30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Honda Accord cite exterior lighting, 1% of all 2,013 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 10 recalls on this component.
“I WAS LEAVING A FRIENDS HOUSE AT NIGHT ON DECEMBER 28 AND WHEN I TURN THE CAR ON NONE OF THE LIGHTS IN THE CENTER CONSUL LIT UP. I COULDN'T SEE THE RADIO TO OPERATE IT NOR THE TIME. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE IN TRYING TO SELECT CLIMATE CONTROL. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANY OF THE SELECTIONS FOR A HOT COLD, THE ABILITY TO INCREASE OR DECREASE THE FLOW OF THE HEAT, SELECTING WHICH ITEM TO USE SUCH AS THE DEFROST BUTTON. LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED FROM A STATIONARY POSITION. HOWEVER, SINCE THIS WAS A NEW VEHICLE TO MYSELF IT MADE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT AFTER I LEFT HIS FRIENDS HOUSE. IN PARTICULARLY BECAUSE I NEED IT TO CHANGE THE DEFROST AS I WAS DRIVING, AND I COULDN'T SEE WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SELECT. ADDITIONALLY, SINCE I CANNOT SEE THE TIME, I HAVE TO USE OTHER MEANS SUCH AS A PHONE OR WATCH WHICH I'M SURE CAUSES DISTRACTED DRIVING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Dec 31, 2019·Exterior lightingODI 11292296
“ERROR CODE IDENTIFIED 54-5X FROM DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS OR AIR BAGS, INTERNAL FAILURE OF SRS UNIT. LIFETIME WARRANTY FOR SEAT BELTS IS BEING DENIED AS APPLICABLE BY HONDA FILED MANAGER AND HONDA DEALER. SUBSEQUENT TO SUCH CONFIRMED DX, RIGHT SIGNAL MARKS BEGAN TO FAIL.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Jul 4, 2019·Exterior lighting, Air bags, Seat beltsODI 11229478
“2003 HONDA ACCORD. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE FACTORY INSTALLED RADIO, COMPONENTS AND BACK LIGHT DEFECT ISSUES. *SMD CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED RECENTLY, THE CD PLAYER WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE RADIO BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION AND DRAIN THE BATTERY. THE RADIO WOULD FLASH ON AND OFF WHILE BOTH THE RADIO, ALL COMPONENTS AND VEHICLE WERE TURNED OFF AND THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START THE NEXT MORNING. ON TWO OCCASIONS AFTER DRIVING, THE CONSUMER SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF FOR FIVE MINUTES AND IT WOULD NOT RE-START. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE RADIO. A MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY HAD RECENTLY COME ACROSS NUMEROUS 2003-2007 VEHICLE WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE WAY HONDA INSTALLED AND MOUNTED THE RADIO, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT THE BRAINS OF THE RADIO WAS DEFECTIVE, THEREFORE DRAINING THE BATTERY AND CAUSING THE RADIO AND BACK LIGHT TO FAIL. THE BACK LIGHT WORKED OCCASIONALLY AND THEN STOPPED ILLUMINATING. UPDATED 05/04/16*LJ *JS *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Feb 3, 2016·Electrical system, Exterior lighting, EquipmentODI 10836195
“THE PANEL BUTTONS ON THE AUDIO/HVAC UNIT ARE NOT ILLUMINATING WHEN THE LIGHTS ON THE 2003 HONDA ACCORD ARE TURNED ON. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE (SVC BULLETIN 04-027). FOR THIS RECALL, THE WARRANTY EXTENSION COVERAGE IS 7 YEARS OR 105,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. I CALLED AMERICAN HONDA TO INQUIRE ABOUT A "GOODWILL REPAIR" AND WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER COVERED BY THIS RECALL. THE RECALL IS BASED ON A COMPONENT FAILURE ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) AND HONDA SHOULD REPAIR THIS FAILURE PAST THE 7 YEAR OR 105,000 MILE MARK. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO TURN ON THE DOME LIGHT TO FIND THE CORRECT BUTTON OR KNOB ON THE AUDIO/HVAC UNIT AT NIGHT, SUCH AS THE FRONT OR REAR DEFROSTER BUTTONS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed May 12, 2015·Exterior lightingODI 10715966
“I HAVE PIECE OF CRAP PEOPLE CALLS HONDA I CALL TODAY 04/07/2015 VISIBILITY PROBLEM WINDSHIELD WIPER AND HEADLAMPS LOW I CAN'T SEE NIGHT TIME DURING DRIVE AND TRANSMISSION IS SKIP BUT PIECE OF CRAP(HONDA) CUSTOMER SAID YOU NO HAVE RECALL OR WARRANTY THAT'S REALLY MESS I GOT MISTAKE TO BUY PIECE OF CRAP(HONDA) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I SUGGEST DON'T BUY THAT LIKE PIECE OF CRAP( HONDA) THANKS *TR”
“WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE CENTER CONSOLE WENT OUT. I NOW HAVE NO LIGHTS TO CONTROL THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HEATING, AND DEFROST AT NIGHT. THE IS AN ISSUE BECAUSE I AM UNABLE TO ADJUST SETTINGS WHEN WINDOWS START TO FOG. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Nov 19, 2012·Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10485094
Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 2, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
CERTAIN MAXZONE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, DEPO BRAND, P/NOS. 317-1131L-AS, 317-1131R-AS, 317-1131L-US, AND 317-1131R-US, SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION A SLIGHT DISTORTION OF THE BEZEL CHANGED THE LUMINOUS INTENSITY OF THE TURN SIGNAL. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
CERTAIN TYC HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES P/NS 20-6361-00 AND 20-6362-00 SOLD AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR 2003-2006 HONDA ACCORD PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE PHOTMETRIC WERE MISALIGNED WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
CERTAIN TRADESONIC COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
CERTAIN ALFAOTTO COMBINATION HEADLAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
CERTAIN EAGLE EYES AND SONAR HEADLIGHTS AND CORNER LIGHTS SOLD AS AFTERMARKET FOR USE ON 1988-2005 HONDA CIVIC, 1990-2005 HONDA ACCORD, AND 1990-2001 ACURA INTEGRA PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. HEADLIGHTS AND CORNER LIGHTS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
CERTAIN POLI-AUTO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES, P/NOS. 11-728, 11-728D, 11-710, 11-419, 11-713, 11-703, 11-704, 11-708P, 11-735, 11-725, 11-726, 11-716 (P&C), 11-721-1, 11-733, 11-729, 11-730, AND 11-732, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."