2003 Honda Accord: headlights failing or too dim

Filed Apr 7, 2015 · Lights, Transmission · MA

I have piece of crap people calls honda I call today 04/07/2015 visibility problem windshield wiper and headlamps low I can't see night time during drive and transmission is skip but piece of crap(honda) customer said you no have recall or warranty that's really mess I got mistake to buy piece of crap(honda) please please please I suggest don't buy that like piece of crap( honda) thanks

Filed Oct 7, 2012 · Lights · 80,000 miles · NJ

The low beam lamps of the headlights have failed 3 times - twice in the driver side, once on the passenger side. This appears to be a major problem for honda as other honda models have been recalled for the same type of failure. Additionally, due to the design of the car, it is extremely complicated to replace the bulb. As noted in the car instruction manual, the lining from the front wheel well must be removed to access the head lamp bulb! This makes it is very difficult for anyone other than a honda dealer to replace the bulb. As a consequence, repairs to the head lamp cannot be easily and quickly made by an average owner, further adding to the safety hazard caused by the lamp failure. Honda should be required to recall this model, repair the head lamps, and replace with a new design to enable rapid, simple bulb replacement by the average owner. Replacing a major safety item on an auto should not be so difficult. How many injuries have been caused due to this problem?

Filed Dec 2, 2011 · Lights · 50,000 miles · OH

Headlight lenses fogging up and diminished lighting due to poor quality material of lens chosen by manufacturer and approvedby whomever. There are many brand autos effected by this condition and now there are kits and shops to polish out the lenses at owner expense. This is not a normal maintenance type item and should be benefited a recall . Auto manufacturers should also be advised that their choice of a cheaper material has placed numerous autos on the road with a litetime safety hazard to driver visual impairment.

Filed Jul 14, 2011 · Airbags, Body · CA

Since the purchase I've experienced continual transmission problems. Upon speaking with the dealership I was assured all was fine. You can imagine my surprise when I received notice of the transmission recall (the federal safety agency 04v176000). Upon repair, in september 2004, I did not notice repair improvement, and continued to detect the rough grind of transmission shift and a whining sound. In 2009 I experienced a catastrophic transmission failure to which I had sought repair. In december 2010 I experienced another transmission failure. I have just now experienced my 3rd transmission failure, july 2011. My power steering pump had always had a faint whine, but honda services never identified it as concerning. The problem progressively became worse until honda finally suggested a repair, but informed me that the component was then out of warranty and would be a costly repair. I decided to delay repair until june 2011. Ac problems manifested in september 2005 and required replacement in april 2008. My center council clock and temperature display has been flickering, dimmed, and absent since 2009. The interlock stuck issue first materialized in 2008 and serviced in july 2010. My airbag warning light has been active since 2008 with an occasional but repetitive tcs alert; and my headlamp glass has been hazed since 2005. The paint deterioration is ridiculously embarrassing, the leather seating began showing wear 2 years in, my seatbelt doesn't return to the original released position, head liner has water leak stains, cd player stopped working, exposed wiring is visible at the driver door hinge, I've gone through 3 batteries, countless tires, one cracked windshield, and I have always suffer from poor radio reception and occasional navigational signal roaming issues. In these times of thrift conscious fuel consumption, I utilize my nav tools to monitor my driving activity. I'm stunned to report I get a fuel economy of 24 mpg highway, not the 31 mpg as sticker reports.

Filed Mar 27, 2011 · Lights · 40,000 miles · NC

This complaint applies to almost all currently sold vehicles from all manufacturers. The polycarbonite lenses on vehicle headlights deteriorate quickly and greatly reduce the effectiveness of the headlights. This cost of replacing these defective lenses is prohibitive for most owners and they simply drive with the defective and unsafe headlights. Manufacturers should be required to replace these degraded and unsafe lenses with glass or other non-hazing material at no charge. Polishing schemes rarely are effective and do not last long anyway. Ultraviolet radiation along with normal weathering is the suspected cause of this deterioration of the poorly designed and manufactured lenses.

