transmission problem
9.2
really awfulTypical Repair Cost:
$2,320.00
Average Mileage:
79,523 miles
Number of complaints:
119 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replace entire transmission (72 reports)
- not sure (20 reports)
- Honda to pay cost as this tranny was a previous recall (10 reports)
- Honda paid most of the cost to replace transmission (8 reports)
- i would like a recall and money returned. (6 reports)
- rebuild transmission (2 reports)
Helpful Websites About 2003 Honda Accord transmission failure
2008Mar 14
Accord EX 3.
- Automatic transmission
- 100,025 miles
Oh and to top it off my car now does this thing where it won't go out of park and it just sits there. Stuck. You have to push the brake over and over, turn the car off and on and then maybe if it feels like it, it will go. Now this never happened prior to my having the transmission replaced in March 08. This started to happen a few months later in September 08. And to top it off when I had the transmission replaced, I also had to have the motor mounts replaced as well....
2008Dec 04
Accord EX-L 3.2L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 88,003 miles
So here i am at 88K miles and a failed transmission. I just had the fluid in the tranny changed, and then it started to shift roughly. I took it back to the dealership and they said there was nothing wrong with it. Then a couple weeks later the car began to shift roughly from a stop until 4th gear. I booked an appointment to have the dealership look at it again. Before i could get to the appointment, the transmission failed while driving home in rush hour traffic. It would not shift into 3rd and would down shift dramatically. The traction control turned off and the check engine light came on, as well as the Drive indicator light began blinking.
I had it towed to the dealership and they confirmed the transmission would need to be rebuilt. I have called Honda and while the rep said Honda would most likely cover a portion of the repairs, he was not certain until someone higher up got back to me in 2-3 business days.
I do not understand this. my prior car was a jeep and i got the Honda for reliable transportation. I drive 70 % highway for business and take very good care of the car as it is my first Honda and i worked so darn hard to pay it off. The only problems i have had with this car is the main head unit failing after 36000 miles, which Honda replaced for free.
With the economy the way it is and the fact that i will have to spend thousands of dollars on my car to fix it upsets me greatly. While this is a step up from my Jeep in terms of reliability, I think i will look into other makes next time.
2008Nov 21
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 103,000 miles
I was aware of the warranty recall and had the inspection done on it 3 years ago (60K) and they didn't replace the transmission. Now 2nd gear slips and I took it to the dealer and told them about the recall. They inspected it and said that the recall was for a mechanical failure and mine was a hydraulic failure???? WHAT??? They would be happy to install a re manufactured one for $3500.
I called the 800 number others had listed on this site and the Honda rep said that what I described should be covered under this recall but they needed the dealer to call in the diagnostics. So my interpretation and the Honda rep interpretation of the recall is that it should be covered but it is left up to the dealership's interpretation whether it will be covered! When I called them back they were scrambling for words and back pedaling on what to say. They said that he would talk to the tech and call me back again. I am not sure what will happen but I know that I am not keeping this car much longer....
2008Nov 08
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 65,000 miles
Experienced complete transmission failure while my wife was driving.....a very scary experience, since the car inadvertently downshifted at relatively high speed. Later, the transmission slipped completely, and would not go into gear. We had to have towed 50 miles to the dealer. The dealer called the next day to inform us that the transmission was shot, and that they had called Honda Motor to arrange a "Goodwill" replacement, essentially splitting the cost (approximately $2600 total), and I paid $1323.00 for a re manufactured transmission. I like to know what possible steps I can take with Honda Motor to make a claim for reimbursement of the out-of-pocket expenses. Both the dealership and Honda reacted to this as if it has happened many times before, so I suspect it to be a common design flaw, and probably worthy of pursuing as a manufacturing defect that should have resulted in complete recall.
2008Nov 25
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 102,000 miles
My Honda's transmission failed today. It seems its going to cost me around $3000. I didn't expect my Honda transmission to go bad so soon as I took my car for service regularly.
2008Nov 23
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 60,000 miles
I bought my V6 Accord (used, with about 49k miles) about 8 months ago when I lived in California . I'm a US Air Force Officer, and I was about to change stations which would require a drive halfway across the country. At the time, I owned a 2000 Ford Focus with 120k miles on it. I liked my old car, but had a few too many problems with it and didn't trust it to make another long haul. I wanted something newer, with a reputation for reliability.
Where did I turn? Honda, of course! Anyone who I've ever talked to brags about their Honda - a friend of mine form work still drives his late 80s Civic that has 200k+ miles on the odometer.
I absolutely loved my Accord from the day I drove it away - great styling, design, etc. Fast forward 7 months. My TCS light would come on intermittently - it might light up on my 10-minute drive to work, then not come on again for another two weeks. I didn't think much of it. Two days ago, as I was merging onto the interstate, the car simply wouldn't shift up or down. If I depressed the accelerator hard, the engine would simply rev up as if it was in neutral. Furthermore, the car wouldn't shift out of whatever gear it was in (2nd, I'm guessing) as I accelerated, and I couldn't do more than about 40 mph. Luckily there are too many people out on the roads here in Wyoming, or it could have been dangerous. I got off the interstate, and turned the car off/cranked it back up at a light. It drove fine until I was a few hundred feet from my apartment, when the transmission went completely haywire - it was like it couldn't find the right gear, and was skipping all over the place.
I went out to move my car about an hour ago, and while in drive, I could hear the gears grinding, unable to catch. I'm going to give Honda a call in the morning, we'll see what happens. So much for Honda's reputation for reliability. I guess I'll give Toyota a shot next.
2008Nov 11
Accord EX
- Automatic transmission
- 39,000 miles
39000 and a new transmission needed. This is not why I bought a Honda!!!
2008Nov 04
Accord LX 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 85,000 miles
My transmission also went out on my 2003 accord with only 85,000 miles and of course no warranty coverage left. I noticed on/off the TCS light would come on but really no warning until about a week or two before it failed. Around the time of failure, I noticed an unusual noise coming from the front end of the car when I made turns and when my husband checked the transmission fluid it was very low. Coming home from school one day all of a sudden my car was stuck in low gear and wouldn't up shift, when I stepped on the gas the tach redlined and I barely made it home. Later that evening I went to the store and everything was fine with it but that night it failed on my husband on his way to work and the next morning it had to be towed to the nearest Honda dealership which was 40 miles away. We are the second owner of the car and the previous owner left maintenance records showing the car was well taking care of. We also had the 60,000 and 75,000 mile maintenance done on it plus oil changes every 3,000 miles at the dealership we subsequently had it towed to. It took a 1 1/2 weeks to get it back with a transmission replacement. The dealership called Honda on our behalf to get a "goodwill" repair and Honda ended up paying 60% of the cost, so we ended up paying $1050 out of pocket. I am convinced the dealership already knew of the problem b/c right from the start they called Honda to help cover costs before I even mentioned what I had read on this site. I originally bought this Honda b/c I wanted a car that was going to last and I've always heard what a great car it is. Well I will never buy a Honda again since they screwed me over on this! This repair couldn't have come at the worst time for me financially and I feel there is no reason I should be paying for a transmission replacement in a 5 year old car...it's truly ridiculous!!
2006Aug 01
Accord EX 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 61,000 miles
I can't believe that Honda put out this kind of %@#$!!! We purchased our 2003 Accord EXL V6 brand new. I really had no problems with it until the warranty ran out. At around 61,000 miles I started noticing slipping, then the traction control light comes on in the dash. I take it to the Honda dealer which they looked at and found nothing. About another thousand miles down the road and the transmission completely failed. We had extended warranty coverage so we only paid the deductible to have a "used" transmission put in the car. (yeah, that fine print in the coverage stating they could use "used" parts - my bad) I thought that perhaps it was just a fluke and we just got a bad first transmission in our car; I was wrong. We have 86,000 miles on this car and the piece of junk is going out again!!! I too am a multiple Honda owner and have owned previous Accords that lasted 200,000 miles with no problem. I'm seriously thinking about changing my loyality to a company that won't recall this when they know good and well it's junk!! I'm hoping that a class action lawsuit will get going so I can add my name to the list!!
2008Jan 01
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 57,000 miles
so I have a 2003 accord and I had to replace the transmission on it in January of 08. After I got it back the car seemed a little bit slower to me but I just figured it was the new transmission warming itself up. Now mind you my car had aprox. 57k miles on it. Still a very young car. Now its October of 08 and would t yea know it my transmissio. Is failing again. Now I literally baby my car. Change fluids, oil, do whatever I can to make sure "my Honda" can and would always remain my Honda. Now at 68k miles not even 20k on the new tranny its shot again. My waranty ended in June. Go figure right?!?! So I call the dealership and let them know the new tranny they gave me is already shot. So what do they tell me???? Come in and well give ya another one. But they didnt tell me I would b paying for it until after I got diagnostics ran on it. I laughed at them wen they told me I was going to have to pay out of my own pocket. So I asked for the supervisor and showed him the slip of the new tranny they installed and he turns to me and says yea sorry nothing I can do to help you out here ur warantee ran out I can't do anything for you. What a load of sh*t honda has come to. This lawsuit I've been reading about going through give me a number to a lawyer covering alot of us and I'm in for the lawsuit.
Anyway I owned a 88 accord ex manual transmission and that didnt go on me until thr car had 187,356 miles on it. I shouldve just kept that car and bought myself that new transmission for it :,(. And I will never buy Honda again if they don't fix my problems free since they couldn't gives a damn tranny that would remain good. And to think two wks from now I was going to trade this car for the 08 model. Fat chance I want this problem with that too.
2008Oct 27
Accord EX 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 104,975 miles
I was driving and about to merge into the freeway when I step into the petal, noticed my rpm jump up high and I couldn't get any power to speed up. then it took about 5 seconds to kick into gear to get moving. it wouldn't say in gear so I had to call a AAA to tow it to the Honda dealership. It would be in the shop for 3 days and I had to rent a car while it was in the shop. it would cost me 2899 to replaced with a new transmission, I had previous Honda with 230k with no transmission problem and family and friends had Honda accord with over 100k with no transmission problems, but I have to question the 5speed automatic transmission reliability. I think Honda knows about the transmission problem and that's why it was recalled to fix the problem in 2004. I feel that I should have to pay for replacing my transmission because I feel that Honda didn't correct the problem in the first place and caused my to waste time and money on fixing and renting a car. I'm still waiting for the response from the Honda America case manager because I already paid for the expenses. I have to wait and see if they will help pay for any expense that I had to pay for up front
2008Oct 21
Accord LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 122,841 miles
Drove locally to a clinic, and was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic for about 30 minutes before getting there. About a mile from the clinic, as I was going to accelerate from full stop in red light, the car will not budge. The engine revved but no forward movement--like I was stuck in neutral. Called AAA and towed the car to a Honda dealer. Was notified later that I need a transmission replacement, and American Honda will cover only 25% of the $3000. So now I'm stuck with the $2300 bill. I think this is unacceptable, if there are these many cases listed here. At least they should have paid for the part, which is like 50% of the cost. Anyways, tried arguing with them, but won't budge. As far as I'm concerned, I'll never buy another Honda or Acura until they've admitted their wrong and pay for the transmission cost. I'm also telling all my friends, families, and everyone I've come in contact with to avoid Honda/Acura at all costs. I've been maintaining this Accord according to the owner's manual, replacing the transmission fluid every 30k at 60k, 90k, and 120k, so I don't see what else I could have done to prevent this, as it seems to be a design flaw in the transmission. Hope a lot more people with an Accord 2003 will report this problem once their cars hit 100k+ (of course, I do hope they never get a transmission failure in the first place...but it seems like it might happen, just like it did for all of us here). If somebody wants to start a class action lawsuit, leave me a comment/message, and I'll get back to you.
2008Oct 06
Accord V6
- Automatic transmission
- 102,000 miles
I bought a 2003 Honda Accord last year in September. I traded in a Chevy Impala for this honda. I have heard so many people talk about how good Honda's cars are. Well they were dead wrong. My car gear will not shift to 2nd gear! When it get to the speed of 20-30 the RPM goes to 5 and it make a loud noise. After I take my feet off the gas, it finally slowly make it way to 3rd. I have almost gotten hit twice with my children in the car and I get blowed at everytime I am at the red light or stop sign. Just is so annoying! I took to a mechanic and I was told I needed a new transmission. I can not afford this right now. So I did so research on what I can do and the recalls. I called America Honda and told them my situation. I was told that my car had passed the warranty, which is 36,000 or something. I was also told that there was a recall in 2004 and my car was checked for transmission problem and a revision to the oil cooler return line was done. They told me that there is probably nothing they can do! This is not fair, if you did work on this car and still the transmission goes out, is this my fault? I refuse to pay for this when it is well known these Honda Accord have transmission problem. I am going to look into getting a lawyer! This is a danger to me and my children!
2008Oct 28
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 76,000 miles
2003 V6 accord - transmission failed at 46,000 miles, Oct 2006. Honda replaced at no charge, as it was a certified used car under warranty. Now, 2yrs later and ONLY 30,000 miles on the replacement, it has failed again. Honda is deciding if they will pay for replacement. Dealer offered to accept 2003 as trade-in (offered $10,000) on a new Accord priced at $30,000. My 1999 Honda Accord lasted for over 123,000 miles before I traded it in on this one. It was still running strong. SHOULD I RISK ANOTHER HONDA??????
2008Oct 10
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 50,000 miles
03 accord auto v6, trans started slipping from 2nd gear into 3rd. took to Honda dealer and because the car is almost 6 years old they payed the trans I had to pay the labor. It costs me $702. I think Honda should pay it all. I must be a factory defect. They said it is now a three year 36 thousand mile warranty.. nothing in righting to that.. hope it lasts.
2008Sep 25
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 92,000 miles
Honda will only pay 30% of the transmission cost--that's outrageous, since the transmission 2nd gear had a recall in 2005, and the Honda dealership person said that recall fixes sometimes don't work perfectly and can result in total transmission failure down the line. Even if there hadn't been a recall, you don't expect a transmission failure after only 92,000 miles, 5.5 years--it is proof of low quality
.
The Honda brand broadcasts its reputation for high quality--well, the reality is that my Honda transmission was low quality, and Honda expects me to pay for their low quality. Honda is not being fair. BTW: I drive conservatively, was never in an accident with this car.
2008Oct 12
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 70,747 miles
This is known problem that many 2003 Honda Accord owners seem to have. However, when I called the Honda America Corporation at 1800-999-1009 as suggested and spoke to someone at extension 117760, he told me that he "had never heard of any problems like this" and has "many friends and family with 2003 Honda Accords and would be embarrassed if this were true". Never heard of?! One search on Google told me quickly that this is a known and well documented problem. Bottom line: Honda offered to cover only 50% of the $3388 bill and could not do anything more for me.
2008Oct 09
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 81,000 miles
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm
VISIT THAT WEBSITE! Everyone here, if you have experienced this problem, let the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration know about it! As we all know, the transmission failure can cause a severe deceleration while on the freeway and the car shifts into first gear. This can cause loss of control as the wheels lock up, and/or a rear end collision. REPORT THE ISSUE! The administration needs to hear from people!
