Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Honda Accord owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
(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 that impact consumers and the general public. Since 2013, I have been trying to resolve a critical issue with my brand-new Honda Accord car I bought from Honda. Unfortunately, American Honda company didn't resolve the issue that affected my car and hundreds of thousands of the same cars' owners that they sold in NJ and in 22 salt belt states. My argument with the American Honda company is that they have a major design issue with their front left and right axles for Honda Accord cars that have been manufactured since 2003.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle shook violently. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence and taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front passenger side axle connected to the transmission and wheels were corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 111,680.
The right front axle suddenly failed while making a left turn at slow speed. The axle cracked in half at mid shaft at the location of the axle damper under which the axle had corroded evidently resulting in its failure. This suggests that water (and salt in our climate) can collect under the axle damper leading to corrosion and potentially catastrophic failure.
(1) a. Window being scratched by something in panel. Both driver and passanger window. B. At about 16000 miles it was noticed that the transmission was leaking so badly I couldn't drive out of the dealership. ( I believe the car May have been leaking since purchase. New with only 36 miles.) c. Trunk liner sagging. D. When making left hand turns if you have the sunvisor out it can swing and hit you in the head. E. Passenger door latch not activated. Could not open door from inside. (dealer forgot to install this on window repair.) f. Motor mounts not installed correctly. G. Belt tensioner needed replacement. H. Car pulling to the right. F. Black seal around door frame warping. (2) no consequences from any of these failures. Except loss time having to leave car overnight for several days. …
Tl contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. While driving approximately 40 MPH on normal road conditions, the automatic transmission hesitated intermittently. There were no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing and they stated that there were mechanical failures in the transmission. The dealer recommended that the transmission be replaced at the cost of $ 3,000. The vehicle is in the process of being repaired. The failure and current mileages were 122,000. Updated 06/09/09. The consumer stated the vehicle slammed into gear while driving. The dealer informed the consumer the vehicle had internal transmission failure. Also, the lower control arm bushings and front struts needed to be replaced. Updated 06/10/09.
I purchased a new 2003 Honda Accord ex-v6 sedan on 7/22/03 and immediately noticed that the car pulled to the right. I returned to the dealer for installation of upgraded wheels (Honda 16" chrome...my expense). Despite changing the wheels, the symptom still existed. I then returned to the dealer and they performed a front end alignment. Afterwards, the car still pulled to the right. I contacted American Honda, and they assigned case no. N012003-09-05-01198. They acknowledged that they had received other similar complaints, but advised that no "service bulletin" had been issued. This condition affects the safety of the vehicle. I want Honda to take responsibility for correcting this hazzardous defect on my vehicle and all others with similar defect. Let's not wait for fatalities!
I purchased a 2003 Accord in June 2003. The day I drove it off the lot I noticed a vibration that can be felt in the steering wheel. I took it to the dealer, and they claimed that the vibration was caused by out of balance tires, and their solution was to balance all four wheels. After balancing the tires, the vibration still existed. I took my car back for an oil change and told them that the vibration was still present. I took the technician on a test drive and he confirmed the vibration, however when I returned to pick up my car it was indicated on the report that the vibration was a normal condition of the Honda Accord. Strong vibrations in the steering wheel are not normal, and Honda should take corrective action to fix this problem.
Low-mileage Honda Accord's front end front end anti-sway bar's link connectors broke and sway bar was disconnected from the wheels creating a dangerous driving condition; especially normal driving into turns and curves! American Honda refused to discuss the safety issues and only stated my car was "out-of-warranty". This problem of the losses of both anti-sway bar connectors is difficult to detect; only a soft scraping noise warned me of the danger. I purchased this Accord new and have driven it carefully for the 20,700 miles. I am concerned about the general public's awareness of this hidden Honda Accord problem before their front end wheels snap or bend causing accidents and/or fatalities!
Two front end alignments were performed and the tires were rotated. A technical service bulletin indicated that this problem occurred because the crate upon which the engine sits was not positioned correctly at the factory. The dealership positioned the crate correctly, but the problem recurred. The consumer noticed when he backed up the vehicle , a click would be heard as if the gear was not positioned correctly. The vehicle was pulling to the right. The consumer also felt something like a crate or tire axle would shift to one side. The consumer was told that was the way the vehicle was designed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, he noticed that there was a loud noise from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was inspected by a non-mechanic and they advised him that the sway bar had fractured from the vehicle. The vehicle was then inspected by a dealer and they confirmed the failure and advised replacing the sway bar. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Suspension complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2003 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the suspension of the 2003 Honda Accord, 2% of the model year's 1,987 complaints. The component named most often is front (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Honda Accord suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2003 Honda Accord, though it has 13 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Honda Accord suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 20,000 miles, and 57% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.