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.

6.0

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
74,150 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (2 reports)
2003 Honda Accord body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2003 Honda Accord Owner Comments

problem #2

May 012013

Accord EX 4 CYL

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

i have the problem with trunk; won't open since couple months ago. im not sure but it happend when the weather is hot only (i live in orlando, fl). so when it happend i opened it manually with my key instead with remote. maybe the sensor too hot to receive signal from my remote?

- edamame1, Winter Park, FL, US

problem #1

Jul 152006

(reported on)

Accord

  • 35,300 miles

Trunk release will not unlock to open trunk so trunk is locked. Paid good money and car did not even last 3 years. Will never buy tell any one else to buy Honda again.

- Anna G., Flagstaff, AZ, US

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