2002 Honda Accord Problems
- Complaints
- 1,050filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 88,324miles, 789 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 5campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 24 mpgcombined, 2.3L 4-cyl FWD · 22 city / 29 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Honda Accord (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this model year most often write about the automatic transmission, describing slipping, harsh or delayed shifts, and in some cases a full transmission replacement. A second recurring theme is the airbag system, both warning lights and deployment behavior, alongside a smaller set of reports about unexpected acceleration and body rust. Many reports arrive between roughly 60,000 and 120,000 miles, and several owners mention the dealer declining repairs as the car was outside warranty.
- Transmission and drivetrain
Automatic transmission slipping and hard shifting
- 433 complaints (41%)
- median 88,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (392 state mileage)
- 15 mention a crash, fire or injury
- owner-quoted repair $3,000 (median of 94 quotes)
- filed 2002–2025
Complaints describe the automatic transmission slipping out of gear, delaying or jolting the shift from first to second, and sometimes refusing to engage at all. Some owners report the D4 or check engine light flashing at the same time, or the car limiting itself to low speed. According to the complaints, dealers frequently recommended a full transmission replacement at a cost in the thousands, and several owners say the dealer found no problem on a road test or attributed the failure to the vehicle's age. Reports appear from very low mileage up past 180,000 miles, with many clustered between roughly 60,000 and 120,000 miles.
What to check: Ask for transmission service records and whether the fluid was changed on schedule, then test drive from cold through the first few shifts and check that no warning light flashes. A pre-purchase scan for stored transmission codes is worth the cost.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Transmission slippage and jerking when going into gear from a parked position as well as in motion. Several times my Accord would stall because it would not go into gear. It was very embarrassing and dangerous when it happened because I delayed traffic during the rush hour and had my child on board.”
NHTSA complaint #11124445, filed 2018-09, 104,000 miles“I bought my 2002 Honda Accord exv6 at 45,000 miles, in jan.2006. I started noticing about 2 months ago, that the transmission would shift extremely hard, and then, it went from that, to refusing to shift from 3rd to 4th, with the d flashing and the engine light flashing as well. It lurches forward all of a sudden, nearly causing me to hit a car in front of me, many times, and it revs really high at idle.”
NHTSA complaint #10280767, filed 2009-08, 114,500 miles - Air bags
Airbag warning light on and airbags that did not deploy
- 269 complaints (26%)
- median 85,000 mi at 9.7 yrs old (173 state mileage)
- 89 mention a crash, fire or injury
- owner-quoted repair $595 (median of 15 quotes)
- filed 2002–2025
Owners report the SRS or airbag warning light coming on and staying on, sometimes intermittently, which they understand to mean the airbags may not work. Other complaints describe crashes where the airbags did not deploy at all, or deployed on only one side, and a few describe the opposite case of unwanted deployment. Complaints also reference notices for the driver's airbag inflator campaign and difficulty getting the replacement part. Warning-light reports appear from about 10,000 miles upward, while deployment reports come mostly from vehicles well past 100,000 miles.
Recall 19V499000Recall 19V182000Recall 15V3200007 related service bulletins
What to check: Run the VIN through the manufacturer's recall lookup and ask for paperwork showing the driver's airbag inflator campaign was completed. Note whether the airbag warning light comes on with the ignition and goes out after the bulb check.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Today I received a notice from Honda of important safety recall telling me that the driver's front air bag inflator in my car can injure or kill. The email instruction provided by Honda to contact Honda does not achieve contact; it seems to be provided as a cya provision instead of a bona fide effort to make my car safe.”
NHTSA complaint #10743432, filed 2015-07, 52,000 miles“Was in an accident on the expressway where a latter flew out of the back of a guys truck and became to a complete stop and I hit him when I couldn't stop fast enough and no air bags deployed. I was berrybruised up and I did go to the hostpital.”
NHTSA complaint #11302956, filed 2020-01, 250,000 miles - Vehicle speed control
Unexpected acceleration or unresponsive throttle
- 177 complaints (17%)
- median 85,675 mi at 8.2 yrs old (152 state mileage)
- 27 mention a crash, fire or injury
- owner-quoted repair $2,300 (median of 20 quotes)
- filed 2002–2025
Complaints describe the engine revving or the car surging forward without the driver pressing the accelerator, including while slowing for a light or while parking, and in a few cases the car continuing to accelerate with cruise control engaged. Others describe the opposite: the accelerator pedal feeling hard or slow to respond when pulling away. Owners report that the cause was hard to diagnose and that some incidents led to contact with a barrier or pole. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 30,000 up to roughly 170,000 miles, with no clear pattern by age.
