Model year report

2003 Honda Accord: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2003 Honda Accord

On the 2003 Honda Accord, the failure owners report most often is other powertrain problem, and the reports cluster around 100,000 miles. The earliest to appear is ABS module or sensor failure, reported by a median of 2,000 miles. Overall it scores 73 out of 100, high risk for a 2003.

High risk for a 2003 — 69th riskiest of the 330 2003 vehicles we can rate. 2,384 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

What owners report breaking

Owners have reported 81 named failure modes on the 2003 Honda Accord, and the three most-reported carry 40% of everything filed.

Other powertrain problem leads with 532 reports, about 1.5 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 78k to 124,000 miles.

Complete transmission failure follows with 313 reports, usually reported between 78k to 117,000 miles. 2 of those reports mention a fire.

Other body or interior problem follows with 102 reports, usually reported between 5k to 90,000 miles. 2 of those reports mention a fire.

By system, the reports fall mostly into transmission (938), brakes (197) and airbag (172).

The mileage the reports cluster at

1,884 of the reports on the 2003 Honda Accord came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 88,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 25% by 50,000 miles, 61% by 100,000 miles and 89% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 40 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 12% of the dated reports.

20% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

In the order they tend to show up: ABS module or sensor failure around 2k, control arm, ball joint or bushing failure around 10k, premature brake pad or rotor wear around 12k and other brake problem around 12k.

Median

Other powertrain problem

100k
Complete transmission failure

95k
Other body or interior problem

49k
Other electrical problem

65k
Other engine problem

102k
Premature brake pad or rotor wear

12k
Other brake problem

12k
Other speed control problem

92k
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault

95k
Wiper or washer failure

78k
Other steering problem

83k
Other lighting problem

72k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 81. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 87.6k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 40 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

Severity, and what it costs

Across the named modes, 134 mention a crash, 21 a fire, 100 an injury and 2 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.94, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, complete transmission failure at $2,800–$8,000, other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000 and other electrical problem at $250–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

47% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other powertrain problem	transmission	532	487	78k	100k	124k	1.5	$400–$4,500	High
Complete transmission failure	transmission	313	286	78k	95k	117k	0.9	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
Other body or interior problem	body	102	69	5k	49k	90k	0.3	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Other electrical problem	electrical	97	73	29k	65k	99k	0.3	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Other engine problem	engine	85	54	36k	102k	131k	0.2	$300–$4,000	High
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	75	57	6k	12k	18k	0.2	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Other brake problem	brakes	65	50	7k	12k	34k	0.2	$300–$1,800	High
Other speed control problem	adas	62	54	48k	92k	129k	0.2	$250–$2,000	Critical
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault	airbag	60	41	67k	95k	120k	0.2	$300–$1,600	High
Wiper or washer failure	glass	50	30	52k	78k	123k	0.1	$120–$800	Moderate
Other steering problem	steering	49	35	17k	83k	113k	0.1	$350–$2,400	High
Other lighting problem	lighting	40	29	48k	72k	86k	0.1	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	38	30	4k	63k	102k	0.1	$200–$900	High
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	36	26	88k	110k	180k	0.1	$0–$0	Critical
Transmission slipping	transmission	32	32	87k	96k	112k	0.1	$1,200–$5,500	High
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	31	23	37k	95k	129k	0.1	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Torque converter failure	transmission	27	26	83k	102k	156k	0.1	$1,100–$3,200	High
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	25	17	80	2k	15k	0.1	$500–$2,400	High
Other visibility problem	glass	25	17	3k	58k	83k	0.1	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure	engine	22	14	81k	103k	107k	0.1	$1,200–$4,500	Critical
Transmission will not engage a gear	transmission	22	21	71k	97k	120k	0.1	$1,500–$6,000	Critical
Air conditioning failure	hvac	21	15	5k	52k	64k	0.1	$400–$2,800	Moderate
Other suspension problem	suspension	20	14	233	13k	49k	0.1	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	20	13	13k	70k	100k	0.1	$200–$1,500	High
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	19	14	56k	88k	146k	0.1	$100–$900	Moderate
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	18	15	3k	121k	140k	0.1	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Overheating	cooling	18	13	81k	130k	138k	0.1	$400–$3,500	High
Loss of braking	brakes	16	7	—	11k	—	0.0	$400–$3,000	Critical
Power steering pump or fluid leak	steering	16	15	133k	147k	165k	0.0	$350–$1,600	Moderate
Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure	electrical	14	11	58k	98k	119k	0.0	$250–$1,500	High
Instrument cluster or gauge failure	infotainment	14	11	44k	52k	75k	0.0	$350–$1,400	Moderate
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	12	10	6k	110k	128k	0.0	$700–$2,600	High
Sunroof failure or glass breakage	body	12	6	—	48k	—	0.0	$700–$4,500	High
Catalytic converter failure	emissions	12	8	39	30k	86k	0.0	$900–$3,500	Moderate
Cruise control failure	adas	11	7	—	28k	—	0.0	$200–$1,400	High
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	10	8	70k	130k	145k	0.0	$700–$3,000	High
Parking brake failure	brakes	10	9	1k	75k	102k	0.0	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Paint peeling or clear coat failure	body	9	6	—	92k	—	0.0	$600–$6,000	Low
Rust or structural corrosion	body	9	8	48k	52k	64k	0.0	$500–$6,000	High
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	9	6	—	43k	—	0.0	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Excessive oil consumption	engine	8	7	—	144k	—	0.0	$900–$6,500	High
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	8	8	19	10k	21k	0.0	$400–$2,200	High
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	7	4	—	9k	—	0.0	$200–$1,500	Critical
Other fuel system problem	fuel	7	6	—	91k	—	0.0	$300–$2,200	High
Harsh or jerky shifting	transmission	6	6	—	60k	—	0.0	$600–$4,000	Moderate
Steering column or shaft failure	steering	6	3	—	118k	—	0.0	$600–$2,500	Critical
Oil leak	engine	5	4	—	106k	—	0.0	$250–$2,200	Moderate
Master cylinder or brake booster failure	brakes	5	2	—	31k	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	Critical
Airbag deployed without a crash	airbag	5	5	—	46k	—	0.0	$2,500–$8,000	Critical
Door latch or handle failure	body	5	5	—	5k	—	0.0	$250–$1,200	High
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin	emissions	4	3	—	37k	—	0.0	$250–$2,000	High
Other driver assistance problem	adas	4	1	—	121k	—	0.0	$250–$1,800	High
Thermostat failure	cooling	3	3	—	183k	—	0.0	$250–$900	Moderate
Differential or transfer case failure	drivetrain	3	2	—	200	—	0.0	$900–$4,200	High
Fuel pump failure	fuel	3	1	—	12k	—	0.0	$600–$2,600	High
Alternator or charging system failure	electrical	3	2	—	83k	—	0.0	$450–$1,600	High
Water pump failure	cooling	2	2	—	9k	—	0.0	$500–$2,200	High
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	2	2	—	39k	—	0.0	$350–$1,900	High
Dual-clutch or clutch-pack failure	transmission	2	2	—	154k	—	0.0	$1,800–$5,500	High
Manual clutch or hydraulics failure	transmission	2	2	—	58k	—	0.0	$900–$2,800	Moderate
Fuel gauge or level sensor failure	fuel	2	2	—	75k	—	0.0	$300–$1,200	Moderate
Wiring harness or short circuit	electrical	2	2	—	87k	—	0.0	$400–$3,500	High
Infotainment screen failure	infotainment	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$400–$2,600	Low
Strut, shock or spring failure	suspension	2	2	—	34k	—	0.0	$500–$2,000	Moderate
Alignment fault and uneven tire wear	suspension	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$150–$1,200	Moderate
Seat, track or recliner failure	body	2	1	—	13k	—	0.0	$300–$2,200	High
Other seat belt problem	airbag	2	1	—	3k	—	0.0	$200–$900	High
Engine bay fire	engine	1	1	—	98k	—	0.0	$4,000–$20,000	Critical
Stalling while driving	engine	1	1	—	60k	—	0.0	$300–$2,500	Critical
Piston, ring or cylinder wall damage	engine	1	1	—	40k	—	0.0	$3,000–$9,500	Critical
Lifter, cam or cylinder-deactivation failure	engine	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,800–$7,000	High
CVT failure	transmission	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$3,000–$8,500	Critical
Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure	transmission	1	1	—	77k	—	0.0	$250–$1,400	High
CV axle or driveshaft failure	drivetrain	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	High
Wheel bearing or hub failure	drivetrain	1	1	—	32k	—	0.0	$350–$1,200	Moderate
Fuel injector failure	fuel	1	1	—	124k	—	0.0	$450–$2,800	Moderate
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	1	1	—	63k	—	0.0	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Audio or connectivity failure	infotainment	1	1	—	30k	—	0.0	$150–$900	Low
Brake line, hose or caliper failure	brakes	1	1	—	15k	—	0.0	$250–$1,600	Critical
Window regulator or power window failure	body	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$900	Moderate
DPF, EGR or DEF system failure	emissions	1	1	—	4k	—	0.0	$800–$5,000	High
Unclassified problem	other	208	129	36k	87k	140k	0.6	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2003 Honda Accord draws about 6.8 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 85th percentile of complaint rates among 2003 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 351,000 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2003 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Complete transmission failure

Car developed a high pitch whistle noise at 1500 miles. Took to dealer who determined that there was an internal defect in the transmission. Transmission was replaced with a remanufactured transmission per honda's warranty policy. American honda was extremely curt in handling my complaint. Further research has shown that american honda is currently suffering from a transmission failure crisis in its 1999-2003 accord, prelude, odyysey, and acura tl/cl automobile lineup.

1,500 miles NHTSA complaint 471462 filed 2004-04-22

Driving along hwy 94 in st. Charles mo and heard a noise from my car and then I had no power train, transmission went out. It was like I was in nuetral. I was able to pull off the highway with no one hitting me. Towed it to ed napleton honda dealer in st. Peters mo 63376.

