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.
7.8
pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,060
Average Mileage:
106,800 miles
Total Complaints:
13 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
not sure (5 reports)
honda recall on 2001 accords and civics (4 reports)
Honda will not fix even though this was a recall since the car is over 7 years old but still within the 100K limit. So much for a "goodwill repair". Car is in excellent condition and was always services at the dealership it was purchased from. Our third Honda and probably our last!
Welcome to the honda family.... where transmissions drop like rain drops. I have a friend that works as a service advisor at Honda Dealership and he tells me (after I buy the car) That I need to sell it ASAP because I will be in need of a transmission soon. I have the car about 8 months and guess what I need ........
A TRANSMISSION. I asked him just how bad this problem was and he proceeds to tell me when and older Odyssey or Accord pulls into the service drive at the dealer all the advisors fight to write it up because there is good money to be made on a commission salary installing a transmission. So anyone looking for a used car BEWARE of the 1998-2008 Honda Accord and Odyssey. If you do buy one or if you already have one I know someone who would love to help you out at the dealer .... He loves the commission he can make of your car. To think the Honda commercials rant and rave about the best car on the road.........
I PURCHASED MY 2001 HONDA IN JUNE 2004 WITH 54K MILES. IN OCT. 2005 I FOUND THE RECALL INFORMATION ON THE TRANSMISSION IN THE SERVICE MANUAL SO CALLED THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THE RECALL AND SCHEDULED MINE TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS REPLACED IN 2006 WITH AROUND 75K MILES ON IT.
IN LATE 2009 I STARTED NOTICING THAT THE REVERSE DID NOT WANT TO WORK PROPERLY. IT FELT LIKE WHEN I WAS BACKING UP THAT SOMEONE WAS ON THE FRONT PULLING AGAINST ME. IF I GOT ON AN INCLINE IT COULD NOT BACK UP. IF I PUT IT BACK IN PARK AND THEN IN LOW AND BACK TO REVERSE IT WILL FINALLY BACK UP.
I STARTED CALLING HONDA ABOUT THIS AND THE ONLY SOLUTION THEY GAVE ME WAS THE TRANSMISSION WILL COST $2800.00 AND HONDA WILL PAY 30% AND YOU CAN PAY 70%. I TOLD THEM THEY WERE CRAZY AS HELL.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT MY HONDA WITH LESS THAN 125K MILES HAS HAD 2 TRANSMISSIONS TO GO BAD. I THOUGHT HONDA'S WENT FOREVER.
THEN I STARTED RESEARCHING AND FOUND ALL THESE OTHER CONSUMERS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HONDAS.
NOW I AM GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A TRANSMISSION PUT IN MINE TO THE TUNE OF AROUND $1400.00 WITH NO HELP FROM HONDA. THEY DON'T CARE THAT WE ARE HAVING TO PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES AND PROBLEMS.
I am the second owner of this car and the seller did warn me about this problem. I just hate how I have to shift into reverse then back into neutral (automatic) every 3ft!! It gets very embarrassing especially when I'm trying to find parking in the hills of San Francisco. My passengers get whiplash every time I'm trying to back out of a parking space. Honda needs to do something about this!! NOW!!!
Transmission was replaced at about 100,000 miles by Honda. I guess this one is lasting 85,000 miles, it's starting to slip when I put it in reverse. I had planned on riding this car until I had to leave it on the side of the road. I guess that won't be long now. This is insane. They shouldn't just replace the first transmission up to 109,000 miles, they should replace ANY of their transmissions that don't make it 109,000 miles.
- Richard S.,
Concord, NC, US
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This car is on its second transmission, and now this one is failing too! Probably 70% of the time when I try to go in reverse the transmission slips and I'm not able to back up. Sometimes I can shift out of reverse and then shift back to try again, but it still rarely works sufficiently. It typically requires me to back up 2 feet, have the transmission slip, shift out and back into reverse, back up another 2 feet, and then keep repeating until I get where I want to go. If there's any sort of hill, forget it, my car doesn't have a chance.
I just realized this problem although this might have been around for a while. While backing uphill my reverse gear slips and if the slope is big, it is difficult to go back. I just realized because I never ever back to my driveway. However my friend has quite a steep driveway. When I tried to back up, it wouldn't go. RPM goes to about 3000 before it even nudges. In reverse gear, it just rolls forward.
I have an appointment with a dealer. Lets see what happens and I will update .
Btw, the mileage is only 98000 but it is over the date of about 93 months that they give.
6 months ago my reverse gear started slipping. I park on a downward angled driveway and have to regularly back out onto a busy street. The only way to successfully pilot the car out of the driveway is to go slowly and shift repeatedly from reverse to neutral and back (tough in lots of traffic) or give it plenty of gas and speed backwards (obviously only possible when the road is totally clear - even then its a little scary). I spoke with the dealer today and he said that Honda might offer to pay some or all of the repair as I am under the mileage limit but over the time limit of the extended transmission warranty. He didn't mention that this is a problem lots of people are having (if that is true). I haven't called the 800 number he gave me yet...
MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THERE IS A RECALL I AM ON MY THIRD TRANSMISSION AND IT HAS GONE BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES I AM YELLING MY CAR IS STUCK IN THE DRIVEWAY
Transmission is a weak spot for Honda. All their cars have issues with trannies. This particular model has the problem in spaded. Honda extended the warranty to 7 years and 120,000 miles but that's not enough since they know the problem is due to them. I am surprised that Honda is unable to fix its transmission problems.Anyways.
For my car, when I put it in reverse, it acts as if brakes have been applied and I have to put it in N and then R again, I do it several times if its a long stretch to reverse.
The gear malfunctions when put in reverse. When you try to reverse the belt slips and you hear the engine but you barely move. This is especially witnessed when reversing onto a ramp/ elavated area.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Honda will not fix even though this was a recall since the car is over 7 years old but still within the 100K limit. So much for a "goodwill repair". Car is in excellent condition and was always services at the dealership it was purchased from. Our third Honda and probably our last!
- lsilacci, El Dorado Hills, CA, US