general problems of the 2003 Honda Accord - part 1

My key will not go into the ignition. It also starts to get hot. The steering column also starts to get hot. It also periodically smells like something is burning. The dealership wants to charge me $140 to look at it. I don't have the money. I have not been able to have anybody look at it because I don't have the money. This first happened back in February of 2023 but I got worse around June 1, 2023.

Doors locked from inside and cannot get out unless I put my window down. Safety issue. Second time I replaced my door since I was in a car accident a few years ago. Same problem came back again after replacing the door handle it used to work for years at the driver side until recently. Also doors are unable to unlock from the switch.

Tl-the contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, several warning indicators became illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. O'daniel Honda located at 123 beverly dr, omaha, ne 68114, (402) 393-7801, was contacted by phone. The manufacturer was not contacted or informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 153000. Ah.

Takata recall: my son was driving on the interstate at over 60 mph when the side airbag (driver side) spontaneously deployed. It slammed into his left arm with extreme force,knocking him toward the passenger door making him swerve in front of an 18 wheeler. The passenger side airbag then deployed and as he was trying to pull off the interstate the passenger front air bag deployed. He was able to stop in the area between the on ramp and the interstate, as he exited the vehicle the driver front airbag deployed. May 2016 the airbags and ignition recall repairs were done. After incident dealership ran diagnostics and said all he could see was that there was a problem with the srs unit. He asked us if we had made any electrical modifications (which we haven't) I asked him if that part had been checked or replaced during the recall and he said that wasn't part of the recall. He said we should call Honda customer service. Upon further investigation I learned there have been recalls on the replacements because of moisture being introduced during manufacturing. Also there have been problems with corrosion and malfunction of the srs units due to extreme temperatures and high humidity. At the time of the incident the heat index was 110 and the humidity was extremely high. Arkansas is located in the second of three priority regions for the srs recall. Also while researching spontaneous airbag deployment causes, I learned that the srs unit moisture problem and the degradation of accelerant from moisture can not only cause the airbags to not deploy on impact, but also cause them to deploy with no impact. This information should be included in the recall information and Honda should expand the srs recall. We are lucky lives were not lost in this incident, but that may not be the case the next time this happens.

The contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. Upon exiting the vehicle, before the passenger exited the front passenger side, smoke appeared within the inner part of the front passenger side door and a fire erupted. The driver and the front passenger were able to extinguish the flames. A fire report was not filed. The dealer was notified. The passenger was burned and had to exit the vehicle through the front passenger side window, which required medical treatment. The failure mileage was not available.

My car turn on when he want too I try to turn it on and do s claclacla them like 10 minutes later it turns on people tell me its the ignition it do this almost everyday.

Tl- the contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced a problem with starting and made an abnormal noise. The failure happened without warning. The vehicle was towed to a independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the vehicle symptom where the same of NHTSA campaign number 10v364000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. Prior to this failure a similar failure happened. The ignition was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was approximately 100,000. Kh.

June 2015: torque converter: car when accelerating slammed out of gear and felt like we had been rear-ended. Car wouldn't shift from 2nd to 3rd gear. Radio: radio system back light broke at 60,000 miles current issue: gear shift knob fell off while driving. Daughter was driving car and bumped gear shift and was able to shifted from drive to neutral while the car was moving. Called Honda complaint line to complain and there was no action or concern regarding the current issue of the gear shift knob.

I was driving southbound in peabody, massachusetts on 128 almost on to 95 when at centennial drive exit when my vehicle, without warning, slowed from 60 mph to 30 mph , I put on hazards as car went from 30 mph to 10 mph to dead all in a matter of 45 seconds tops. It was around 12pm and traffic was moderate to heavy. Cars behind me were forced to slow at a significant rate, luckily a pile up did not occur as the likelihood of such a accident was extremely possible with one driver not fully present I don't want to imagine the possibilities. I was able to semi slide car into breakdown lane safely enough and aaa came 1 hour latter as they listed my call a priority call. . I had car towed to home town and mechanic went through car in its entirety to discover that transmission needed to be replaced. Honda is well aware of this issue as there are thousands of testimonies from Honda owners regarding their transmission problems occurring around 126,213 miles. The models with faulty transmissions are 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 .

