2003 HONDA ACCORD Interior Lighting Problems

THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ON THE RADIO DISPLAY WENT OUT. THERE IS NO LIGHTS ON THE HEAT/AC DIAL CONTROL, THE FAN CONTROL, ALL THE DEFROSTER/AIR BLOWER OPTIONS. MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO USE THE DEFROSTER IN THE FRONT OR REAR WHEN DRIVING SINCE I CAN'T SEE WHICH BUTTON I AM PUSHING. IT IS DANGEROUS TO HAVE TO TRUN ON AN INTERIOR LIGHT WHEN DRIVING TO SEE WHAT I NEED TO PUSH TO MAKE MY VISIBILITY BETTER. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTING WAS INOPERABLE. THE DEALER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE FAILURE AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,500. UPDATED 11/07/11 *BF UPDATED 05/10/12

CONTROL PANEL DISPLAY (AUDIO-HVAC DISPLAY) FAILURE. I HAVE A 2003 HONDA 4 DOOR (W/O NAVIGATION)ACCORD EX. ABOUT 2-3 MONTHS AGO WHILE DRIVING THE DISPLAY PANEL FOR THE VEHICLE OPERATING SYSTEMS-RADIO, HEAT/AC, TIME BLACKED OUT. AT-NEAR THE TIME OF THIS OCCURRENCE I WAS ON THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY. A FLASHING (EMERGENCY) SIGN -FLASHING 'EMERGENCY' 'CHECK RADIO CHANNEL 530 OR 1610 FOR DETAILS'- NOTIFYING AN EMERGENCY. AS I WAS DRIVING AND COULD NOT SEE THE RADIO DISPLAY. IT WAS DARK. I WAS UNABLE TO ACCESS THE EMERGENCY NOTICE. MY VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HONDA AND WAS TOLD THIS REPAIR WAS A DEFECT. THIS REPAIR WAS PART OF A CAMPAIGN TO FIX THIS DISPLAY, PER HONDA SERVICE BULLETIN 04-027 BUT THE PROGRAM FOR MY VEHICLE HAD EXPIRED. THEY MENTIONED THE CAMPAIGN WAS PART OF A CAMPAIGN NOT A RECALL, EVEN THOUGH THEY ACKNOWLEDGE SAFETY WAS ONE OF THE ISSUES IN THE PROGRAM....

I HAVE A HONDA ACCORD 2003 LX. MY STEREO LIGHT IS DIM AND I COULDN'T SEE THE CLOCK. THEY HAVE A SERVICE BULLETIN 04-027. HOWEVER, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY FIX ALL THE 2003 ACCORD EXCEPT MODEL LX AND DX. THE POINT IS MY CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS OTHER 03'S ACCORD DOES. IT IS REALLY DANGEROUS WHICH CAN CAUSE ACCIDENT IF DRIVERS TRY TO READ THE TIME AT THE DARK. ( OR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE DURING AT NIGHT WITHOUT THE BACKGROUND LIGHT) HONDA SHOULD COVER ALL THE 2003 ACCORD! NOT ONLY UPPER MODEL. *TR

BOUGHT THIS CAR USED (WITH OVER 140,000 MILES) FOR MY TEENAGE SON. WHEN HE TURNED THE HEADLIGHTS ON - ALL THE INTERIOR DISPLAY LIGHTS FOR RADIO, HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING AND DEFROSTERS WENT DARK. WE CALLED HONDA OF AMERICA AND THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF HISTORY OF THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. THEY EVEN WENT SO FAR TO SAY THAT BECAUSE THE HONDA WAS MANUFACTURED IN MEXICO THAT NO WARRANTIES APPLIED. THE CAR HAD A 6 CD PLAYER WHEN WE BOUGHT IT HONDA SAID THE ENTIRE RADIO SYSTEM COULD ONLY BE REPLACED BY A SINGLE DISC PLAYER. IT COST $1000 TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. I OWN 3 HONDAS, HAVE OWNED HONDAS FOR DECADES AND WILL LOOK TO AMERICAN MADE CARS FOR ALL MY FUTURE PURCHASES. *TR

MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD EX HAS HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM OF THE ACCESSORY LIGHTS GOING OUT THAT CONTROL THE RADIO AND HVAC CONTROLS. IT IS ACTUALLY A TRANSISTOR ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD BLOWING THAT CONTROLS THE CONSOLES LIGHTING. HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE AND HAS PUT OUT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ABOUT THIS FOR 7 YEARS OR 105,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. IF THE WARRANTY IS OUT, THE COST TO FIX IT THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP IS $700-900, NOT SOMETHING MANY PEOPLE THESE DAYS CAN AFFORD, AND BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT, THEIR SAFETY IS DECREASED. ALTHOUGH THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT, THEY REALLY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND FIX ANY THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS IS A SERIOUS DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING. MULTIPLE TIMES I'VE TRIED TO CHANGE MY TEMPERATURE OR RADIO SETTINGS AND WHILE TRYING TO SEE THE DISPLAY ALMOST GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT....

