2003 Honda Accord reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2003 Honda Accord — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 2,383
- 53 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
- 576 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 11
- see below
- Reported harm
- 188 reported crashes · 185 injuries · 2 deaths · 23 fires
What owners report fails — 2003 Honda Accord
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 576
- POWER TRAIN 339
- AIR BAGS 252
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 82
- STEERING 80
11 recalls on record for the 2003 Honda Accord
- NHTSA 19V501000 · 2019 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious in
- NHTSA 19V499000 · 2019 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MO An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious in
- NHTSA 19V182000 · 2019 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MO An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the dr
- NHTSA 18V268000 · 2018 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- NHTSA 17V220000 · 2017 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2003 Honda Accord
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2003 Honda Accord units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Honda Accord reliable?
NHTSA has 2,383 consumer complaints on record for the 2003 Honda Accord and 11 recalls. The most-reported problem area is power train:automatic transmission (576 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2003 Honda Accord units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Honda Accord?
Owners most often report problems with: power train:automatic transmission (576), power train (339), air bags (252), electrical system (82). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2003 Honda Accord?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.