converter) in Honda and Acura vehicle. American Honda and Acura are aware of the faulty transmission but did nothing to notify it's loyal customers of the issue. Could this be a safety issue it the transmission fails while the vehicle is in motion.
Faulty transmission (torque converter) in Honda and acua vehicle. American Honda and Acura are aware of the faulty transmission but did nothing to notify it's loyal customers of the issue.
I purchased my 2001 Honda Accord ex from a private party in Feb of 2011. At the end of April, I started noticing gear shifting problems and a week later it just got worse-the D4 light would flash continuously and the car would rev up but would not move causing me to almost encounter a few accidents. When I did my research and contacted a mechanic, they told me the repairs would be between $2,000 and $3,000 which I do not have!!! I have been forced to put the only form of transportation I have to the side until I can attempt to get the money to repair it.
My husband and I were driving at freeway speed on I-5 heading North from san diego, when our 2001 Honda Accord transmission slipped and shuddered to the point that the vehicle began to lose forward momentum, left us with no choice but to slide to the side of the highway from middle lane in a traffic that was moving at 80 miles per hour. Vehicles approachingfrom the rear had to make emergency break to keep from colliding with it, including semi-trucks behind. It could have been a fatal accident. We believe it is a serious safety defect that apparently exists in many 2001 Honda vehicles with automatic transmissions. My vehicle has been properly maintained over time, but information was found from relaible sources indicates that this is a common occurance for Honda models around 2001. Up to this date, we still remiember the fear vividly and feel so grateful that nobody died or seriously injurt by the failure. Please investigate this before someone gets seriously injured or killed.
While accelerating down an on-ramp to merge with interstate traffic, my 2001 Honda Accord transmission slipped and shuddered to the point that the vehicle began to lose forward momentum. Two vehicles approachingfrom the rear on the ramp had to Dodge my vehicle to keep from colliding with it; also, a semi-truck on the interstate had to make a sudden lane change to keep from hitting one of the vehicles attempting to avoid mine. Vehicle has been properly maintained over its lifetime and had not shown any transmission issues before this incident. This is a serious safety defect that apparently exists in many Honda vehicles with automatic transmissions. Further research on the internet from reliable sources indicates that this is a relatively common occurrence. Please investigate this before someone gets seriously injured or killed.
2001 Honda Accord ex, ~100K miles, transmission slips and makes noise when accelerate. Believe it's defect but Honda refused to pay for the repair. Honda dealer talked to me into paying $500+ for maintenance(but didn't reveal that 2001 Honda Accord has a common transmission defect)...the problem came back in 14 months...now I dare not to drive the car with a transmission problem..my family will never buy Honda again!!
2001 Honda Accord transmission failure. Need I say more? mine has been terminally diagnosed at 119,000 miles. After reading about the problem, I have to feel like one of the lucky ones. Many owners are on their second or third transmission by now. To quote a recent article from the nyt blog wheels: "Honda told the safety administration that the problem was that 'certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears.' That could lead to 'gear tooth chipping or, in vary rare cases, gear breakage.' It is possible, the automaker said, that the transmission could lock up, increasing the chance of a crash."
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Chantilly, VA, USA