I recently purchased the 2003 Honda Accord for travel. After purchasing the vehicle I noticed that the check engine light was on. The mechanic told me that there was a torque converter that needed to be replaced. After doing additional research I found that other Honda owners had this same issue. My car rumbles when driving through residential areas. When I try to enter my VIN numer in to see if my car is eligible it won't come up, but I'm definitely experiencing the transmission slipping in specific gears.

Problem 03 Accord lx - 4 door/ auto transmission. I first noticed this when walking past the locked car, no keys in the ignition, the display would light up ever few minuets. The radio turns on spontaneously without the key in the ignition, draining battery, leaving me stranded. Could hear a crackling loud sound coming from speakers off and on while taking left or right turns for about a year, radio working off and on, eventual the sound went out, radio appears to work but no longer has sound, display still lighting up and draining battery. No wrecks.

Driver's car (left front) keyhole won't accept my key, electronically. I went to different auto services and have the same comments that most of the complaints were the same. I checked the internet, youtube. Com, many owners of the same make, model & year have the same issues and problems, even the Honda chat room help site. I thought this is an isolated problem, but it's not, if there is some ways that your company could do something about this matter/issue concerning the manufacturer's (Honda) defect issue, please let us know, we don't want to shoulder to expenses on their behalf. Thank you very much for your concern and looking forward to hearing from you the soonest and for the immedtiate response to repair the problem for the inconvenience that we are experiencing for a long time. I have tried cleaning the inside of the keyhole by air pressured and wd 40, nothing happened. I can insert the key halfway only and then it will stopped. All other keyholes are functioning well, except the driver's keyhole.

Problem started : about a week ago . Engine would stall if either left or right turn signal was/were activated. At the present, engine dies when the brake pedal is depressed. . American Honda told us that they had never heard of this complaint before. ( problem also occurs when 4 way flashers are activated). Car is unsafe and not driveable without turn signals and brake lights. I would like to know if any other Honda owners have or have had this problem , and also what was done or required to repair this issue .

Warning light goes on (exclaimation point in triangle) when car starts. Tcs light goes on (after driving for a minute). May be related to seat belt According to my local shop. Car is no longer under warranty. Dealership wants to charge $120 for own diagnostic before replacing seat belt.

The radio comes on without a key and abruptly turns off when driving. The car appears on when no one is in the vehicle and I am worried that this may prompt someone to steal the car. It also drains the battery. I have researched the internet and called Honda. Honda swears that no one else has submitted this issue. My ref number for my complaint is n012013-02-2600454. It just doesn't make sense that all these people are having the same issue, but they don't issue a recall. You can do a simple google search and find hundreds of complaints and people saying that they have contacted Honda.

The internal lighting for the stereo/climate control has failed. The buttons no longer light up and the display screen is so dim that it cannot be read except from about 3cm away. This is a safety concern because it makes it difficult to operate the climate control at night, say if the windows were fogging up and you needed to defrost quickly.

2003 Honda Accord ex, the radio and the a/c work, but you cannot see anything on the radio display, and the backlight for the a/c panel do not work, with the exception of the individual buttons such as the one for the compressor, that will come on when you push it in. The warranty on the radio display has been extended to 7 years/100k miles on the 2003-2004 Accord. This problem is common. My car is 75000 miles, but is over 7 years. If the problem is common Honda should extended the warranty time.

The stereo backlight went out and my car is out of warranty, Honda will not provide any assistance with a known issue. Obviously it was a known defect which is why they extended the warranty, but it should have been a recall. The lights on the heat/ac/defrost controls are also out which makes it difficult to turn defrosters on at night when I need it to see.

For a couple of weeks the radio would give a snapping sound and then go silent. On or about the third week, just after starting the car, and turning the radio on, smoke started to pour from behind the dash in the area of the center console. I immediately turned off the radio. The smoke (fire?) stopped . . . . Not sure whether turning off the radio or whether the wire, circuit board or (?) had burned through.

