2002 Honda Accord Problems

Above Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2002 Honda Accord. Part of Generation 6 — 1998–2002.

20012003
Complaints
1,267
Crashes
165
Fires
15
Injuries
142
Fatalities
7
Recalls
3

Worst 2002 Honda Accord Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1336 complaints

Automatic Transmission

Avg mileage:93,011 mi
Crash-related:3
Fires:1
#2204 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:126,278 mi
Crash-related:61
Fires:1
#3131 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:97,537 mi
Crash-related:3
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2002 Honda Accord.

Automatic Transmission
336
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Avg Miles
93,011
Airbags
204
complaints
Crashes
61
Fires
1
Avg Miles
126,278
Transmission / Drivetrain
131
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Avg Miles
97,537
Body Structure
49
complaints
Crashes
7
Fires
1
Avg Miles
130,117
Electrical Faults
48
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
2
Avg Miles
106,150
Unintended Acceleration
33
complaints
Crashes
12
Fires
1
Avg Miles
79,501
Seat Belt Issues
30
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
Avg Miles
94,137
Suspension Failures
27
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
149,976
Air Bags:Frontal
25
complaints
Crashes
18
Fires
Avg Miles
90,721
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module
23
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
54,212
Steering Defects
22
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
129,989
Engine Problems
19
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
162,438
Seat-Related Issues
15
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
1
Avg Miles
74,446
Engine & Cooling
14
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
67,607
Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
11
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
102,500
Air Bags:Side/Window
11
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
72,948
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
81,345
Tire Defects
11
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
43,365
Electrical System:Ignition
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
90,429
Headlight/Taillight Failures
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
97,778
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
10
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
48,538
Structure:Frame And Members:Underbody Shields
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
143,678
Brakes
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
124,882
Structural Problems
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
90,000
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
7
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
23,050
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
6
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
83,550
Fuel System
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
153,603
Hydraulic Brakes
6
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
29,764
Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control
6
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
58,800

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2002 Honda Accord. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2002 Honda Accord

3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~7,386,524 vehicles.

19V499000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~3,947 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V182000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~1,101,534 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

15V320000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~6,281,043 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Other Honda Accord Years

2002 Honda Accord — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2002 Honda Accord reliable?
Verdict: Above Average Complaints. The 2002 Honda Accord has 1,267 NHTSA complaints, 165 crash-related, and 3 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Automatic Transmission with 336 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2002 Honda Accord?
Top reported problems: Automatic Transmission (336 complaints, avg 93,011 mi); Airbags (204 complaints, avg 126,278 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (131 complaints, avg 97,537 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2002 Honda Accord?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 102,241 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2002 Honda Accord?
NHTSA complaints for the 2002 Honda Accord include 165 crash-related reports, 15 fire reports, 142 injuries, and 7 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2002 Honda Accord have any recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 7,386,524 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2002 Honda Accord?
Slightly worse than average. Most owners are fine; problem clusters are concentrated around specific components. Check the issues table below and match against the specific car's mileage.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Honda Accord reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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