NHTSA Complaint #10479711 — 2004 HONDA ACCORD

WHEN STARTING THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND BACKING OUT OF GARAGE, NOTICED A WHINING, GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND MORE SO WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR WOULD ALSO WHINE WHEN DRIVING AND ACCELERATING. ALSO FOUND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS GETTING GRADUALLY HARDER TO TURN. BROUGHT CAR TO LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE 0-RING AT POWER STEERING INLET JOINT BUT FOUND THE WHINING TO CONTINUE. THE POWER STEERING PUMP & RESERVOIR WERE CHANGED WHICH SOLVED THE PROBLEM. SIX MONTHS LATER, FOUND A LEAK UNDER THE CAR AND BURNING SMELL. RETURNED TO HONDA DEALERSHIP AND FOUND LEAK COMING FROM POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE. HOSE WAS REPLACED. ABOUT 4 YEARS LATER, STARTED NOTICING WHINING/HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AGAIN. IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT IN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THAT SPECIALIZES IN HONDAS. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE TENSIONER AND CHANGED IT. THE CAR CONTINUED TO WHINE. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AGAIN. IT TOOK CARE OF THE NOISE. THE PUMP THAT WAS REPLACED AT THE HONDA DEALERSHIP LASTED ONLY 35502 MILES. FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE THAT THE 2004 HONDA ACCORD HAS HAD 3 POWER STEERING PUMPS IN THE SPAN OF 9 YEARS AND THE CAR HAS ONLY 93722 MILES. *TR