46,000 miles NHTSA complaint 537226 filed 2005-05-31

Recalls on the 2003 model year

NHTSA has issued 24 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Honda Accord, affecting an estimated 996,994 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal, air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module and air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.

19E068000

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

3,744 vehicles 2019-10-10

Defect: Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain Accelerator Pedal Assemblies part numbers 699-114 and 825-5029-1, sold as replacement parts for 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2004-2008 Acura TL and TSX, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2007-2011 Honda Element, 2005-2008 Honda Pilot and 2006-2014 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The rotating portion of the accelerator pedal assembly may bind. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 124, "Accelerator Control Systems."
Consequence: If the accelerator pedal binds, the engine may not quickly return to idle after the pedal is no longer pressed, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dorman will notify owners, and qualified service facilities will replace the affected accelerator pedal assemblies, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2019. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at 1-800-523-2492, using option 5. Dorman's number for this recall is AS1019XXXX.

19V499000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

3,947 vehicles 2019-06-27

Defect: 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.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58.

19V501000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

1,657,752 vehicles 2019-06-27

Defect: 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.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.

19V182000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

1,101,534 vehicles 2019-03-06

Defect: 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…
Consequence: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.

18V268000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

1,335 vehicles 2018-04-26

Defect: 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.
Consequence: An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are K1P, and M1O.

17V220000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

37,421 vehicles 2017-03-30

Defect: 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.
Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any Takata inflator used in the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 1, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KF0.

15V370000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

3,498,481 vehicles 2015-06-15

Defect: 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…
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the passenger seat occupant or other occupants possibly causing serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JU4, JU5, JU6, and JU7. Note: Vehicles that have already received a replacement passenger air bag inflator as part of the recall remedy for an earlier campaign such as 14V353 or 14V700 (Honda recall numbers S95, JH6, JH7, JH8, JH9, JJ0, JJ1, JJ2, JJ6, JM5 and JM6) are not included in this recall. However, this recall does supersede 13V132 and…

15V320000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

6,281,043 vehicles 2015-05-28

Defect: 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.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to September 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or after September 12, 2014, received a remedy for a prior driver frontal air bag…

14V700000

AIR BAGS

0 vehicles 2014-11-04

Defect: 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…
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.

14V353000

AIR BAGS

133,207 vehicles 2014-06-20

Defect: 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.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflators in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during August 2014. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.

12V222000

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

625,762 vehicles 2012-05-17

Defect: 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…
Consequence: If this occurs, power steering fluid can leak onto a hot catalytic converter, leading to smoke and possibly an under-hood fire.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose, free of charge. The original recall began in June 2012, and owners of those vehicles may obtain the free remedy. Sufficient parts are not yet available for owners of the vehicles covered by the September 2012 expansion, but are expected to be available in early 2013. Honda will notify owners of these vehicles beginning on October 26, 2012, and will notify these owners again when parts are available so those vehicles can be brought to dealers for applications of the free remedy…

10V364000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

551,498 vehicles 2010-08-05

Defect: Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 honda accord, civic two and four door, and model year 2003-2004 honda element vehicles. The interlock lever of the ignition switch may unexpectedly deform, which can allow the interlock function of a vehicle with an automatic transmission to be defeated.
Consequence: Removal of the ignition key when the gear selector of a vehicle with an automatic transmission has not been shifted to the park position can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the original interlock pin and lever within the ignition switch, and replace them with new, designed components. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 7, 2010. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2003 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2003 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

Where 2003 sits in the model line

High risk for a 2003 — 69th riskiest of the 330 2003 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.

Across the 30 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1997 comes out best at 61 and 2012 worst at 81, with 2003 itself at 73.

If the model year is negotiable, 1997, 1996, 2016, 2025, 2023, 2015, 2014 and 2006 score lower than 2003 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 2000–2007 generation specifically, 2006 is the strongest year at 69 and 2003 the weakest at 73.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2000-2007 generation, 2006 Honda Accord scores best at 69 and 2003 Honda Accord worst at 73.

Where to spend the inspection money

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: control arm, ball joint or bushing failure from about 19, catalytic converter failure from about 39, ABS module or sensor failure from about 80 and other suspension problem from about 233.

On a 2003 Honda Accord with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether control arm, ball joint or bushing failure has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.

What this page cannot tell you

2,384 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 2,384 reports, 1,884 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 79% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Honda Accord?

The most-reported failures are other powertrain problem (532 reports, median 100,000 miles), complete transmission failure (313 reports, median 95,000 miles) and other body or interior problem (102 reports, median 50,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2003 Honda Accord problems start?

Abs module or sensor failure is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 2,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 100 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 88,000 miles.

Is the 2003 Honda Accord reliable?

It scores 73 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 69th riskiest of the 330 2003 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2003 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Honda Accord is best?

Within the 2000–2007 generation, 2006 scores best at 69 out of 100 and 2003 worst at 73. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 30 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed