Faults:
Transmission is making loud noises whenever I shift it from Park to Reverse, or Reverse to Drive.
Wraps rotors easily, you should get a good pair of pads of rotors (first line - Honda Genuine) and they will last you a lot longer.
CD player sometimes spits back CDs if they are bootleg (burnt).
Clock back-light keeps going bad, replaced it myself twice but it keeps dying.
The blower motor resistor failed a little while back. So the heater/cooler fan does not work on level 1 and 2. No biggy as long as it works and cleans the ice and snow off my windows, I have no complaints.
Over long period of driving the drivers seat feels uncomfortable.
Behaves weird when she's cold; but you can't blame her. Here in Canada it gets really cold and the poor thing sits outside all night at -15 degrees. Best advice is to give her 5-10 minutes to warm up.
Traction can be an issue during winter if the tires are old or worn. Since she is a bigger car I recommend that you buy a set of solid winter tires and all season to ensure your safety.
General Comments:
Besides all the minor problems the car has had, my Honda Accord has served its purpose. The vehicle is shared among me and my brother, and we have been driving it for 5 years. Over the five years we have driven her (Honda Accord) 155,000 KM and the only work that had to be done on the car is front lower ball joints, rear stab links, timing belt, water pump, new battery, two sets of tires and obviously fluid changes (tranny, coolant, oil etc).
Aside from that, my Honda Accord needs a little work (due to the Canadian Harsh Winter) such as body work (bumper, fenders) and maybe some transmission work (hopefully something minor). The car runs great she purrs like a kitten in the highway.
I was never a fan of Accords before we bought her, it was my brothers idea to buy one. At first my dad wanted a Chevorlet Malibu, my brother made sure that did not happen. Since the time we got her I fell in love with our Accord, and now I will buy another one. As far as getting a Malibu, God knows what problems we would be in if we had one.
She has taken us to many places and we were very fortunate to have something as reliable as her (Honda Accord) with us during snow/ice storms, heavy thunderstorms and any other crazy weather we get here in Southern Ontario (Toronto specifically).
When we first got our Honda Accord at 55,000KM, she was a beauty. She use to run so smooth and soft, and she could handle like a small car (Civic, Corolla). Not to say that she does not drive well still, however she is showing signs of age. Remembering the days when she was young almost reminds me of how older men reminisce about young 19 year old women.
Since she hit 200,000KM and the weather has been getting a lot colder the transmission has not been doing so well. She shifts fine from gear to gear and behaves fine on road and highway, however she makes a funny clunk sound when shifting from reverse to park and vice versa. This happens once in a while, and it does it mostly when shes either cold or in idling in park for a while. If my tranny dies, then I guess I'll buy a new one, I found rebuilt ones with a one year warranty for $700 (CAD), which is not bad. Too bad the transmissions could not keep up with the engines.
I recommend this car for anyone who is looking for a well rounded car. The car is safe and reliable, and in most cases it will give you peace in mind to know that she will always turn on during those cold, cold nights.
My goal is to keep driving her till she dies, she is still doing well and I am sure I can drive her to 300,000KM without any overhauling. Sure she needs some work, but which car would not after driving it up to 200,000KM in Southern Ontario where it's winter 7 months of the year.
In conclusion the Honda Accord is well rounded car, that meets a driver's needs, whether it be for a young single person or for a mother or father driving the kids around.
20th Feb 2010, 22:24
Hmm... Oil is a pretty crucial fluid for an engine, so I would say that if the oil light comes on, it's a given that you should pull over. It's not like a "CHECK ENGINE" light that suggests you should have your car looked at, it's a light that tells you your engine oil is at such a low level, you risk serious engine damage. Thinking that you'll be okay till the next gas station is just wrong.