IN SEPTEMBER, MY '03 HONDA ACCORD LX V6 STARTED SHIFTING HARD FROM 2ND GEAR IN MORNING TRAFFIC. AFTER A FEW MILES, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR. 1ST MECHANIC COULDN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUE. ON THE WAY HOME, DASHBOARD LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TCS LIGHT, OIL LIGHT. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER; TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IN ADDITION TO THE TRANSMISSION DYING, 6 MONTHS AGO THE DASHBOARD/RADIO/TEMPERATURE PANEL LIGHTS FAILED, THE DOME LIGHT DOESN'T WORK, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT HAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED 3 TIMES, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN LOOSE. I AM THE ORIGINAL AND ONLY OWNER OF THIS CAR AND HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED/MAINTAINED AT HONDA DEALERS SINCE PURCHASE. TO HAVE ALL THESE ISSUES, PLUS HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FAIL AT 106,000 MILES IS UNACCEPTABLE. THEN TO HAVE TO PAY $2200 TO HAVE A USED, REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION INSTALLED IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS...

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2003 HONDA ACCORD EX. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE SAME ISSUE THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED ( HTTP://WWW.ASKMEHELPDESK.COM/CARS-TRUCKS/2003-HONDA-ACCORD-WIRING-PROBLEM-8584-10.HTML ). MY RADIO/CD CHANGER, TEMPERATURE CONTROL AND DEFROST LIGHTS WENT OUT JUST AFTER MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE A $400+ REPAIR AND THE CAR WOULD NEED TO BE KEPT FOR 2-3 DAYS. SEEING THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT SAME PROBLEM I WOULD REQUEST THAT A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM BE ISSUED IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. *TR

SEPTEMBER 8TH WAS A RAINY DAY. LEFT CLASS IN THE RAIN TO NOTICE THAT MY WIPERS HAD COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING ON MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THOUGHT THAT IS WAS THE FUSE, BUT THE FUSE IS FINE. HAVEN'T TAKEN CAR TO DEALERSHIP YET BECAUSE I WANTED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON ANY RECALLS. I'VE ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH MY INTERIOR RADIO/AC LIGHTS. THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL. *TR

THE BACK LIGHT THAT LIGHTS ALL OF MY INSTRUMENTS IN MY DASH WENT OUT. I OWN A 2003 HONDA ACCORD EX. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF A PROBLEM AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT...THERE IS NOT A FUSE OR ANYTHING THAT CONTROLS THIS PROBLEM. IT IS A WIRING ISSUE IN THE STEREO THAT CAUSES THE PROBLEM AND IT CAN BE IN UPWARDS OF $1000 TO FIX A LIGHT ISSUE ACCORDING TO THE FORUMS ONLINE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN THE LIGHTS FOR THE RADIO AND CLIMATE CONTROLS WENT OUT. THE RADIO AND HEAT/AC STILL WORK. I CAN USE THE CD PLAYER, THE RADIO AND THE HEAT/AC I JUST CANNOT SEE WHAT CHANNEL, TEMPERATURE, ETC. THE LIGHTS ON THE KNOBS FOR THESE CONTROLS ALSO WENT OUT. CHECKED EVERY FUSE AND ALL OF THEM ARE FINE. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT HEADLIGHTS FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF. THIS HAPPENED ALL THE TIME, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD BE FUNCTIONING, AND THEN THE LIGHT FLICKERED ON AND OFF AUTOMATICALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT FLICKERED ON AND OFF AS WELL. HONDA HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM FOR 2003 ACCORDS WITH CAMPAIGN # 06E02300, FOR EXTERIOR LIGHTING, HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ELECTRONIC LOAD DETECTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WOULD COST $676.38. THE CONTACT FELT THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE PART OF THE RECALL. *AK UPDATED 02/27/07.*JB

