repaired · 2020 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2003 Honda AccordProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,987 owner complaints about the 2003 Honda Accord, most often about the power train. It is covered by 13 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-499 the manufacturer reports only 22% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 27, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Honda Accord has problems
1,987 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
924Power train33 crash/fire/injury
318Air bags108 crash/fire/injury
143Service brakes, hydraulic13 crash/fire/injury
142Electrical system15 crash/fire/injury
95Engine and engine cooling
90Steering
81Vehicle speed control
73Structure
60Visibility
36323 other systems37 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 924 | 33 |
| Air bags | 318 | 108 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 143 | 13 |
| Electrical system | 142 | 15 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 95 | 4 |
| Steering | 90 | 12 |
| Vehicle speed control | 81 | 20 |
| Structure | 73 | 9 |
| Visibility | 60 | 3 |
| 23 other systems | 363 | 37 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
13 recalls
2003 Honda Accord recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2020 Q4
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Driver side: inflator module
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…
repaired · 2019 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Show 9 more recalls
repaired · 2018 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2017 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. 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…
repaired · 2017 Q4
Driver side: inflator module
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…
repaired · 2016 Q1
Air bags
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…
repaired · 2015 Q4
Air bags
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…
no report yet
Hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections
Risk. If this occurs, power steering fluid can leak onto a hot catalytic converter, leading to smoke and possibly an under-hood fire.
no report yet
Electrical system: ignition
Risk. 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…
no report yet
Windshield wiper/washer: motor
Risk. IF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FAILS, IT WILL CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TO BECOME INOPERATIVE, WHICH CAN INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF A CRASH IN CERTAIN…
no report yet
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Honda.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
98kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 851 power train complaints. 52% were reported before 100,000 miles.
32under 30k miles443under 100k miles408100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
162 owners mentioned a cost$3,600median
Middle half: $2,800 – $4,095
Air bags
17 owners mentioned a cost$541median
Middle half: $125 – $1,400
Electrical system
11 owners mentioned a cost$700median
Middle half: $450 – $900
Steering
10 owners mentioned a cost$750median
Middle half: $525 – $905
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2003 vs. every other Accord year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Accord median. How we score
00022710722135411188861922122061863695434724601,2001,1351,1839221,0501,9871,0186564335241,5217275812963741,4279826026135421,9027023702482679115710315
'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Honda Accord safety ratings
2003 Honda Accord 2-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
5 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2003 Honda Accord, and the recalls they led to.
- Ignition Shift InterlockLed to recall 10V-364
- Air Bag Inflator RuptureLed to recall 14V-668
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Air Bag Inflator RuptureLed to recall 14V-700
- IGNITION PARK-SHIFT INTERLOCKLed to recall 10V-364
In owners' words
What Accord owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that there were several mechanical failures with the vehicle. The contact stated that there was a failure with the ignition switch, and the key could not be removed from the cylinder, and the shift lever failed to shift into drive(D),…
The contact's sister-in-law owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission failed to shift properly; however, the engine revved abnormally. The driver pulled to the side of the road and turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated…
(Please check the attached full complaint letter) I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention a concerning matter regarding my experience with the American Honda Motor Company. As a loyal consumer and a law-abiding citizen, I believe it is crucial to address issues…
Own a 2003 Accord?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.