2003 Honda Accord Brakes Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS AGO. SINCE I BOUGHT IT, THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN "SOFT." IN ORDER TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP I HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. IT FEELS SQUISHY. WHILE I AM STOPPED, THE CAR WANTS TO CREEP FORWARD IF I RELEASE THE PEDAL EVEN THE SMALLEST AMOUNT FROM THE FLOOR. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES BLED ONCE WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE FRONT WHEEL BRAKE PADS FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE DRUM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,021. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

SINCE JULY 2011 , MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD LX V6 EXPERIENCED SLUGGISH IN THE TRANSMISSION. SOMETIME, SUDDENLY, MY CAR FELT LIKE SOMEONE SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES CAUSING ME TO JERKING FORWARD. IT HAPPENED A FEW MORE TIMES, THEN IN SEPTEMBER 2011, I BROUGHT THE CAR IN THE DEALER FOR THE TRANSMISSION SERVICE. I TOLD THE DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR ABOUT THE SYMPTOM, AFTER THE DEALER FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, THEN TOLD ME THAT THE CAR SOMETIME SLUGGISH, REPLACED THE FLUID WILL FIXED THIS.THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE, MORE NOISE, JERKING WHEN THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTING, IN NOVEMBER , THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGED, AND THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED.THE CAR WAS SLOW TO MOVE. BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER AGAIN ON 11/14/2011, THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE CAR "NEEDS LINEAR SHIFT SOLENOID AND BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED, AND THE CAR CAN BE DRIVE !!! I DROVE THE CAR HOME, IT WAS SO BAD THAT I HAD TO LET THE CAR SIT WAITING FOR PARTS. ON 11/29/2011, THE DEALER REPLACED THE LINEAR SHIFT SOLENOID AND THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, THEN TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. GOT THE CAR HOME, THE NEXT DAY , I ONLY DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES, THE NOISE AND ALL THE SYMPTOMS CAME BACK. I HAD TO BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN. THIS TIME, THEY CONSULTED WITH THE HONDA COMPANY TECHNICAL SERVICE. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS, THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT HONDA TECHNICAL SERVICE DETERMINE THAT THE POWER TRAIN (TRANSMISSION) IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM; I NEED A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, AND IT COST $3900.00. CALLED HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE TO REGISTER A COMPLAIN ABOUT HONDA SERVICE. THIS DEFINITELY NEED A RECALL. *TR

ACCORDING TO NEW YORK TIMES RECENT REPORT, THE NEWER HONDA ACCORD OR ACURA TL HAS THE PROBLEM WITH EBD (ELECTRONIC BRAKE DISTRIBUTION) WHEN WORKING WITH ITS ABS, THE PROBLEM IS EXCESSIVE BRAKE PAD WEAR. THEY WERE RECALLED. BUT I BELIEVE THE OLDER HONDA ACCORD LIKE MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD LX V6 ALSO SUFFERED FROM THE SIMILAR PROBLEM, MY MODEL ACCORD HAS THE EBD AND ABS, IT FIRST WAS FOUND THE REAR BRAKE PAD COMPLETELY GONE AT 52K MILES ON JUNE OF 2008 WHILE THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE STILL IN THE GOOD CONDITION. IT FURTHER SUFFERED FROM THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER (DRIVER-SIDE) FAILURE AT AROUND 80K MILES. SO MY VINTAGE OF HONDA ACCORD SHOULD BE SUBJECTED TO INVESTIGATE AND POSSIBLE RECALL AS WELL. *TR

2003 HONDA ACCORD. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ABS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABS MALFUNCTION HAPPENED TWICE. *JB

MY BRAKE LIGHTS CEASED TO OPERATE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC NEARLY CAUSING REAR END COLLISION. *TR

