2003 Honda Accord Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP GEARS AND THEN FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME IN OPERATION AFTER WAITING FOR ONE HOUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO INTERNAL DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,892. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST THE CONSUMER WITH REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. UPDATED 03/21/13

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 35MPH IT STARTED SLIPPING AND JERKING THEN SUDDENLY SLAMMED INTO SECOND GEAR. WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR. THE TIRES SCREECHED AND THE TRANSMISSION GRINNED TO A HAULT. WE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT, $2800. *TR

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 68 MPH ON INTERSTATE 5 WHEN CAR FELT LIKE THE BRAKES HAD BEEN APPLIED, HARD. LUCKILY THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC BEHIND ME BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY QUICK DEACCELERATION TO 30MPH AND A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP ALONG THE FREEWAY WITH MY FLASHERS ON AT 35MPH, TOP SPEED, UNTIL I COULD GET OFF OF THE FREEWAY. WHEN I WAS PUTTING THE CAR ON THE TRAILER DOLLY WE REALIZED THAT I HAD NO REVERSE GEAR. THE NEXT MORNING, THE CAR REENGAGED WITH REVERSE WHILE TAKING THE CAR OFF OF THE CAR TRAILER. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AT 106,000MILES. WE HAD TAKEN THE CAR INTO THE HONDA DEALER FOR THE 2004 TRANSMISSION RECALL REPAIR. I HAD NO PREVIOUS WARNING THAT THERE WAS ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION UNTIL THIS FAILURE. *TR

COMING TO A STOP SIGN, SLOWED CAR DOWN TO A STOP. PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT GO INTO GEAR, FELT LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, BUT THE SHIFTER WAS SET TO "D". I HAD TO PUT THE SHIFTER INTO "2" TO GET IT TO MOVE. IF IT WAS A YIELD SIGN INSTEAD OF A STOP, AND I HAD SLOWED DOWN AND THE CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE, I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN HIT. CAR ALSO HAS PROBLEMS SHIFTING FROM 2ND GEAR INTO 3RD GEAR. THE RPMS JUMP BETWEEN SHIFTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED AND REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). AFTER THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT ENTERED THE VEHICLE, APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND INSERTED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR WAS IN REVERSE. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, THE CAR SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR CAUSING THE CAR TO VIOLENTLY REDUCE SPEED FROM 30MPH TO 5MPH. DUE TO THIS JERK OF MOTION, THE CAR WAS FORCED OFF THE ROAD. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT I WAS WITHIN A MILE OF THE I-66 HIGHWAY ON-RAMP AND COULD HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN SEVERELY REAR-ENDED AND INJURED BUT A MAJOR ACCIDENT COULD HAVE ALSO OCCURRED. *TR

2003 HONDA ACCORD. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION *TGW IN APRIL 2004, A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY PERFORMED A REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE IS NOW A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND NOT GOING INTO GEAR. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE GOING INTO 2ND GEAR WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THE RECALL WAS FOR IN 2004. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FIX THAT WAS DONE, WAS JUST A TEMPORARY FIX AND THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED.*JB

THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT WAS 'MISSING' GEARS, BUT THIS WENT AWAY. I STARTED TO ENTER THE FREEWAY RAMP AND INCREASE SPEED AND THE CAR DID IT SEVERAL TIMES AGAIN (MISSING GEARS', REVVING BUT NOT MOVING FORWARD LIKE IT SHOULD) AND WAS ALMOST HIT BY SEVERAL CARS TRYING TO GET ME TO MOVE. I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE, SO I IMMEDIATELY USED GPS TO LOCATE A SERVICE STATION. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE TO THE REPAIR SHOP, BUT THE CAR SYMPTOMS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE, WHICH WAS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD! NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AT ALL! I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE DRIVEWAY OF THE REPAIR SHOP, BUT THEY HAD TO PUSH THE CAR INTO THE BAY TO REVIEW IT. THE REPAIR PLACE DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM, WHICH IS VERY COMMON WITH 2003 HONDA ACCORDS. I ONLY HAD 89,900 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL HONDAS AND HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS SUCH AS THIS. HOWEVER, HONDA KNOWS THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING, SAFETY HAZARD BUT HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THESE ONGOING ISSUES (OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REQUIREMENTS). I WILL BE LOOKING AT NEW CARS AND HONDAS WILL NOT BE ON MY LIST! I AM ASKING THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO PLEASE THOROUGHLY REVIEW THE HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH THESE CARS AND REQUIRE APPROPRIATE CONSUMER PROTECTION BY HONDA. *TR

IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR,AND NOW IT IS NOT WANTING TO SHIFT IN TO THIRD,WHEN THE CAR IS COLD,IT SEEMS TO HAVE A VACUUM LEAK. *JS

VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM ~3RD-4TH GEAR WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT 40 MILES PER HOUR IN TRAFFIC TO 1ST GEAR CAUSING VERY RAPID DE ACCELERATION (SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE ITEMS ON REAR DECK TO FLY FORWARD, SEAT BELTS TO LOCK, AND DRIVER TO HIT STEERING WHEEL) AND CAUSING OTHER DRIVERS TO BRAKE TO AVOID COLLISION. DRY PAVEMENT PREVENTED LOSS OF CONTROL. ACTION BY TRAILING DRIVERS (SPACING AND BRAKING) PREVENTED COLLISION. FOLLOWING INCIDENT, TRANSMISSION REMAINED LOCKED IN FIRST GEAR. TRANSMISSION FIRST LOCKED INTO FIRST GEAR (AS ABOVE) ON AUGUST 18, 2012. ON AUGUST 21, 2012 THE DEALER RETURNED THE VEHICLE AFTER ASSERTED THE TRANSMISSION HAD NOT FAILED AND REQUIRED ONLY FLUSHING AND CHANGING TRANSMISSION FLUID (TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD BEEN FLUSHED AND CHANGED IN 2010 AS SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE LESS THAN 12,000 MILES OF THIS FAILURE). DEALER CHARGED MORE THAN $250 FOR THIS SERVICE AND STATED VEHICLE WAS FULLY REPAIRED. SECOND DANGEROUS FAILURE OCCURRED WITHIN 5 MILES. HONDA DEALER REFUSED TO REFUND THE COST OF WORK RESULTING FROM FAULTY DIAGNOSIS WHICH PLACED A DANGEROUS FUNCTIONING TRANSMISSION BACK INTO USE. TRANSMISSION RECALLED IN 2004 AND MODIFIED BY DEALER PURSUANT TO TRANSMISSION LUBRICATION PROBLEMS. HONDA DEALER PROVIDED ALL STATE INSPECTIONS AND PERIODIC MAINTENANCE. HONDA NORTH AMERICA REFUSED TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUSLY FUNCTIONING TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION FOR $2500. THE OWNER BELIEVES THIS FAILURE IS RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS RECALL. VEHICLE HAS ONLY BEEN USED FOR LIGHT DUTY, HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING, AND ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED BY DEALER. THE MODE OF FAILURE WAS VERY DANGEROUS. A RECALL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AND TRANSMISSIONS WITH THIS MODE OF FAILURE REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER. INVESTIGATION IS REQUESTED.

I WAS DRIVING IN A SIDE STREET FOR LIKE 35 TO 40MPH. AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SHIFT TO LOWER GEAR VIOLENTLY HEN WHEN I'M ABOUT TO PARK I SHIFTED IT TO REVERSE BUT MY CAR WILL NOT MOVE. FOR LIKE A YEAR ONLY I REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION FLUID AND CHECK IT EVERYTHING LOOKS FINE. AND I TALKED TO ONE OF THE DEALER CLOSE TO MY PLACE THEY TOLD ME ITS NOT COVERED WITH WARRANTY ANYMORE. PLUS I'M UNEMPLOYED BASE FROM SOME OF THE FORUM THAT I READ THEY SAID THAT IT WILL COST ABOUT $2500 TO $3500 NEW TRANSMISSION. HOW CAN I AFFORD THAT.. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME OR GIVE ME SOME ADVICE TO DEAL WITH IT. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND THE TRANSMISSION/TRANSMISSION FLUID STARTED OVERHEATING AND BOILING. THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AND WE HAD TO PULL OVER. WHEN TOWED TO A MECHANIC THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND WAS SLIPPING. *TR

