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.
9.3
really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,710
Average Mileage:
98,000 miles
Total Complaints:
504 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
replace/rebuild transmission (348 reports)
not sure (72 reports)
Honda to pay cost as this transmission was a previous recall (45 reports)
NHTSA official complaints - Guys, please keep pushing persistently to get the justice. Honda USA and all Honda dealership have been robbing us!
Transport Canada Defect Complaint Form - If you are in Canada, you can file a complaint with Transport Canada. If the link above does not work try using the secure URL: https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/7/PCDB-BDPP/
Transport Canada Defect Complaint Form (New URL - If you are in Canada, you can file a complaint with Transport Canada. If the link above does not work try using the secure URL: https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/7/pcdb-bdpp/fc-cp.aspx .
I just bought this 2003 Honda Accord and was my 1st Honda. I bought it for its so called reliability. Well after I personally put about 300 miles on it (had 151000) I was riding down the rode and my Transmission started to jump into 2nd gear violently jerking the car and almost causing an accident. The Tcs light was on and I pulled over to find out then that the car would not go into reverse or 3rd gear. Did some research found that this was a common problem with these cars, so I called Honda, they would not assist with anything. So I basically spent 6k on a car that I will never get to use because I cant afford a 5k transmission and I almost had a bad accident in the process. I am surely interested in a class action Lawsuit as I have never been more disappointed in my life with a purchase
The transmission should have been replaced back in 2004 when the recall was issued. My transmission was deemed OK by the dealer and a oil cooler return line was installed. I truly believe that this procedure prolonged the misery that was inevitable. Car is currently at the dealership awaiting a cost determination from Honda!
History, bought the car from Schlossmann's Honda City in Milwaukee certified used with 50k miles. Mobil 1 Oil change every 4k miles, transmission fluid change every 12k miles. Transmission started to slip between 2nd into 3rd gear. Checked the fluid and it was dark. Took the car to Schlossmann's Honda City and they said the transmission needed to be replaced. Asked if they could do a goodwill repair since this is a common problem our these cars. They denied the request. Called Honda USA, they denied the request. So I am stuck with a car that slips from 2nd into 3rd gear.
DO NOT BUY A 2003 ACCORD V6, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I for one will not buy Honda's anymore. If you look at all their automatic models (civic, accord, odyssey, etc), they have transmission problems.
Car started downshifting on it's own regardless of speed. Sometimes just threw the car into neutral while driving. Also when breaking, my car would break suddenly as if I was slamming on the breaks. Took it to Honda, transmission failure. $4500 quote. Honda was willing to pay for $1100 of repairs. I am STILL very unhappy and taking it up further with Honda.
For 2 days upon startup in the morning the transmission appeared to slip
when shifting from reverse to drive.
The third day at the speed of 50 mph I began to accelerate
and found that here was no power. I backed off the gas pedal,
tried again and got nothing. I downshifted and tried to accelerate once more.
I felt the transmission slip into gear. For the next 5 miles it went in and out of gear
and then NOTHING, no transmission at all.
The car is now at the mechanic and we have to
replace the transmission--unbelievable!!
- gussy,
Carmel, NY, US
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This is the third time my transmission has gone out on my Honda Accord, 2003, in the past month. It went bad for the first time mid December, 2011 and I had the transmission rebuilt. I had the car two weeks and the transmission went out again. I took the car to the same company but a different shop as the first shop broke the button on my gear shifter. The transmission was rebuilt a second time. I was told it was a piston in the one of the clutch drums. I got the car back on the evening of Wednesday, January 25th 2012. I drove it home from the shop and parked it in my yard as the next morning we went out of town in our RV for five days. We arrived home Tuesday January 31st. I drove the car on Wed., two miles to the store and on Thurs 1 mile to a different store. This morning, Fri. Feb. 3rd, I went to drive the car, the check engine light came on, the light that shows which gear it is in was flashing, which it has never done and as I put it in drive, it felt like the car had been chained or tied up. It would barely move forward. I drove to a Goodyear that is about one and a half miles away from my house. They checked to see if there were any codes and sure enough, there were two codes for the transmission. They just towed my car back to the repair shop.
I have a 2003 Accord EX V6 with 206,000. driving on the highway when out of the blue my accelerator just started jerking and felt like I was pressing on the brake or if someone slammed into me from behind. I stopped my car waited a few minutes and started it back up it was driving fine for a few minutes till it started to do the same thing I had to pull over and have the car towed seeing as I didn't want to chance causing another accident. transmission defiantly almost had me killed today for stopping short on the highway. Not very happy with the $4000 bill I am being told it is going to cost!