2003 HONDA ACCORD EX 4 DOOR SEDAN . I HAVE HAD A SOFT,TOUCHY BRAKE PEDAL SINCE THE CAR REACHED 55,000 MILES. BEFORE THAT IT WAS PERFECT,ROCK SOLID. I TOOK IT TO THE HONDA DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG BUT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE ABS ELECTRONIC MODULATOR UNDER MY WARRANTY. AFTER FEW DAYS THE PROBLEM DID NOT IMPROVE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT 1/2 WAY DOWN EASILY AND THEN THE DISC BRAKES JUST LOCKED UP ALL OF A SUDDEN. THE DRIVER HAD NO REAL CONTROL OVER THE BRAKING ACTIION. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THEY CALLED HONDA REPAIR AND TALKED TO A TECH. HE SAID THAT A SOFT,TOUCHY PEDAL WAS NORMAL ON THESE CARS. I TOLD THEM THAT UP TO 55,000 MILES THE BRAKES WERE PERFECT. WHAT HAD HAPPENED? THEY DID NOT KNOW. SO I HAD THEM REPLACE ALL MY PADS AND TURNED ALL ROTORS.I THEN HAD THEM BLEED THE BRAKES. THE STOPPING POWER DID INCREASE BUT THE SOFT,TOUCHY BRAKE PEDAL REMAINED. AFTER GOING BACK TO THE DEALER THE 3RD TIME TO COMPLAIN,THEY FINALLY JUST TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY BRAKES AND THEREFORE COULD NOT HELP ME. SO I WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER AND HAD THEM REBLEED MY BRAKES JUST TO BE SURE THAT THERE WAS NO AIR IN THE SYSTEM. AFTER THEY DID THAT MY BRAKE PEDAL FIRMED UP A LITTLE BIT. BUT AFTER 2-3 DAYS THE SOFT,TOUCHY PEDAL RETURNED. NO ONE AT HONDA COULD GIVE ME ANY EXPLANATION. NOW I AM READING ABOUT DEFECTS ALLOWING AIR INTO THE BRAKING SYSTEM FROM THE ABS MODULATOR AND I AM THINKING NOW THAT IT IS THE PROBLEM. IT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY MY BRAKE PEDAL WAS FINE FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKE PEDAL PROBLEM APPEARED. I ALSO DROVE A NEW 2010 ACCORD EX 4 DOOR TO COMPARE THE BRAKES. THE NEW HONDA HAD A VERY FIRM,SOLID BRAKE PEDAL. SO I WENT BACK TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TOLD THEM THAT I WANTED THEM TO FIX MY BRAKES SO THAT THEY FELT LIKE THE 2010 ACCORD'S BRAKES. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND THAT IT WAS MY IMAGINATION. *TR

THIS ISSUE IS RELATED TO BRAKING PERFORMANCE UNDER RAINING CONDITION. WHEN DRIVING UNDER THE RAIN, THE BRAKE PERFORMANCE IS DRAMATICALLY REDUCED. THE CAR SIMPLY SLIP AND HARDLY STOP WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED. THE CONTACT WAITED A FEW SECONDS AND RESTARTED; THE VEHICLE PERFORMED NORMALLY AFTER THE RESTART. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE TIMING CHAIN AND VALVE COVER WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER THE ABS LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT OF A DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE SHOT BACKWARDS INTO THE STREET AT 45 MPH. SHE THEN ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE ONCE AGAIN, BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE SPED FORWARD. SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE, BUT DID NOT KNOW THE ORIGIN. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE HOME, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED AGAIN ON A MAIN ROAD WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. SHE AIMED THE VEHICLE TOWARD THE NEAREST CURB AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. POINTED IN THE DIRECTION OF A CURB, SHE WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE TOWARDS THE CURB WITH ONE JERK. THE PREVIOUS WEEK, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION BANGING INTO GEAR WHEN SHIFTING. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE SIMILAR. OTHER FAILURES INCLUDE THE ABS SENSOR LIGHT, CD PLAYER, AIR COMPRESSOR LEAKAGE, TRUNK RELEASE NOT FUNCTIONING, AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AS INSTRUCTED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND A LOCAL MECHANIC ALSO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,446. UPDATED 07/29/08. *LJ UPDATED 08/05/08. *JB

BRAKES FAIL IN REVERSE ABOVE 6000 FT WHEN CAR IS COLD. DEALER SAID THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY HONDA AND SAY IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED WITHOUT UPDATING CAR'S SOFTWARE WHICH HONDA REFUSES TO DO. DEALER HAS HAD MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT BRAKE FAILURE AT ALTITUDE WHEN COLD. HONDA STATES THAT THE CAR IS WORKING AS DESIGNED REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAIL. FAILS EVERY DAY SINCE WE HAVE MOVED. CAR NARROWLY MISSED PEDESTRIAN DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. *JB

WHEN ANTI-LOCK BRAKE IS ACTIVATED, THE BRAKE IS SO WEAK AS NONE!!! VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU NEED BRAKE MOST AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE HAS NO STOPPING POWER! IT ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN THE ROAD IS SLIPPERY. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. ON MARCH 3, 2007 THE BRAKE SMALFUNCTIONED. A MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS THE REAR BRAKE DRUMS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND GRIND ONLY WHEN TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE ORIGINALLY BEGAN IN JANUARY 2007. ON MARCH 22, 2007 THE THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER DUE TO LOUD NOISES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FRONT ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39541.*AK

