2003 Honda Accord Steering

HONDA HAD A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING HOSE BUT BY THE TIME THEY CONTACTED ME TO GO IN MY POWER STEERING PUMP STARTED MAKING SEVERE NOISE. NOW NO ONE WILL COVER IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD EX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V222000 (STEERING) SIX MONTHS AGO HOWEVER, THE DEALER HAD NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THE RECALL REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXPERIENCING THE FAILURE, HE BELIEVED IT WAS SAFETY HAZARD TO BE DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH A DEFECTIVE STEERING HOSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,535.

HONDA ACCORD 2003 POWER STEERING HOSE RECALL. WENT TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE BOTH POWER STEERING HOSE AND PUMP ARE LEAKING. THE RECALL COVERS HOSE BUT WAS CHARGED $600 FOR THE PUMP REPLACEMENT. I NOTICED SMOKE OR BURNT SMELL YESTERDAY. *TR

SIGNS OF LEAKAGE ON HOSE, PUMP MAKING NOISE STEERING PULLING TO ONE SIDE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS MAKING A TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY DETECTED THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE POWER STEERING HOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY BY THE DEALER. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V222000 (STEERING: HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST: HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS); HOWEVER THE VIN WAS INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

FIRST NOTICED DIFFICULT STEERING AND NOISE. MECHANIC FOUND POWER STEERING HOSE LEAKING AND REPLACED IT ($400 PARTS & LABOR). LATER SAME DAY, MECHANIC FOUND POWER STEERING PUMP WAS ALSO LEAKING AND REPLACED IT (ANOTHER $400 PARTS & LABOR). STEERING STILL DIFFICULT AND STILL MAKING NOISE, SO BROUGHT CAR BACK TO MECHANIC A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. MECHANIC REPLACED RACK & PINION (AN ADDITIONAL $800 PARTS & LABOR). IT APPEARS THE 4 CYLINDER ACCORDS (2003) ARE NOT A PART OF THE CURRENT HONDA RECALL FOR POWER STEERING HOSE LEAKS, BUT LOOKS LIKE THEY SHOULD BE. ALSO, NOTE THE ADDITIONAL PARTS FAILURES (AND FINANCIAL COSTS) AS A RESULT OF THE LEAKING HOSE. *TR

AS PER NHTSA RECALL 12V-222 THIS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KINGS HONDA IN CINCINNATI, OH ON NOV 6 2012 AND REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THIS RECALL. ONE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS REPLACED AND FLUID WAS ADDED, HOWEVER SEVERAL DIFFERENT HOSES WERE LEAKING AND IT WAS NOTED BY THE MECHANIC THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING AT THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PUMP. BOTH HONDA AMERICA AND KINGS HONDA REFUSE TO REPLACE THESE PARTS UNDER THIS RECALL BECAUSE IT ONLY REQUIRES THEM TO REPLACE THE ONE C-HOSE. THIS SITUATION IS STILL A DANGER AND POWER STEERING FLUID IS STILL LEAKING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR

LEAKING POWER STEERING HIGH PRESSURE LINE, FLUID ON EXHAUST. *TR

POWER STEERING HIGH PRESSURE HOSE FAILURE AND LEAK. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING OIL SMELL. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V222000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE RESERVOIR. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO MOVE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND THE HUMMING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR A MECHANIC. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER: 12V222000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS) AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,700.

AFTER PARKING THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE SMELL OF BURNING OIL WAS DETECTED. THIS EVENT OCCURRED ROUGHLY A WEEK AFTER AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS INITIALLY THOUGHT TO BE RESIDUAL SPILLAGE OF OIL. THE BURNING SMELL CONTINUED TO GET WORSE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. THE SMELL WAS MOSTLY NOTICEABLE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, AND THE AIR HAD TO BE PLACED ON RECIRCULATE, WHICH MUTED THE SMELL. ABOUT 4 DAYS AFTER FIRST DETECTING THE SMELL WHILE GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY AND WAITING AT THE LIGHT, SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE HOOD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE ADVISOR IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A LEAKING HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE FROM UNDER THE RUBBER BUSHING/SUPPORT OVER THE REAR ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. WHEN ASKED IF IT NEEDED TO BE FIXED RIGHT AWAY, THE ADVISOR STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS DRIPPING DIRECTLY DOWN ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND COULD START A FIRE. HE STATED THAT HE HAS SEEN CARS COME IN FOR REPAIR THAT WERE SMOKING A LOT OR HAD BEEN ON FIRE FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE HOSE WAS REPLACED, AND THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS BY THE HONDA MECHANIC CONFIRMED THE ADVISOR'S INITIAL DIAGNOSIS - THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE FITTING THAT WAS HOUSED IN THE SUPPORT BRACKET. COST TO REPLACE WAS $412. OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM WERE ALSO IDENTIFIED ON THE NHTSA COMPLAINT WEBSITE - AND THAT'S ONLY FROM THE PEOPLE WHO REPORTED (OR KNEW TO REPORT) THE PROBLEM.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE A VERY LOUD NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN IT WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE HE WOULD HEAR A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN LEAVING THE DRIVEWAY AND DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE STEERING WOULD EXHIBIT A LOUD GRINDING SOUND AND THE WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE STEERING ASSEMBLY OR HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. : UPDATED 02/23/11 *BF UPDATED 12/01/2011 *LN

