2002 Honda Accord problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train:automatic Transmission (330) · Air Bags (159) · Power Train (112)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Honda Accord model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
789 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (3)
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-06-27 · campaign 19V499000 · 3,947 vehicles
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 e
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2019-03-06 · campaign 19V182000 · 1,101,534 vehicles
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
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2015-05-28 · campaign 15V320000 · 6,281,043 vehicles
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
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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 a
Service bulletins (197)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Air Bags 2020-03-10 · A20-009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Air Bags 2018-10-26 · A18-077 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin has been cancelled because the collection is now complete. if you did the collection in this service bulletin on or before october 26, 2018 (ro date), use the warranty claim information provided below.
Equipment 2018-05-24 · A18-046 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
service bulletin - this bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. american honda is offering a customer support program (warranty extension) to cover any manufacturing defects to the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module 2016-12-14 · TAKATA_EMAIL TEM · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
email template to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
Equipment:other:owners/Service/Other Manual 2016-09-07 · TAKATA_HAWAII PO · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
posters sent to hawaiian independent repair facilities, automotive part stores, car washes, and gas stations to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
Equipment:other:owners/Service/Other Manual 2016-09-07 · TAKATA_HAWAII FL · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
flyer circulated to the residents of hawaii to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
Showing the 6 most recent of 197 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-11-08 · Air Bags · 💥 crash“air bags never deployed in an accident. honda shows recall work was done prior to collision. front end collision…”
2025-10-29 · Engine And Engine Cooling“see attached document for complaint.…”
2025-10-15 · Suspension“-the front subframe on the passenger side completely rusted through and broke. the driver side is perfectly fine and still has factory paint on it, but the passenger side is completely rusted out. yes the vehicle and issue are available for inspection. -the front subframe is the frame component that holds and supports your front suspension, steeri…”
2024-11-19 · Structure:body“ i am writing to express my concern regarding a significant safety issue with my 2002 honda accord's subframe. the subframe is rusting severely in the area where the air conditioning drain line drips directly onto it. this design flaw has caused concentrated corrosion over time, significantly weakening the subframe and making the vehicle unsafe to …”
2024-10-07 · Steering“srs bag light has been on for unknown reason(s). steering is not good and it got checked they said they fixed issue on it but it does not feel fixed…”
2024-08-29 · Air Bags · 354,000 mi“the contact owns a 2002 honda accord. the contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the driver's side air bag warning light remained illuminated. the cause of the failure was not yet determined. the manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. the failure mileage was 354,000.…”
2024-08-07 · Suspension“the right side of the main front subframe of the car broke. the subframe on the right side was completely rusted out and corroded away. however, the left side of the subframe was perfectly intact with no damage and only minor surface rust. the car has only 50,000 miles on it. when the subframe broke my friends [xxx]aunt [xxx] old) was driving an…”
2024-05-26 · Seats“i complained to joe morgan honda that my driver's seat broke from the frame causing it to be a rocking chair and joe morgan honda confirmed that the car needs an entirely new seat because the frame had snapped. joe morgan honda said they don't make the seat anymore and it was important that i not get a seat from a vehicle that had been wrecked, bec…”
2024-02-01 · Electrical System · 🔥 fire“car exploded spontaneously. fire department thinks it started in the steering wheel/ignition area. vehicle is still parked on the street and is available for inspection. no one was in or around the vehicle, but it seems if someone had been in the car they would certainly have been incinerated. anyone in the street would have been struck by shrapne…”
2023-11-30 · Air Bags · 💥 crash“on sept. 28, 2023 i was driving this car and it was on a very rough highway and it went into a skid and flipped over and was totaled. it was towed to willow creek, ca for one week. i was badly injured and had no way to get to willow creek, ca so i had to pay $500 for it to be stored and they eventually got the title of the car from me and alleged…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.