Rattles, rattles, rattles - Accord 2003 V6

Hi folks -
I've had this car for about a year and two months. The rattling is
non-stop. And it moves throughout the car. It's as if the car was
simply not put together well. Compared to my previous Accord and
Civic, I have been sorely disappointed. The rattles have been:

* Driver window (seems to be not sealing properly)

* Center console (squeaking)

* Rear head-liner (comes and goes, but when it's there it is
maddening)

* Under carriage (towards the front)

The dealer is about at their wits end with me. I realize these things
are hard to fix, and I don't blame then. At the same time, these type
of problems are enough to drive someone insane. It's not just me that
hears them, anyone that sits in my car regularly hears them.

Does anyone have any suggestions or similar experiences?

Thanks,
-Dan

 

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Dan,

I can guess where your old Accord was built... Somewhere on your door
pillar is a sticker that tells you where your NEW Honda was built. I'm
curious to know the answer.

:-( You could install really noisy tires. :-(

'Curly'

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I got my 03 V6 Coupe in Nov 03, and it's been running great until
about a month ago. I started hearing these rattles, too.

At first it was my center console right underneath the radio.
That was easily fixed by my adding some cushion (stack of napkins)
inside the empty area. I think you have that silver door where you
push to open the center part? It moves up and down when you go
over bumps or sink-holes.

A month ago, I made a trip up to the mountains to play some
paintball, and it was very cold and bumpy ride. When I got back to
the city, I started hearing the rattles at the rear windshield on
the right side. Also on the driver's seat headrest. It's a little
loose so it makes a rattle until I bang on it with my head.

So today, Jan 12, was the first oil change that she needed.
I brought her in to the dealer where I bought the car from so
that I can get a tech to sit with me for a test-drive.

The tech did that this morning. He heard the rattles, and assured
me that I wasn't crazy. So he opened the trunk and such to make
sure the back-seat release is not rattling against the metal frame.

He told me that he will look into it with another mechanic and
asked me to wait in the waiting area while he do the oil change
and everything. About an hour later, they called me to the
counter and said they need to open up some body moulding? to track
down where the rattle is coming from. He said it would take
more than 3 hours and I had already been there for 2.5 hours.

I told him to hold off on it because I was late for work and
I would bring her back next Friday. I am going to be car-less
for a day.

Oh and they said it's not coming from the windshield area, which
I thought it did because the ceiling by the right rear is very
hung loose compare to the left side. It would allow up to
my wrist to be put in there.

I didn't force it, it just happened that it was that loose and
it's probably tapping against the windshield. I also thought
it was normal wear and tear plus cold weather.

If you find a solution before I do, please post it here or
send me an email. .

Thanks!

 

I am starting to develop a rattle somewhere around the navigation
panel. Not too bad yet. This 2003 V-6 was built in Ohio, the same
place and same percentage of U.S. components as our 1999 V-6 which was
rattle free after four years. I don't think you can pin it on U.S.
manufacturing. I think it is more because of being the first of the
generation.

Dick

 

I have all the same problems except for the rear headliner and my dealer has
been useless.

I'm curious, was your car assembled in Japan or Ohio? Mine was built in
Ohio and I am not impressed with the interior fit and noise problems at all.
This is my first Honda, and the "legendary quality" certainly is not there
from a body/interior integrity point of view.

John

 

I have all those same problems. And by the way, mine was built in Ohio. If
I'd wanted American build garbage I would of saved myself a lot of money and
got a GM. When I'm done with this car I'm gonna insist that my next car be
built in Japan. That is, "IF" I buy another Honda.

Sean

 

I know where you're going with this, but let me tell you anecdotally
that I have an Ohio-built 2003 EX V6 that is as silent as a tomb and
as tight as a drum.
Someone always wants to blame these things on American assembly, but I
don't think anyone's ever approached the problem in a scientific way
and come to that conclusion. In fact there was a publication,
possibly Consumer Reports, but I cannot recall, several years ago that
concluded that Ohio Hondas and Kentucky Toyotas might be built better
than their Japanese counterparts.
Ron

 

I, too, have a Marysville Accord that is dead silent. Mine was built in
mid-June of 2003, so maybe they'd had a chance to work out any
manufacturing bugs by that time. Remeber folks, '03 was the first year of
a complete redesign. Even Honda isn't perfect, but if you demand it, you
probably should have waited for the '04's which are probably closer to it.

 

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Like somebody else said, it's probably the 'first year model' problem,
more than anything. They are careful to wrap foam padding around
anything that might rattle, like the cables to the stereo, but I'd be
tempted to just find a few of those rattles myself and wedge some foam
in there, or a glob of silicone glue.

