CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2003 Honda Accord suffers from widespread transmission failure & problems with the stereo backlight failing. 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.
The stereo backlight problem has been an issue since these Accords were only a few years old. Honda eventually issued a recall which covered the repair for 7 years/100k miles, which was nice while it lasted but now that period is over. Honda initially was replacing the entire radio ($800) but eventually began replacing just the PCB which at ~$300 is much cheaper. That sounds like a deal, but keep in mind we're talking about a backlight bulb that costs $2 to fix in most other cars.
8.9
pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$670
Average Mileage:
62,300 miles
Total Complaints:
7 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
not sure (6 reports)
bought a can of coolant & added it. A/C works now (1 reports)
Since this started happening, it has been a real pain! Especially since I live in the south! My coworker with the same year & model would punch all the AC buttons and it would work for a while. Then when it happens again, it is always in hot, humid weather. When I had my headliner replaced recently, the owner told me the problem is a switch under the dash and the techs don't like to fix it as it requires a lot of labor to take out the entire dash. I have no way of knowing if this is a real fix as it sounds very expensive and so far I've chosen not follow through.
Did I mention that the hot air only blows out the driver's side? The air on the passenger side is nice and cold! Not a coolant issue. I've asked the Honda dealership twice to try to fix it - they've never mentioned the switch issue and it works for a short while each time.
THIS IS SICKENING AND YET, TRUE!!!! THIS IS NOW THE 4TH TIME MY AC IS GOING OUT IN MY 2003 Honda Accord. This is my 2nd time bringing it back to David McDavid Honda of Frisco to have the AC REPAIRED. For the last 20 years I bought Mazda cars from Freeman Mazda of Irving (I've owned the Mazda 323, 626, MPV, and the Millinia). I didn't like the look and drive of the M3 and the M6, so chose this 2003 Honda Accord from Freeman Mazda of Irving and thus began my AC MISERY!!! I am doing a copy and paste because this is the same old song, just a new year (6 months actually). So, here it is...In December of 2009 I purchased this 2003 Honda Accord from Freeman Mazda of Irving Tx. (I love Mazda cars but not the M3 Or M6). I didn't bother checking the AC in this Honda because it was winter and snowing outside. Just 3 months later (march 2010) when it's Really HOT outside, I turned the ac on, only to find that THE AC DOES NOT WORK!! So now I have to pay the same dealer, to fix the ac on a car I bought from them, just 3 months earlier. The ac works for the rest of that summer. However the (summer of 2011), THE AC GOES OUT AGAIN!!!. I have it fixed by a neighborhood mechanic. And Still (October of 2011), THE AC GOES OUT AGAIN!!!! I talked to Ty at David McDavid Honda of Frisco to have a HONDA DEALER repair it. Ty commented to me that "that part is known to go out in that model". I don't really know what "that part" is but still, I wondered, should you be telling me this? So I asked him "does this mean I will be dealing with this forever? He said no, we'll get it fixed for you. It's now seven months later (May of 2012) and guess what??? THE AC IS GOING OUT AGAIN!!!! I AM SOOO DISAPPOINTED IN THIS HONDA CAR!! I'm bringing it back to David McDavid Honda of Frisco to have it repaired again. Then I will be bringing it back every 5 months to have it checked. When the extended warranty ends, I am going to try a Toyota.
This is the THIRD TIME THE AC HAS GONE OUT!!!! In December of 2009 I purchaced this 2003 Honda Accord from Freeman Mazda of Irving Tx. (I love Mazda cars but not the M3 Or M6). I didn't bother checking the AC in this Honda because it was winter and snowing outside. Just 3 months later (march 2010) when it's Really HOT outside, I turned the ac on, only to find that THE AC DOES NOT WORK!! So now I have to pay the same dealer, to fix the ac on a car I bought from them, just 3 months earlier. The ac works for the rest of that summer. However the (summer of 2011), THE AC GOES OUT AGAIN!!!. I have it fixed by a neighborhood mechanic. And Still (October of 2011), THE AC GOES OUT AGAIN!!!! I talked to Ty at David McDavid Honda of Frisco to have a HONDA DEALER repair it. Ty commented to me that "that part is known to go out in that model". I don't really know what "that part" is but still, I wondered, should you be telling me this? So I asked him "does this mean I will be dealing with this forever? He said no, we'll get it fixed for you. It's now seven months later (May of 2012) and guess what??? THE AC IS GOING OUT AGAIN!!!! I AM SOOO DISAPPOINTED IN THIS HONDA CAR!!
In December of 2009 I purchaced this 2003 Honda Accord from Freeman Mazda of Irving Tx. (I love Mazda cars but not the M3 Or M6). I didn't bother checking the AC in this Honda because it was winter and snowing outside. Just 3 months later (march 2010) when it's Really HOT outside, I turned the ac on, only to find that THE AC DOES NOT WORK!! So now I have to pay the same dealer, to fix the ac on a car I bought from them, just 3 months earlier. The ac works for the rest of that summer. However the (summer of 2011), THE AC GOES OUT AGAIN!!!. I have it fixed by a neighborhood mechanic. And Still (October of 2011), THE AC GOES OUT AGAIN!!!! I talked to Ty at David McDavid Honda of Frisco to have a HONDA DEALER repair it. Ty commented to me that "that part is known to go out in that model". I don't really know what "that part" is but still, I wondered, should you be telling me this? So I asked him "does this mean I will be dealing with this forever? He said no, we'll get it fixed for you. It's now seven months later (May of 2012) and guess what??? THE AC IS GOING OUT AGAIN!!!! I AM SOOO DISAPPOINTED IN THIS HONDA CAR!!
- Wanda N.,
Cedar Hill, TX, US
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I have a 2003 honda accord only has 22,000 miles when the problem happen,drive back from a vacation and all of a sudden the a/c starts to blow hot air,high beams and the wipers washer stopped working ,1,200 dollars later works for one week and a/c stops working again.! I call honda corporate office and they told me "sorry we have no recall and you out of warranty"This is unacceptable honda knows they have a problem with the a/c system on their 2003 honda accord.Up to that point ,i was happy with honda,after reading the number of complaints with the same problem.I think my days of owning a honda is over.I guess we have to get together and speak to a attorney about this.We should enjoy and feel comfortable in our cars.
A/C blows hot air.Took it in for service .They said they had a hard time getting it to take freon but finally did get some in.Then it would blow semi cool air out of the passenger side only.That lasted a few weeks then it went back to blowing hot air.Took it to another shop that specializes in Honda.They told me a wild story about some little balls in the a/c that have broken loose and could be in just one are all parts of the a/c and that we could start with replacing the condenser for $650. if that didn't fix it we could replace each and every part possibly up to $1,300. That didn't make sense so i paid them $50 and took the car home.I'm currently looking for advice on what to do next.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
JUST ANOTHER OF MANY WITH THE SAME VEHICLE. CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HONDA WILL NEVER SEE 100,000 MILES.
- hoobdar, Easthampton, MA, US