Problems with 2003 Honda Accord POWER TRAIN

I am the only and original owner of my 2003 honda accord ex v6 . while it was still under warranty i started having problems with the transmission. i would be driving picking up speed to merge with highway traffic or street traffic and the transmission will get stuck not allowing me to go more than 20mph or 25 mph i then have to pull over and put the car in park wait a few minutes and pray that i can get to my destination without further incidence. however, everytime i took it the honda dealer they said there was nothing wrong and they couldn't duplicate the problem. i was told transmission problems are not covered with my warranty and i would have to pay out of pocket. thankfully i have not gotten into an accident since this problem is still on going with my car. i am upset and disturbed to see that there are so many complaints with the same issue and honda being aware of these complaints has not been held accountable. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. the contact experienced difficulty shifting from second to third gear while driving at various speeds. he stated that the vehicle also overheated. a local dealer stated that the transmission was the cause of the failures and it needed to be replaced. they further stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission). the dealer installed an oil jet kit instead of replacing the transmission. because the contact purchased the vehicle from an unauthorized honda dealer, the dealer would not replace the transmission for free. the current mileage was 66,000 and failure mileage was 65,500.

2003 honda accord v6 ex experienced transmission failure while driving on a highway. failure is characterized by transmission slipping (and not shifting to lower gears) and racing rpm. vehicle mileage is approximately 67,300. dealer diagnosed the problem (code p0741) and replaced transmission. honda agreed to splits repairs: 80% to honda and 20% to customer. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. while driving 65 mph, the vehicle kept stalling and would accelerate. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. in 2004 and with 30,000 miles, the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a recall repair for nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission). the manufacturer stated that they would pay for the transmission, but not the labor fee of $1,200. the current mileage was 97,930 and failure mileage was 97,929.

Just bought the car a few weeks back. carfax did not show any work performed for recalled transmission. transmission started to cause car to violently buck, at about 30 mphs, and the engine redlined. this is inline with many similar stories from forum posters who also have suffered from this acknowledged defect in honda's transmission for the 03' accord automatic v-6 model. research revealed this recall, so i contacted a local dealership who told me the recall work had already been performed. i contacted honda corp. 800-999-1009 who stated that the car had recall service at 48k miles. and regardless if the transmission is still acting in the same dangerous fashion, honda is no longer responsible to pay for work to fix this transmission issue. so even though the transmission may still be dangerous for the reason that caused the recall, they claim to have fulfill all commitments after their first attempt to fix the car, and hold no further obligation to fix their defect. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. while driving approximately 35 mph and attempting to shift gears from second to another, the gears become temporarily stuck. the gear then sporadically switches to another gear and causes the vehicle to jerk forward violently. additionally, while shifting the gear into drive, the engine revs and the vehicle drifts backwards. the contact stated that the traction control light illuminates when the failures occur. the dealer informed her that the recall repair for nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission) was previously performed on the vehicle by installing an oil jet kit. the dealer further stated that there was heat built up in the secondary shaft and counter shaft, but refused to repair the vehicle again. the manufacturer has not provided any assistance. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 102,000.

Tl*the contact owns 2003 honda accord. the first failure occurred on august 21, 2007. while driving 15 mph the vehicle would shift from 2nd gear into neutral. he drove onto the emergency lane, shut the engine off and restarted it. the vehicle began to function normally. the dealer stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated they needed to keep the vehicle overnight to perform a diagnostic test. the dealer stated that the vehicle needed a new transmission. the vehicle was not repaired when the complaint was filed; however, the diagnostic test were not complete. honda manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 80,000. updated 10/27/10. *lj