WHINING NOISE UPON ENGINE STARTUP, VERY PROMINENT WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. RECALL O-RING FIX ONLY HELPED FOR A FEW WEEKS. HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *TR

I WAS INFORMED BY MY LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPT. THAT THERE IS A LEAK IN MY '03 HONDA ACCORD EX-V6 POWER STEERING LINE. IT IS TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT POWER STEERING FLUID IS FLAMMABLE AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. SINCE THIS POSES A GREAT SAFETY CONCERN I AM SOMEWHAT WORRIED AND WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE LOOKED INTO. *TR

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2003 HONDA ACCORD EX-V6 ON FREEWAY, MY WIFE SMELLED SMOKE IN THE CAR. SHE HAD TO TURN OF THE AIR AND OPEN THE WINDOWS. I CHECKED THE CAR AT HOME AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE LEAKING BADLY FROM THE RUBBER HOSE PORTION (ON TOP OF THE ENGINE), FLUID DROPPING DOWN ON EXHAUST AND CAUSING HEAVY SMOKE FROM BURNING FLUID. I HAD THE HOSE REPLACED BY MY MECHANIC. AMERICAN HONDA ISSUED RECALLS FOR SAME PROBLEM ON SOME OF THEIR ACURA TSX AND TL CARS, BUT NOT ON THE HONDA CARS. *TR

HELLO, I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO FORMALLY LODGE A COMPLAINT REGARDING MY HONDA ACCORD. I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED HONDA ACCORD FROM A HONDA DEALER (MCGRATH CITY HONDA, 6720 W. GRAND AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL 60707) IN 2007. LAST WEEK, ON THURSDAY EVENING (AUGUST 26, 2010), MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR BACK FROM HER WORK ALONE AND WHILE TAKING A LEFT TURN SUDDENLY THE STEERING GOT STUCK. SHE COULDN'T MOVE THE CAR AT ALL AND BARELY ESCAPED AN ACCIDENT WITH THE ON-COMING TRAFFIC WHICH WAS COMING AT A VERY HIGH SPEED. SHE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. WE TOWED THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC AND IT WAS FOUND OUT THAT THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE WAS BROKEN. THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE WAS REPLACED TO FIX THIS AND IT TOOK 3 DAYS FOR THE PART TO REACH THE MECHANIC AFTER THE ORDER WAS PLACED AS THIS IS SUCH A RARE INCIDENT. I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR THE WHOLE WEEKEND. NOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT A HIGHER SPEED AND THE CONSEQUENCE COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE. THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO A CERTIFIED HONDA. IN FACT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO ANY CAR AT ANY TIME. I AM MAKING A FORMAL COMPLAINT TO THE AMERICAN HONDA AND WOULD LIKE YOU TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS MATTER WITH THE DEALER. [XXX] DATE: AUGUST 31, 2010 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT NOTICED RESIDUE ON THE CONNECTION HOSE FOR THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000. UPDATED 11/12/10 *CN

SIMILAR TO THE RECENT ACURA TSX RECALL, MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD HAS THE SAME SIMILARITIES WITH THE POWER STEERING HOSE. I WAS TOLD BY AN HONDA DEALERSHIP THAT A HOLE HAS DEVELOPED ON MY POWER STEERING HOSE. ANY TIME I TURN THE CAR THERE IS A NOISE THAT THE CAR MAKES, THIS IS EXTREMELY NOTICEABLE IN COOLER WEATHER. DUE TO THE HIGH QUOTE MY HONDA DEALERSHIP QUOTED ME ON, I HAVE YET TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAT MY CAR HAS HAD FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. IN ADDITION THEY TOLD ME, I WOULD NEED A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP, HOSE, AND FLUID. *TR

