Honda Accord 2006 Problems

Honda cars have long held a reputation as being a step above other Japanese marques in quality and prestige. Nowhere does this show more than in the medium-large Accord sedans.These days the Honda Accord sells in Australia in two different market segments. One, called Accord Euro, has a real emphasis on sporty handling and has gained a good reputation amongst those who enjoy driving. It gives, precise communicative steering and plenty of road grip. Handling was improved further when an upgraded Euro model arrived in Australia in June 2008.The other variant, simply called the Honda Accord, is larger, American-based and leans in the direction of passenger comfort rather than sporty dynamics.Many owners only drive gently and find the Accord’s characteristics most acceptable. Those drivers with more of a sporting makeup will find these Accords are rather soft and inclined to understeer at relatively slow speeds.Australia is the only country that takes imports of the two significantly different models, showing the high regard in which our country is held by the head office chiefs in Japan.Honda Accords in Australia are four-door sedans (though the European market also has a station wagon variant). Interior space is good, though the Euro is smaller than American Accord so for adults to get comfortable in the rear seat the front seats have to be set a few notches forward.Boot space is good, with a wide, low opening which makes it easy to load. Naturally, the boot in the larger car has greater volume, but the Euro’s luggage area is more than acceptable if only couples are using the car.The Honda tradition of designing cars with good outward visibility makes the Accord easy to drive and park, as well as making it comfortable for young children to see out of. However, crash safety regulations that made thick pillars necessary mean that there's less outwards visibility in the these post-2003 Accord. They aren’t bad, just not as good as the excellent older models. A four-cylinder engine used in the Euro model and the American Accord has a capacity of 2.4 litres. The engine in the Euro is set to a higher state of tune than the one in the American car so need high octane unleaded petrol, the Accord is happy to run on 91, though a diet of 95 does seem to make it feel good.A V6 3.0-litre unit is used in the American Accord, but not in the Euro. The 2008 model change saw an increase in the V6 engine size to 3.5 litres. The newer engine design offers plenty of relaxed torque and uses less fuel than the smaller engine it replaced.The Accord Euro is offered with a six-speed manual to suit its sporting nature, though in Australia most are fitted with a five-speed sequential automatic. The American car is imported only with a five-speed automatic transmission.The Honda dealer network usually concentrates on the major population centres. If you live in the relatively remote country area it might be wise to make inquiries to Honda’s head office, or your local regional office, if you are considering buying one of the cars. Ask about the time it takes to source parts, although this is unlikely to be more than a couple of business days.Honda has worked hard at reducing spare parts costs in recent years. However, the price drops usually apply more to the common parts than to the unusual ones.These are relatively complex cars, especially from the 1998 model, and are best left to professional mechanics. A good amateur, armed with a workshop manual, can tackle some of the routine work.Insurance is generally very reasonable as is only to be expected from a car in this ultra conservative market segment. It will be interesting to see if the new sport-oriented Accord Euro changes the premium structure.WHAT TO LOOK FORThe engine should be all but inaudible at idle, even in the four-cylinder units. Any roughness may indicate problems.Check there are no oily black stains in the exhaust pipe and the surrounding body and bumper. Make sure there isn’t a puff of oily looking smoke from the exhaust when the accelerator is floored after the engine has been idling for a minute or so.Manual gearboxes should move freely with no sticking or crunching on fast gearchanges. Automatics should go into gear promptly and their changes should only be noticeable when you're accelerating hard.During your test drive check the brakes pull the car up evenly without one wheel locking before the others. On cars with ABS, feel for a pulsing through the pedal during very hard braking.Look at the condition of the interior, paying special attention to the top of the dashboard and the rear shelf for sun damage. Fading or cracking in these areas can cause hassles.Rust is not common but may have found its way into cars that have been badly repaired after a crash. If you’re not sure, have a professional check out the car as repairs can be expensive.CAR BUYING TIPCars used by families often have more wear and tear in the boot than those used by couples. The condition of the back seat in a kid carter depends greatly on the amount of discipline the juniors have been taught... 

Two substantially different Honda Accords were sold in Australia from 2003 onwards; one mid-sized, the other large and almost in the same size class as our home grown Commodores and Falcons.  It's not only the size of these Accords that are different, their dynamics mean they attract buyers with significantly

The Accord V6 was so different to the Accord Euro that shared Honda showrooms that it could well have come from a completely different maker. The V6 was bigger and plusher than the svelte, agile Euro; it was also quieter and more comfortable. That might suggest that it was less assured on the road, but it wasn't, it actually performed well on all levels.Inside, the cabin was airy and spacious and rear seat passengers had all the room they needed to be comfortable. Under the hood it had a sophisticated V6 that delivered plenty of punch along with a good dose of torque that made it a smooth, pleasantdriver in all situations. The V6 was coupled to a smooth-shifting five-speed auto, there was no manual gearbox offered, but you wouldn't want a manual in the V6.Honda's claim of 10.6 L/100 km was reasonable for a V6 of the  Accord's size. On the road the ride was comfortable on all surfaces and the handling reassuring and quite responsive with light steering that still afforded the driver plenty of road feel. The level of standard equipment was quite good with dual-zone air-conditioning, cruise control, remote central locking with alarm, six-stack CD player, steering wheel controls, fold-down rear seat. If that wasn't enough you could step up to the Luxury and enjoy a powered sunroof, powered driver's seat and leather upholstery.In general Hondas are well built and perform well over time and but for a couple of issues that can affect it the Accord V6 is no exception. On average a 2003 V6 Accord has now done around 125,000 km, so it's reached the stage of its life that you would anticipate that problems could arise. Hondas do need to be religiously serviced, if they're not that's when problems can occur. It's also important to stick with Honda's recommendations for the oils and lubricants when having them serviced.One thing that does crop up on occasions is the automatic transmission, which is regarded to have questionable durability. One owner we heard from had the automatic transmission in his 2005 V6 quite while driving along the Hume Highway. The diagnosis was that the transmission needed to be replaced. It's a good policy to have automatic transmissions serviced regularly, and it seems that it's even more important when it's a Honda. When it is serviced it's critical that the correct Honda-recommended transmission fluid be used. Using oil other than that recommended is to court disaster.Honda paint, at least some colours, appears to fade worse than other makes and models. Avoid red, that's the worst. When checking a car for possible purchase, check its service record, if it isn't complete or up to date walk away.Well-built, good driving and comfortable sedan but be aware of potential auto issues.

Judy Omerod has done 90,000 km in her 2006 Accord Euro and says it has been brilliant. It has never given her any trouble; it runs smoothly, accelerates quickly and is easy to manoeuvre in tight spots, and averages 8.6 L/100 km. Robert and Helen Palmer love their 2005 Accord. It is good to drive, comfortable, great

Only a fraction of the 1.2 million cars on Australia roads with airbags that can spray shrapnel have been fixed, new figures show.