The 2003 honda accord was found in 2004 to have a transmission design problem which could cause a catastrophic failure if not addressed. i was notified in 2005 of this and took my car into the honda dealership, guaranteed by honda that it would fix the problem. then in 2007, the transmission suffered a total failure while i was driving. while i was not injured, had i been going faster on an interstate highway, things could have been otherwise. honda said they would replace the transmission with a new one, but that i had to pay the $700 in labor since the car was out of its original three year warranty. even after five attempts to get honda to recognize that the design problem and ineffective repair should have in effect, extended the warranty, they refused to cover the labor charge. this disregard of responsibility by a major car company for the quality of major drive train design problems is another example of big business abusing individual citizens because they have the power to do so. the regulatory arms of our federal government need to protect citizens from such abuse and order honda, at a minimum, to pay the $700 labor charge, and to be put on notice that, unlike the failure of the financial regulatory agencies to do their jobs, nhtsa will not fail to protect consumers. thank you for your support. i look forward to hearing favorably from you soon. best regards, james. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. while driving 55 mph, the transmission downshifted and the engine hesitated. the contact stated that after five seconds, the vehicle accelerated. while accelerating from a stop, the vehicle stalled before shifting into gear. the dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of failure. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission). the failure mileage was 72,000 and current mileage was 73,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. while driving 65 mph, the vehicle hesitated while shifting from second to third gear. the contact stated that the engine would rev roughly when the transmission was shifting gears. he stated that the transmission locked up while driving 35-40 mph. the dealer stated that they will replace the transmission and the ball bearings. the current and failure mileages were 64,000. updated 09/18/07 *tr

Transmission slipped while the car running on freeway, make it slow down , very danger, or get hit from behind. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. in july of 2004, the gears shifted from first and second gear, the fluid was very dirty, and the transmission was whining. the transmission fluid was changed. in september of 2004, the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an oil change and, without the contact's knowledge, the transmission was inspected. currently, the check engine light is illuminating and the codes indicated that the transmission is malfunctioning. the contact was informed that the vehicle had already been inspected in regards to nhtsa campaign id number 04v176000 (power train:automatic transmission). the current mileage was 130,000 and failure mileage was 110,000.

Transmission failure on my used 2003 honda accord ex-l v6. i owned the car for about 2 months and noticed that the car would not shift gears correctly. i had the fluids changed when the service representative noticed bad color, the problem recurred and eventually the unit failed. there was a recall that had been redeemed in 2004 according to honda motors customer service, so now that the same problem is recurring honda will not cover the problem. the transmission facilities i have called for services have identified this is a common failure and one shop had two vehicles in for the same problem. it seems obvious that the issue was not properly resolved as the car has less than 50k miles and needs a new transmission. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. while driving 30 miles per hour the transmission slipped into second gear and would not come out of second gear. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be repaired. the contact was advised that the problem was the throttle body. the contact was then advised that the transmission was slipping. the current mileage was 124,000. the failure mileage was 100,000.

After car is started and put into drive, there is a grinding and clunking noise shifting from first to second gear and will repeat each time the car is started up. metro honda of jersey city, nj has failed/neglected to provide a full diagnosis of my problem after 3 hours of waiting and 5 different people test-driving my car after i specifically requested to be in the vehicle during these test drives to pin point the problem! vehicle is also experiencing a loss of power as well more and more rather than occasional. i shouldn't have to deal with this as me and everyone else have obligations to attend to, especially when i depend on my vehicle to get around. *jb

I own a 2003 honda accord since the moment i got it i had problems. there was a recalls on pipes i fixed took it to dealer they fixed it now the transmission went bad and this appeared in the computer there wa s a manufacturesr's warranty,they didn't want to cover it,and was wondering if that failiure of my transmission has to do something with that pipe recall.or if a car with 45180 miles should fail its trnasmission they told me is not my fault so is the manufacturer. *ak

2nd gear transmission failure on my 2003 honda accord ex v6 and honda refuses to fix problem even after a recall was issued on this year/model vehicle in 2004. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. the contact stated that he was unable to shift the gear. he took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the safety harness caused the failure and they made the repair. approximately two months later, while driving 40 mph, the vehicle jerked when the gears shifted. the dealer stated that the transmission failed. there is a recall for the automatic transmission (nhtsa campaign id #04v176000). the dealer offered to replace the transmission, but the contact would have to pay the labor costs. he felt that he should not have to pay for labor due to the recall. the failure mileage was 58,000 and current mileage was 63,000.