RETURNING FROM RICHMOND CAR DOWNSHIFTED BY IT SELF INTO 2ND GEAR AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 65 MPH CAUSING THE CAR TO DIVE VIOLENTLY AS IF APPLYING THE BRAKES HARD. IT DID THIS ABOUT 5 OR 6 TIMES THEN LOCKED IN 2ND GEAR . I MOVED TO THE RIGHT LANE AND DROVE THE CAR AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH STUCK IN 2ND GEAR TO MY LOCAL HONDA DEALER. THANK GOODNESS THERE WAS NOT A LOT TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED OR I MIGHT HAVE BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION JERKED AND HESITATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWNSHIFT SPORADICALLY. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD ENGAGE FROM FOURTH TO THIRD GEAR AND FROM THIRD TO SECOND GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN 2004 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE DEALER REPLACED THE OIL JET KIT ON THE VEHICLE, BUT DID NOT REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 142,000.

ONLY 125K MILES ON THE CAR. I NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING WHEN GOING INTO/OUT OF SECOND GEAR. I TOOK IT FOR A DRIVE LATER TO SEE IF I COULD REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND COULD NOT. TWO DAYS LATER, WHILE GETTING OFF OF THE INTERSTATE AND TURNING ONTO THE SURFACE STREETS, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY START JOLTING AND DOWNSHIFTING EVEN THOUGH I WAS PRESSING ON THE GAS. IT CONTINUED TO DO SO ALL THE WAY TO THE DEALER. I COULD NOT GET IT TO GO PAST SECOND GEAR. WAS TOLD THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $4,000. HAVE SINCE SEEN THAT THIS MAKE AND MODEL IS HAVING ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS. THERE ARE WEBSITES ADDRESSING THE PROBLEMS AND APPARENTLY A FACEBOOK PAGE. I ALSO LEARNED AFTER THE FACT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL IN 2004 RELATED TO THE SECOND GEAR BUT THEY PATCHED IT WITH SOME CHEESY KIT AND APPARENTLY PRAYED THAT THE S -T WOULD HIT THE FAN AFTER EVERYONE'S WARRANTY EXPIRED -- WHICH IT HAS. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REQUIRE HONDA TO MAKE GOOD ON THEM. *TR

WHILE MERGING ONTO I75 OFF OF SQUARE LAKE RD NORTH OF DETROIT, TRANSMISSION MOMENTARILY FAILED THEN ENGAGED WITH A JOLT IN A LOW GEAR MAKING THIS NORMALLY ROUTINE MANEUVER QUITE TREACHEROUS. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER TRANSMISSION UNDERWENT COMPLETE REBUILD AT MY COST. I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT THIS MALADY IS QUITE COMMON WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR AT APPROXIMATELY THIS MILEAGE. *TR

TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTS WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 63MPH AND MY CAR SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTED TO 1ST GEAR CAUSING ME TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND BLEED PROFUSELY FROM MY FACE. THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT ME. NOW MY CAR HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR AND IS DOWNSHIFTING RANDOMLY. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS. I COULD HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF THIS, THE WORST PART IS THAT HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WONT HELP SAVE LIVES. SHAME ON YOU HONDA. MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME EXACT TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS QUITE WIDESPREAD. PERHAPS HONDA WILL GET INVOLVED ONCE ENOUGH PEOPLE DIE, AND IT WILL BE CHEAPER TO REPLACE ALL OF THESE FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS VS. ALL OF THE MONEY PEOPLE GET FROM LAWSUITS. OR POSSIBLY HONDA WILL VALUE LIVES OVER PROFITS, BUT IM NOT GOING TO HOLD MY BREATH. *TR

