2003 Honda Accord: shudder or vibration when accelerating

Filed May 19, 2023 · Airbags · 118,000 miles · NY · crash · 1 injury

The contact owned a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that her vehicle had previously been repaired under unknown recalls for her driver's and passenger's airbags. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and violently pulled to the right, causing her to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a wall. The driver's side air bag did not deploy; however, the passenger air bag did deploy. The contact sustained injuries to her face and back. The contact received medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The insurance company deemed the vehicle totaled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

Filed Jun 25, 2015 · 131,000 miles · WA

I have owned four hondas and have never encountered or heard of issues like this before I bought my 2003 honda accord. I take very good care of my cars and do not drive them hard either. I bought my 03 accord in 2010 and had no idea that I was driving what is tantamount to a ticking time bomb. Roughly a month ago, my tach started slipping and the car started jerking and clunking while I was driving it. The problems do not begin at a set amount of time behind the wheel. It starts I the lower gears and I can tell it is starting when I decrease my speed to a stop, at 10 miles per hour the car ?shudders? And ?clunks?. It progressively gets worse and the higher gears become affected. I was on the freeway, on my way home from an appointment in the middle lane. I was traveling at roughly 55 ? 60 miles per hour when the entire car violently jerked. It was enough to throw my head into the steering wheel. I immediately went to exit the highway when I noticed that my car was now in neutral. I babied the car home and checked the fluid. It was fine. The problem has gotten worse and I can no longer drive my car without being willing to be injured or worse. The cost of replacing or repairing the transmission is not a possibility. I now have a car that I cannot fix and cannot drive. It is unconscionable that a car company that is built on its reliability would not acknowledge and fix this problem. Does someone need to die first? I guess that I am unwilling to risk getting behind the wheel of a honda again. The scariest part of this whole situation was that I was going to put my 16 year old daughter in this car. Something needs to be done?now.

Filed Mar 15, 2011 · Brakes · 2,500 miles · MN

My 2003 honda accord has had a shudder when braking practically since I've owned the car-bought new in feb. 2002.. My mechanic told me the brakes would still work and I could drive the car as long as I was aware of the problem. I thought the honda dealership in omaha had damaged the brakes while fixing the ABS system due to a recall. I now see it was probably a design flaw--since so many other owners of this model have experienced the same thing. Now the brakes need replacement, and I will ask for non-honda parts. I previously owned a 1999 honda accord, and it was wonderful. This 2003 is not--in addition to the brake problem, the paint scratches easily and the interior is of very cheap materials, the AC smells bad when turned on, and the car has had electrical problems--many occurring after it was no longer under warranty. I will not buy another honda vehicle.

Filed May 22, 2009 · Transmission · 92,000 miles · TX

I was aware that 03 honda accords have had transmission problems, so when my check engine light came on I immediately went to the dealer and asked them to look at it. They told me it was fine, my gas cap wasn't screwed on tight, but did a full check and sold me some battery stuff. Now, just a month later, the transmission failed at about 50 MPH and nearly jerked me into another car. I was on the way to pick up my kids from school! I shudder to think what could have happened. I limped into the dealer with the dashboard lit up, drive indicator light blinking, and the gears slipping & downshifting hard. This time, they say the transmission fluid "smells bad" and I need it replaced. Why couldn't honda, who knows all about this famously bad model year's transmission, make sure the problem was fixed when I, a very conscientious owner, brought it in last month? Before a catastrophic failure that could have killed people? Sorry about the caps, I'm just very, very frustrated at this irresponsibility. It is a clear safety issue.

Filed Mar 8, 2007 · Transmission · 55,000 miles · GA

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...

Filed Mar 8, 2007 · Transmission · 55,000 miles · GA

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...

Filed Nov 13, 2006 · Brakes · 6,000 miles · NY

I've had a major problem with the brakes on my 2003 honda accord lx, starting at about 6,000 miles. The problem is front calipers, rotors, and pads with a complaint of "brake judder". The car does not and never has with the exception of the first few thousand miles brake normally. This noise and irregular breaking happens in normal driving and there is an unstable feel to the brakes when braking firmly in an emergency. I brought it back to the huntington honda dealer 3x with that specific problem and was told they saw nothing wrong and on only one occasion made an adjustment and at the same time telling me they saw nothing wrong. Now I see now that a tsb has been issued for these brake problems. Consequently, now that my car is off of the warranty and I'm reading about thousands of other accord '03 owners with this same exact problem. There should definitely be a recall on this problem. This is a potential safety risk to the owners of these honda accords and other drivers on the road if an accident occurred because of these faulty brakes. Now that my car is off warranty I feel as if I have little recourse even though I brought this problem to their attention three times when the car was covered. Something more should be done about this issue with the honda company before injuries or death result because of these faulty brakes. I also want to add that I am very disappointed in honda. Previous to this accord I owned a civic and I never had a problem like this. I owned the car for 10 years and put 175, 000 miles on it. I most likely will never buy a honda again and never recommend one to anyone else. Thank you.

Filed Oct 18, 2004 · Brakes · NC

2003 honda accord exhibited grinding brake noise when brand new (9-03). Has been in for brake service 6 times. Was told by service manager at cary auto park honda that honda was aware of the defective warped rotors and planned to recall them in the fall of 2003. My rotors were replaced with more defective rotors while waiting for the recall that still has yet to happen. On 10-16-04, I had the rotors inspected by an independent mechanic who said that they were most definitely defective. I am experiencing an ever increasing amount of grinding and shuddering when applying the brakes. I want my "lemon" repaired correctly. I purchased a new car with the understanding that it was free of defects and any defects found would be corrected under warranty.

Filed Oct 14, 2004 · Brakes, Tires · 12,636 miles · NY · crash

2003 honda accord recall on tranmission. *bf consumer learned of recall on the internet. Recall automatic transmission second gear inspection was performed. Alarm key remote no range, must be right up on car to work. Front brake noise and/or judder. Front brake discs were refinished and new front brake pads. Tires were rotated and and rear brake service was performed.

Filed Jul 6, 2004 · Brakes · 18,000 miles · CA

Recurring brake rotor warped problem on 2003 honda accord ex sedan.. Problem first noted around 18k miles.. Dealer resurfaced brakes at 30k miles, after complaint was issued.. About 1500 miles later problem recurred.. Symptom appears to come from front brakes, at the end of braking a metallic shudder occurs for the last 2 seconds.. Intermittently upon freeway exiting the problem seems to last much longer, shudder causes the driver to question if the brakes will work or not.. This is the 6th honda I have owned in the past 14 years, and the first one to exhibit such behavior.. I have read other complaints, posts on the internet whereas many drivers are having the same complaint on this newly redesigned model accord. Some posts have made the suggestion that the caliper is the actual defective part of the braking system, all I know, is the warping rotor is causing a very serious and dangerous driving situation.

Filed Dec 11, 2003 · Brakes · 12,000 miles · FL

2003 honda accord, been into dealer twice for brake shudder and grinding noise. Rotor was resurfaced, dealer says brake problems are the result of hard braking. Still have problems, not resolved.

Filed Oct 12, 2003 · Brakes · 21,900 miles · VA

At 8000 miles, had the front rotors turned down. Judder returned about 3000 miles later, but not repaired (explained as road conditions). Now at 22000 miles, need new rotors and pads for front left brake. Brakes went from acceptable to unusable within a 500 mile trip.