CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2002 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 90,000 miles & with a repair cost of over $2,000. Transmission failure has been a huge problem for the Accord & several other Honda models all through the early 2000s model years. Honda extended the transmission warranty to 93 months/109k miles for the 2000-2001 Accord as a class action lawsuit settlement, but owners of other Accord model years 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.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
60,000 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 radio caught on fire. The car radio the was the original factory installed radio when I purchased the vehicle from albany ga Honda. I did not make any changes or any upgrades to the radio. After I doused the radio with a soda, the speakers were emitting a radio static sound and I could hear the beeping sound of people unlocking their car doors with their devices. The vehicle was parked and the engine was off.
This is my 2002 Honda Accord 2nd transmission torque converter to fail. I was on the turnpike going 60 mph when my speed started to drop to 0 rapidly. The large trucks behind me was able to go around me in just the nick of time. I thank god we were not killed or anyone else hurt. This is a safety issue. I have found there is a problem with the transmission from 1999 to 2002 with Honda Accord. When the torque converter goes out the car does not know to go faster. The speed just drops without any control. The engine is working hard to make the car go forward. The torque converter goes out without any type of warning. I had a new transmission put in at 71,000 miles it's 146,000 later and the same problem has happened to my car. I would hate to see anyone get seriously hurt or killed with this serious problem. I just had my transmission rebuilt because american Honda is not making new transmission for cars built from 1999 to 2002.
My boyfriend and I were going to go out and we decided to take my car so he had to move the driver's seat back it' was a power operated sea, ) and it would not go back, but eventually it did. The next day when I went to get in to the car I tried to move the seat position closer and it went up a little but then stopped at a position where I was just able to touch the pedals, and I was unable to move it forward anymore. Also, the bottom of the seat lifted up if I pushed the back of the seat. I was unable to adjust the height of the seat, and the back of the seat was now giving me a problem without being able to push the seat in a straighter position after being reclined back a little.
While driving 60 mph the luggage rack came unattached from the vehicle. This caused the driver to pull off the highway to retrieve the belongings. Consumer will contact the dealer about this issue. There was no mechanical retention provided in the design of the doors.
- Fort Lee, NJ, USA
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- Albamy, GA, USA