What to check: During a test drive, check that the throttle returns smoothly and the idle is steady in park and in gear. Ask whether the cruise control and throttle body have been serviced or cleaned.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“While driving on the highway with the cruise control at 60 MPH, the vehicle accelerated at a high speed without the consumer disengaging the cruise control mode. When this occurred, the vehicle impacted a ditch and went up a hill. The emergency brake had to be engaged to stop the vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #10053478, filed 2004-01, 30,000 miles“As the vehicle was slowing to a stop at a red light, the rpms suddenly rose to 5-7k ! The driver could not control or stop it from lurching forward into traffic, so she cut off the engine. Upon trying to restart, the engine would not start at normal RPM. A bystander came over and adjusted something in the engine and it worked again. This has happened 2 times since then. No one can figure out the problem, but after a web search, this is not rare for 2002 model. Unacceptable! …”
NHTSA complaint #11337559, filed 2020-07, 170,000 miles
Buying note. Have a transmission shop inspect and scan this model year before buying, since transmission repair is the most frequently reported expense. Also confirm the airbag inflator recalls were completed for the VIN, and check the underside for corrosion on the subframe.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 1,050 consumer complaints for the 2002 Honda Accord. 789 of the complaints include a mileage, and 16% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 88,324 miles. Of all complaints, 129 involved a crash, 10 a fire, 102 an injury, 3 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 89 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Transmission and drivetrain478 46%
- Air bags273 26%
- Body and structure75 7.1%
- Electrical system69 6.6%
- Vehicle speed control46 4.4%
- Seat belts39 3.7%
- Brakes34 3.2%
- Engine cooling33 3.1%
- Suspension32 3.0%
- Other or unknown30 2.9%
Also reported: Steering (24), Seats (20), Engine (19), Tires (19), Exterior lighting (17), Equipment (12), Fuel system (11), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (7), Wheels (5), Electronic stability control (4), Interior lighting (2), Latches, locks and linkages (2).
Example complaints
Transmission and drivetrain: “Electrical issues with lights, transmission has various issues after I've spent over $2,000 trying to get it fixed. The sensors go out or start acting up a short time after I've replaced them. The car will shut off and leave you to get hit because it takes seconds to minutes to get started again. Lights go on and off on their own.”
NHTSA complaint #11155469, filed 2018-12, 15 milesAir bags: “My lady was involved in a pretty bad accident there was a recall on her vehicles airbag we had it fix but the dealership and n the accident the airbag on the drivers side airbag n passenger airbags did not deploy in the accident she got a knot on her chest from it she was on her way home from work when the accident happen on a city street”
NHTSA complaint #11256770, filed 2019-09, 221,480 milesBody and structure: “November 2016. Noticed that there was a creeking sound coming from passenger side of the car when driving it. My mechanic told me that sub frame holding the engine has rusted out on the passenger side and that the car is not road worthy. His exact words were the engine could pop out at any time and that he would not drive it .”
NHTSA complaint #10980317, filed 2017-04, 129,000 milesElectrical system: “The radio caught on fire. The car radio the was the original factory installed radio when I purchased the vehicle from albany ga Honda. I did not make any changes or any upgrades to the radio. After I doused the radio with a soda, the speakers were emitting a radio static sound and I could hear the beeping sound of people unlocking their car doors with their devices. The vehicle was parked and the engine was off.”
NHTSA complaint #11325431, filed 2020-05, 195,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
16% of the 789 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 60,000 and 120,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2002 Honda Accord. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accord · sedan | not rated | 5 / 5 | — | — | — |
| Accord · coupe (side air bags) | not rated | 5 / 4 | — | — | — |
| Accord · coupe | not rated | 5 / 4 | — | — | — |
| Accord · sedan (side air bags) | not rated | 5 / 5 | — | — | — |
Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2002 Honda Accord version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accord FWD | 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 22 | 29 | 25 | $2,700 |
| Accord FWD | 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 22 | 29 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Accord FWD | 2.3L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 20 | 28 | 23 | $2,900 |
| Accord FWD | 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 18 | 26 | 21 | $3,200 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 19V499000Jun 27, 2019Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator moduleCovers: Honda Accord 2001–2007, Element 2003–2011, Pilot 2003–2008 +9 more
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008…
- 19V182000Mar 6, 2019Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator moduleCovers: Honda Accord 2001–2007, 2009, Acura TL 2002–2006, 2009–2014, RDX 2007–2016 +14 more
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic…
- 15V320000May 28, 2015Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator moduleCovers: Honda Accord 2001–2007, Element 2003–2011, Pilot 2003–2008 +9 more
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura…
- 05V025000Jan 28, 2005Electrical system › Ignition › SwitchCovers: Honda Accord 1999–2002, Prelude 1997–2001, Acura TL 1999–2000
On certain passenger vehicles, the interlock operation of the ignition switch may not function properly, making it possible to turn the ignition key to the "off" position and remove the key without shifting the transmission to park.
