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Honda Accord transmission problems by year.

Worst years for transmission complaints per car sold: 2003 (901 complaints), 2002 (466 complaints), 2004 (333 complaints). Fewest since 2010: 2025, 2022, 2021.

Honda Accord
Photo shows a 2018 Honda Accord. Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Transmission complaints owners filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) for each model year, per 100,000 cars sold. A complaint counts when it's filed under the transmission, or under the power train and the owner describes the transmission (shifting, slipping, gears, CVT). It's an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and older years have had longer to collect complaints.

What owners describe

Slipping21%
Transmission replaced18%
Hard or jerky shifting17%
Lost power while driving9%
Delay or hesitation6%
Stuck in gear or limp mode4%

Share of this model's transmission complaints that mention each symptom. One complaint can mention several.

Transmission and power train recalls

  • 2023 2023

    The electronic transmission may have been improperly manufactured, which can result in a loss of drive power.

  • 2015 2020

    The drive shafts were assembled with a lubricant that may have degraded the drive shafts' protective coating, making it more suscep.

  • 2013 2025

    The affected vehicles were originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampsh…

  • 2010 2011

    HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 ACCORD, 2007-2010 CR-V, AND 2005-2008 ELEMENT PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 1, 2004, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 3, 2010.

  • 2004 2004

    ON SOME MINI VANS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAN RESULT IN HEAT BUILD-UP BETWEEN THE COUNTERSHAFT AND SECONDARY SHAFT SECOND GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EVENTUALLY LEADIN…

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. Check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

In owners' words

Transmission issue between 2nd and 3rd gear. Burnt atf 1 week after replacement. Serviced at 40k, 65k and 92k miles.

2003 Honda Accord owner · NHTSA complaint

The transmission slips into 1st gear has a burnt rubber smell in fluid. I had recall complete and still have problem!

2003 Honda Accord owner · NHTSA complaint

Quick answers

Which Honda Accord years have transmission problems?

By transmission complaints filed with NHTSA per car sold, the worst Honda Accord years are 2003, 2002, 2004.

What are common Honda Accord transmission problems?

Owners most often describe slipping, transmission replaced, hard or jerky shifting.

Which Honda Accord years have the fewest transmission complaints?

Since 2010, the Honda Accord years with the fewest transmission complaints per car sold are 2025, 2022, 2021.

See every problem, not just the transmission: Honda Accord reliability by year. How we count

Updated

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