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.
3.3
definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
40,780 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.
Windshield wipers are not affective under driving conditions. The wipers work under minor rain conditions & a very low rate of speed. Once speed & weather conditions increase windshield wipers are inoperable.
September 8th was a rainy day. Left class in the rain to notice that my wipers had completely stopped working on my 2003 Honda Accord. Thought that is was the fuse, but the fuse is fine. Haven't taken car to dealership yet because I wanted to do some research on any recalls. I've also had issues with my interior radio/ac lights. They don't work at all.
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the windshield wipers failed. Afterwards, he received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign id number 08V169000 (visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor). The dealer stated that no recalls were available for the vehicle. The contact paid for the repairs and now wants to be reimbursed after receiving the recall notice. The current and failure mileages were 99,120.
I own a 2003 Honda Accord ex and just last week I was driving along the interstate in tampa when it began raining heavily. I turned on the windshield wipers but they did not work and I almost rear ended the car in front of me. I had to pull over and wait until it stopped raining and basically crawl home as water spray from the road still hampered my vision. I later learned that back on April 16, 2008 Honda had issued a recall on the 2003 Accord ex due to corrosion of the wiper motor. This statement made by Honda was on all the news wires. When I called Honda's hotline I was told that they basically recanted the statement and claimed that they have no knowledge of such a failure even though it was on the news wires 2 months earlier and the fact that I was now reporting another such incident.
- Plant City, FL, USA
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- Baytown, TX, USA