Audio-hvac display module is dim or dark: the audio display and controls (knobs, buttons, bars) of the audio-hvac display module are dim or are dark. There is a known problem with the Honda Accords 2003-2007 where one of the components of the printed circuit board ( pcb) which controls the center audio console fails and then the whole audio console goes dark. So when you are driving the car, you cannot see any button or knob on the center console. It's almost impossible to change the heat / cool , the fan speed or any function that is controlled by the conter console. Honda initially sent out a technical service bulletin and they extended the warranty on the audio console to 7 years /100, 000 miles. But the problem still exists in a large number of cars. This is not like a transmission or a brake issue which can wear down over a number of years. This is a problem with the electronics on the car and should be escalated to a recall. This is a very dangerous problem as the console lighting does completely dark and the driver cannot see or locate any controls within the car. This can cause serious problem when driving and should be addressed immedietely. Honda has issues a technical service buletin number 04-027. This bulletin in the proof that Honda knows about the problem. The extended warranty that Honda has offered is of no use because a lot of people who have this problem are out of the warranty terms ( 7 years // 100,000 miles) this should be a recall item and the national highway safety institute should force Honda to repair this component in the car irrespective of the miles or the number of years. The fact of the matter is that this is a manufacturing defect and is not related to break down of a components because of miles or years. There is no wear and tear involved with printed circuit boards. ( pcb).

Control panel display (audio-hvac display) failure. I have a 2003 Honda 4 door (w/o navigation) Accord ex. (I am the original owner of the vehicle). This problem, with potential safety implications seems to rise to the level of a defect. As I write, the display is dark and occasionally flickers. There have been previous service bulletins released on this issue and its a know defect; however I did contact Honda customer service on December 2011 but, Honda and Honda dealer's refuses to replace part without paying for it. Windshield wiper (linkage arm) failure. On multiple occasions I had mentioned to multiple Honda dealer's that windshield wiper are banging when returning to start position and I was told it was normal and they had checked the wiper motor and it works fine. Windshield wiper started banging year after I purchased the vehicle in 2003. I was able to fix the issue by replacing windshield wiper linkage arm at my own cost after I found the solution on independent Honda forums.

My 2003 Honda Accord ex display light for the audio/hvac went out. This is a real problem because it is difficult to select the defrost/air conditioner/radio settings that you need, and can cause a real safety hazard while driving down the road. Honda realizes that this is a common problem with their printed circuit board as they have extended the warranty on this part to 7 yrs/100,000 miles. However, it is obviously still a problem after 100,000 miles as mine has recently went out. They refuse to pick up any of the bill for their faulty electrical equipment because my car is over the arbitrary 100,000 miles which they chose, even though they admit there is a problem with the part. I feel that this is unfair and that they should show some responsibilty and stand behind their product.

My radio/hvac area the lights to display them are out apparently it was recalled but not for all vehicles this is a safetyhazard for sure being I can't find my defrost. . . The other problem is the recall expired this year and it expired just after I bought the car and a few months later the middle console went out!!!.

Coming back from the airport, going home on belt parkway, the transmission stopped functioning properly out of a sudden, without giving any hints before, totally unexpected. It didn't go to the 2nd gear, stuck in 30mph. After anxiously drove back home trembling, found the reverse did not work either. The vehicle had to be turned off and restarted again to gain back the function of reverse. After research the on the web, and read through so many comments of Honda Accord 2003 owner, this seems very much related to the Honda Accord recall incident in 2004. It is believed Honda didn't fix the problem permanently back in 2004. It was a temporary fix trick, and right now many of the Honda Accord 2003 owners are suffering from Honda's failure to fix its defective product.

2003 Honda Accord radio backlight defective. . . They extended the warrenty fix until 7 years or 105k miles. Unfortunatley my died at to day and I have 110k and the car is 7. 7 years old. My biggest concern is you cannot tell if the defrost if on or not. . . Time, heat and a/c, defrost, fan etc are all displayed through the radio unit. I called 1-800-999-1009 and they said too bad you are out ot the warrenty limits. I maintain my car meticulously but the dealer qouted me $800 to fix the problem. Too much for me. Honda id wronng this is a safety issue. . . Cannot tune to emergency broadcast or use defrost.