AT 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY, CAR SUDDENLY SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND RPMS SPIKED UP. NO FORWARD POWER. HAD TO COAST ON TO THE SHOULDER AND SHUTOFF AND RESTART THE CAR. PROBLEM CONTINUED ON THAT TRIP BUT SEEMED OK THEREAFTER. BROUGHT TO DEALER BUT NOTHING FOUND. OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED EVERY SO OFTEN UNPREDICTABLY (NO PATTERN) DESPITE CHANGING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND STAYING CURRENT ON MAINTENANCE. INCREASED IN FREQUENCY AT 100K MILES. MOST DAYS THE CAR IS FINE BUT THEN THE PROBLEM WILL OCCUR SUDDENLY. HAS HAPPENED WHEN MERGING ON TO HIGHWAYS, WHEN ALREADY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND SOMETIMES SHORTLY AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. OCCASIONALLY HAPPENS WHEN YIELDING (I.E. SLOWING DOWN FOR A YIELD SIGN AND THEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE AGAIN). *TR

THE TRANSMISSION HAD A MAJOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF SOME KIND AS THE CAR WAS JUST DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS AS IF SOMEONE HAD HIT THE BRAKES HARD. THE CAR WENT FROM 60 TO 40 IN JUST A SECOND OR TWO IT SEEMED LIKE... A VIOLENT SLOWDOWN. NOW THE TRANSMISSION HAS NO REVERSE, AND FORWARD DRIVING IS CLUNKY, HARD SHIFTS AND UNPREDICTABLE. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILED ON ACCORD 2003 V6, VIOLENT SHIFTS, SLIPPAGE FROM 2ND TO 3RD. I HAVE NOT REACHED COMPLETE FAILURE BUT STOPPED DRIVING CAR AFTER READING THAT FAILURE CAN LEAD TO SUDDEN DECELERATION AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENTS. *TR

SUBSEQUENT TO GETTING A REBUILT TRANSMISSION ON JUNE 6, 2012, WITH 82,905 MILES ON THE CAR, I FOUND OUT THAT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ARE EXTREMELY PREVALENT IN 2003 HONDA ACCORDS. IN FACT, THERE WAS A RECALL IN 2004. I BOUGHT THE CAR 1/30/2006 FROM THOUSAND OAKS (CA) HONDA. I TALKED TO HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE (800-999-1009) TODAY AND MY CASE IS BEING REFERRED TO A CASE MANAGER. WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS . . . *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S SPEED DROPPED FROM 70 MPH TO 25 MPH VERY QUICKLY ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR CENTER. THE REPAIR CENTER STATED THAT THERE WERE METAL SHREDS EVERYWHERE AROUND THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE SHOULD NOTIFY NHTSA AND FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NO ISSUES PRIOR TO THE DRIVE INTO WORK 7/3/12, WHERE I EXPERIENCED EXTREME DOWNSHIFTING. ON THE WAY HOME, DRIVING 35 TO 40 MPH, THE CAR SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND THE ENGINE'S RPMS SKYROCKETED. WHILE MANEUVERING TO THE RIGHT TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC, TRANSMISSION RE-ENGAGED AND DOWNSHIFTED VIOLENTLY. FROM A STOPPED POSITION IT WOULD MOVE FORWARD BRIEFLY, THEN SLIP OUT OF GEAR. FINALLY, IT WOULDN'T ENGAGE IN ANY POSITION (REVERSE, DRIVE, 1ST, 2ND, ETC). THE ONLY WAY TO GET MOVING WAS TO TURN IT OFF AND RESTART. I GOT IT TO THE DEALER BY RESTARTING 3 OR 4 TIMES. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN RUSH HOUR TO LOSE ALL POWER, ESPECIALLY AT INTERSECTIONS. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION ON THE HONDA ACCORD V-6 WENT OUT AT 115,000 MILES. THE CAR HAD BEEN SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AND WAS CAUSING PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING THAT MADE IT VERY UNSAFE. WE WERE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT FOR FEAR OF IT NOT RUNNING AS WE ACCELERATED. *TR