2002 Honda Accord Structure
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF IN HUGE AREAS. I HAVE A '94 BUICK THAT HAS NO PAINT ISSUES AND HAS BEEN OUTSIDE ITS WHOLE LIFE. THIS '02 ACCORD HAS BEEN GARAGED ITS WHOLE LIFE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR
NOTICE THE SUB-FRAME IS RUSTING APART WHEN I WAS CHANGING MY BRAKES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED WITH EXCESSIVE HOLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INFORMED THAT THE RUST CORROSION WAS A NORMAL PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. ....UPDATED 10-21-13 *BF UPDATED 10/25/2013 *JS
WHILE AT SHOP, MY MECHANIC NOTICED THE SUBFRAME AND FRAME ON PASSENGER SIDE OF MY ACCORD WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION. AS OTHERS NOTED, THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT DUE TO A AC DRAIN AND THE DRIVER SIDE FRAME AND SUBFRAME ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AS IS THE REST OF THE VEHICLE. I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY CARS AND THERE IS NO RUST ANY OTHER PLACE ON THE VEHICLE. HONDA CHANGED THIS DESIGN IN 2003, BUT HAVE NOT OFFERED ANY RECALL TO DATE ON THE PRIOR MODELS. THE NHTSA SHOULD LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS SINCE HONDA IS NOT OWNING UP TO THIS AND IT SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON IN VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 2003. *TR
PROBLEM WITH STRUCTURE - VEHICLE MAKING A KNOCKING/CRUNCHING NOISE. TOOK IT TO HONDA DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE SUBFRAME ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, BELOW WHERE THE AC UNIT DRAINS, IS RUSTED THROUGH. THE CAR WAS DEEMED UNSAFE AND INOPERABLE. TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS WAS THE RESULT OF A DESIGN DEFECT - I.E., WHERE THE AC UNIT/DRAINING IS PLACED - THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF IT AND PERHAPS RECALL VEHICLES TO PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM INJURY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXHIBITING ABNORMAL NOISES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.
THE CLEAR COAT ON MY HONDA ACCORD IS PEELING OFF THE CAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. THE PAINT IS NOW GREATLY AFFECTING MY RESALE VALUE AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH HONDA PAINT. *TR
THE CLEAR COAT AND PAINT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY DISSOLVED ON THE ROOF, TRUNK AND HOOD OF MY NIGHTHAWK-COLORED HONDA. THIS STARTED LESS THAN 3 YEARS FROM THE PURCHASE OF THIS CAR!! I WAS NOT AWARE OF ALL OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS AT THAT TIME. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN EXTREMELY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR, INSIDE AND OUT. IT CURRENTLY ONLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES ON IT, AND THE PAINT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY HORRID. THIS IS NOT NORMAL OXIDATION, IT'S CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE PAINT, JUST LIKE ALL OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS/PICTURES ONLINE OF OTHER HONDAS WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE PAINT ISSUE. HELP! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE SUB FRAME BELOW THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WROTE A LETTER TO THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS CONTACT BY THEM, STATING THAT THEY COULD PROVIDE NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,660.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HEARING A NEWS REPORT ABOUT RUST IN THE SUB FRAME OF HIS MODEL VEHICLE, HE DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHINIAN VERIFIED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS SEVERELLY CORRODED AND THERE WAS A DANGER THAT THE ENGINE COULD FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,000. UPDATED 12/21/12*LJ UPDATED 1/4/2013 *JS