(events leading up to the failure on 5/15, 2007 i was driving the honda accord 2003 and approaching a traffic light, applied the brake and unexpectedly it locked. i wasn't sure where the lock came from. then i drove another few blocks towards my house but i still got some small lockup, and it was as serious as the first one.*ak i went to work the next day , it was ok for about 20 minutes before i exited the highway, at that time i expected another lockup and it was more serious than the last time. it could also be the speed is faster. when i got to the office i called my machenic, which is the honda dealership, where i have maintenance maintenance and repair work done. i just had a 60 000 service with them a week ago. when i drove to the dealership i experienced another lockup and this time it was very serious , it was on the highway and the car behind me almost hit me. *ak when i arrived the shop and the technician examinate the car and said that the transmission is no good. 2. failure and its consequences - i was told that i need a new transmission. note: my car was on the recall list for on the transmission for the exact problem.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. the contact stated that whenever the vehicle was being driven at any rate of speed, the transmission would slip when shifting gears. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the current mileage was 100,000 and the failure mileage was 90,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. the contact noticed transmission fluid leaking from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who recommended that the transmission be replaced. the manufacturer offered to replace the transmission for free, but the contact would have to pay for the labor. the current and failure mileages were 78,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle began abnormally jerking forward. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician replaced the transmission under warranty. the contact stated that three years after the transmission was replaced, he began experiencing the exact same failure. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the transmission would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 71,000.

2003 honda accord v6 with transmission problems customer states that in nov 04 they received a recall letter took it in and had the work done then april 07 the transmission locked up and wants honda to pay for the repairs**cc the consumer stated the problem he experienced, is the same as the recall, that he thought was repaired previously. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. at 35 mph, the engine increased in rpms. the transmission would not shift gears, and the interior lights started to illuminate. the dealer recommended the transmission be replaced. the dealer stated this vehicle was not included in recall # 04v176000. the contact felt that the vehicle qualified for the recall. the vehicle was currently being repaired. the current and failure mileage were 69000.*ak update 4/9 *tr

2003 honda accord transmission failure. slips out of gear, 1,2, gears. will do this on a turn, or hitting a bump in the road. *tr

My accord has 55k miles. recently, i was coming to a stop light when my car began to shudder. after this happening 3 times within 15 minutes, it stalled. now, whenever the vehicle is warm, in drive or reverse, and is idling, it will stall. i've taken it to the dealership and they tell me that there is something wrong with the transmission dealing with the torque converter. this is 2 weeks after i took it in for a recall on ...a transmission part. no one has been hurt in this stalling. honda is offering to get me a re-manufactured transmission for $600. i have owned 4 honda's before this, 3 of which had more miles, and there have been no engine/tranny related issues. 19k miles out of warranty my transmission dies... *jb

My accord has 55k miles. recently, i was coming to a stop light when my car began to shudder. after this happening 3 times within 15 minutes, it stalled. now, whenever the vehicle is warm, in drive or reverse, and is idling, it will stall. i've taken it to the dealership and they tell me that there is something wrong with the transmission dealing with the torque converter. this is 2 weeks after i took it in for a recall on ...the transmission part. no one has been hurt in this stalling. honda is offering to get me a re-manufactured transmission for $600. i have owned 4 honda's before this, 3 of which had more miles, and there have been no engine/tranny related issues. 19k miles out of warranty my transmission dies... *jb

The transmission on my 2003 honda accord failed at 66513 miles. i've replaced it and the replacement transmission in now failing at 118000 ,miles. *tr

My transmission started slipping between 2nd and 3rd gear so i looked it up on the internet and there was a recall on it. i brought it to the dealership and they said that the recall had been fixed by putting an oil cooler on the transmission in october of 2004 and that i was responsible for fixing my transmission. i told them that it doesn't mean that it was not done before and that i was not paying for it because my car is doing exactly to the word what the recall said it would do. it is getting worse and i am afraid that it might lock up on me like the recall said that it would. i think that they should be liable to fix this problem as it was not fixed right the first time. *tr

