812 complaints reported

2003 Honda Accord Power Train

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
812
Crashes
14
Fires
1
Injuries
11

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Dec 2023

The contact's sister-in-law owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission failed to shift properly; however, the engine revved abnormally. The driver pulled to the side of the road and turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle responded as needed after being restarted on several occasions; however, the failure persisted on other occasions. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the transmission failed to shift into the intended gear. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously taken to a dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V176000 (Power Train); however, the recall repair was performed on the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2022
Apr 2023

Theirs a humming or whining sound and burning odors on the transmission. Slipping on transmission gear.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2023
Aug 2021

The contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the transmission erroneously downshifted into 3rd gear causing the vehicle to abruptly reduce speed to approximately 25 mph. The contact indicated that the transmission remained stuck in 3rd gear. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 287,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jul 2021
Apr 2021 Crash Injury

My transmission ffails while deiving causes it to go into limp mode and stops on contact

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2021
Jan 2021

I AM ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS CAR AND IT HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. AT ABOUT 118,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 55 MPH AND IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, HARD ENOUGH THAT THE TIRES SCREECHED. IT WAS VERY TERRIFYING AS WELL AS HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO BE VERY DANGEROUS. THERE WAS NO PRIOR INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEMS. AT THIS TIME, THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP HAVING THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE TRANSMISSION IN THE 2003 HONDA ACCORD HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY PROBLEMS FROM THE ONSET. I AM JUST VERY FORTUNATE THAT NOTHING SERIOUS HAPPENED TO ME WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, OR I WOULD NOT BE HERE MAKING THIS POST.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jun 2021
Dec 2020

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED KEY WON'T TURN

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Dec 2020
Feb 2020

TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR A MAINTENANCE REPAIR TO GET A BRAKE LINE JOB DONE. AFTER THEY COMPLETED THE JOB I TOLD HONDA TO PUT MY VEHICLE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM, TO CHECK FOR ANY OTHER ISSUES WHICH THEY DID. SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE WITH IT NO ISSUES. DROVE HOME FINE NEXT DAY COMES, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THIS TIME I WENT AND GOT THE DIAGNOSTIC DONE ON MY VEHICLE MYSELF. COME TO FIND OUT IT'S A TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM, WHICH HONDA DIDN'T CHECK OR TELL ME ABOUT, LOOK UP REVIEWS ABOUT THE MY VEHICLE, AND A LOT OF OTHER HONDA OWNERS OF MY EXACT MODEL SAYS THE SAME HOW BAD THE TRANSMISSION IS IN THIS VEHICLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2020
Oct 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS AS NEEDED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SPEAK WITH A DEALER, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000(POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2019
Aug 2019

MY TRANSMISSION IS BROKEN WHY?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2019
May 2019

AUTONATIC TRANSMISSION

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: May 2019
Apr 2019

ENTERED HIGHWAY AT 50 55 WHEN RPMS WENT UP AND LOST ACCELERATION QUICKLY ABOUT GOT REAR ENDED AND ONCE I GOT TO THE SHOULDER I TURNED OFF CAR AND STARTED IT BACK UP AND ONLY THING I COULDN'T ENGAGE IN CAR ..PARK WORKED BUT THE REST WAS IN NEATRAL LUCKY NOONE WAS HURT..TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING I FIND THIS A MAJOR ISSUE SINCE SO MANY OTHER 03 ACCORDS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND I'M ASKING FOR HONDA TO REPLACE MY TRANDMISSION..NUMBER OF MILES 138,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2018
Feb 2019

I JUST BOUGHT MY HONDA ACCORD 2003 FROM A USED CAR DEALER AND IT HAD 120XXX MILES LITERALLY DROVE IT TWO MONTHS AND IT BROKE DOWN MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE TEANSMISSION SO I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND I SEEN THAT THESE ACCORDS HAVE BAD TRANSMISSIONS EVERYWHERE I SEEN SOMEONE HAD A PROBLEM WITH TRANS I CHECKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL BUT THEY SAID THERE WASN'T THIS IS REALLY DISAPPOINTED KNOWING I I LYNCH HAD IT TWO MONTHS AND HAVING THE SAME ISSUE OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Feb 2019
Jan 2019

TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. NEW TRANSMISSION WAS BAD ALSO. WASTED MONEY FOR THE SAME THING MULTIPLE TIMES AND HONDA WILL NOT HELP. THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL IS ONLY COMPATIBLE WITH THE SAME EXACT MAKE MODEL AND YEAR. IT IS HARD TO FIND A TRANSMISSION, AND AFTER SEEING THE RECALL AND IT MATCHING BOTH TRANSMISSIONS I DON'T SEE WHY WE SHOULD HAVE TO KEEP SPENDING MONEY ON FAULTY PARTS. ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS FOR THIS VEHICLE HAD RECALLS AND WERE FAULTY. WE WANT HONDA'S HELP TO FIX IT FOR GOOD SINCE NO OTHER MECHANIC CAN FIGURE IT OUT AND WE HAVE SPENT MONEY BACK TO BACK ON THE SAME THING. THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL WAS TERRIBLE FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURES. I FEEL IT IS WRONG TO HAVE YOUR CUSTOMERS BUY TRANSMISSIONS THAT HAVE TO BE THE SAME THAT CAME OUT OF THE VEHICLE, AND WE ARE WASTING ALL OF OUR TIME AND MONEY TO DO SO, BECAUSE ANY TRANSMISSION WE BUY IS ALREADY MESSED UP.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: May 2017
Dec 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD MALFUNCTION AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED IN DECEMBER OF 2014 PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN), BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 207,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2018
Jun 2018 Injury

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT AROUND 65 MPH, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR SEEMED LIKE IT WAS BRAKING BY ITSELF WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE BRAKES. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND AFTER SPENDING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, FOUND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS DAMAGED AND BEYOND THE SECOND GEAR, IT IS SLIPPING. THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THAT DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY LED TO AN ACCIDENT BY BEING REAR ENDED OR WORSE. HONDA SHOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: May 2018
Jan 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN OVER 20 MPH EACH TIME THE FAILURE HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Jan 2016
Nov 2017

TORQUE CONVERTER STUCK OFF, P0741, CODE GIVEN. TRANSMISSION REBUILD/ REPLACEMENT REQUIRED FOR CONTINUED USE OF VEHICLE. SERVICE RECORDS SHOW 2ND GEAR OIL JET ADDITION AT 25,500 MILES, AND ALL SUBSEQUENT SERVICING DONE AT MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED INTERVALS, AS INDICATED BY PRINTED SHOP RECEIPTS FROM HONDA DEALERSHIP. AFTER DRAIN AND FILL DONE AFTER FIRST CODE THROWN AT 106,000 MILES, 50 MILES LATER THE SAME P0741 CODE THROWN. LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP DID TEARDOWN AND SAID THAT TORQUE CONVERTER SHOWS SIGNS OF OVERHEATING, METAL SHAVINGS IN FLUID, AND SEVERELY WORN AND BROKEN CLUTCH MATERIALS ( I HAVE PICTURES OF SAID DAMAGE).

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Nov 2017
Sep 2017

HELLO I NEED TO SUBMIT A NEAR COLLISION INCIDENT CAUSED BY A TRANSMISSION LOCKUP ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. I DON'T KNOW YOUR VIN TRACKING METHODS, BUT YOU HAVE NOT ACCOUNTED FOR ALL OF THEM, PARTICULARLY MINE. REFER TO: NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 04V-176 MFR CAMPAIGN ID: P38 CAMPAIGN DSCRIPTION: 03-04 ACCORD AUTO TRANS RECALL RECALL DATE: 04/13/2014 I'VE JUST HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME IN MY 2003 ACCORD AND CAN PROVIDE PROOF BY SUBMITTING MY TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT RECORDS FROM THE LOCAL HONDA DEALER SERVICE SHOP. I WAS LUCKY THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME WERE ABLE TO AVOID REAR ENDING ME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2017
Sep 2017

TRANSMISSION WAS RECALLED (NHTSA REFERENCE #04V176000) IN 2004 FOR OVER HEATING PROBLEM. THERE WAS NO FOLLOW UP TO SEE IF REPAIRS SPECIFIED IN THE RECALL WERE EFFECTIVE OVER THE EXPECTED LIFE OF THE TRANSMISSION. SYMPTOMS STARTED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. TRANSMISSION PAUSES BEFORE GOING INTO GEAR. THEN TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND ENGINE REVS. AFTER ONE WEEK, TRANSMISSION QUIT PULLING AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE INTERSTATE. CAR WOULD NOT GET UP TO SPEED AND TRANSMISSION QUIT PULLING ENTIRELY, LEAVING ME STRANDED ON SIDE OF INTERSTATE. TRANSMISSION FLUID BLACK AND BURNT. SOUNDS LIKE GEAR JUMPING TEETH.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Aug 2017
Jun 2017