PROBLEM STATEMENT: 2003 HONDA ACCORD CONSOLE CONTROL LIGHTING AND STEREO BACKGROUND LIGHTING HAS FAILED. WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM: DURING NIGHT TIME DRIVING YOU CANNOT SEE THE CONTROLS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND THEREFORE HAVE TO TURN ON THE OVERHEAD LIGHTING TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FAN, TEMPERATURE, CHANGE AIR FLOW POSITION ETC, OR ADJUST THE STEREO. THIS IS AN ERROR PRECURSOR TO HAVING AN ACCIDENT AS IT DISTRACTS YOU FROM DRIVING. THIS IS A GENERIC PROBLEM: A QUICK RESEARCH OF THE WEB INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE AMONG HONDA ACCORDS RANGING FROM YEARS 2003 TO 2005. IN THESE HONDA ACCORDS ALL OF THE CONSOLE CONTROL LIGHTING IS POWERED BY CIRCUITS IN THE STEREO AND THEREFORE THE ONLY FIX IS TO REPLACE THE STEREO AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $300 TO $500 DOLLARS. *NM

THERE WAS NOTHING OF CONSEQUENCE THAT OCCURRED IN THE TIME LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE. THE DISPLAY, CONTAINING THE CLOCK, AIR CONDITIONING, RADIO, AND CD CONTROLS OF THE 2003 HONDA ACCORD NO LONGER LIGHTS UP. THIS MAKES IT VERY INCONVENIENT TO ATTEMPT TO USE ANY OF THESE FEATURES. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE THIS FIXED, AS WELL, SINCE THE LIGHT SOURCE IS INSIDE THE UNIT AND THE ENTIRE CENTER UNIT MUST BE REPLACED, WHICH CAN COST APPROXIMATELY 1000 DOLLARS. I AM AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM HAPPENING IN THE CARS OF EVERY OTHER PERSON I KNOW WHO OWNS THE SAME MODEL CAR. *NM

I OWN A 03 HONDA ACCORD. THE RADIO UNIT IS ONE PIECE WHICH HAS THE CLIMATE CONTROL AND RADIO FUNCTION. RECENTLY THE BACKLIGHT WENT OUT ON THE UNIT MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANY OF CONTROL INCLUDING REAR DEFROSTER IN THE NIGHT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO HONDA AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE UNIT SAYING THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 03-05 HONDA ACCORD'S. WITH OUT THE BACKLIGHT ALL CLIMATE FUNCTION ARE NOT VISIBLE AT NIGHT. HONDA HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS: HTTP://WWW.DRIVEACCORD.NET/FORUMS/ATTACHMENT.PHP?ATTACHMENTID=673 THE REPAIR SHOULD BE DONE AS RECALL CAMPAIGN AS IT CAUSES A PROBLEM IS IT IMPAIR VISIBILITY OF CLIMATE FUNCTION BUT TO-DATE HONDA CONSIDER THIS TO BE WARRANTY ONLY REPAIR. *NM

THE INTERIOR LIGHTING OF MY HONDA ACCORD COUPE 2003 WENT OUT. FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE CARS. EVERYTHING WORKS PROPERLY BUT THE LIGHTING IS OUT AND NOTHING IS VISIBLE ON THE LCD SCREEN. *NM

FOR NO KNOWN REASON THE RADIO DASH DISPLAY ON THE 2003 HONDA ACCORD HAS GONE BLACK MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANY OF THE INFORMATION RELATED TO THE HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING OPERATION, RADIO/CD OPERATION AND TIME. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BUT HONDA DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK IT IS A BIG PROBLEM IN THAT THEY SEEM TO BE UNWILLING TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AND PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO AFFECTED OWNERS. *NM

THE RADIO AND CD AND HEAT AND AIR CONSOLE LIGHTING WENT OUT ON MY HONDA ACCORD. TWO HONDA SERVICE PLACES AND THE MAIN HONDA HEADQUARTERS SAY THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE THE $800 RADIO BEFORE MY LEASE RUNS OUT. I DIDN'T BREAK THE RADIO LIGHTING. ONE SERVICE PLACE SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH HONDA ACCORDS. BE AWARE! *JB