Dealing with the dealer is like hitting your head against the wall
(feels better when you stop).

ArmorAll solves some of the plastic-on-plastic squeeks too !

'Curly'

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I have a 2004 Accord V6 Sedan w/Navi. This is the quietest car that I have
ever owned and I've owned over 30 in my lifetime. There isn't a single
squeak or rattle in the car. It's built like a vault. On cold mornings you
may hear a squeak or two for a few minutes until everything is warmed up,
but that's to be expected with any car. On smooth freeways there is hardly
no wind or road noise. On rough secondary roads, however, you do hear a
little road noise, but that also is to be expected with the fairly stiff
suspension that this car has. I've owned many Honda's, Acura's. and Toyota's
and this is by far the quietest of them all. By the way, my car was built in
Marysville, Ohio.

 

I bought mine in January '03, so it was built even earlier that yours.
It's a year old and has about 9500 miles on it.
Ron

 

A while ago, I bought an '88 Accord from Ohio, my dad bought one made in
Japan. The Ohio built one lasted a lot longer and had fewer problems.
At one time, the Honda corperation noted that American built Hondas were
of higher quality.

 

My 2004 5M i-Vtec Navi Accord is quiet also. Definitely a 2003 problem.

 

What is the reputation of the Hondas made in Canada? I'm not sure if
the Accord is made in Canada, but my wife has a 2003 Civic EX that is
made in Canada. Have 7000 miles on it so far with no problems. How
do the Candaian cars rank vs American vs Japanese?

 

Dan Miller said...

This is the only one I have in my 2003 V6 Coupe.

It is a nuisance.



Casey

 

My Ohio built 2003 EX Sedan has a sequeek coming from the shifter area where
the outer trim meets the plastic underneath. It will quite down if I apply
pressure to it. I also have a rattle inside the stereo area somewhere that
also goes away if I apply gently pressure to the outer face of the stereo.
Other than that my Accord is silent and seems very well built but I would
like to get these two things fixed. I have not even brought them up to the
dealer yet. I may be more tollerant than some of you long time Honda owners
because my last car was a Dodge and the squeeks and rattles that came from
that pile of crap are in a totally different category then these minor
annoyances.

 

Well, I have a 2003 I4, but have gone through my share of rattles. Instead of me ranting about japanese or american verison (which I personnaly think my japanese integra never made a rattle whatsoever), let me tell you what I did to fix some of these problems.

The most annoying one, the window squeek. All four windows will squeek at some point. You can lower the window a bit, and it seems to stop, but the damn thing will come back. The problem is in the rubber seal of the door! Take a sponge, spray WD40 on it, and rub on the door seal rubber. It will get wet, but will dry fast, and wont' be sticky. AND, it will stop the damn squeek for some time. It may come back, and you might have to do this again, but the first time you do it, it feels great.

Next, the squeek from the center right next to the shifter: It comes from the center escutcheon (the platic plate with the P, R, N .. on it). If you press it in, it may stop the squeek. Take is out, and pop it back in, and stops squeeking. It will come back though, so take it out again, spray some WD40 on the tip of your finger, and rub on the inside contact trim. It hasn't made a noise since I have done that.

There are other rattles and squeeks that got fixed by a banging heavy on the part, but I won't recommend it. I won't mention other noise either, cause you might get paranoid. It's relatively a damn good car, so try to enjoy it.

 

The car has a smooth, quiet engine, tight shifter with almost no gear whine.
It handles well. However, the buzzes and interior plastic rattles are
annoying and add a sour note to an otherwise good car. I have my share that
come intermittently from here and there.

Speaking of escutcheons, I've also heard buzzes coming from the one at the
center of the fan speed knob, and even the "H" in the center of the steering
wheel. Did you have the noise that seems to come from the center front roof?
Sometimes it seems like it's coming from the rear-view mirror, other times
from that interior lamp/glasses holder assembly? Any hints for that one?

All my life, I always wanted to be somebody.
Now I see that I should have been more specific.
-- Jane Wagner

 

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Something that may help with the squeeks between plastic parts is
ArmorAll. Since you might be using the stuff anyhow, just let a bit seep
into the offending gap, and the silicone (or whatever else is in that
stuff) will often kill the friction between the surfaces.
I find this is true where plastic interior parts meet, like on the
pillar above the seat belt, the covers above and below the ignition
switch, or the access hatches in the back door panel on the CRV.

'Curly'

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