HONDA ACCORD · model year

2002 HONDA ACCORD

1267 NHTSA complaints, 165 crash reports, and 16 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2002HONDAACCORD carries 1267 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 165 crashes, 15 fires, 142 injuries, and 7 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2002 ACCORD is power train:automatic transmission with 336 filings, followed by air bags (204) and power train (131). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 16 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 11 investigation files overlapping the 2002 ACCORD, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

1267
Complaints
165
Crashes
15
Fires
142
Injuries
7
Deaths

Total Complaints

1267 filings

Crashes Reported

165 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION336
AIR BAGS204
POWER TRAIN131
STRUCTURE:BODY49
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM48
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL33
SEAT BELTS30
UNKNOWN OR OTHER29
SUSPENSION27
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL25
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE23
STEERING22
ENGINE19
SEATS15
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING14

Recalls (16)

06E06000029/06/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST 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 ASSOCIA

02V22600028/08/2002

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

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.

15V32000028/05/2015

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acur

05V02500028/01/2005

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

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.

19V49900027/06/2019

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. The

06E02600023/03/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE D

06E04400022/05/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN J & A AUTO ACCESSORIES 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 ASS

06E02500021/03/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

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 THA

06E03200018/04/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 FEDE

06E06400017/07/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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

06E02300013/03/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

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 EQUIPME

08E05000011/08/2008

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

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 A

09E02500011/05/2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

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

06E03800008/05/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 EQUIPM

09E01200007/04/2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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

19V18200006/03/2019

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV

Recent Complaints

20251108CrashAIR BAGS

Air Bags never deployed in an accident. Honda shows recall work was done prior to collision. Front end collision

20251029ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

See attached document for complaint.

20251015STEERING

-The front subframe on the passenger side completely rusted through and broke. The driver side is perfectly fine and still has factory paint on it, but the passenger side is completely rusted out. Yes the vehicle and issue are available for inspection. -The front subframe is the frame component that holds and supports your front suspension, steering, engine and transmission. With the failure of the subframe the front passenger side of the car dropped down and the steering and suspension were compromised. Very unsafe for the driver and passengers to lose control of the vehicle. Loss of control is also very dangerous for others on the road. -The problem is very prominent for this year and model of car. It is an engineering flaw from the factory for years 1998-2002. The air conditioning evaporator drain hose is routed right onto the passenger side sub frame. The moisture from the drain is what accelerates the rust. The car only has 55,000 miles on it and it has failed this soon. -The c

20251015SUSPENSION

-The front subframe on the passenger side completely rusted through and broke. The driver side is perfectly fine and still has factory paint on it, but the passenger side is completely rusted out. Yes the vehicle and issue are available for inspection. -The front subframe is the frame component that holds and supports your front suspension, steering, engine and transmission. With the failure of the subframe the front passenger side of the car dropped down and the steering and suspension were compromised. Very unsafe for the driver and passengers to lose control of the vehicle. Loss of control is also very dangerous for others on the road. -The problem is very prominent for this year and model of car. It is an engineering flaw from the factory for years 1998-2002. The air conditioning evaporator drain hose is routed right onto the passenger side sub frame. The moisture from the drain is what accelerates the rust. The car only has 55,000 miles on it and it has failed this soon. -The c

20251015STRUCTURE:BODY

-The front subframe on the passenger side completely rusted through and broke. The driver side is perfectly fine and still has factory paint on it, but the passenger side is completely rusted out. Yes the vehicle and issue are available for inspection. -The front subframe is the frame component that holds and supports your front suspension, steering, engine and transmission. With the failure of the subframe the front passenger side of the car dropped down and the steering and suspension were compromised. Very unsafe for the driver and passengers to lose control of the vehicle. Loss of control is also very dangerous for others on the road. -The problem is very prominent for this year and model of car. It is an engineering flaw from the factory for years 1998-2002. The air conditioning evaporator drain hose is routed right onto the passenger side sub frame. The moisture from the drain is what accelerates the rust. The car only has 55,000 miles on it and it has failed this soon. -The c