2003 HONDA ACCORD COUPE - RADIO DASH DISPLAY WENT OUT FAILURE OF RADIO/CLIMATE DISPLAYS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO READ TIME/TEMP/WARNING DISPLAYS. HONDA HAS THUS FAR FAILED TO ADMIT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM DESPITE MULTIPLE HONDA ACCORD OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. *NM

RAN OFF THE ROAD, TRYING TO USE WINDOW DEFROSTER CONTROLS BECAUSE THE BACKLIGHT ON THE RADIO CONTROLS CEASED FUNCTIONING. *NM

I RECENTLY RAN OFF THE ROAD AND NEARLY WRECKED MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD EX TRYING TO READ MY CLOCK AND A/C LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING. NORMALLY, THIS WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE. HOWEVER, THE KNOWN BACKLIGHTING PROBLEM IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR IS WIDESPREAD AND KNOWN BY THE MANUFACTURE. FURTHERMORE, THERE IS YET TO BE A RECALL. HOW MANY PEOPLE DIE FROM DRIVER DISTRACTION EVERY YEAR? THE LAST THING WE NEED IS TO ADD ONE MORE DISTRACTION TO THE ROAD. WOULD YOU OPERATE AN AIRLINER WITH COCKPIT LIGHTING ISSUES? *NM

THE BACKLIGHT FOR THE RADIO/CD/ENVIONMRNTAL CONTROLS HAS GONE OUT. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THE LED TAHT PROVIDES THIS LIGHT IS BUILT INTO THE RADIO AND CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THE HONDA DEALER STATES THE RADIO MUST BE REPLACED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS CAR IS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD BUT IS OVER THE MILAGE ALLOMENT TO BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. SO, IN ORDER FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO SET THE CONTROLS FOR THE HEATING/AC/DEFROST AND/OR CD/RADIO I WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY $750.00 FOR A NEW RADIO, PLUS LABOR. BROWSING THE EDMUNDS.COM REPAIR FORUM I SEE THIS APPEASR TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THERE HAS BEEN OVER 300 POSTS ON THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS. BECAUSE OF FLAWED ENGINEERING BY HONDA, THE CONSUMER IS REQUIRED TO PAY OVER $750.00 FOR A $1.25 LED THAT BY DESIGN - COMES ATTACHED TO A...

LCD DISPLAY FOR CD/RADIO/ENVIRONMENTALS/TIME IS DARK AND BARELY VISIBLE. I AM TOLD THE RADIO IS MALFUNCTIONING AND NEEDS REPLACED. RADIO WAS REPLACED 15 MONTHS AGO. I WAS INFORMED NEW RADIO WOULD COST 990.00 PLUS LABOR.

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD EX V6, THE DISPLAY LIGHT FOR THE RADIO PANEL WENT COMPLETELY DARK. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR ONLY 20 MOS. AND DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS MALFUNCTION SHOULD OCCUR ON A NEW VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 5 YRS. OWNERSHIP. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING AFTER THE LIGHT WENT OUT AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE BEGINNING TO SEE A HIGHER NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR MALFUNCTION/DEFECT. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY BETWEEN $500 AND $600 FOR EITHER A NEW RADIO UNIT OR THE TUNER (INITALLY TOLD IT WAS JUST A BULB BUT THE SERVICE MGR TOLD THE OTHER SERVICE PERSON THAT THE ENTIRE RADIO UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED).

2003 HONDA ACCORD EX V6. BACKLIGHT IN DISPLAY UNIT FOR RADIO AND A/C HAS BURNED OUT. DISPLAY IS DARK. CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3500 MILES BUT DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE ENTIRE UNIT FOR ABOUT $900. I KNOW OF AT LEAST 10 OTHER FAILURES WITH 2003 ACCORD EX DISPLAY UNITS.

MALFUNCTION WITH BULB OR ILLUMINATION DEVICE. THE LIGHT THAT ILLUMINATES THE RADIO, TIME,AND CD DISPLAY HAD MYSTERIOUSLY GONE OUT. AUTO OUT OF WARRANTY BY 7,000 MILES. DEALER WOULD PAY FOR PART BUT I WOULD PAY THE LABOR OF $156.00.*AK

MALFUNCTION WITH BULB OR ILLUMINATION DEVICE. THE LIGHT THAT ILLUMINATES THE RADIO, TIME,AND CD DISPLAY HAD MYSTERIOUSLY GONE OUT. *BF THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEREFORE THE CONSUMER WOULD NEED A NEW RADIO AT A COST OF $750.00. *JB