2002 Honda Accord: common problems and reliability

The 2002 Honda Accord has 1066 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 16 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are power train and air bags. Owners most often flag automatic transmission failure, especially v6 models: frequency: very frequent.

Safety record for the 2002 model year

1,066
Owner complaints
16
Recalls
133
Crash reports
10
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2002 Honda Accord vehicles (US, public record).

Is 2002 a good year for the Accord?

Across the 18 Accord model years we track, complaint volume runs from 267 (2022) to 2,013 (2003). With 1,066 complaints, the 2002 Accord sits about the same asthe model's median of 1,049.

These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.

Where owners report problems

power train
483
air bags
275
structure
77
electrical system
70
vehicle speed control
47

Recalls affecting the 2002 Accord

air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

Campaign 19V182000

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 20

air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

Campaign 19V499000

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 E

air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

Campaign 15V320000

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

exterior lighting:headlights

Campaign 08E050000

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 F

What owners report on the 7th generation Accord

Owners generally view this generation as a solid, dependable car with bulletproof engines and strong longevity, with multiple reports of examples exceeding 200k, 290k, 350k, and even 400k miles. The dominant criticism centers on the automatic transmissions, pa

  • Automatic transmission failure, especially V6 models: Frequency: very frequent
  • Transmission shifting problems, including stuttering out of first gear when cold: Frequency: recurrent
  • V6 timing belt overdue by time if not replaced: Frequency: recurrent
  • Oil consumption, requiring regular checks: Frequency: recurrent
  • VTEC system failure code (P1259), often linked to overdue oil changes: Frequency: isolated

Owner insights for the 7th generation Accord. Read the full 7th generation owner report.

Typical used price

Used Accord listings typically run $14,767–$27,819 across 2007 to 2026 model years.

Other Accord model years

Compare every Accord year side by side to see how 2002 ranks against the rest.

Compare the Accord against its rivals