2000 Honda Accord Problems: 11 Known Issues

On the 2000 Honda Accord, this overlaps with the well-documented Takata inflator recalls and earlier passenger airbag inflator defects, with owners reporting long waits for parts and uncertainty about whether airbags would deploy safely in a crash.

On the 2000 Honda Accord, several complaints describe the ignition key being removable without the transmission actually being in Park, or the car rolling away after the key is removed. This points to a failure in the shift interlock/ignition interlock mechanism, creating a significant rollaway hazard if the vehicle is left in gear or not fully engaged in Park. The 2000 Accord is covered by Honda safety recall 05V025 for the ignition-park interlock.

On the 2000 Honda Accord, nHTSA recall 20V027000 names the 2000 Honda Accord Coupe and Accord Sedan. It applies only to cars that received a replacement driver frontal air bag module as part of a vehicle repair — the module fitted after that repair, not the original. Honda identified a manufacturing issue in the NADI inflators used in those replacement modules that allows them to absorb moisture. The result can go one of two ways when the air bag is called on: the inflator ruptures, potentially sending metal fragments at the driver or other occupants, or the cushion underinflates and does not properly protect the occupant. There is nothing an owner can see or hear in normal driving that reveals which Accords carry an affected inflator. The campaign covers 875,966 vehicles in total across all the models it includes.

On the 1998-2000 Honda Accord, both body styles of the 1998-2000 Honda Accord — Coupe and Sedan — are named in NHTSA recall 20V026000. These Accords use a Non-Azide Driver airbag Inflator (NADI) for the driver frontal airbag. NADI inflators contain no phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant, so this recall is separate from the PSAN inflator campaigns that have also affected Honda vehicles; an Accord can be subject to more than one airbag recall. The problem is a manufacturing issue that allows the inflator to absorb moisture. Should the driver airbag deploy in a crash, the affected inflator may rupture and drive metal fragments at the driver or other occupants, or it may underinflate the cushion so that it does not properly protect the driver. NHTSA describes both as increasing the risk of serious injury or death. Honda's filing counts 1,439,841 vehicles in total, across every Honda, Acura and Isuzu model in the campaign, not just the Accord.

On the 2000 Honda Accord, a recurring electrical issue involves faulty ignition switch operation and immobilizer-related stalling or no-start conditions. Complaints describe the green key light flashing, the engine shutting off while driving, intermittent no-starts, and dash/instrument power behaving erratically until the switch or related electronics are repaired.

On the 1994-2002 Honda Accord, four-cylinder 5th/6th-gen Accords use a cam-driven distributor that houses the ignition coil, igniter (ignition control module/ICM), and pickup inside one unit. The internal igniter and coil are heat-sensitive and commonly break down as the engine warms, causing intermittent misfire, hard starting, cutting out, and stalling that often restarts once the unit cools. Distributor cap/rotor wear and a leaking distributor front oil seal are related complaints. Because the coil, igniter, and pickup are all inside the housing, owners frequently chase individual parts before replacing the whole distributor.

On the 2000 Honda Accord, engine complaints include reports of the balance shaft seal popping out and timing-related component failures that can lead to oil loss, stalling, or engine damage. Owners describe the balance shaft seal pop-out as a known defect on the four-cylinder engine, and one complaint also references a tensioner bearing issue that caused the engine to stall after the timing system was affected.

On the 1998-2003 Honda Accord 3.0L J30 V6, some 1998-2003 Accord V6 engine blocks were cast with microscopic porosity in the aluminum, allowing engine oil to weep through the block casting itself. Because the leak is through the casting rather than a gasket, it can be hard to pinpoint and reappears after gaskets are replaced. Honda released Service Bulletin 01-009 (V6 Engine Oil Leaks) covering the 1998-2003 Accord V6, 1999-2003 Odyssey and 2003 Pilot, and has offered repair assistance on a case-by-case (goodwill) basis. RepairPal documents this as a recognized Accord powertrain concern.

On the 2000 Honda Accord, on the 2000 Accord V6, the automatic transmission can fail, with harsh or erratic shifting, flashing gear indicators, slipping, and sudden loss of drive. Multiple complaints describe the car dropping into near-standstill operation while moving, repeated rebuilds or replacements, and dangerous failures in traffic.

On the 2000 Honda Accord, brake complaints include burst hydraulic lines, sudden pedal drop to the floor, poor stopping response, and repeated reports of severe underbody corrosion affecting brake components. While not as numerous as transmission or airbag complaints, the pattern is safety-critical because several owners describe near-crash or crash events after abrupt loss of braking force.

On the 2000 Honda Accord, the passenger-side front subframe/K-member area can corrode severely, which owners often attribute to A/C drain routing.