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm
2008Oct 09
Accord EX 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 62,000 miles
I used to be a Honda fan and i used to have a 1984, prelude and that car was so reliable but had to sell it because the parts got costly. I bought a 2000 accord, V6 in 2005 and by 2006, the transmission kept slipping out of gear anytime i got to a red light. I had to sell it and i bought a 2003 accord 2 months ago and guess what, it will not move in any gear while i stop at a red light and it keeps making weird noises. I guess i'll have to go back to Toyota's.
2008Oct 03
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 77,000 miles
My 2003 Honda Accord V6 is a piece of crap. I bought it brand new had it custom made direct from the factory zero miles. To make a long story short I've been having problems with the car driving since January 2008 took it to Bryan Honda in Fayetteville, NC they checked it couldn't find out the problem. They acted like they didn't even know about the faulty transmission. One of the Service Dept employees told me they aren't supposed to tell the customer this but call 1800-999-1009 and complain and they will assign me a caseworker on my case. I called Honda was a assigned a caseworker. I told him while driving my car it started jerking into gear really hard I almost lost control of my car and that it completely stopped moving in all gears.The caseworker assigned me a case number and said someone would call me back within 24 hours. They called yesterday and offered to pay $1900 of the $2900 bill. This is bull crap, they should pay for all the bill. Can anyone give me the number to a lawyer?
2008May 15
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 98,000 miles
This is my third Accord. My daughter now drives my second one, a 1996 Accord and still on the original tranny with 240k on it!! I purchase the 2003 thinking that Honda still made reliable vehicles. This transmission blew with no warning while my youngest daughter, who had just learned to drive, was sitting in Friday afternoon rush hour traffic on a HOT!! Atlanta day. Thinking that Honda would surely cover such a repair on a vehicle, that by Honda standards was quite young, I took it my nearest dealer to find out that they would only cover half of the $1800 reman. transmission cost. That's was $850 out of my pocket for a transmission that failed before most "poorly made" American cars do! Now 4 months after the new tranny was installed it is whining constantly. So back to the dealer I go to see if anything can be done.
2008Sep 08
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 130,000 miles
Transmission problems first presented themselves after I had been driving for 45 minutes then got to a stop light, accelerated and the car couldn't find 3rd gear...it went forward really fast then caught the gear and slowed down as if I braked really hard. I thought I was going to lose control of the car. This happened twice before I decided to cruise home at 20 mph in 2nd gear.
I took the car to the Elk Grove Honda dealership the next morning. They were unable to replicate the problem and sent the car home with me at no charge. They said if it happened again to stop by and have a mechanic ride with me.
The next day the car couldn't get out of 2nd gear after driving in bumper to bumper traffic for 30 minutes. This happened again on the way home after about 30 minutes. This problem definitely occurs after the car has warmed up. We took the car back to the dealership to take the mechanic for a ride and it wouldn't even go in reverse. We left the car there for an official diagnosis....transmission failure.
After reading all the problems with this transmission and finding that many people were able to get America Honda help out with the repairs, I asked the dealership for a "goodwill repair" from Honda. The dealership was more than happy to call Honda on my behalf. They were able to get Honda to pay for 35% of the repairs. Meanwhile, I am going to be stuck with around a $2000 repair bill. At least new tranny is a rebuilt one that comes with a 3yr/36K warranty.
Thank you Elk Grove Honda for your help!
2008Sep 02
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 134,000 miles
It's a shame to see that all of there accords are failing transmissions, and they won't admit that it is there fault. I have always been a Honda fan but, not anymore. I thought I was the only one, until I found this website. At least I feel better now that I see you all have the same problem.
2008Jan 01
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 77,000 miles
Frustrated with Hondas inflexibility to pay the entire amount of the repair on a transmission failure that they are CLEARLY having problem with. I even mentioned carcompaints.com. The customer service representative we dealt with was unprofessional and rude, so much for customer service!
2008Sep 01
Accord EX 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 114,000 miles
Well, I bought my 2003 Honda Accord thinking it was a great car and wouldn't buy a GM or Ford again. If Honda doesn't at least assist in some way with this costly repair, I think they have lost me as a customer. If they do help me with the expense, I would be satisfied. I thought I would have a trouble free car. I have maintained my Accord to the letter.It's a "wait and see" type of situation now, as I called and spoke with American Honda's Customer Service at 1.800.999.1009 and spoke to a Honda Representative.
2008Aug 04
Accord EX 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 99,975 miles
My husband, a former Honda Mfg employee, and I decided to purchase a new 2003 Honda Accord EX V6 after having owned a 1990 Accord EX. I personally didn't like the new body style and was leaning more toward the Toyota Camry. My husband, with his loyalty to his product, convinced me to purchase the Accord. As I did my homework, I was impressed with the safety features and the consumer reports that I read. In addition, I knew Honda's reputation for manufacturing quality reliable vehicles. It was an excellent car until a few weeks ago, at 99,975 miles, when while at a local fast food restaurant I put the car in reverse to back out of my parking space. As I placed the car in drive on an incline, it never went into gear. I simply rolled down the incline. I managed to dodge traffic and to roll back into a parking space where I turned the car off and started it again hoping that the problem would fix itself. After several attempts the car jerked into gear and finally moved forward. As I had hoped, it seemed to adjust itself and I continued to drive it. I was on a local busy street, a couple of days later, when I attempted to accelerate after being stopped at a traffic light and the car revved up but would not move. I shifted from drive to neutral back to drive and it jerked into gear but would slip out whenever I slowed down. I eventually pulled the car over and called my husband to take it to the dealership. When I got home, I investigated the issue online and found that there had been a recall to prevent transmission failure. I was relived when I learned of the recall because (1) I knew that a car with a reputation such as the Honda Accord wouldn't have a transmission that would fail so quickly and (2) if it did that Honda would do the right thing and correct it at no cost to the customer. My husband's initial question to the dealership service tech was wheter or not the transmission problems we were experiencing could be a result of the recall. The service tech seemed more concerned about about the number of miles we had on the car. We were told that if the mileage was more than 100,000 miles that Honda would not honor the recall even if it was related. Fortunately, we were just a few miles from the 100,000 mile mark. My husband asked what would be the consequence of not having the recall procedure performed, and he responded that 2nd gear would fail as a result of overheating. We were told that a diagnostic of the transmission would have to be performed with a scope and a camera to determine if 2nd gear had in fact failed and if Honda would cover the cost of the replacement. We received the results of the diagnostic two days ago (late Friday evening) which indicated that 2nd gear had not failed, but that the clutch had "burned up". My question was if the recall piece was to prevent overheating that would damage 2nd gear, why wouldn't the same overheating cause the clutch to burn up?, The tech had no answer but was pleased to inform my husband that even though the the repair didn't fall under the recall that Honda would pay 50% of the $2800 cost to replace the trany simply because the car was only 5 years old and had less than 100,000 miles. We were also told that they couldn't get to the repair for two possibly three weeks. Initially no offer of a loaner car was made, even though my husband and I have been inconvenienced for two weeks awaiting the results of the diagnostic. However, my when my husband gave them the go ahead today (Monday) to replace the transmission, he inquired about the use of a loaner car for the duration of the repair. We were provided an older model Accord to drive at no cost, for which we are grateful.
We are appealing to Honda Customer Service to cover a larger portion of the cost to replace the trany and have been told by a Customer Service Rep that our case will be given priority and that we should receive a call back.
We will keep you posted of the outcome.