HONDA HAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT FOR A REAR BEAM PLACE. AT THE HONDA DEALERSHIP, A HONDA AND STATE OF MICHIGAN CERTIFIED MECHANIC HAS CERTIFIED THAT HONDA PUT CARS IN PRODUCTION WITH A DEFECTIVE PLACE FOR AIR CONDITIONING DRAIN. THE DRAIN FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER COMES STRAIGHT ON THE TOP OF THE REAR BEAM AND MAKE THIS PIECE OF METAL CORRODED AND RUST OUT. THE POSITION FOR DRAIN HAS NOT BEEN MANUFACTURED IN THE RIGHT PLACE. THE CAUSE IS TO BREAK THE REAR BEAM AND PUT THE DRIVER IN EXTENSIVE DANGER WITH HAVING CAR RUNNING ON LESS THAN FOUR WHEELS AND DRIVING ON HIGHWAY CAN KILL A PERSON ALONG WITH OTHERS MAY GET HIT WITH THE VEHICLE. REPAIR COSTS $2000.00. *TR
WHILE GETTING MY REQUIRED YEARLY NY STATE INSPECTION (PERFORMED BY A CERTIFIED HONDA MECHANIC) THE SUBFRAME REAR BEAM (CROSS MEMBER) WAS FOUND TO BE UNSAFE AND RUSTING OUT WITH HOLES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS FOR THE COLLECTION OF WATER AT THE PROBLEM SPOT. IT IS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX THAT HE WAS SURPRISED THAT HONDA HAS NOT RECALLED BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SO FREQUENTLY AND IS A SAFETY CONCERN.. THE REST OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND FRAME WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. WHY HASN'T HONDA RECALLED THIS SAFETY ISSUE? *TR
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PAINT ON THE HOOD, ROOF AND TRUNK OF HER VEHICLE TURNED A DIFFERENT COLOR. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, BUT DID NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000. NW
I HAVE OWNED 3 HONDA ACCORDS, A 1985, 1991, AND A 2002, AND HAVE GOOD EXPERIENCES WITH ALL THREE. THE 2002 HONDA ACCORD HOWEVER HAS A HARD HAND GRIP ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONT SEAT. WHEN I AM DRIVING, OCCASIONALLY, I WILL HIT MY HEAD ON THIS HARD HAD GRIP. I FEEL THAT IF I WERE IN AN ACCIDENT THAT IT WOULD TAKE THE TOP OF MY HEAD OFF. THIS IS DANGEROUG AND SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH A FOLDING HANDLE LIKE THE PREVIOUS HONDAS HAD.
THE DASHBOARD REFLECTED IN THE WINDSHIELD, WHEN DRIVING IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. MR *TS *JB
CONSUMER STATES THAT TRUNK LID DOES NOT STAY UP WHEN OPENED. WHEN TRUNK IS OPENED LID FALLS BACK DOWN. CONSUMER AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN HIT IN THE HEAD SEVERAL TIMES WHILE LOADING AND UNLOADING ITEMS FROM THE TRUNK. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER WHO ADVISED THAT TRUNK IS OPERATING WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. TS
MY HONDA ACCORD 2002 VEHICLE ID NUMBER [XXX]....MY WIFE AND I ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HAVE OPENED THE TRUCK LID....LOOKED IN THE TRUNK ( TO REMOVE GROCERIES OR LUGGAGE) AND HAD THE TRUNK LID COME DOWN SUDDENLY AND STRIKES US ON THE HEAD. THE TRUNK LID DOES NOT LOCK PROPERLY IN PLACE. WE HAVE NOT BEEN INJURED ...BUT SOMEONE COULD EASILY SUFFER A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WHEN THE CONSUMER DROVE TOWARD DIRECT SUNLIGHT, THE DASH BOARD REFLECTED THE SUN LIGHT TOWARD THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH IMPAIRED CONSUMER'S VISIBILITY. *PH *JB
CONSUMERS COMPLAINT IS ONE ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, CONSUMERS KNEE TOUCHED THE IGNITION AND CONSUEMR CANNOT SEE THE BUMPER WHEN LOOKING OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD. VEHICLE IS THE LX SERIES. *JG
WHEN TRUNK IS OPENED THE LITTLEST MOVEMENT WILL MAKE TRUNK FALL BACK DOWN, WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER TO BE INJURED.*AK *YH
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2002 Honda Accord has 45 Structure complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.