I TAKE MY HONDA TO THE DEALERSHIP EVERY 5,000 MILES FOR MAINTENANCE. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN AUGUST 2008 - SOMEONE HIT MY DRIVER SIDE REAR. THE WHEEL WAS BENT AND MY STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED 90 DEGREES. AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE 5,000 MILE CHECKUP. THEY BALANCED AND ROTATED THE TIRES. THAT IS WHEN I FOUND OUT THE WHEEL WAS BENT. WENT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THE WHEEL WAS BENT AND THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS GOING OUT. I CONTACTED THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY SAID THAT THE STEERING RACK PROBLEM WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE ACCIDENT. I NEED TO KNOW IF HONDA IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP EVERYTIME (MAINTENANCE) SINCE I PURCHASED IT. *TR

MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD HAS THE SAME FACTORY HOSE AS DESCRIBED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V091000. THE LOW TEMPERATURE HOSE WAS EXPOSED TO HEAT WHICH LEAD TO CRACKING AND LEAK IN THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE. THE HEAT SOURCE IS THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND DIRECTLY BELOW IS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND AFTER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE SMOKE BILLOWED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE SMOKE BECAME OVERWHELMING TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR THROUGH THE FRESH AIR INTAKE OF THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT TWO PARKED VEHICLES. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN, AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. UPDATED 12/28/06. *JB

FAULTY POWER STEERING RACK IN MY 2003 ACCORD V6. POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING FROM MY CAR. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS A 6000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID I HAVE A "FAULTY RACK" THAT ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY PUMP. BOTH RACK AND PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AND CAR RE-ALIGNED. DEALER SAID SOMETIMES THESE THINGS JUST HAPPEN, "PARTS CAN EVEN BE DAMAGED DURING SHIPPING." SAME THING HAPPENED AT ABOUT 14,000 MILES - "FAULY RACK THAT DAMAGED PUMP." AND DEALER SAID SAME THING "PARTS CAN EVEN BE DAMAGED DURING SHIPPING." I WISH DEALER WOULD STOPPING INSTALLING "FAULTY PARTS" BUT I THINK THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE ACTUAL STEERING SYSTEM. I AM ALMOST TO 16,000 MILES, I EXPECT ANOTHER LEAK SOON. GUESS I CAN'T TAKE ANY LONG ROAD TRIPS IN MY VEHICLE. THIS IS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED FROM A BRAND NEW CAR!*AK

STEERING RACK. I BOUGH MY CAR IN OCTOBER 2003, AND HAVE ABOUT 6000 MILES NOW. BACK IN DECEMBER, FOR COUPLE OF DAYS IN THE MORNING, WHEN IT WAS REALLY COLD, ~18-20F, CAR'S STEERING GOT TIGHTER AND ONCE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED EVEN A LITTLE, WOULD NOT COME BACK AUTOMATICALLY BACK BUT I HAD TO PULL IT BACK. LATER IN THE DAY, WHEN IT GOT WARMER, IT GOT BETTER(ALTHOUGH NOT PERFECT) . AGAIN THIS HAPPENENED AT HIGHER SPPEDS AS WELL. COUPLE OF DAYS LATER I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 50 MILES AN HOUR, STEERING WHEEL GOT EXTREMELY HARD AND I WAS NOT EVEN ABLE TO CHANGE LANES WHICH REALLY SCARED ME. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, THEY AGREED THAT AT WAS A PROBLEM AND PUT IT UP ON A LIFT. WHEN THEY NOTICED COUPLE OF SCRATCHES ON THE PLASTIC NOSE SKIRT AND PLASTIC TRIMS BY THE DOOR, WHICH GOT THERE DUE TO MINOR PEBBLES ETC. STRIKING THE CAR WHEN IN MOTION. THEY TOLD ME THAT TE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO AN ACCIDENT, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO OTHER SIGN ON THE STEERING COMPONENTS OR ANY OTHER VISIBLE SIGNS. I ABSOLUTELY DISAGREED THAT IT WAS DUE TO AN ACCIDENT. ONLY REMEDY THEY TOLD ME WAS TO GET THE STEERING RACK CHANGED. WELL, THEY CHANGED THE STEERING RACK AND REPALCED IT WITH A "HONDA REMANUFACTURED STEERING RACK" WHICH THEY DID NOT COVER UNDER ANY WARRANTY, IN ADDITION THEY CHANGED BOTH THE TIE ROD ENDS AND SOME MORE SMALLER PARTS. THE TOTAL WAS ABOUT $1400. I ASKED THEM TO SAVE THE RACK AND WHEN LOOKED AT IT, OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAMGE ETC, BUT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE DAMAGE IS INSIDE (THE RACK'S METAL PIPE LIKAGE SYSTEM?). I AM 1000% SURE THAT THE STEERING RACK HAS SOME MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE SAVED THE PART AND BROUGH IT HOME WITH ME. I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA FOLKS WOULD PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS ISSUE. AFTER THE REPAIR AND A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT, CAR STILL DRIFTS SLIGHTLY TO LEFT, BUT HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT IS NORMAL. *AK