2008Aug 18
Accord EX 3.0vtec
- Automatic transmission
- 59,000 miles
Earlier this week, I noticed that it was taking a while to change from 2nd to 3rd gear. So I made an appointment with a auto shop nearby to have it checked out. The mechanic discovered that the transmission was indeed failing and that he didn't know how long it'll take until it's completely out. I inquired about how much this would cost, and he quoted a little over $3,000. When I got home that day I called the dealership service center where I bought my vehicle 18 months earlier to check if I had any warranty that would cover the repair. I was so relieved to find out that I did have the warranty. So I got my car fixed and got it back 3 days later. Although it's driving smoothly right now and I noticed better gas mileage, I have some doubts as to how long before a transmission problem occur. I'll give it until next year to improve my credit score a little bit before I think about trading in this vehicle for something newer and more reliable.
2007Feb 04
Accord ES V6
- Automatic transmission
- 62,000 miles
transmission failed in February 2007, leaving me and my 2 young children stranded on a major interstate.
1 week prior to this, I had the 60,000 service completed on in it and 2 days later, the car starting shaking and riding roughly. Took it back to the Honda service department and called Honda corporate the same day to voice my concern.
Honda replaced the transmission at no cost to me.
2008May 12
Accord LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 70,000 miles
Yes, I'm one of the new trany people. I took my car in to the dealership to have the transmission serviced along with some other minor work. They changed the transmission fluid on a Thursday and on Saturday the transmission went out.The dealership did get Honda of America to replace the transmission for free. I had to pay $250.00 for freight on the new transmission. In talking to the parts clerk, he said Honda of America had to build a new transmission rebuilding facility in the USA in order to handle this problem. You can only get a rebuilt transmission for your Honda, never a new one. I now have a 36,000 mile warranty on my new transmission. I love my accord, but I will be selling it soon, never to buy another Honda. I left my name and information with the New York law firm for the class action suit and ask you to do the same. I may be one of the few who have a new trany paid for by honda, but this is still WRONG, WRONG WRONG.
2008Aug 15
Accord ES V6
- Automatic transmission
- 72,354 miles
I AM NOT SURE HOW I AM GOING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. MY BUDGET DOES NOT CONTAIN THIS KIND OF CASH!!! IS THERE ANY IDEAS WHERE TO START I HAVE CALLED THE LAWYER TRYING TO GET A LAW SUIT STARTED AND GAVE THE NICE LADY MY INFORMATION. AGAIN IF THERE IS ANY HELP THAT ONE OF YOU COULD TELL ME PLEASE DO SO... THANK YOU
BEAU
FAYETTEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT N.C.
2008Aug 09
Accord EXL 6
- Automatic transmission
- 67,000 miles
I am another '03 Accord owner with a total transmission failure (at 67,000). I just got my car back from dealer repair shop today. I found this site when researching the problem and was helped a lot by the comments others left, and so will now add mine in hopes that it will help the next person. I'm not going to focus this post on my disappointment with the car - others are doing a good job of that - but want to pass on what saved me at least some money on the repair. Here goes:
1)Symptoms of failure were exactly the same as others have noted. With no previous warning the car started to not engage in gear when leaving a light and then, bang, would find a gear. When decelerating to a stop it would suddenly also downshift hard.
2) My car was out of warranty, but I noticed that some on this site were getting Honda to pick up some or all of the tab. I followed advice from post #55 who said to call Honda USA,,800-999-1009, and ask about "GOODWILL REPAIR". I did this before going to the dealership. They gave me a reference # and told me I had to take it to the dealer to get a diagnosis before going further.
3) At the dealer service department I described the problem, told them I had called Honda already and gave them the reference #. I mentioned that I saw on the internet that this problem was epidemic and that I noticed that Honda was picking up 75-100% of the cost. The service guy didn't admit nor promise anything but said that he had seen them pick up to 90% of the otherwise $3,000 tab. (He said it was good for the customer to pay in some small portion because it gave you a 3yr/36k warranty where as a totally free replacement would not. ...not sure if this may have been just a line. I am only passing on what he said).
4) Service Department confirmed transmission failure, but said that before they could offer any Goodwill discount they needed the car history and maintenance records, which is fair since the dealer had no records on the car at all. (I had bought it used with 10k miles from a private seller and had always taken it to a local shop which does only Honda repairs with Honda parts but at a much lower labor rate. The only work I ever had done at the dealer was the recall gear inspection which I had done at 15k miles when I got the notice) I keep good records so was quickly able to provide them the info they needed; HOWEVER, I am one that only takes good, not excellent care of my car so I knew this may hurt me (I did not always do my maintenance as regularly as I should...often went three thousand miles beyond schedule).
5) Dealer said that they would only do 50% ($1,500) since the car had not been purchased or serviced at their dealership. I lobbied for 80% since I have in the past and now more recently purchased other cars from them. Was politely told 50% was the best they would do.
6) I took their offer even though my own local shop could have done the repair for the same exact amount (the dealer really inflates the cost!). But I wanted the 3yr/36k warranty that I would get through the dealer since there is a high likely hood of it having more problems from what I read.
So, that's my experience. I didn't get Honda to pick up as much as I have heard from this site and the service guy that they can, but half is better than none. Had it been that over the years I had regularly had my service done at their dealership or any Honda dealership I would not have settled for less than 90%.
I'll end by noting that I have owned 6 Honda over the years and have never had anything like this fail, especially at lower mileage like this. (I used to have a Dodge Caravan and with those it was just common knowledge that at 75K miles the transmission and the a/c were going to go). Too bad Honda may be losing it edge on reliability and customer service.
2008Aug 05
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 75,000 miles
It's pretty sad when the car only has 75,000 miles and the transmission prematurely fails because of a faulty torque converter. This seems to be a common problem, that Honda should be fully aware of, but to date, there has been NO RECALL. The timing belt isn't scheduled to be changed until the car has 105,000 miles but the transmission needs replacement at 75,000. What is wrong with this picture???? The US consumer has to deal with the hassle of faulty equipment and Honda is counting their money all the way to the bank. Perhaps there is a good attorney out there who would be interested in a class action lawsuit against Honda for selling the US consumer a piece of crap.
2008Jul 10
Accord EX 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 64,800 miles
Honda recalled this problem in 2004, and performed an inspection they said with a "digital camera" looking inside the transmission. Honda said no need to replace the trans and installed some kind of ATK kit. Recall was due to problems between 2nd and 3rd gear. Honda should have replaced the trans way back then, at 16,999 miles. Instead we lived with this until almost 65,000 miles. American Honda refused to pay for the fix, and is still refusing. The case has been appealed and if Honda doesn't pay for the transmission rebuild they face additional actions. Until this is resolved in our favor, we warn anyone not to buy a Honda Accord or any other Honda product.
2008Jul 24
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 98,200 miles
Same problem as the rest of you. On vacation 300 miles from home at 9pm, the tranny downshifts to 2nd gear while driving 55 mph. The tires chip, engine near redlines, wife and infant son thrown against their seatbelts. Tranny then upshifts, runs smooth for 45 seconds, then does it again. Repeat several times until I come to a redlight. Car never gets above 2nd gear again. Nurse the car back to where we are staying and I check the transmission fluid level. Everything looks fine, both color and level. I let it cool down and try it again by myself an hour later. This is when I find there is no reverse. Next day, I limp to the dealership where they tell me the transmission is shot. $3,300 for a new one. Meanwhile, I have the added inconvenience of getting my family home, then going back down after it is fixed to pick it up. Looking for Honda to stand behind their product w/ a goodwill repair. American Honda says they will only pay half since they feel half the usable life has been consumed. I am severely disappointed in a car company I have had 100% faith in until this point.
2008Aug 05
Accord LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 83,000 miles
I'll join the Transmission Failure Club ,My 03 has about 83k on it.It started shifting very rough from 2nd to 3rd.Anyway Ive heard that the new transmissions(05 and up) are pretty much bullet proof, Updated larger shafts,a better lubricant filtration system,Anyone got any facts on this info? thanks
2008May 09
Accord LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 72,000 miles
For several months, the car had been stuttering on gear shifts around 25 or 30 mph. I'd feel it start to shift and then there'd be a jerk a second later as it finally went into gear. On several occasions on May 9 and 10, 2008, the transmission would start to shift (effectively, go into neutral), but fail to go into the higher gear. The only way to keep it moving was to limp along at 20 mph until I could pull over, shut off the engine, and restart, which would allow me to drive a little more before it gave out again.
Replacement was covered by the extended warranty, but I had to pay a $50 deductible. Pretty good compared to the $3500-4000 I would have had to pay without the warranty, but the fact that that was even a possibility, given only 72,000 generally gentle and largely highway (no-shifting!) miles, has really soured me on Honda. If this were a Ford, maybe I'd feel lucky to have made it 72,000 on one transmission, but I expect better reliability from Honda. I didn't buy this thing for its looks.
2008Jul 09
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 66,000 miles
A lawyer in New York is collecting data for a Class Action Suit.....Phone number is 212-566-4356. Add your name to their growing list.
2008Jun 01
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 68,351 miles
I guess I'm just another one to add to the list... I too bought a Honda because of reliability and previous Honda's that ran great (previous owner of a 1988 civic and a 1990 accord).
Bought the car with 86k on it, noticed rough transmission in the first few months, brought it in before warranty ran out, they said it was fine, and then at 110k, right after the warranty ran out, transmission completely died.
I figured they would cover the cost of the replacement, as it is a known problem, and because I brought it in before the warranty was up. No such luck. The best we could get was Honda Canada to pay 1/3, the dealer 1/3 and us 1/3. Which worked out to just over a grand. Could have been worse I guess, I just think Honda should take some more responsibility when they are trying to market their cars on reliability. Talked to my neighbor after the fact who has a 2001 accord which is on its 3rd transmission. This scares me - I kinda feel like its not over!!
2008Jun 02
Accord LEV6 3.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 88,000 miles
Just bought a used 2003 Honda Accord for my son to drive to college from Hennessy Honda in Woodstock Georgia.. After 3 weeks the transmission went out and left him stranded.
He called the dealership they gave him the run around. I called and had them tow it to their shop. Do you think they stood behind the vehicle they sold me - HELL NO. They did give me a so called discount on the repair. It was about $2000 out of my hollow pocket
The same I could have gotten it fixed for in a independent garage. .No more Honda's for me and no more dealing with any Hennessy dealerships.
2008May 16
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 66,000 miles
Nearing retirement I thought I'd buy a car that would last and made a mistake. Well, Honda didn't meet that goal. I gave it to my daughter to use for college and the transmission failed. Honda claims they paid $1400 and I ONLY had to pay $2000 for an automatic transmission with only 66000 miles. There is no excuse for it failing so soon.
I am now back to Toyota (Camry) and I have confidence it will last a lot longer than any Honda.
2008Jun 11
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 127,000 miles
Accord EX 3.0L V6 5 speed automatic transmission
127543 miles in excellent condition one owner
Sold by a Honda Dealer
Well, another tranny down for Honda. I have owned one other Honda with over 16oK miles and worked great. I just bought a 03 Accord on June 10 and two days after the transmission dies on me in the highways I was returning from Orlando . It does the same exact problem as everyone else here on AutoBeef. slips into lower gear, runs at 5K plus @ 45-50MPH. Fortunately I was able to get home. The strange thing is the light engine did not came on until the next day when I started it again.Now the car does not move forward or backwards. I have a basic code reader and it come up with Code 741 Torque converter stuck off.
Trusting Hondas reputation for quality cars and being sold at a Honda dealer, I purchase the car "As is" since the dealer refused to give me a thirty day warranty, now I know why... To be fair they offer an extended warranty for over $2400, Humm... Have to call dealer and perhaps Honda and see if they will cover some of it.
The way I look at this is that my money was perfect, and it had no defects, hence I should get a car that does not fails two days later, especially a HONDA!!!. The worst thing is I am very disappointed I always preached about HONDA reliability. After the problem appeared I read that Honda has lots of issues with transmissions since 1998 and the 2003-05 Accords, and to be honest I am extremely disappointed at myself since I always check on this things before I buy. Grrrrrr!!! I hope HONDA and or the dealer cooperates otherwise, what a disappointment.
2008Jun 13
Accord EX 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 68,484 miles
Well, another tranny down for Honda. I have owned alot of Honda's and still have my 99, never any problems. I bought a 03 Accord, made two payments and the transmission dies on me. It does the same exact problem as everyone else here on AutoBeef. slips into lower gear, runs at 5K plus @ 40MPH, reverse sometimes,etc. I bought a certified warranty but they will try to get out of it some way or another I am sure. Have to call dealer tomorrow. The worst thing of it all is I am disappointed. I have talked so many people into taking another look at Honda's (older die hard american owners) and ALWAYS preached about their incomparable reliability. And now this. It kinda makes me sick.
2008Jun 12
Accord EX 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 94,448 miles
Same situation as many read here- driving along and the car seems to slip into neutral as I was merging onto the freeway. RPM's were well into the 6000. I avoided having anyone drive into the back of me by pulling over. I checked under the hood in hopes there was ...???? I mean really what am I going to find wrong? the fluids were not an issue and appeared clean. I limped it along- stuttered a lot up hills, slowing down, etc. I made an appt at Honda (Friday the 13th of course!)- and they charged me $50 to check the code and 'diagnosis' the problem. Code 741 Torque converter stuck. Solution was to replace the transmission and do a 'software' update= $3756 + tax (~4200$). I questioned if this was common and the service rep informed me it doesn't happen often. I priced out a transmission at a transmission shop for $2400 and they happen to supply the dealership with transmissions. He then informed me Honda has been having a lot of issues with transmissions since 1998 and the 2003-05 Accords were quite common. I'm extremely disappointed- probably in myself mostly as I didn't sell this piece of crap when the warranty was out (I've had many many trips to the dealer). So- once its fixed- I'm certain I won't be buying another Honda or recommending them. I'm thinking of putting signage on the car to advertise the real cost of owning a Honda. Oh... and the recall in 2004 was supposedly done... some issue with shifting from 2nd gear the service person told me. The tranny was replaced at 60000km due to increasing noise from day one with 11km- no one would believe me at Honda until it got really bad. I guess this car answers the adage "if looks could kill"... as the car looks great and its pretty well killing me to look at it.
2008May 17
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 51,000 miles
Transmission inappropriately shifts down to a much lower gear while accelerating. This frequently happens while driving around 30-40 mph, often while going uphill. The car will down shift to FIRST gear. This results in over 5k rpm. The car will not shift up, even if I left off the gas completely. The only way I can get out of it is to shift to neutral, wait a few seconds, then back to drive and try again. Trouble is, if I'm still going up the hill, it will sometimes try to down shift again to accelerate.
I've called Honda's corporate center, they set up a case number for me and forwarded my info to the regional Honda rep, but said they can't tell me if they'll help pay or not until I get it diagnosed at a Honda dealership. I'm doing that on Monday. Honda rep sounded optimistic about them helping to pay for it. I'm hoping they pay all (assuming the transmission needs replaced like everyone else). Car only has 52k miles, it had the recall service done around 20k and I've taken it to Honda for 30k and 45k services.
Based on the complaints here, I'm likely selling this car once it's fixed and getting something else. I don't have faith in a new transmission.