20241119STRUCTURE:BODY

I am writing to express my concern regarding a significant safety issue with my 2002 Honda Accord's subframe. The subframe is rusting severely in the area where the air conditioning drain line drips directly onto it. This design flaw has caused concentrated corrosion over time, significantly weakening the subframe and making the vehicle unsafe to drive. As the subframe supports essential components such as the engine, transmission, and suspension, its deterioration poses a serious risk of structural failure. This could lead to loss of control while driving, endangering both the driver and others on the road. Considering the critical nature of this defect, I urge Honda to take responsibility for addressing this issue and provide a resolution to ensure the safety and reliability of affected vehicles.

20241007AIR BAGS

SRS bag light has been on for unknown reason(s). Steering is not good and it got checked they said they fixed issue on it but it does not feel fixed

20241007STEERING

SRS bag light has been on for unknown reason(s). Steering is not good and it got checked they said they fixed issue on it but it does not feel fixed

20240829AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2002 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the driver's side air bag warning light remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 354,000.

Mileage: 354,000

20240807SUSPENSION

The right side of the main front subframe of the car broke. The subframe on the right side was completely rusted out and corroded away. However, the left side of the subframe was perfectly intact with no damage and only minor surface rust. The car has only 50,000 miles on it. When the subframe broke my friends [XXX]aunt [XXX] old) was driving and the right side of the car dropped down and the steering was compromised. The broken subframe resulted in a loss of control of the car but an accident was avoided thankfully due to her only driving at low speeds. They took the car to an independent mechanic, who welded some support brackets to the subframe to get the car to move. After doing some research, I found multiple forums, websites, videos, and repair TSBs about this issue. The failure occurred because of an engineering failure of the placement of the HVAC evaporator drain hose. The hose drips the draining moisture right onto the right side of the subframe. Over time, this trappe

20240807STEERING

The right side of the main front subframe of the car broke. The subframe on the right side was completely rusted out and corroded away. However, the left side of the subframe was perfectly intact with no damage and only minor surface rust. The car has only 50,000 miles on it. When the subframe broke my friends [XXX]aunt [XXX] old) was driving and the right side of the car dropped down and the steering was compromised. The broken subframe resulted in a loss of control of the car but an accident was avoided thankfully due to her only driving at low speeds. They took the car to an independent mechanic, who welded some support brackets to the subframe to get the car to move. After doing some research, I found multiple forums, websites, videos, and repair TSBs about this issue. The failure occurred because of an engineering failure of the placement of the HVAC evaporator drain hose. The hose drips the draining moisture right onto the right side of the subframe. Over time, this trappe

20240526SEATS

I complained to Joe Morgan Honda that my driver's seat broke from the frame causing it to be a rocking chair and Joe Morgan Honda confirmed that the car needs an entirely new seat because the frame had snapped. Joe Morgan Honda said they don't make the seat anymore and it was important that I not get a seat from a vehicle that had been wrecked, because so no seat in a scrapped vehicle could be found. I complained to the better business bureau to the Honda Corporation at 1919 Torrance, CA and the Better Business Bureau said they refused to answer the safety complaint Silicon Valley Complaint #[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20240201FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car exploded spontaneously. Fire department thinks it started in the steering wheel/ignition area. Vehicle is still parked on the street and is available for inspection. No one was in or around the vehicle, but it seems if someone had been in the car they would certainly have been incinerated. Anyone in the street would have been struck by shrapnel. Only the fire department has seen the vehicle so far, to put the fire out. This happened last night (1/31/24) about 8:30 pm central time. This happened with no warning, car was parked and turned off - had just been driven 2 hours prior.

