Top 5 Problems Honda Accord Sedan 6th Generation 1998-2002

In this video, we're going to talk about the top five problems in the sixth-generation Honda Accord.

Number one most common problem, which I'm sure all of you already know or have heard of at least once, is the automatic transmissions on Hondas. It's a certain generation. They kind of fixed it. I say, "Kind of." But what you want to do is, if your transmission's slipping or you feel like it slams into gear, it's an automatic, you check your fluid. A code sometimes will come up, PO780.

But to check your fluid on a V6, this particular model, even the four-cylinder, it will be located over here. Honda highlights the handle on the automatic transmission dipstick with a yellow rubber coating. We're just going to check the fluid, not the level at this time. We just want to check it, see the color of it. See those gray marks behind? That is actually...It's normal. It's very normal in automatic transmission, but that's the inside material breaking down.

You want to take an actual smell of it, and you want to see what it smells like. Now, you don't have to be a mechanic to know what burnt transmission smells like. You're going to take it...That smells nice and sweet. It has a little bit of an oily smell to it. That's in pretty good shape. If it is burnt, you'll know it. It smells just like a bad campfire. Very well-known, and in most cases, no matter the year, make, or model, Honda will work with you, and they know it's a problem.

So, number two is EGR ports clogged, very common in Hondas, like so common that they actually sell a tool to fix the situation here. EGR valve is located right here on a V6, on the 3.0. On the 2.4, you'll find it in a different location, but you'll see it. You can't miss it. What happens is, you take these two nuts out, and underneath this port, the exhaust port where the fuse comes from, basically, the temperature gets all of the...it congeals, turns into carbon, almost like coal. You think it's black coal. Carbons up the passage and the EGR won't work. Therefore, it acts up and you get a hesitation, a stalling, and sometimes a lack of power.

So, what you have to do is take your EGR off, test it, make sure it's good. If it's good, you clean the ports out. This is a flex drill. See how it flexes, and see the carbon bit on the top there, chops away? Hook that onto an electric drill, and you go right down inside that port, and you just bore out the hole, and then you can use the brush to clean it out. In some cases, I have had to take the whole thing apart.

Number three, motor mounts. This particular generation had hydraulic motor mounts, and they're notorious for leaking. I don't know why, but you put it in gear and the engine just slams. Some of them rip completely apart, and people are like, "I don't know what's happening, and I've all these noises every time I go in reverse or drive." Locations are...they call this the front motor mount. It's a hydraulic...it's rubber with hydraulic fluid in the middle, and the same with the back. They're about the same size, but they do have different mounting. You've got the timing belt area one right here, and on this model, you can see that the rubber is rotted and starting to tear all the way around. And from underneath the engine, you can see the two little motor mounts...actually on the transmission, so there's two little rubber mounts right here.

Number four could be considered to you one, two, or three, but it's the paint on the Honda. They had quite a problem, and unfortunately, they did not want to recognize it. Some theories out there is that it was bad primer. Some say it was cheap paint. Some say it was cheap clear coat. Either way, this is a major problem, and there is no fix other than cleaning it out, getting it sanded, and repainted from someone else.

Number five is the windshield seal. Now, this is just the outside weather-protector seal, but you can see this is already peeling up. I personally did have a Honda that, up in here, the seal kind of lifted up, the outer seal, but when they put it together in the factory, the inner seals, what they're saying, folds over when they put it together on the assembly line. And what happens is water collects up in there and it actually rots out the upper part of the hood where the window meets, so there will not be a perfect seal after so many years. The rust rots that middle right out and you're going to have a problem.

Last but not least is a little extra bonus for you Honda lovers. It's not just the Accord issue, it's the whole family. All Hondas have this negative battery problem. They shred. They peel apart. They exposed over 4 inches of the cable into the elements and look at that. If you think that's a ground issue, you're right. So, don't forget to check us out because we carry a lot of parts for this little guy.

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