2008May 26
Accord LX 3.2L V^
- Automatic transmission
- 148,000 miles
Okay, well, I'm joining the fray. I've had my Honda from Brand New. I had a Honda Previous to this, and kept it far past what most people do, as I LOVE Honda's. This past weekend, it started not shifting into 3rd gear, until it got past 30 MPH and then it went into gear. Yesterday, memorial day, we were driving home from the mountains at 75 MPH and all of a sudden, the car jerked as if someone slammed on the brakes, the tires squealed, and we were slammed against our seat belts. I slowed down, and it happened again. Then it happened again. I pulled over, shut off the car and checked all of the fluids thinking maybe I was low in Transmission fluid. Nope, no problems there. I then restarted the care and drove 180 miles at 60 MPH. It didn't happen again. How am I supposed to let my daughter drive this car again? Honda recalled this in 2004, and I had it serviced saying that what was wrong was fixed. Now, I'm having the same problem they said they fixed. What do I do now? My friend is the Manager of the Honda Dealership where I got the car. Can he help? I've called and left a message with him.
2008May 11
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 94,860 miles
I had complained about the transmission for over 2 years; however, the service technicians could never find anything wrong. I had the transmission serviced 2 weeks before it completely failed, but I was told no codes came up on the transmission. Well, I was 70 miles away from home and the car just stopped changing gears. I called roadside assistance to tow my car to the place that gave me that flawed diagnosis. When they checked it this time, I was told I needed a transmission. I asked what happen 2 weeks ago when I brought the car in for service. I was told they don't know. Well, I called Honda and requested the "goodwill help" and they paid 75 percent and I paid 25 percent. I told them that was good but I had complained about the transmission for years and was told everything was fine. The Honda agent told me they only go by what the codes show and 75 percent was the best they could do. This is for a loyal customer of 15 years. I am considering selling the car and I know I will not buy another Honda after buying on Hondas since 1993.
2008May 18
Accord EX Coupe 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 88,000 miles
Well I had just got my transmission flushed a week ago thinking everything was fine. Tonight I was on the way to see my girlfriend and I was going down the highway doing about 60mph and all of a sudden the car started jumping and pushing and the tac was going up to 7 which was telling me it was the transmission. It felt like car was slipping into neutral while in gear. So i pulled over to the side of the road none of the gears worked except for reverse. So i cut the car off for a couple minutes cut it back on put it in gear and pulled off, as i was turning around to try and limp back to the house i got stuck in the middle of an intersection because it did it again. Needless to say its been a pain in the rear and was not expecting this since the transmission was just serviced. But it wouldn't be the fluid it would have to be some kind of relay or sensor going out in it IMO. Anyways Ive always heard hondas will last you a lifetime but i've had several problems with this car when i bought it used a year ago. Passenger side window wouldn't work, and my 6disc cd changer was messing up too. Had to install an after market cd player in the car.
2008Apr 01
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 50,000 miles
When I was ready to purchase a new car, no one could have talked me into getting anything else. I had a 92 Honda Accord which was the best car in the world. I finally traded it in after 14 years and over 200,000 miles for a 03 Honda Accord. Now, one of my biggest regrets, I feel that I have purchased a true lemon. As soon as I drove off the lot, I began having minor problems. The horn only works sometimes, and there is something wrong with the motor in my driver's side window. The check engine light just came on, but I haven't brought it to a mechanic yet to find out what that is all about. Worst of all, at only 51,000 miles (conveniently right after my warranty expired) I needed a complete overhaul done on the Transmission. Needless to say, when I am ready to purchase my next car, it will not be a Honda Accord.
2008May 13
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 68,500 miles
I only bought this car b/c everyone said "a Honda will last you forever." Then the transmission began to slip at 60,000 miles and this week at 68k I was merging onto the highway and the car wouldn't go above 35 mph. It just kept revving up past 7 when I hit the gas...as cars were flying up behind me....it's not only a big inconvenience - it's also dangerous. Honda is trying to fix this now by replacing the tranny, since I bought it from them used with the 7yr/100k drive train warranty...we'll see
2008May 11
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 71,200 miles
Pile on another Accord transmission failure. Bought EX V6-MT less than a year ago as a lease-return, so it had a full maintenance history for it. No problems at all; even had the 2005 2nd gear transmission recall check done. After normal highway driving, transmission slipped out of gear and would had very high RPMs. Diagnosis is a full replacement of the transmission.
2008Apr 01
Accord EX 3.2L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 60,675 miles
I was just driving down the road and while the car was shifting into 3rd gear, with no warning, it just went into neutral. I coasted to the side of the road, shifted into park, then tried to put the car into gear again. It took a few tries before it started shifting again. It happened four or five time while trying to make it back home. Everytime it happened, it was when the car was shifting in and out of third gear. I was worried it would happen again and not run anymore so I parked about a mile from home and called a tow truck to have it taken to a transmission shop. I only had 60675 miles on it. Honda was no help at all with the problem and wanted approximately $5000 to replace the transmission.The transmission shop was a independent shop, replaced the transmission which was ordered from the Honda factory, and was about a thousand dollars cheaper than the Honda Dealer. The transmission shop charged $3991.00 for the replacement including labor and tax. I doubt very much I will ever buy another Honda. I have had other problems with it also. We called the Honda Good Faith Line. They acted like they have never heard about the problem ever existing and showed no interest.
2008Apr 04
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 61,000 miles
In February 2008, my radio/clock/HVAC display failed and went completely dark. American Honda did not recall this part because it's not a "safety issue," but recognized the problem by issuing an extended warranty on the part to 7 yrs/100,000 miles. Two weeks after I picked the car up, the 6 CD changer/player failed. Other than showing 5 CDs were in the machine, you'd never be able to tell that I had a CD player. It wouldn't switch to "CD mode" or load/eject CDs. American Honda agreed to fix the CD player under a "one time goodwill warranty" for customer loyalty. I'm still waiting to receive a shipment of the 5 CDs that were stuck in the player. One week later, the transmission failed without warning due to an "internal error." This IS a safety issue as the car cut out in traffic. It slipped at 75th Street and was toast by 80th Street. Despite an obvious problem with the transmission in this make/model (see the off-the-chart complaints listed on this site), Honda has not issued a recall. It did, however, stand behind the car by agreeing to cover most of the cost of the transmission out-of-warranty.
Honda has taken very good care of me on all of these issues so far. With that said, these kinds of problems should not be happening on any Honda with only 60,000 miles. I've driven Hondas for over 20 years and never had any problems come close to the ones I've had with this car (starting with replacement of an O2 sensor in '05). I'd steer clear of the '03 Accord and try an '05 Accord instead. Or a Camry.
2008Apr 18
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 104,435 miles
I don't know about everyone else, but I had heard about Honda's problems with their transmissions in the model years prior to 2001. They were supposedly worked out for all the models starting in 2002, which is why there was no extension of the warranty by Honda.
99% of all of my miles driven were on the highway as I commute to work and school. I have always been meticulous in keeping up with all the required maintenance and rotation of tires, etc. I had Honda's 90K mile service performed at 88K, were they changed the transmission fluid and gave the car a thorough inspection, and I was going to do the 105K tune-up service this month.
I had two days warning that my transmission was in trouble: the night before when I was driving home and my engine raced up to 6k rpm's twice on the way home; and the next day on the way back from a conference at UCLA when the transmission repeatedly slipped out of drive and I had to ride in the right lane with my flashers on for the last 5 miles as I limped into the dealership.
This experience has left a very bad taste in my mouth concerning Honda and their automatics because a good automatic should go at least 200k or more (provided you keep up the maintenance) before you should have anything approaching a catastrophic failure. The fact that Honda knows that they have a problem with their transmissions and are still making their customers pick up the tab makes me wonder if they give a damn about customer loyalty or are we so stupid that we will continue to buy their cars anyway.
If anybody is creating a class action lawsuit or would like to -- please let me know!
2008Apr 01
Accord LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 104,000 miles
Like most people here transmission slipped on one day. Dealer tried to fix computer software update. But problem returned with more severity. By the time I got to the dealer it was not even shifting. Service rep at dealership is doing his best to get assistance. I called Honda and got a case number. I did perform the recall in '04. All maintenance was at dealership. So hoping for a favorable response from Honda. I cannot believe Honda put such junk in their cars. Will keep this updated.
2006Oct 18
Accord LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 75,000 miles
I had the same problem as most people here back in 2006. I was driving on the interstate at 65mph and the car shifted into 3rd gear all of a sudden. The RPM shot way up, and I slowed down to the 30's or 40's pretty quickly. Restarting the engine would fix the issue for a few minutes, but eventually I got it to the dealer and got a rental.
I had the extended warranty and the dealer replaced the transmission within a week. So it only cost me $100 total.
A year and a half and 25k miles later, my drive indicator light is flashing. I've also seen the TSA light come on randomly as well. Apparently the transmission replacement had a 3 year 36k mile warranty from Honda, so I'm covered if the transmission needs replacing again. No out of pocket cost again, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do after this warranty expires. I really don't want to have to pay for another transmission.
2008Mar 28
Accord LX V4
- CVT transmission
- 81,638 miles
No gripe here - When this first happened I read everyone's nightmare. So, I prepared all of my paperwork and called Sloan Honda in Philadelphia, where I purchased the car. My car was 3,000 miles outside of the extended warranty. When the Service Manager called back he never hesitated. He told me he would cover 90% of the cost to install a new transmission. Out of pocket costs to me were $252.00. That included a 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty on the transmission. The key, they said, was that I had never missed an interval service in the 5 years that I have had my car. Not a bad deal and all I had to do is make 1 call to set up service. I'll buy all my cars from Sloan from now on.
2008Mar 21
Accord LX
- Automatic transmission
- 61,789 miles
I buy honda because of reliability. Now I second guess honda!
2008Mar 26
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 63,000 miles
I planned on taking the kids out for lunch, when suddenly my Honda felt like it down shifted to neutral on the hwy. I thought maybe I accidentally shifted to neutral because I drive with one hand on the wheel & the other resting on the shifter. So, I took my hand off the shifter and it did it again! This time it started revving high and clunking anytime I stepped on the accelerator. I safely exited the hwy and was glad traffic was light, it was still drivable, so I took it to the nearest Honda dealer which fortunately was not too far from where I exited. It was not my Honda dealer but I did not want to risk driving the vehicle any further & risk more damage.
I pulled up to the service bay area but the door was not opening, so I figured the garage was full and decided to park it in one of spaces next to it. Thats when I discovered my car would not REVERSE!!! It just revved and would not back up. I had enough room to drive it forward and make a tight turn to avoid hitting the building. I then parked and told the service tech what happened. They seemed shocked to hear that car would not reverse because that is a clear sign of transmission failure. I told them to test drive the vehicle & they were able to back out of the parking space but when they put in drive, the car lurched and clunked forward. They pulled it into the service bay and tried reverse again, it did not reverse!!!
I never had any problems with this car, I purchased it new, it only has 63000 miles, and I did all regular scheduled maintenance at the Honda dealerships. How could this happen, I told all my friends that Hondas were the best cars out there and was proud of this car, it never failed me until now. I was planning on buying a new 2009 Honda pilot for my wife but now am deciding maybe that's not a good idea anymore.
The service tech said they were going to replace the clutch solenoid because the computer said it was locked in the open position. This would cost me $630, but they said it would not guarantee it would fix the problem, it's just a starting point. They needed to special order the part and it would get there tomorrow.
2008Mar 18
Accord LS V6
- Automatic transmission
- 91,000 miles
Failed on the expressway. Just like so many others.
2008Feb 04
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 85,755 miles
Last week on I noticed the that I would step on the gas, the car would not
accelerate, and the rpm needle would push to the red. This happened several times
over the next week and determined it was time to take my car to the Honda Dealer
to diagnose the problem. By the way I have taken my car only to the Honda Dealer
for any service or maintenance since I bought it new 5 years ago. On my way to the
dealership the car stopped 4 times over a 5 mile stretch almost causing an accident
each time. I was fairly upset since I had found this website a few days prior and
noticed that transmission failure was probably the obvious diagnosis. The day after
I drove / coasted my car into the dealership, I received a call from the service
representative saying that I would need a whole new transmission, rack and pinion
system and a brand new pump. The total cost with tax was going to be $5,354
which they were willing to pay for the parts but I would have to pay for the labor.
The good thing is that the parts cost $3,500 however I still need to pay the $1,854
for the service and labor. I called the Honda's Corporate office which I got from one
of the other postings from this site. Honda Corporate opened up a case for me and
now I am waiting to hear back to see if they can pick up any of the bill for the
service and labor. Basically they are saying that the transmission is terrible and
are willing to pay for it however the consumer is still obligated to pay for the service
and labor on a transmission that they know is terrible. To me this does not make
sense. If Honda is agreeing that the part was constructed horribly they should pay
for the part,service and labor of making my car whole again. The new and more
durable part should have been in the car initially. This is my second Honda and I
have always told everyone how good these cars were. I was wrong and have now
determined that this will be my last Honda. In my situation it would have been
much cheaper to lease a car every 3-5 years then continue to dump money into
a questionable product.
2008Feb 08
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 40,100 miles
MESSAGE:
Heather , sounds to familiar. do you have any solutions. I have 03 accord v-6 with automatic as well, the tranny stays in 3rd when in drive, no reverse,repetitive TCS light problem as well in past. it is a defect ! THANKS Mike
This was my reply!
Mike,
I am so sorry to hear about your problem. This has been an ongoing problem since about 1 yr in to the purchase of the brand new car. I complained several times about the TCS light coming on when I am driving accompanied by a grinding of what sounded like gears?????. The dealership failed to document all the times I complained about the problem until after the vehicle was out of warranty. I believe in 2004 there was a transmission recall on this car. However when I took my car in for the recall they told me that my car was fine and was not effected by the recall. The transmission recall called for a repair or replacement of the transmission. From everything I have read from other people and through research the repair of the tranny and the replacements are not correcting the problem either. In fact the repair, rebuild, or replacement of the transmission is not the problem it is the entire transmission that was designed for the Honda Accord V6 from what I hear. I have read similar problems and when the service dealerships are handling the complaints they act as if they are not aware of the problem, but just recently found out that upon the purchase of my car the dealership provided me with an extended 5 year/100,000 mile Power Train warranty, because they were aware of the problems with the tranny. The dealership has had my car for about 3 weeks now because we contacted Honda Corporation which provide no help what so ever. We took the car in because it felt as if the transmission was slipping. The service department said they found the problem and that is was a solenoid that shifted the car between 1st and 3rd gear, they charged me $445.82 and sent me on my way I drove the car about two blocks and the service engine light came on again. They assured me that there was nothing wrong with the car and that the problem was repaired. I took the car straight home parked it and drove it about 30 miles to have lunch with my husband. On the way the car appeared that the transmission was slipping again. Once we towed the car back to the dealership they informed us that the computer showed that the car was fine, but they did notice a shifting problem. After debating back and fourth for about three days, they told us that they did not know what was wrong with the car, but they would replace the transmission if we would pay 15%. We felt it was a problem that should have been repaired in 2004 or a good market value trade should have been offered knowing that they are not going to be able to do anything to repair the transmissions on the Honda Accord 2003 V6. After looking in to this further it looked as if they were offering the same option to others" a replacement transmission with a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty. Knowing that the transmission is only good for approximately 40,000 miles. When we talked to Honda Corporation they told us that they would pay 85% of the transmission and cover it with a 36,000 mile warranty. However when we went to the dealership they told us it would be a tranny replacement with the normal 12 month / 12,000 mile warranty. At this point my husband had to step in because my blood pressure was off the charts. He told them that we talked to Honda Corporation and of the difference in the warranties and after talking to whoever the service managers boss was, they agreed to 3 year 36,000 mile warranty, which we made them PUT IT IN WRITING!!!! My husband did advise them that there would not have been a problem had they actually repaired the problem we complained about to begin with. He told them that after the repair was complete we would be taking it up with the Better Business Bureau and more than likely we would see them in small claims court. That is where we are now, I was wanting to trade the car in about 4 months ago for a Honda CR-V, but have since decided that I will never own another Honda or deal with Urse Honda again. Good luck to you!!!!