20231130CrashAIR BAGS

On Sept. 28, 2023 I was driving this car and it was on a very rough highway and it went into a skid and flipped over and was totaled. It was towed to Willow Creek, CA for one week. I was badly injured and had no way to get to Willow Creek, CA so I had to pay $500 for it to be stored and they eventually got the title of the car from me and allegedly disposed of the 2002 Accord. I did not see it after the accident as I was bedridden and unable to travel to see the condition of my car. The passenger's side of the back seat was GONE and you could see the ground, I do remember that much despite my severe injuries to my head and body. I was the driver and the driver's side airbags failed to deploy despite the numerous time I took it in to Mid-City Motor World in Eureka, CA responding to numerous airbag recalls. I was told prior airbag recalls had not worked and that is why I had to keep going back to have them done over and over again. I am the original owner of this car and I got

20230707ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2002 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle went over a concrete island with the engine revving and the vehicle accelerating. The contact turned the vehicle to the right and grazed a pole which stopped the vehicle. The contact sustained a knot under her right clavicle but did not seek medical attention. A Police report was filed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

Mileage: 180,000

20230707POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2002 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle went over a concrete island with the engine revving and the vehicle accelerating. The contact turned the vehicle to the right and grazed a pole which stopped the vehicle. The contact sustained a knot under her right clavicle but did not seek medical attention. A Police report was filed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

Mileage: 180,000

20230624ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The ignition system of the vehicle is faulty. The engine keeps stalling intermittently and the vehicle shuts down. The issue has been observed at both low and high speeds. The issue occurs on average once in two weeks. This issue has put our family's safety in jeopardy. We filed a complaint with Honda but they are not willing to help with addressing this issue. This issue has been a problem for several years with no restitution from Honda. We need to be compensated USD 2.5million for the stress and aggravation this issue has caused us and for putting our family's safety in jeopardy. Please help us by arranging for mediation services with Honda Motor Company of America. Thank you.

20230624ENGINE

The ignition system of the vehicle is faulty. The engine keeps stalling intermittently and the vehicle shuts down. The issue has been observed at both low and high speeds. The issue occurs on average once in two weeks. This issue has put our family's safety in jeopardy. We filed a complaint with Honda but they are not willing to help with addressing this issue. This issue has been a problem for several years with no restitution from Honda. We need to be compensated USD 2.5million for the stress and aggravation this issue has caused us and for putting our family's safety in jeopardy. Please help us by arranging for mediation services with Honda Motor Company of America. Thank you.

20230624POWER TRAIN

The ignition system of the vehicle is faulty. The engine keeps stalling intermittently and the vehicle shuts down. The issue has been observed at both low and high speeds. The issue occurs on average once in two weeks. This issue has put our family's safety in jeopardy. We filed a complaint with Honda but they are not willing to help with addressing this issue. This issue has been a problem for several years with no restitution from Honda. We need to be compensated USD 2.5million for the stress and aggravation this issue has caused us and for putting our family's safety in jeopardy. Please help us by arranging for mediation services with Honda Motor Company of America. Thank you.

20230507ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This morning, my neighbor came over to see if I heard my car alarm go off. I saw that part of the driver side where the door buttons are located were some what damaged. They must have been trying to open other doors, trunk or something else. I'm not sure how they were able to open the driver side door, maybe a crow bar what whatever else they use. I did not hear my car alarm go off. I checked my car for anything stolen, but didn't seem to find any thing missing. Will check it again. On another note, there was a night about a month ago where my neighbor heard gun shots outside my back door under the plum tree. Same side of location where my car is parked. Perhaps its the same people. This neighborhood is becoming dangerous. Thank YOU! [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Compare 2002HONDAACCORD to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2002 HONDA ACCORD have?
The 2002 HONDA ACCORD has 1267 NHTSA complaints, 165 crashes, 15 fires, 142 injuries, and 7 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2002 HONDA ACCORD?
Yes, the 2002 HONDA ACCORD has 16 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 HONDA ACCORD?
The most-complained component for the 2002 HONDA ACCORD is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 336 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2002 HONDA ACCORD safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.