2003 Honda Accord Problems

Severe Issues

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Honda Accord. Part of Generation 7 — 2003–2007.

20022004
Complaints
2,382
Crashes
188
Fires
23
Injuries
185
Fatalities
2
Recalls
11

Worst 2003 Honda Accord Problems

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

#1576 complaints

Automatic Transmission

Avg mileage:91,259 mi
Crash-related:15
Fires:2
#2339 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:117,932 mi
Crash-related:5
Fires:1
#3251 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:109,255 mi
Crash-related:61
Fires:2
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Honda Accord.

Automatic Transmission
576
complaints
Crashes
15
Fires
2
Avg Miles
91,259
Transmission / Drivetrain
339
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
1
Avg Miles
117,932
Airbags
251
complaints
Crashes
61
Fires
2
Avg Miles
109,255
Electrical Faults
82
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
4
Avg Miles
96,472
Steering Defects
80
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
4
Avg Miles
108,218
Unintended Acceleration
67
complaints
Crashes
16
Fires
Avg Miles
87,951
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
63
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
14,087
Engine Problems
51
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
127,050
Engine & Cooling
41
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
92,110
Hydraulic Brakes
38
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
23,129
Air Bags:Frontal
34
complaints
Crashes
21
Fires
Avg Miles
63,179
Body Structure
31
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
126,899
Interior Lighting
27
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,536
Air Bags:Side/Window
25
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
38,702
Electrical System:Ignition
23
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
57,709
Visibility
23
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
57,532
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
22
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
12,107
Structural Problems
22
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
86,614
Suspension Failures
21
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
38,699
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads
20
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
13,362
Other Equipment
19
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
67,897
Seat Belt Issues
19
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
86,234
Headlight/Taillight Failures
18
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
80,943
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor
17
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
12,632
Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.
17
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
54,672
Wipers & Visibility
17
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
171,505
Seat-Related Issues
16
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
78,548
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
47,376
Instrument Cluster
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
62,364

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Honda Accord. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2003 Honda Accord

11 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~13,891,980 vehicles.

19V501000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,657,752 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger 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.

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.

18V268000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,335 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

17V220000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~37,421 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Honda Accord Coupe vehicles, equipped with a four-cylinder engine. If the passenger frontal air bag module has been replaced, such as after a crash necessitating frontal air bag deployment, the replacement air bag module may include a Takata air bag inflator. These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

15V370000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~3,498,481 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic vehicles manufactured March 21, 2000, to January 20, 2005, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX vehicles manufactured June 14, 2000, to August 19, 2004, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles manufactured February 24, 2002, to January 18, 2005, 2003-2007 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to August 28, 2007, 2002-2004 Honda CR-V vehicles, 2002-2003 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 19, 2001, to July 12, 2003, 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured September 19, 2002, to June 19, 2003, 2003 Honda Element vehicles manufactured June 25, 2002, to July 31, 2003, and 2003 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured November 26, 2001, to August 21, 2003. The affected vehicles have a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.

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.

14V700000Airbags
~0 affected

American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

14V353000Airbags
~133,207 affected

American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in California, and equipped with Takata-brand air bag inflators. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

12V222000Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections
~625,762 affected

Honda is recalling certain model year 2007 and 2008 Acura TL and model year 2003-2007 Accord V6 vehicles. In May 2012, Honda filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2007 and 2008 Acura TL vehicles. In September 2012, Honda informed the agency that it was including an additional 573,147 vehicles including certain model year 2003 through 2007 Accord V6 vehicles. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 625,762. Prolonged under-hood and power steering fluid temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely, resulting in cracks and power steering fluid leakage.

+ 1 more recalls

Other Honda Accord Years

2003 Honda Accord — FAQ

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

Is the 2003 Honda Accord reliable?
Verdict: Severe Issues. The 2003 Honda Accord has 2,382 NHTSA complaints, 188 crash-related, and 11 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Automatic Transmission with 576 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2003 Honda Accord?
Top reported problems: Automatic Transmission (576 complaints, avg 91,259 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (339 complaints, avg 117,932 mi); Airbags (251 complaints, avg 109,255 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 2003 Honda Accord?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 90,814 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2003 Honda Accord?
NHTSA complaints for the 2003 Honda Accord include 188 crash-related reports, 23 fire reports, 185 injuries, and 2 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 2003 Honda Accord have any recalls?
Yes — 11 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 13,891,980 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 2003 Honda Accord?
Proceed with extreme caution. The 2003 Honda Accord shows significantly more complaints than average for its class. If you're buying one, a pre-purchase inspection and a VIN history check are essential — skip them and you're gambling.

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.

Check Your Specific 2003 Honda Accord

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