Problems · by component

2002 Honda Accord engine and engine cooling problems

34 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Honda Accord cite engine and engine cooling, 3% of all 1,062 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
34
3% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“2002 HONDA ACCORD EX V6. THE TRANSMISSION WAS DETERMINED BY HOLLER HONDA TO BE TERMINAL, MEANING NO GOOD NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE DANGER OCCURS WHEN YOU HAVE TO ACCELERATE WITH THE NORMAL TRAFFIC FLOW AND ARE UNABLE TO BECAUSE OF SLIPPING AND IMPROPER SHIFTING. A ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I'M SURE THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS BY PEOPLE WHO UNAWARE OF THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM. FROM WHAT I'VE READ THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, HONDA HAS AGREED TO SPLIT THE COST OF THE REPAIR OF $4,600, WITH MY MOM HAVING ALZHEIMER'S AND ME NO JOB THAT FIGURE MIGHT AS WELL BE 4 MILLION DOLLARS. PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP US WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2012Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10456010
“TRANSMISSION SKIPS BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND AND NEEDS REPLACED. ONLY 112,000 MILES AND I HAVE DONE EVERY SERVICE RECOMMENDED - ALL BUT ONE WERE DONE BY THE DEALERSHIP! THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE JERK THERE WHEN ACCELERATING BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS FINE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 23, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10441100
“AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION JERKS WHEN ACCELERATING PAST 20MPH OR WHEN PUTTING IT IN REVERSE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND OUT THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2002 HONDA ACCORDS YET IT HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE SINCE A LOT OF DRIVERS APPEAR TO BE HAVING THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 9, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10439158
“TURNING A CORNER OF A BUSY INTERSECTION THE CAR MADE A LOAD WUMP THUNK SOUND AND STOPPED WITH THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING. LUCKILY, NO ONE REAR-ENDED ME OR KNOCKED ME INTO THE POLICEMAN IN THE ROAD CONDUCTING A LICENSE CHECK. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 28, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10437450
“CAR DELAYS SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR THEN SHIFTS HARD CAUSING ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON AND THE GEAR INDICATOR TO FLASH RESULTING IN LOSS OF MOVEMENT. I HAVE TO SHUT THE CAR OFF THEN RE START TO KEEP MOVING. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 15, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10425681
“PURCHASED THE 2002 HONDA ACCORD SE COUPE IN MARCH 2008 WITH 64K MILES. AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF DRIVING I BEGAN TO FEEL A SLIGHT JERK WHEN I PLACED MY FEET ON THE ACCELERATOR. TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT I NEEDED A TRANSMISSION FLUSH. AFTER DRIVING CAR I BEGAN TO FEEL THE SLIGHT JERK AND OVER A YEAR I RECIEVED 2 TRANSMISSION FLUSHES. JERKING HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT I AM NOT ABLE TO TRADE BECAUSE IT IS BASICALLY A LEMON. HONDA DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD ME NOW THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. OVER 3K TO REPLACE AND AFTER CALLING AMERICAN HONDA THEY REFUSED TO HELP WITH THE COST. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 ACCORDS BUT YET THEY WONT OWN UP TO IT. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A HONDA EVER AGAIN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2011Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10424175

Showing 6 of 34 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Free remedy

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 DAMAGED AND FAIL.

Engine and engine coolingReported Aug 28, 2002NHTSA 02V226000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.