Hi I have Honda Accord 2003 with only 70000 miles on it. Last year I had problem with the screen that display my ac/heater/radio it went off. I cant see anything on that screen, living in chicago and winter is coming, in extremely bad weather iam scared to drive that car and have my kids in it because I cant visualize and control the heat inside the car. . Driving on the highway with the bad weather that chicago hasm, I wont be able to control the heater to remove the fog from the front window and it will be impossible for me to see while driving. I believe this is %100 safety issue that you should call Honda about and have it fixed because alot of americans use this type of car and alot of my friends have the same problem, Honda having buisness here making money should make sure that the products that it sells for the americans meet the safety parameters in this great country. We care about our citizens and thats the role of our government and I believe that you should take action regarding this issue against Honda. There was a recall about this issue but most of the customers were not ware of this recall, and now even though my car only has 70000miles on it, Honda refuse to fix this problem that their car has. As american citizen having trust in you, I believe that you should put Honda on the right track because people safety is an important issue in the united states for sure. Please look at this issue and dont put your people down. Thank you for all the great work that you guys been doing. God bless you.

Last year, I was driving my 2003 Honda Accord, and I locked my car as I was riding. Upon reaching my home I tried to unlock my car and it would not unlock manually, by pushing the bottom, or with the keyless entry. When I tried to use the interior button to unlock the car, it locked all of the doors and the driver door would not unlock manually, however, I was finally able to get a passenger door unlocked manually. It seemed like I was in a horror movie because the passenger doors would appear to unlock, but they would instantly relock. This happened more than a few times and I was terrified to drive in fear of a accident as well as the fact that I had to leave my car unlocked when I went out in public. Today, the issue started again. I tried to hold the keyless entry down so that the windows would roll down and I could gain access that way, but it was to no avail. I tried using the key, but that did not work. I just so happen that while trying to unlock it with the key I turn it (the key) in the opposite direction and held it and the windows rolled down which allowed me to unlock a passenger door manually and climb in to my car. I still can not unlock the driver side door regardless of method.

The contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. While parked, the contact noticed that the lights for the hvac unit would not illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technician stated that the circuit board would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

Failed radio display and environmental controls lights. Reference american Honda case # n012011-03-0704280 voluntary recall, but limited in time and mileage, this vehicle is out of the voluntary recall but is failed due to defect in radio.

While driving at night all the lights on the center console went out. I now have no lights to control the functions of the heating, and defrost at night. The is an issue because I am unable to adjust settings when windows start to fog.

Tl-the contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the key could be removed from the ignition without the vehicle being secured in park. The contact was able to remove the key while the vehicle was in drive. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where an unknown repair was performed under a manufacturer's voluntary recall for the ignition key: interlock switch. Three days later after the recall remedy was performed, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer for further repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The appropriate failure mileage was 48,116. Kmj.

This car had recalled for transmission . I bought this car in 2006. I got told the recalled has been fixed in 2004. I got problem with transmission again in 2007 when my car reach 45000. They fixed this problem using my extended warranty. Now since last 2 year I still getting the problem with transmission . And the dealership saying they can't fix this time because they have fixed this problem before. I can't pass the inspection without fixing this problem. Fixing this problem costing me more than what my car worth, about $5000. Please help.

All interior illumination lights went out and you can not see in car. Called the dealer they stated it was not a bulb and would cost several hundred dollars to fix the issue. I have read several complaints and wonder why a recall has not occurred.

Upon turning the car on, the backlight behind the radio went dark. It is impossible to read the radio lights, radio mode, station, time of day, volume, a/c and/or heat settings, temp of a/c and/or heat. I feel it is distracting and unsafe to attempt to use/control these "invisible" settings while operating the vehicle. There was a TSB released for certain 03 & 04 Honda Accords affected by this defective hardware, but only a warranty extension was given. I recently purchased this vehicle with the radiolight intact, no I am being told is will cost me 350$ to fix an already known defective hardware problem that I feel creates a safety problem when operating this vehicle. This problem has been made aware to Honda for a number of years now, and they have not placed a recall on it, as one service rep told me, "because recalls deal with safety issues, this radio is not a safety issue. " I beg to differ, a defective part and safety issue warrants further compensation by Honda to its vehicle owners.

Tl-the contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. While the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the display for the radio, heater, air conditioner and defroster were no longer illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for the failure. The failure mileage was 50,500 and the current mileage was 51,000.