TRANSMISSION - WHILE DRIVING I'D PULLED OVER AND THE CAR SLOW TO A STOP WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN GEAR,I PLACE THE GREA LEVER IN PARK THEN BACK INTO DRIVE AND ALL THAT HAPPEN WAS A WINEING SOUND FROM THE TRANSMISSION I TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND SAT THERE FOR A WHILE, STARTED THE ENGINE WAS ABLE TO GO SOME DISTANCE MORE AND THE CAR STARTED TO WINE AGAIN MADE IT HOME AFTER THREE STOP LET THE CAR REST AND THEN GO AGAIN.HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILD ,YEARS LATER TRANMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AGAIN.THIS ALL HAPPEN ON CITY STREET LAST REPAIR WAS 09/23/2016 BY BRAKE STOP AUTO REPAIR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Sep 2016
Apr 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Oct 2017
Mar 2017

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILS GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2016
Feb 2017

TRANSMISSION RECALL- SECOND OWNER OF 2003 HONDA ACCORD. BOUGHT IT AT 76,000 MILES, NOW AT 95,000 MILES. I'M NIGHT DRIVING AT 75MPH IN THE FAST LANE WITH A CONSTANT FLOW OF TRAFFIC INCLUDING BIG RIGS. NEAR THE END OF A CONSTRUCTION MEDIAN WHICH WAS PLACED PRECISELY ON THE LEFT LINE OF THE LANE, MY CAR JOLTS BACKWARDS AS IF I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. FREAKED OUT, I THOUGHT MAYBE I RAN SOMETHING OVER. THEN 2 MINUTES LATER MY CAR JOLTS BACKWARDS AGAIN LIKE A FAST EMERGENCY BRAKE. I COULD FEEL MY BODY LOCK AGAINST MY SEATBELT. I SAFELY GET TO THE SHOULDER AND PANIC AS I AM AN HOUR FROM HOME AND I'M IN THE GHETTO. AS I PULL BACK ON TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY MY CAR IS AT A CONSTANT REV OF 5 AND MAKING A LOUD AWFUL MACHINE NOISE. I TRY TO PUT IT IN REVERSE AND IT DOESN'T REVERSE. I TURN IT OFF THEN TRY AGAIN, IT WORKS ONCE THEN DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. I GET TOWED TO HONDA, I SAW HOW THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD A JET KIT INSTALLED BECAUSE OF A 2004 RECALL WHICH STATES IF UNDER 15,000MI INSTALL A JET KIT, IF OVER, EXAMINE THE GEARS AND OR REPLACE TRANSMISSION. REPLACE. BECAUSE OF THIS RECALL WHICH WAS MORE SO A BANDAID OF THE PROBLEM, MY MINT CONDITION CAR IS ALL MONEY BAGS. I DO NOT THINK HONDA WILL DO ANOTHER RECALL OR PAY PARTIALLY FOR THE REPAIR. 95,000 MILES! I READ ON CAR COMPLAINTS HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD THESE SAME ISSUES WITH HONDA AMERICA AND HONDA DEALERSHIPS. THIS IS NOT RIGHT! IF YOU CREATE AND SELL A DANGEROUSLY FAULTY PRODUCT, FIX AND REPLACE THEM! NHTSA RECALL #: 04V176000 HONDA RECALL #: P38

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2017
Jan 2017

TRANSMISSION RECALL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS/AND JERKS THROUGH GEARS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Mar 2016
Jan 2017

UPON SLOWING, TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VIOLENTLY FROM 3 TO 2 AND 2 TO 1. ALSO, UNDER LIGHT OR STEADY THROTTLE, WILL SWITCH BACK AND FORTH FROM 1 TO 2, AGAIN VIOLENTLY (VIOLENTLY DEFINED AS LIKE DUMPING THE CLUTCH IN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THIS HAPPENS AFTER IT WARMS UP. THE CAR HAS 98.8K MILES ON IT, MAINTAINED AT HONDA THE ENTIRE LIFE OF THE CAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 HONDA ACCORD, Manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Incident: Apr 2017

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2003 Honda Accord has 812 Power Train complaints on file. 14 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.