102k miles and my tranny goes. Thought Honda was one of the greatest cars in the world. Tranny would hesitate for a second when shifting and going in and out of first gear. It seems like Im not the only person with the problem. Problem started just before Christmas what a great gift (doesn't help being laid off eather). I checked the fluid and was very dark, so I started going to tranny shops ( due to all Honda has to say is your trannys shot and needs to be replaced for $4500 ya ok). Most shops have been giving me quotes of $1800-$2500 and guess thats cheap. Rust is also another issue with this car. The rear fenders seem to start rusting really fast on these cars luckly mines not to bad yet, just a couple of bubbles. Not sure if I would get another if Hondas gonna treat their customers like crap...
have a 2003 Accord EX V6 with 157,000. Today i was driving home from work on the nj turnpike when out of the blue my acculturate just started revving and the car felt it was pressing on the break. I stopped my car waited a few minuets and started it back up it was driving fine for a few minutes till it started to do the same thing i did this for about 8 to 9 time till i got home. transmission defiantly almost had me killed today for stopping short on the highway.
Another 2003 Honda Accord LX V6 with a dead auto tranny @ 115k miles. Happened last evening when driving back home. I was lucky and was driving slow. Haven't called Honda Canada but after reading all the failures on various web sites, may be I should do so. BTW my local Honda dealer is asking around 3000$ (including taxes) for the job (rebuild transmission).
What bugs me the most is that I was planning buying a new car in a couple of months. With the price of the job, I'm pushing that new acquisition later in time.
Up until now I've never had any issues with my 2003 Honda accord. I was driving on the highway and the car was having trouble shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear. If i went over 55mph the rpm meter would redline. The reverse has stopped working and when the car is in D3 the drive light is flashing. I took it to a transmission shop where I live because I didn't want to pay a Honda dealership $100 just to look at it. Had to have transmission rebuilt and 4 solenoids replaced. Total bill $4700. never buying a Honda again.
Like everyone else here, My 03 Accord Transmission just went out. I've had the car for 6 months. Started to notice a hesitation when it shifted between 2nd and 3rd. Then, while driving 70 mph, it slammed down into 2nd gear, almost causing me to be rear ended. When the car is hot, it won't shift out of second gear or go into reverse. I haven't gotten any repair estimates yet, but from reading the other posts, I'll need about $4,000. This is my 3rd Accord. The other 2 were manual transmissions. I think this will be my last one. Recall it Honda!
Was driving 65MPH down highway, transmission failed, and had to cross four lanes of traffic to get to open shoulder. Have not had it fixed yet as it is so incredibly costly, I may end up getting a new car. Ridiculous. Honda should have recalled and properly fixed this years ago.
Just pulling out of the driveway. "Thunk", sounds like we are dragging something. Try to shift into reverse, drive, park. Nothing but metal on metal grinding noise...
2003 accord ex,v6 (Bought used in 2005) transmission flushed every 35k. Transmission would slip a little bit from day one. This morning, while going to work, transmission made a loud clunking sound and died as I was making a left turn merging onto a busy road. I almost got T-boned by a F250 pickup truck. It seems unbelievable that my $11,000 dollars 2000 dodge neon (piece of crap car) made it to 200k with no major engine or trans failures and the 2003 $27,000 dollars accord did make it to 150K. Car is currently in my garage, don't know yet if I will junk it or fix it. We just bought a Ford for my wife, if I decide to junk the accord I will most definitely stay away from Honda and I will tell all my family, friends, and co-workers to steer away from Honda.
The first time the transmission slipped, I was accelerating in Chicago traffic. It slipped then down shifted and damn near got me run over by a tractor trailer. When it finally quit it stranded my wife and daughter on the side of Interstate 265 outside of Louisville. Scared my daughter to death, trucks flying by at 70 mph at night. Easily could have been hit.
What is the NTSB waiting for? Someone to get killed I guess. Well almost got me, my wife, and my daughter.
We took the vehicle to Neil Huffman Honda in Clarksville, IN. Of course they failed to mention that this was a known issue with the car. Sold me on the transmission fluid needing flushed and changed. I plan on having a pointed discussion with them. Of course they would have been more than happy to install a reman tranny for $5000. What a crock, and it is criminal. I am going to file a complaint with the BBB on them.
I am very angry because I have been using public transportation for approximately four months because my car still isn't fixed. It costs $2,100 to repair and I only paid $700 thus far and I still have to make car payments too. All I want is my car fixed the weather is changing and I don't want to stand on a cold bus stop to go to work when I could get in a warm car and drive.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I just bought this 2003 Honda Accord and was my 1st Honda. I bought it for its so called reliability. Well after I personally put about 300 miles on it (had 151000) I was riding down the rode and my Transmission started to jump into 2nd gear violently jerking the car and almost causing an accident. The Tcs light was on and I pulled over to find out then that the car would not go into reverse or 3rd gear. Did some research found that this was a common problem with these cars, so I called Honda, they would not assist with anything. So I basically spent 6k on a car that I will never get to use because I cant afford a 5k transmission and I almost had a bad accident in the process. I am surely interested in a class action Lawsuit as I have never been more disappointed in my life with a purchase
- Garry C., Danville, VA, US