2002 HONDA ACCORD Complaints

THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF MY 2002 HONDA ACCORD EX 3.0 V6 THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS ABOUT 90K. RECENTLY I FELT THE TRANSMISSION HAD DIFFICULTY IN SHIFTING GEARS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A FULL STOP. ON JANUARY 15, 2010, MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR ENTERING INTO A HIGHWAY AND FOUND IT VERY HARD TO SPEED UP AND THE CAR BEHIND HER HAD TO BRAKE TO AVOID A CRASH. THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OF THE CAR WAS ON, AND D4 LIGHT STARTED TO BLINK. THE MECHANIC I WENT TO POINTED OUT (AND HONDA DEALER LATER CONFIRMED) THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS BURNT OUT AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS A FAILURE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AS THE FAILURE HAPPENS MOSTLY WHEN THE CAR START TO ACCELERATE FROM STOP OR LOW SPEED AND CAN LEAD TO CRASH IF THE CAR CAN'T SPEED UP TIMELY AND THE CAR IN BEHIND DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO RESPOND. I FOUND ALSO MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM, WHICH SUGGEST TO ME THIS IS AN INHERENT PRODUCT PROBLEM FOR HONDA ACCORD FROM YEAR 2000 TO 2003. *TR

MY 2002 HONDA ACCORD LX-V6 HAS DEVELOPED PREMATURE FAILURE OF BOTH THE FRONT AND SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT OF HONDA V6 VEHICLES, FOR WHICH HONDA HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB). MOTOR MOUNTS ARE NOT A NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEM; THEY ARE NOT LISTED IN THE HONDA RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR HONDA ACCORDS UP TO 120,000 MILES AS AN ITEM THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR INSPECTED. MANY EXPERTS SUGGEST THAT MOTOR MOUNTS SHOULD OUTLAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR; HENCE THIS CLEARLY REPRESENTS A PREMATURE FAILURE OF A CRITICAL ENGINE SAFETY COMPONENT. THE BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS REPRESENT A 'SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT' AS DESCRIBED IN THE U.S. CODE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY (TITLE 49, CHAPTER 301). A SAFETY DEFECT IS DEFINED AS A PROBLEM THAT EXISTS IN A MOTOR VEHICLE OR ITEM OF MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT THAT POSES AN RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY, AND MAY EXIST IN A GROUP OF VEHICLES OF THE SAME DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE, OR ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT OF THE SAME TYPE AND MANUFACTURE. BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS (ENGINE MOUNTS) ARE DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AT HIGH SPEED DUE TO WEDGED LINKAGES CAUSING UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DRIVING WITH DAMAGED ENGINE MOUNTS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. THE ENGINE CAN ALSO SPIN FRONT WARD AND DAMAGE THE RADIATOR WITH THE FAN BLADES. THE NHTSA HAS PREVIOUSLY RECOGNIZING BROKEN ENGINE MOUNTS AS A 'SAFETY-RELATED' DEFECT. ON OCTOBER 15, 1971, NHTSA ISSUED A CONSUMER PROTECTION BULLETIN ADVISING MOTORISTS OF THE "POTENTIAL RISKS" OF BROKEN GM ENGINE MOUNTS. *TR UPDATED 03/01/10 UPDATED 03/08/10 UPDATED 03/12/10

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 70K MILES ON THE HONDA ACCORD V6. HAD TO GET THE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACED FOR A FEW THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. THIS APPARENTLY IS A COMMON ISSUE AS EXPRESSED BY MANY HONDA OWNERS ON SEVERAL WEBSITES. HOWEVER HONDA CORP DENIES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND THE CONSUMERS ARE BEING RIPPED OF THOUSANDS. HONDA HAS RECALLED TRANSMISSIONS AND/OR ACCEPTED THAT TRANSMISSIONS WERE DEFECTIVE ON 2001 MODELS, THE 2002 MODEL CARDS WHICH ARE VERY SIMILAR TO 2001 COULD HAVE THE SAME TRANSMISSION AND COULD HAVE BEEN PROBABLY PRODUCED IN 2001 TOO AND HENCE COULD BE FACING THE SAME ISSUE. HOWEVER 2002 OWNERS ARE BEING TURNED DOWN BY THE HONDA CORP. *TR