- 02V226000Aug 28, 2002Engine and engine cooling › EngineCovers: Honda Accord 2002, Odyssey 2002, Acura MDX 2002 +3 more
On certain minivans, sedans, coupes, and sport utility vehicles equipped with v6 engines, a timing belt tensioner pulley on the water pump is misaligned and could cause the timing belt to contact a bolt on the cylinder head. Eventually the belt could be…
Recall details for the 2002 Honda Accord → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
NHTSA investigations
- RQ09004Rupturing driver's air bag inflatorsClosed · Nov 2, 2009
- RQ08006Ignition park-shift interlockClosed · Sep 8, 2008
- PE02072Seat frame bracket failureClosed · Oct 2, 2002
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 89 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 10172561Mar 10, 2020Air bags. Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any…
- 10147177Oct 26, 2018Air bags. Service bulletin - This bulletin has been cancelled because the collection is now complete. If you did the collection in this Service Bulletin on or before October 26, 2018 (RO date), use the…
- 10139567May 24, 2018Equipment, Air bags. Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any…
- 10086314Dec 14, 2016Air bags. Email template to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
- 10086306Sep 7, 2016Equipment, Air bags. Posters sent to hawaiian independent repair facilities, automotive part stores, car washes, and gas stations to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest…
- 10086291Sep 7, 2016Equipment, Air bags. Flyer circulated to the residents of hawaii to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
- 10086288Aug 29, 2016Equipment, Air bags. Letter sent in conjunction with the florida highway safety and motor vehicles department to remind florida owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
- 10086381Aug 23, 2016Equipment. Us virgin islands newspaper advertisements to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
- 10086308Aug 23, 2016Equipment. Text messages sent to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
- 10086302Aug 21, 2016Equipment, Air bags. Advertisement in hawaiian newspapers to remind owners of the takata recall and to schedule an appointment at their earliest convenience.
Other model years of the Honda Accord
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 | 500 | 0 | 5 | 32 | — | Too new |
| 2025 | 96 | 5,045 | 0 | 5 | 32 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2024 | 153 | 15,700 | 3 | 5 | 32 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 88 | 37,200 | 5 | 5 | 32 | 0 · Fewer | Too new |
| 2022 | 261 | 23,343 | 4 | 5 | 32 | 19 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2021 | 245 | 69,000 | 4 | 5 | 32 | 14 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2020 | 365 | 12,500 | 5 | 5 | 30 | 50 · Typical | Rising |
| 2019 | 698 | 19,000 | 6 | 5 | 30 | 64 · Typical | Rising |
| 2018 | 1,897 | 22,000 | 6 | 5 | 30 | 100 · More | Rising |
| 2017 | 539 | 25,000 | 3 | 5 | 26 | 39 · Typical | Rising |
| 2016 | 611 | 36,000 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 48 · Typical | Rising |
| 2015 | 601 | 40,000 | 5 | 5 | 27 | 42 · Typical | Falling |
| 2014 | 982 | 46,000 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 50 · Typical | Falling |
| 2013 | 1,427 | 45,000 | 5 | 5 | 27 | 75 · More | Stable |
| 2012 | 373 | 25,284 | 8 | 5 | 26 | 55 · Typical | Stable |
| 2011 | 296 | 44,000 | 9 | 5 | 26 | 28 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2010 | 581 | 41,000 | 12 | — | 25 | 56 · Typical | Falling |
| 2009 | 727 | 32,944 | 10 | — | 24 | 84 · More | Stable |
| 2008 | 1,521 | 27,046 | 8 | — | 24 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2007 | 524 | 68,510 | 9 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2006 | 433 | 77,300 | 12 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 656 | 72,674 | 15 | — | 24 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 1,018 | 90,000 | 13 | — | 24 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 1,987 | 88,000 | 13 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 1,050 | 88,324 | 5 | — | 24 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 922 | 85,000 | 7 | — | 23 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 1,183 | 90,400 | 8 | — | 23 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1999 | 1,135 | 105,689 | 4 | — | 23 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1998 | 1,200 | 100,000 | 6 | — | 23 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 460 | 107,000 | 3 | — | 22 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 472 | 106,602 | 1 | — | 22 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1995 | 543 | 115,000 | 2 | — | 23 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1994 | 369 | 118,750 | 1 | — | 23 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 186 | 155,250 | 1 | — | 22 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 206 | 125,000 | 2 | — | 22 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1991 | 212 | 166,219 | 3 | — | 22 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 192 | 152,011 | 2 | — | 23 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1989 | 86 | 116,000 | 1 | — | 23 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 88 | 200,000 | 2 | — | 24 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 111 | 73,512 | 3 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 54 | 164,200 | 2 | — | 24 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1985 | 13 | 117,000 | 1 | — | 24 | — | Not enough data |
| 1984 | 22 | 165,367 | 2 | — | 26 | — | Stable |
| 1983 | 7 | — | 1 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1982 | 10 | — | 2 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1981 | 7 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Honda Accord model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Honda Accord?
Owners of this model year most often write about the automatic transmission, describing slipping, harsh or delayed shifts, and in some cases a full transmission replacement. The issues reported most often: Automatic transmission slipping and hard shifting; Airbag warning light on and airbags that did not deploy; Unexpected acceleration or unresponsive throttle.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Honda Accord have?
NHTSA recorded 1,050 consumer complaints for the 2002 Honda Accord as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2002 Honda Accord is reported most often?
Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 478 complaints (46% of the total), followed by air bags with 273.
Has the 2002 Honda Accord been recalled?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2002 Honda Accord get?
The EPA rates the 2002 Honda Accord (Accord, 2.3L 4-cyl) at 24 mpg combined, 22 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Honda Accord reported?
Among the 789 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 88,324 miles and the middle half falls between 60,000 and 120,000 miles; 16% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.