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER 2003 HONDA ACCORD UNDER SUNNY SKIES AND GOOD ROAD CONDITIONS. AS SHE SLOWED AND MADE A SLIGHT RIGHT HAND TURN TO ENTER AN EXIT RAMP OFF OF I-26 OUTSIDE OF CHARLESTON SC, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP PULLING HER TOWARDS THE CONCRETE BARRIER ON HER RIGHT HAND SIDE. SHE INSTICTIVELY PULLED THE CAR BACK TO THE LEFT. AT THIS TIME THE BRAKES RELEASED AND SHE WENT INTO THE LEFT CONCRETE BARRIER. BOTH HER AND A FRIEND WHO WAS RIDING WITH HER WERE NOT SERIOUSLY HURT. THE CAR SUSTAINED APPROXIMATELY $4,900 IN DAMAGES. SHE ESTIMATED THAT SHE WAS GOING 40 MPH AT THE TIME WHEN THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. THE BRAKES HAVE NOT BEEN LOOKED AT IN DETAIL YET. AFTER REPAIRS WE WILL HAVE THEM INSPECTED. LOOKING INTO THE HISTORY OF THE 2003 ACCORD SHOWED ME THAT THIS MODEL HAS A LONG HISTORY OF BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINING. WHEN I DISCUSSED THIS WITH MY LOCAL DEALER, HENDRICK HONDA, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY THOUGHT THERE WAS NOT A HISTORY OF BAD BRAKES ON THIS CAR. I FEEL OTHERWISE. BECAUSE THE CAR WAS IN THE WAY OF TRAFFIC AND COULD STILL BE DRIVEN, MY DAUGHTERS FRIEND DROVE IT OUT OF THE WAY AND NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. ONE LAST THING. THESE BRAKES HAVE LOCKED UP ON ME A IDLE SPEEDS AND HAD BEEN CHECKED PREVIOUSLY BY HENDRICK HONDA. WHEN CHECKED, THEY SAID THEY WERE SERVICEABLE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE AT ALL SPEEDS THE BRAKES GRAB AND JERK AS IF THEY WERE BEING APPLIED TO HARD CAUSING THE OCCUPANTS TO GO FORWARD. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ALMOST TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE PLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL NORMAL.

CONSUMER 2003 ACCORD BRAKES PULSATE AND GRIND WITH NO WARNING LIGHT OF BRAKE PROBLEMS. *TS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE ROTORS. THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS THE THIRD SET OF ROTORS REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED. SIX MONTHS AFTER THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED THE CONSUMER HEARD GRINDING NOISES AND FELT THE BRAKES PULSATING WHEN PRESSED. *NM

LEASED NEW 2003 HONDA ACCORD WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN JULY, 2003. HAVE HAD MINOR, BUT IRRITATING PROBLEMS, WITH THE CAR SINCE IT'S LEASE. POWER WINDOWS ACTIVATE INTERMITTENTLY, BATTERY DIED AFTER 15,000 MILES, AND BRAKE LIGHT WENT OUT. DEALER TOOK CARE OF ALL ISSUES EXCEPT WINDOWS. THEY STILL OPERATE ON THEIR OPTION, NOT MINE. AT 29,000 MILES, HEARD GRINDING NOISE IN REAR BRAKES. TOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIMED THAT IT WAS OUR FAULT FOR NOT "HAVING THE RUST REMOVED" AT 15,000 MILE CHECK-UP. NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS. WHEELS WERE NEVER REMOVED BY DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIR AND FOUND THAT REAR BRAKES PADS HAD WORN DOWN UNEVENLY. PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON REAR BRAKES. FRONT BRAKES ARE FINE. FROM MY READING OF THIS WEB SITE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH THIS BRAKE SYSTEM, I AM FILING A COMPLAINT AND HOPE THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL SOON BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THIS IS OUR THIRD HONDA AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEMS AT SUCH EARLY MILEAGE. *NM

I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, AND I STEPPED ON MY BRAKES GENTLY TO SLOW DOWN HILL. THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER'S ATTENTION DURING MY SERVICE, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MY ROTORS WARPED AND BRAKE PADS RUBBING ON EACH OTHER. I RESEARCH THIS ONLINE THROUGH WWW.MYCARSTATS.COM, WWW.EDMUNDS.COM, WWW.HONDAACCORDFORUM.COM, AND THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT EVERYTIME I CHANGED MY BRAKES EVERY 20K MILES, I WOULD NEED THE ROTORS RESURFACED. THIS IS A COST OF $200 AT THE DEALERSHIP. IT IS EXPENSIVE AND UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT ALL ACCORD OWNERS TO DO THIS. I CALLED ANOTHER HONDA DEALERSHIP SERVICE IN THE AREA, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY SEE THIS COME IN EVERY 3 DAYS. *NM