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.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
16 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
10 / 0
Average Mileage:
78,762 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.
I purchased this Honda Accord 2003 in April 2003. From the very beginning I noticed a rambling noise on the engine, foul smell, vibration on the steering wheel and squeaking brakes. Also when I brake the car seems to accelerate like the idle is too fast. I reported it immediately to my Honda dealer and they told me to take it to any Honda dealer. I took it to Honda in gleandale and after inspecting it they told me there was nothing wrong with the car. However the problems continued to I kept taking the car to different Honda dealers but none could come up with a solution. When I asked them to replace the vehicle they told me that they all had the same problems and that I had to learn to live with it.! I feel totally frustrated by this situation and very unsafe driving this piece of crap.
When coasting to a stop, as I applied the break, the car's engine accelerated. The tachometer was up between 3 and 4, and the break was not holding the car. I had to place the car in park, and wait for the engine to slow down.
When the consumer applied the brakes, the vehicle accelerated and lunged forward through a crosswalk, once over the crosswalk, the vehicle went back to normal operation and came to a stop.
My daughter and I were driving along a busy street when I attempted to slow down because the traffic ahead started slowing down for a red light and my car didn't respond to my braking. I was driving behind a bus and my car kept accelerating towards the bus. I threw the car in park - stripping the gears - and the car kept going. By some large miracle, there was a gap in the traffic coming in the opposite direction, so I turned into those lanes and traveled for a few feet before I came upon a one way street - not in my favor - it's another miracle no one was coming up that street, so I turned into the one way hoping to find some way to stop the car. The twists and turns took away some of the momentum and when I had gone about 1/3 of the way down the one way street, I yanked up the emergency brake and the car finally stopped. The car was towed into the dealership on Tuesday, May 6, 2003 and they called me on Wednesday, May 7th, to say that they ran all sorts of checks and found nothing wrong with the brakes. The fact that the brakes are now working does not mean that the brakes are good. My daughter and I can testify to that fact because we were the ones who faced that near death situation and I refuse to take a chance with our lives. There is a defect in the brakes and I would hate to start seeing reports of fatalities caused by this because they simply did not do extensive enough tests to find and fix the problem. The dealer is basically saying that since they can't find a problem, I have no choice but the take the car back. I absolutely cannot drive that car the way it is because I constantly visualize the outcome had I been traveling on a highway going 50 or 60 miles an hour. As it is, we are very lucky and thankful that everything worked in our favor and we did not crash. I don't want to become a statistic at which time they will break their necks to find and fix the problem....too late.
My 2003 Accord when put into reverse will accelerate at a high rate of speed with no pressure being put on the gas pedal. The car almost feels like it's out of control and may not be able to be stopped. Also, when driving in regular gear the car will continue at its current rate of speed without any pressure being put on the gas pedal. When the car is under these conditions it feels like the car is "stuck" in gear and won't/can't get out of this acceleration mode.
- Allentown, PA, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
Vehicle did not shift into different gears, the gears jumped and hung up in gear, the gears hung up between second and third gears, also when putting vehicle in reverse, it would speed backwards without stepping on gas pedal.
My 2003 Honda Accord experienced an unintended acceleration while in motion. I increased speed from 40 mph to 50mph to pass a slower moving vehicle in my lane and experienced a surge of power that I could not control by taking my foot off the gas. I needed to brake to restrain the vehicle. The tachometer went to 6000 RPM and stayed steady the entire time putting the vehicle in neutral as I prepared to kill the ignition returned control and the vehicle resumed responding. I have returned the vehicle to the dealer for inspection and am getting a response from the dealer that they have found nothing wrong with the car. I am a 47 Y/O male with 30 years driving experience and am quite sure of the circumstances. Cruise control was not engaged as I was in morning rush hour traffic I have opened a problem ticket with Honda N0112-17-00080. Thank you
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Glendale, CA, USA