Filed May 3, 2010 · Electrical, Transmission · 50,000 miles · OR

I first noticed issues with my auto tranny in my accord ex v6 at around 50k miles. They had just installed some jet for the recall for hard shifting for this car. At about 80k I noticed it getting worse, so I told my mechanic and he changed the tranny oil for me. It seemed to shift a little better and this was only from 2-3 gear that it would rev up to about 5k and then jerk the car to get into 3rd. It's very embarrassing and I'm afraid it's going to lock up on me on the freeway. I saw that california filed a suit against honda and honda settled. Every state should be filing a suit - I'd be first in line! I too talked to honda and the hq for honda, but since mine has so many miles on it (all freeway), they are blaming that, even tho I have maintenance records showing it's been a problem. They don't want to step up to the plate. I hope some lawyer gets a hold of these complaints and sues them like california did. This is my 2nd honda and I swore by it, but I'll never buy another honda after this. Even from day one I've asked honda about the dimming of the headlights when the car shifts and they said it was normal cuz they car needed all the power to do the shifting, so they wouldn't do anything about it. I've owned several other cars and this was never an issue. I don't know if it's the year of this accord or that it's a v6, but it's very frustrating and honda should be ashamed! If complaints keep happening, you'd think they would fix the issues or investigate it a little harder since they already did one recall on them. I have told all my friends not to buy honda and told them why. Let's spread the word and maybe when their sales go down, they might wonder why and do something about it. I'm now faced with a $4k to rebuild my tranny. Sickens me, especially when the car is only worth $7k cuz I have 140k miles on it now. Email me if you can help sue them...[xxx] . Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Jan 18, 2010 · Electrical, Lights · OH

Bought this car used (with over 140,000 miles) for my teenage son. When he turned the headlights on - all the interior display lights for radio, heating and air conditioning and defrosters went dark. We called honda of america and they denied any knowledge of history of this recurring problem. They even went so far to say that because the honda was manufactured in mexico that no warranties applied. The car had a 6 cd player when we bought it honda said the entire radio system could only be replaced by a single disc player. It cost $1000 to have the problem fixed. I own 3 hondas, have owned hondas for decades and will look to american made cars for all my future purchases.

Filed Dec 16, 2008 · Lights, Transmission · 106,000 miles · MA

In september, my '03 honda accord lx v6 started shifting hard from 2nd gear in morning traffic. After a few miles, the car would not shift out of 2nd gear. 1st mechanic couldn't replicate the issue. On the way home, dashboard lit up like a christmas tree; check engine light, tcs light, oil light. Had car towed to dealer; total transmission failure. In addition to the transmission dying, 6 months ago the dashboard/radio/temperature panel lights failed, the dome light doesn't work, the right headlight has needed to be replaced 3 times, the driver's side seat has always been loose. I am the original and only owner of this car and have had it repaired/maintained at honda dealers since purchase. To have all these issues, plus have the transmission fail at 106,000 miles is unacceptable. Then to have to pay $2200 to have a used, remanufactured transmission installed is unacceptable. This is chronic problem for the '03 accord. A recall should be issued, people should be refunded their money already paid and offered a significant discount to be placed into a safe new car. It is only a matter of time before someone is really hurt...or has it happened already.

Filed Aug 12, 2008 · Driver assistance, Lights · GA

First, my cd player stops working out of nowhere, which I later come to find out that they had installed an internal defective cd player. A couple of weeks after the cd player broke, my drive side door would not lock with the keyless entry or power locks. Then, a couple of weeks ago my driver side headlight went out. I got someone to change both so that one wouldn't be bright than the other, but after they were both I changed, the drive side headlight still refused to work.

Filed May 14, 2007 · Lights · 29,500 miles · NY

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 honda accord. The contact stated that the driver side headlight has been replaced twice by the manufacturer due to a low beam. The headlight continues to have a low beam and does not match the passenger side headlight. The passenger side headlight has water inside the cover. The engine size and purchase date were unknown. The current mileage is 50,000 and failure mileage was 29,500.

Filed Apr 10, 2007 · Electrical, Lights · 83,000 miles · WV

Tl*- the contact owns a 2003 honda accord with a failure mileage of 83,000. The contact stated that when she turned on the headlights the instrument panel became too dim to read. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, and was told that the audio unit had to be replaced. The dealer replaced the unit free of charge, but the failure recurred. The current mileage was 85,975.

Filed Jan 30, 2007 · Lights · MD

Tl*- the contact stated that headlights failed while driving at night. The contact stated that the headlights flickered on and off. This happened all the time, the headlights would be functioning, and then the light flickered on and off automatically. The contact stated that the interior dome light flickered on and off as well. Honda had a recall for the same problem for 2003 accords with campaign # 06e02300, for exterior lighting, headlights. The contact took the vehicle to the dealership, and was told that the electronic load detector needed to be replaced, which would cost $676.38. The contact felt this vehicle should be part of the recall. *ak updated 02/27/07.