CAR BEGAN JERKING ON HIGHWAY AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND TRANSMISSION DRIVE LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING. TRANSMISSION WAS CHECKED AND DIAGNOSTIC CODE P0740 WAS DISPLAYED. TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED AND SHORTLY AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THE CAR WAS CHECKED AT A DIFFERENT SHOP AND DIAGNOSTIC CODE P0740 WAS AGAIN DISPLAYED. THE MECHANIC STATED THE NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS ALREADY BURNT AND PRINTED HONDA HOTLINE ARCHIVES THAT DOCUMENTED TRANSMISSION DEFECTS IN PRIOR YEARS, AND A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THAT EXTENDED TRANSMISSION WARRANTIES FROM SEVERAL PREVIOUS YEARS THROUGH 2001 TO 100,000 MILES. A HONDA DEALER VERIFIED THIS CODE AND I WAS GIVEN A 15% DISCOUNT ON THE REPAIR, A REBUILT TRANSMISSION WITH A 36,000 MILE WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THIS CAR HAD 73,000 MILES,WAS METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED WITH RECORDS AND DRIVEN BY A MIDDLE AGED COUPLE EXCLUSIVELY. TOTAL OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES WERE GREATER THAN $2,600.00. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP WITH A JERKING MOTION AND EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TRANSMISSION REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,00. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WHILE NOT CRASHES OR INJURIES HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE HONDA VEHICLE I OWN, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING DEFECTS ON THE VEHICLE WHICH ARE A CAUSE OF SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS. I HAVE A 2002 HONDA ACCORD WITH ABOUT 131,000 MILES WHICH HAS HAD THE FOLLOWING ISSUES: 1. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AROUND 60,000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED BY HONDA. AT AROUND 100,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO EXHIBIT SAME SYMPTOMS. I TOOK THE CAR IN, BUT, OF COURSE, HONDA DEALER SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THEN AROUND 116,000 MILES A HONDA MECHANIC SAID THAT MY MODEL OF A CAR HAS AN ISSUE WITH TRANSMISSIONS AND THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE IS BAD ENOUGH TO HAVE A WEBSITE DEDICATED TO IT. WHILE A TRANSMISSION FAILING IS NOT NECESSARILY A SAFETY ISSUE, LOOSING VEHICLE CONTROL AND DRIVABLE ON THE HIGHWAY COULD BE. 2. NOW THE VEHICLE STARTS TO VIBRATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DESPITE HAVING NEW AND BALANCED TIRES ON IT. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO GET NEW STRUTS. SINCE THEN I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC OF VERY HIGH INTEGRITY (NOT THE HONDA DEALER) AND THEY SAID THAT UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM MAY SIMPLY BE ?IMPOSSIBLE? TO FIX SINCE EVERYTHING THEY COULD SEE INDICATED THAT CAR SHOULD BEHAVE NORMALLY, I.E. THE TIRES WERE FINE, THE ALIGNMENT WAS FINE, AND THE CV JOINTS WERE FINE. THIS IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF THE ISSUE AND INDICATES A POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW WITH THE VEHICLE. 3. THE LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE ARE HORRIBLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT SERIOUSLY IMPAIRS THE VEHICLE DRIVABILITY. 4. THE RAILS FOR THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAD TO BE REPLACED AROUND 32,000 MILES AND NOW (AT AROUND 130,000 MILES) THE SEAT SEEMS TO WOBBLE AGAIN. THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS IT SEEMS THAT THE SEAT COULD SIMPLY DETACH IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR UPDATED 05/07/10.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. SHE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING SHE CAN HEAR THE ENGINE ACCELERATING WHEN THE VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. A MECHANIC STATED THAT SHE NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120000.