When driving the car it would rev up but not go anywhere. honda dealer said it needed a whole new transmission. *tr

I was driving 35-40 mph and suddenly my automatic transmission goes in and out of low gear slowing me down suddenly. i now have no reverse, i was afraid of transmission locking up. *nm

2003 honda accord transmission failed. consumer was informed that there was a recall on the transmission. consumer was charged 647 dollars for the labor for the repair. *kb the transmission was slipping between second and third gear. according to the honda press release the repair should have been free of charge. the rear motor mount was broken and the engine light had illuminated. *jb

The transmission on my 2003 honda accord is slipping. the car has a tendency to shift into neutral after first gear. i have to rev it several times before it will shift into second. i'm afraid that i will be left stranded or cause an accident if this problem is not fixed. i only have 85,000 miles on the car. when i took it to aamoco to have them check it out, i was told that it would cost 3,594+tax to fix. if this is a general problem with this make and model, there should be some kind of compensation made by honda. i noticed that there are many similar complaints, so it must be a default in the car and not the drivers. *tr

I took my honda accord in to get fixed. the torque converter has gone bad and was replaced with transmission. consulted with a honda dealer on this matter. they told me that it would need diagnosed at my charge and could not be seen for 3 days. they told me there isn't a recall for this vehicle and since my warranty ran out, there is nothing that i can do to fix this and it will all come out of my pocket. i could not wait to get this fixed. i then got 2nd and 3rd opinions on my vehicle. i got the third opinion while i was driving it and had no choice due to the vehicle dying while it was driven. i took it to the nearest transmission representative that i could find. i was told that it was the torque converter after a free inspection. i was advised by this place that it would not be a good idea to drive any further to avoid more damage. fixed at a total price of $2716. i am upset that a 3 year old vehicle has this problem. i did not purchase the extended warranty due to the fact that this vehicles name speaks for itself. i contacted honda corporate directly to tell them of this problem and submitted a claim for them to check into this. i consulted with another honda dealership on the other side of town to get their opinion. i told them i had this work done and it wasn't completed through honda. the service manager said he could not believe that the other dealership advised me that way on this issue. he said he that he could have contacted honda directly and something else could have been done even if the warranty expired. i was told that a new transmission would have been placed into my vehicle for approximately $500 minus labor. had i had known this, i would have taken my honda to this dealership in a heartbeat. i hope that there may be a recall on this so that other honda owners will not have to go through what i have gone through this past week. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated upon initial acceleration onto a city street, the vehicle stalled and operated at a reduced speed. after being towed to a dealer, it was determined the automatic transmission needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified.

This complaint is regarding a 2003 honda accord ex v6 coupe and its automatic transmission. after a year of owning the vehicle i was informed that there was a recall on the transmission and there could be a potential problem with the 2nd gear and that's why a recall was instated. my honda dealership changed a part in the transmission that would ensure the 2nd gear was well lubricated to prevent chipping and destruction of the 2nd gear. however, two years later, in september 2006 that is exactly what occurred. my second gear was faulty and chipped/cracked and required replacement of the transmission. the car would not shift into gear and almost caused a major accident because it occurred while i was driving on the highway. i was forced to replace the transmission and pay out of my pocket because my warranty was up. *jb

