Honda Accord 1998 - 2002 review

2002 Honda Accord (Photo: American Honda Motor Co.) 2002 Honda Accord (Photo: American Honda Motor Co.) The 1998-2002 Accord was reliable and easy to maintain family sedan with good handling and firm, well-controlled ride. Available as a four-door sedan or two-door coupe, the 1998-2002 Accord was offered with three engine choices: The 2.3-liter four-cylinder with 135 horsepower, the 2.3-liter four-cylinder VTEC engine with 150 horsepower and the 3.0-liter VTEC V6 with 200 horsepower. Inside, the 1998-2002 Accord offered plenty of room, good visibility and excellent fit and finish. The instrument panel is easy to read. User-friendly controls are located exactly where you want them to be. The driver's seat is firm and supportive. The rear seat folds down for extra cargo room. 1998-2002 Honda Accord offered firm, stable ride and excellent handling with precise steering feel. On the downside, some road noise was present and the 4-cylinder engine was a bit noisy at acceleration.

The engine

Honda Accord 2.3-liter VTEC engine

The 1998-2002 Honda Accord offered three engine models:
The 2.3-liter 4-cylinder 16-valves SOHC (Single OverHead Cam) engine with 135 hp, which was slightly underpowered but very reliable.
The second choice (the best option in my opinion) was the 2.3-liter 16-valves SOHC VTEC 4-cylinder engine with 150 hp and 152 lb.-ft. of torque. Besides good power, this engine also offered very good fuel economy.
The third engine was the 3.0-liter 24-valve V-6 VTEC with 200 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. It offered impressive performance and smoother ride, as it was heavier.
All three engines have a timing belt that must be changed at regular intervals. All these engines were very reliable if properly maintained.

Strengths

- Reliability
- Good fuel economy for mid-size sedan (4-cylinder models)
- High crash test ratings
- Interior quality and comfort
- Good handling
- Excellent braking

Weaknesses

- Road and engine (4-cylinder models) noise
- Might be costly to insure. Check the insurance quote first.
Problems were relatively rare and mostly minor. Some of the possible problem areas were automatic transmission on V6 models and the "check engine" light with EGR related codes on V6 models.

Overall

The 1998-2002 Honda Accord was certainly one of the best family sedans available. In my opinion, the 2.3-liter VTEC should be the engine of choice.
Check the 2003-2007 Honda Accord review.

What to look for buying a used Accord

First, check the used car history records. Even though it will not give you 100 percent guarantee that the car is perfect, it's well worth the money spent. It may turn out that the car is not even worth a look. A history report may help you to uncover some of the problems the car might have in the past such as accidents, flood damage, rolled back odometer, etc.
Follow this link: How to check used car history
Make sure to test an automatic transmission carefully, especially on V6 models.
If you feel strong clunk when shifting into the Reverse or while driving, the transmission may have a problem.
Learn more about how to check an automatic transmission
Listen for humming noises from the wheel bearings.
Check if the timing belt has been replaced. If not, you will have to do that.
Look for the trailer hitch - if the car was used for towing, transmission might be excessively worn.
If the "check engine" light is on, make sure to check it with your mechanic first.
Learn more what to look for when buying a used car
Prior purchase, have the car inspected by an independent mechanic.
Shop wisely, check few cars to compare; it's worth to pay a little extra for a well-maintained vehicle in good condition.

Few maintenance tips

- Wash your car regularly, wax it once in a while to protect the paint and keep the car shiny.
- Frequent oil changes are very important to keep your engine in good shape.
- Change transmission fluid in recommended intervals.
- Take care of minor problems as soon as you can, so they won't result in expensive repairs later.
- Try to avoid overheating the engine; it may cause serious problems.
- It make sense to replace a water pump when you change the timing belt.
- Follow recommended maintenance schedule and keep all the fluids clean and topped up.
- Have your car inspected, at least once a year, in a garage on the lift (e.g. when doing tire rotation) to keep it safe. Many components (e.g. brakes, steering, suspension) cannot be properly inspected during a simple visual inspection at fast lube places - the vehicle must be on the lift.
- No matter where you service your Honda, use original Honda parts.
Check more Car maintenance tips

Honda Accord short specs. (2001 model)

Links

Repair manual

If you need a repair manual with diagnostic procedures, check engine codes description, wiring diagrams, maintenance schedule, component location, technical service bulletins, recalls, etc. - follow this link:

by Vlad Samarin