LAST MAY, MY 71 YEAR-OLD MOTHER IN LAW LOST CONTROL OF HER CAR SHORTLY AFTER STARTING IT AND CRASHED INTO OUR HOUSE. SHE STATED THAT THE CAR "TOOK OFF" ON HER DESPITE HER STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY DEFECTS AND THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. I CONCLUDED THAT SHE HAD MISTAKENLY STEPPED ON THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE DESPITE HER CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY AND CONSIDERED THE ISSUE CLOSED. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SUBSEQUENT INCIDENTS UNTIL LAST WEEK, I WENT OUT TO MOVE HER CAR (2002 HONDA ACCORD). WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE THE ENGINE RACED. I WAS ABLE TO PREVENT ACCELERATION BECAUSE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE (IMPORTANT POINT) AND I QUICKLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE RACED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND THEN RETURNED TO REGULAR IDLING SPEED. I THEN DROVE THE CAR BRIEFLY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT, HOWEVER I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH HONDA TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. THE MECHANICS TESTED THE CAR AND FOUND NO CLEAR CAUSE OF THE RACING ENGINE ALTHOUGH THEY DID FIND CRACKED ENGINE BRACKETS AND REPLACED THEM. WHILE DRIVING BACK FROM THE DEALER I PARKED THE CAR FOR A BRIEF STOP. WHEN I STARTED IT AGAIN I HAD THE SAME EVENT OCCUR THAT I EXPERIENCED LAST WEEK. I DROVE HOME, CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT I BRING IT BACK. WHILE DRIVING BACK TO THE DEALER I HAD TWO MORE INCIDENTS (ONCE AT A RED LIGHT AND ONCE WHILE PULLING INTO THE DEALER PARKING LOT). EACH TIME I WAS ABLE TO PREVENT ACCELERATION BECAUSE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. I NOTICED THAT TACH WENT UP TO 4500 RPM FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL. THE DEALER IS NOW LOOKING AT THE CAR AGAIN. SEVERAL POINTS: I'M 54 AND HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 37 YEARS WITHOUT EVER HAVING CAUSED A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT OR HAD A MOVING VIOLATION; MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE (NOT THE ACCELERATOR, AS IS OFTEN SURMISED IN CASES OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION). IF IT HADN'T BEEN, THE CAR WOULD HAVE TAKEN OFF. I CANNOT INCLUDE VIN AT PRESENT BECAUSE CAR IS AT THE DEALER. *TR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DIFFERENTIAL AND CARRIER BEARINGS ARE DAMAGED - CAR HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY CARED FOR BY THE DEALER BUT TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

A STEERING STUCK INCIDENT WHICH COULD HAVE BECOME A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF IT HAD HAPPENED ON A BUSY ROAD! WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY AROUND 20MPH IN A 30 MPH SPEED ZONE AND TRYING TO TURN RIGHT, THE STEERING WAS STUCK AND COULD NOT TURN RIGHT. AFTER PROCEEDING STRAIGHT, TURNED RIGHT WITH A GREAT MANUAL EFFORT IN STEERING BY MAKING A VERY WIDE RIGHT TURN AT THE NEXT SIGNAL (ALMOST ENDANGERING CARS IN THE OTHER LANE WAITING AT THE SIGNAL) THEN MOVED INTO A PARKING LOT WHERE I FOUND THE STEERING COULD BE NEITHER TURNED RIGHT OR LEFT. AN EMERGENCY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS SUMMONED AND HE TIGHTENED SOME LOOSE NUT (WHICH HAD RESULTED IN THE BELT BECOMING LOOSE). REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO (1-800-999-1009) ON 12/28/09 AFTER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT MCDAVID HONDA OF IRVING. IF THIS INCIDENT HAD HAPPENED ON THE MAJOR HIGHWAY, IT COULD HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT. DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A CAR BEING REGULARLY SERVICED AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER COULD HAVE A STEERING FAILURE? *TR