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.
I bought my 2003 Accord V6 w/ 60,000 miles on it in the summer of 2006, since then I've put 100,000 miles on it I drive a lot, and the two reasons I bought this car was for DEPENDABILITY AND RELIABILITY, but at 155,000 is when things started really getting interesting to say the least.
-All of my lights on my dash had came on, and was in and out of the dealership for a few weeks trying to get things fixed...Well $1200 later, new battery, new brakes rotors and pads, a new brake master cylinder its fixed.
Now I'm dealing with a malfunctioning transmission, but that's a whole other complaint.
- A.J. R.,
Huntsville, TX, US
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I thought by buying a Honda that I would not have to spend that much on fixing a car.
- James W., Augusta, GA, US