One of the most famous global car manufacturers is Honda, and one of its most famous models is the Accord, a nameplate that has reigned in the market for over four decades. Vehicle owners take pride in knowing that they drive high-quality vehicles, which is why many consumers prefer buying cars from Honda. Honda Accord models usually perform well and excel in reliability, especially when they are brand new.

However, every vehicle has to undergo maintenance at some point to ensure maximum efficiency. Like any nameplate, some Accord models tend to need maintenance more often than others, which can be a heavy burden in terms of time and money. So, what are the worst used Honda Accord model years to avoid when car shopping?

1. The 2003 Honda Accord is one of the worst Honda Accord models

Transmission failure is a major problem affecting the 2003 Honda Accord. After traveling an average of 98,000 miles, the 2003 Accord’s transmission starts failing and will need a repair that costs at least $2,000 to complete. Apart from the transmission starting to fail, this model has also been reported to shift improperly after approximately 101,000 miles, costing an average of $2,500 to fix.

As if this model didn’t already have enough transmission problems, the transmission gear sometimes slips out of the gearbox. On average, this happens to its drivers after 95,000 miles, costing $2,600 to fix. These transmission problems make the 2003 Accord model a poor choice for a used vehicle, as they are also costly to repair.

2. 2008 Honda Accord

According to Car Complaints, the 2008 Honda Accord received the most overall complaints from consumers, even if most are minor. Primarily, the model was called out for having premature brake wear. After a recorded average of 26,000 miles, its brakes wear out, costing the owners $200 to fix. Clients are unhappy with this problem because it needs fresh brakes too often, and over time, the maintenance cost becomes a liability to its users.

Additionally, the 2008 Accord suffers from excessive oil consumption after around 67,000 miles. Drivers are then charged as much as $1,200 to fix this issue. Lastly, after 60,000 miles of use, this model starts producing a grinding noise when the vehicle is started. The noise irritates the drivers, and it costs $500 to fix.

3. 2002/2004 Honda Accord

The 2002 and 2004 model years have equally bad problems and should be avoided when selecting a used Honda Accord. Similar to the 2003 model, these models suffer from transmission problems that are very costly to fix. The first common issue is transmission failure, which costs $2,500 for the 2002 Accord and $2,900 for the 2004 model. Transmission failure is common after 94,000 miles on the 2002 model and becomes a problem after 110,000 miles on the 2004 model.

Secondly, these models are also faced with transmission slippage occasionally. After 94,000 miles, the 2002 Honda Accord’s transmission starts to slip and may even jerk, costing an average of $2,400 to fix. Transmission slippage is seen later, after 111,000 miles, in the 2004 model, but it costs around $3,300 to fix.

Additionally, in the 2002 model, the vehicle sometimes hesitates and shifts hard after being used for roughly 99,000 miles, and this transmission problem costs drivers $2,300 to fix. These Honda Accord models are costly to maintain and would be a bad choice for a consumer looking for a cost-friendly Accord.