Since buying my car 2003 honda accord ex v6 coupe in 03. i had exhaust problems, radio replacement, park and brake sensor replacement, power outlet wiring problems and the windshield wipers freeze up during heavy rainstorms. this has almost caused a few accidents, but the dealership can find no problem. last thursday my car seemed to be hesitating before shifting into either 2nd or 3rd. i couldn't tell for sure. later that night, the car began to jump into & out of the low gears while starting & stopping at lights. i pulled off the road and the car would not move in reverse (only rev up). after some time, the car jumped into reverse and back into a ditch. after getting back on the road, traveling approx 60 miles per hr, i eased off the accelerator, the car powerfully downshifted to 2nd gear. had it not been for the seat belt, i believe i would have been injured. my dog was in the car with me & thrown into the dash, then the floor. the tires barked. the car then suddenly up shifted to a higher gear. i made it home that night and drove straight to the dealership the next morning. the car seemed to be doing ok. i arrived and was told to make an apt for next week. less then 10 miles away the car would no longer shift out of 3rd gear and then would not go in reverse. i drove it back to the dealer. i was told i needed to replace the transmission at my expense, and i was pretty much at fault because i had not completed all my service at honda. i explained that it was impossible for me to make it to them during their business hours. so, some of my normal oil changes were done at other lube centers. i then asked him about the transmission recall and he said that had nothing to do with my problem. after waiting more than hr while he cut up with employees, i spoke to the location manager and asked about temporary transportation until i could contact american honda, and he suggested i buy a new car. *jb

2003 accord has had a problem with the second gear of the transmission. *ts ***nar*** there was a recall for the transmission problem but the service manager told the consumer that the failure would not be covered under recall. the radio screen was blank. *nm

In the summer of 2003 i purchased a new 2003 honda accord ex. i have had this car serviced since then at the dealer and all records are complete. i purchased this car with the assumption that it was an icon of reliability. this past weekend, 7/9/06 this car could have taken my life! while on vacation in los angeles, i was driving along sunset blvd. just as i was approaching the entrance to the 405 freeway, (probably one of the busiest freeways in the world) my car did a couple of jerks as if the engine hesitated. i decided i had better get to my destination and i got on the freeway. about a mile later, while traveling approx. 65 mph in the center lane, without warning, both front wheels locked up and i skidded to a stop as cars behind me are performing evasive maneuvers to keep from rear-ending me. i could have been killed! the car restarted and jerked its way to the next exit. (there was no shoulder, only a concrete wall). when the car stopped it was completely expired. my life flashed before my eyes. i don't know how we were not involved in a major accident. the car was towed to the nearest honda dealer. after two day, they determined that it was a "total transmission failure". since i was fortunate enough to have purchased the extended warranty the repair was covered. after questioning the service rep. i discovered that i would not be getting a "new" transmission, i would be getting a "remanufactured" transmission. is this for real??? now i am getting another person's problem transmission that has been fixed? honda has to deal with this situation as it is going to kill someone if it hasn't already. *jb

While traveling on the highway at approximately 65-70 mph my 2003 honda accord ex-v-6 bucked real hard. dropping from 65-70 to about 35-40. the first time this happened i pulled the vehicle into the breakdown lane. i checked all belts and fluids and re-started the vehicle. sounded like it always does when it starts. i pulled into the right travel lane and continued for about 10 miles when the vehicle did the same thing. this time i couldn't control the steering and unfortunate for me i was bearing to the left through a turn and went off the road. luckily nobody was injured. i had the vehicle towed (130 miles) to my house, as it was a holiday weekend and had no other way home. so 600 bucks later i contacted honda the following morning. brought the car around the corner and several hours later it was determined the transmission needed to be replaced. when i asked about my warranty i was told it expired. my next question was what it would cost to install a new transmission. i was put on hold for about 7-10 minutes. the service manager came back and said honda was willing to pay for the transmission and fluids if i agreed to pay for labor. at that point i needed a the vehicle on the road so i went through with it. labor was $1000.00. i have to bring the vehicle back to honda tomorrow for an inspection of the transmission and an adjustment at no cost to me. now.......isn't it odd that in a 5-10 minute period honda was willing to pay for the transmission but not the labor. yes $1000.00 is better than 3-4,000. but why should i pay anything. i think honda should pay for the tow too. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 70mph, the vehicle unexpectedly shifted into second gear and the speed reduced to 20mph. there were no warning indicators prior to the problem. the sudden reduction in speed nearly caused a rear end collision. the vehicle was taken an independent mechanic who determined the solenoid in the transmission gear box needed to be replaced, however the vehicle has not been repaired. the dealer was alerted, but did not inspect the vehicle.