Heather
2008Feb 27
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 56,000 miles
My 2003 Honda Accord almost killed me and i am terrified to travel with my kids in the car. I was head home from work when entering the 91s connector to I95 s when i gave the engine gas to get into the right lane to avoid a accident with another car the transmission slipped out gear and the car basically just made it over in front of the on coming car. This almost resulted in a rearend collision at a high speed. When i called the dealer ship to explained the problem to the service manger and mentioned this site with all the other complaints on it the shrugged it off and said that is not the case. My car is still currently at the dealer ship and i'm awaiting the results of their findings. I will keep everyone in this site informed of the out come. I have also logged a complaint with Honda USA. Hope my image of Honda is save by a replacing my transmission with minimal costs.
2008Feb 28
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 88,000 miles
I too had transmission failure. Intermittent gear slipping 2 months prior. Took car into Honda and they dealer claimed they could not find a problem. They recommended to change trans fluid. after one week intermittent slipping again. Took car on interstate and after about 60 miles of highway driving the trans downshifted from what felt like 5th to 2nd at 65mph. If not for seatbelt I would have been thrown at windshield. I exited interstate and parked car. Would not go into reverse. After turning off car and restarting it went into gear. Took a chance and nursed car back home on back roads trying to keep the car from shifting. The dealer again said they could not find anything wrong.??? Honda Service rep recommended to strain fluid... they found metal particles. Ended up paying for labor only $900 and recvd refund on $200 trans fluid change from a month ago. My recommendation if you want to save a life..... if you feel your trans slipping do not have your car leave dealership until they replace transmission. Honda is one fatal crash away from major lawsuits as they continue to deny there is a problem with this transmission. Side note: I did get recall in 2004 for trans oil tube. Fix performed at 35,000 miles. My guess is they know of a design problem and all the recall did was delay the failure of trans until you get to the 80,000 mile range.
2008Feb 20
Accord ES V6
- Automatic transmission
- 67,500 miles
Tranny failure on 2003 Accord w/67,500 miles.
Had it towed to dealer.....52 miles from home.......they are going to look at it today.
Fluid full, but burnt. After the tow truck w/the car on it left,I Googled 03 Honda trans failure, and was AMAZED at how many others have had the same problem. I called Honda USA,,800-999-1009, and asked about "GOODWILL REPAIR", and was given a case reference#. Car was bought used, w/25k. So I told them that I was never notified of the recall in 04. They claim that they didn't have my address, so they couldn't send me a notice. Anyhow, I got the ball rolling, and am yet to hear from the service dept. at the dealership. I'll keep you posted as things develop.
2008Feb 15
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 104,000 miles
we buy a Honda because it will give us no headachessss .
Any resources for my 2003 accord tranny problem please contact me. Thanks and good luck
2007Dec 13
Accord EX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 88,000 miles
I own a 2003 Honda Accord and lately, I too have noticed that at 30mph, the RPMs will rev up to 4 and then kick back normally. I took the car into the dealership and they diagnosed the problem as a transmission slip at 2nd to 3rd gear. I didn't know there were so many problems with the transmission. My dealership has agreed to replace the transmission but are requested that I pay $800 in labor cost. I have contacted American Honda asking for a goodwill repair. They will have a representative contact me within 2 days. I'll post what the final repair costs will be.
There's definitely a problem with V6 transmissions and Honda should stand behind their transmission failure!! Where's the class action lawsuit?! I'm in!
2008Feb 07
Accord EX Coupe 3.2L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 79,000 miles
I received the recall notice back in 2004 (I think). I immediately brought the car into the dealership to have the transmission inspected. The dealership told me that the transmission was OK and that the cooling lines had been fixed. Apparently, the fix did not work as the transmission started slipping and eventually would not shift into 2nd gear. I brought the car into the dealership where they reviewed the repair history of my car. They saw that the recall work had been completed and would investigate the problem. To my surprise, they replaced the faulty transmission with a new one (not remanufactured) at no charge even though the car was way out of warranty.
A big thanks to Keyes Honda Woodland Hills for a job well done!!
2008Feb 07
Accord LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 75,000 miles
Started off slipping when shifting slightly into third gear which I hardly even noticed. A few weeks later it started slipping shifting into first and second first thing in the morning, but after it shifted once it was fine for the rest of the day. Then finally it wouldn't shift above 2nd gear and the Drive light started blinking and Check Engine light came on. After turning the car off and on it would shift above 2nd finally and made it home, but it kept slightly slipping while shifting gears.
Took it to a transmission specialist and it failed so many of the electronic tests they had to take it apart to see exactly what was wrong. Now I'm looking at $2884.30 to have it rebuilt with a 2 year / 24,000 mile warranty (which I'll be taking advantage of several times I'm sure, at this rate). They say Honda refuses to sell this model of transmission new by itself.
Honda refused to help pay for it because the previous transmission recall in 2004 did not affect LX's and I did not have an extended warranty. They said I'd have to have the car towed to a dealership and only if I had the dealership replace the transmission they could open a case and I might quality for some sort of reimbursement, but it wasn't likely. Not a fan of dealerships.
I'm going to be sending them a copy of my bill and a nice angry letter once this is done though. This is my third Accord and will be my last unless I am reimbursed. This site clearly shows more and more transmission problems every year, I hope a class action lawsuit gets started.
2007Sep 22
Accord EX 3.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 79,000 miles
Same problem as everyone else. Massive transmission failure at highway speed nearly resulting in major traffic accident. Dealer made some adjustment to repair price but still cost me over $2500. Even wrote to President of Honda Canada he feels this is not a serious problem and is normal failure. We need to get a class action suite going to address this issue. I had the transmission replace a drove directly to a GM dealer and traded for a 2007 Grand Prix with a 5 year 160,000 km. drive train warranty. NO MORE JAPANESE CRAP for me. I understand Toyota now has the same problems with the transmission on their V-6.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2008Dec 13
Accord EX 3.0L V6
Drove 134 miles of a 137 mile trip to my company Christmas party (1st one with this company) and suddenly lost acceleration. Stepped on gas pedal but car would rev with no acceleration. Stuck in neutral. Pulled over on extremely busy highway. Tried putting car in reverse and drive. No movement whatsoever. Car was towed (so far $72.00 out of pocket) and is approximately 140 miles from home. Will call Honda customer service on Monday a.m. to see just what they will tell me or how and if they will get involved in repair or replacement. Bought a Honda based upon the tremendous feedback received from numerous friends that swear by them and decided that this would be my choice for my first brand new vehicle purchase. I hope that I'm not facing a $3000.00 repair bill.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME!!!!!
bosstownwolf
New Bedford, MA, USA
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