This follows a complaint number 10135954 (2nd gear problem, recall #04v176000). last year, the vehicle was not serviced under the recall because honda rep. said my vehicle's vin was not recalled. yet, i noticed there are many complaints about the transmission of honda accord and their vin numbers were similar to mine. in the spring 2006, the vehicle started to make noise when it is accelerated. it makes more noise in the afternoon than the morning. i took to a local auto shop and it was diagnosed that the noise was coming from the transmission. the technician stated some parts of the transmission must have been broken or got loose. this problem could be related to the recall # 04v1760000 of this vehicle. i am afraid if this problem will cause transmission failure and thus cause an accident. *nm

Transmission failure resulting in lockup and immediate, unexpected stop. *nm

I just bought a 2003 honda accord coupe ex about 3 weeks ago. i got a great deal on the car. it was a honda certified car which means it had been 150 point inspected before i bought it. the car has just over 60k miles. the transmission gave out this past weekend after only 3 weeks. was this problem missed in the 150 point inspection....i think so. i checked by 150 point inspection paper after the problem occurred. it seems that the transmission leak box was not ever checked. they must have left that part out. which means the honda was not certified, and which also means that it was false advertisement to the consumer that this was a honda certified car. what are my rights as an angry individual. i was basically lied to in order to get the sell. thankfully, i bought the extended warranty and the fix is in works now. after reading other people's horror stories with their transmission, i would like to file a complaint against both the dealership and honda as a company. i am very angry that after 3 weeks of having my car, it is in the shop to be fixed. i was lied to and deceived. if there is anything that i can do as an individual to prevent this to happening to someone else then i will by all means do so. thanks for your help and consideration in this matter. *jb

Car will not engage into second gear when cold, other times shifting into second is notching. honda states that car is per their specifications. *nm

Dt: the contact stated the automatic transmission slipped while driving 65-70 mph on the highway. when this occurred the transmission went into a fail safe mode, and the speed suddenly dropped down to 35 mph and second gear. he managed to drive the vehicle to an independent repair shop. the mechanic performed a diagnostic test and determined by the codes that the inner third gear clutch and hub failed. the contact was alerted that there was a honda upgrade kit available to fix this problem. the manufacturer was contacted. the automatic transmission was replaced. however, the repair was made at the contact's expense. there have been no further problems. *ak

2003 honda accord hesitated from a stop and made an unusual noise which also occurred when driving. *ts the vehicle was taken to a dealer who determined that the automatic transmission had to be replaced. since the vehicle was still under warranty to consumer only had to pay for the diagnostic test. the consumer did some research and found that there was recall on the transmission (recall number 04v176000). she never received a notice. *nm

A recall notice was received by me from honda. i took my car to honda and they said they would inspect the transmission. after inspection they said there was no damage and they said they installed a supplemental cooling jet. 9 months later i was in the middle of an intersection and the transmission failed. honda replaced the transmission with a rebuilt one but they will not cover the labor cost and they also will not verify that the rebuilt transmission is any better design than the original which failed. the recall id # is 04v176000. the honda case # is n012005-09-2200467. *nm

Thumping noise when starting to move forward in first gear. first dealer to look at the problem said it was an apple under the drivers seat. the second dealer found the problem. a defective clutch master cylinder. part was back ordered, took two weeks to find service bulletin 02-002, january 11, 2005. to diagnosis the problem: have an assistant press the clutch pedal while you grasp the clutch line at the clutch master cylinder, and then at the slave cylinder. if you feel a vibration through the clutch line when you hear the noise or the noise stops, go to repair procedure. see like case number 10091042. *jb

Dt: the contact was complaining about a second gear problem with automatic transmission on 2003 honda accord. he said it matched the description in recall 04v176000. second gear did not work properly. he noticed this on 9-6-05. he called a honda 800 number, and they told him this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak