2002 Honda Accord Speed Control & Cruise Problems

AS THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT, THE RPMS SUDDENLY ROSE TO 5-7K ! THE DRIVER COULD NOT CONTROL OR STOP IT FROM LURCHING FORWARD INTO TRAFFIC, SO SHE CUT OFF THE ENGINE. UPON TRYING TO RESTART, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AT NORMAL RPM. A BYSTANDER CAME OVER AND ADJUSTED SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE AND IT WORKED AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 TIMES SINCE THEN. NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM, BUT AFTER A WEB SEARCH, THIS IS NOT RARE FOR 2002 MODEL. UNACCEPTABLE! THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED AS IT THE CAR IS PUT INTO PARK, AND THE RPMS RISE QUICKLY TO HIGH LEVELS. IT STOPS WHEN THE CAR IS OFF, OBVIOUSLY, AND USUALLY DOES NOT RECUR ON THE SAME DAY. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING ABOUT 1 TIME PER MONTH SINCE WE BOUGHT IT USED FOR OUR TEENAGER TO USE. I'M NOW AFRAID TO LET HER DRIVE IT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE! THIS COULD HAVE KILLED THE DRIVER, MY DAUGHTER, AS WELL AS OTHERS IN HER PATH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FROM A TRAFFIC STOP BUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME HARD AND WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY RESPOND. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY INCREASED ACCELERATION WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED REPEATEDLY AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL AND CRASHED INTO SEVERAL CURBS. THERE WAS SUSBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE FENDER. IN ADDITION, BOTH FRONT TIRES AND THE REAR PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE TIRES EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED AND NECESSARY REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON THE FENDER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AREA. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS WHEN STARTED IN THE MORNING AND MOMENTARILY ACCELERATES QUICKLY WHEN DEPRESSED AND THEN DECELERATES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY. SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHIFT INTO PARK, AND APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL, ACCELERATOR CABLES, AND THE OPENING OF THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WOULD COST OVER $1,000. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND THE THROTTLE PLATE WAS CLEANED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

LAST MAY, MY 71 YEAR-OLD MOTHER IN LAW LOST CONTROL OF HER CAR SHORTLY AFTER STARTING IT AND CRASHED INTO OUR HOUSE. SHE STATED THAT THE CAR "TOOK OFF" ON HER DESPITE HER STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY DEFECTS AND THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. I CONCLUDED THAT SHE HAD MISTAKENLY STEPPED ON THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE DESPITE HER CLAIMS TO THE CONTRARY AND CONSIDERED THE ISSUE CLOSED. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SUBSEQUENT INCIDENTS UNTIL LAST WEEK, I WENT OUT TO MOVE HER CAR (2002 HONDA ACCORD). WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE THE ENGINE RACED. I WAS ABLE TO PREVENT ACCELERATION BECAUSE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE (IMPORTANT POINT) AND I QUICKLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE RACED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND THEN RETURNED TO REGULAR IDLING SPEED. I THEN DROVE THE CAR BRIEFLY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT, HOWEVER I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH HONDA TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. THE MECHANICS TESTED THE CAR AND FOUND NO CLEAR CAUSE OF THE RACING ENGINE ALTHOUGH THEY DID FIND CRACKED ENGINE BRACKETS AND REPLACED THEM. WHILE DRIVING BACK FROM THE DEALER I PARKED THE CAR FOR A BRIEF STOP. WHEN I STARTED IT AGAIN I HAD THE SAME EVENT OCCUR THAT I EXPERIENCED LAST WEEK. I DROVE HOME, CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT I BRING IT BACK. WHILE DRIVING BACK TO THE DEALER I HAD TWO MORE INCIDENTS (ONCE AT A RED LIGHT AND ONCE WHILE PULLING INTO THE DEALER PARKING LOT). EACH TIME I WAS ABLE TO PREVENT ACCELERATION BECAUSE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. I NOTICED THAT TACH WENT UP TO 4500 RPM FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL. THE DEALER IS NOW LOOKING AT THE CAR AGAIN. SEVERAL POINTS: I'M 54 AND HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 37 YEARS WITHOUT EVER HAVING CAUSED A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT OR HAD A MOVING VIOLATION; MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE (NOT THE ACCELERATOR, AS IS OFTEN SURMISED IN CASES OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION). IF IT HADN'T BEEN, THE CAR WOULD HAVE TAKEN OFF. I CANNOT INCLUDE VIN AT PRESENT BECAUSE CAR IS AT THE DEALER. *TR

ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS EVERY MORNING. YOU NEED TO STRONGLY DEPRESS PEDAL AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD AND THEN IT IS OK. I PRESENTLY HAVE IT IN A SHOP FOR REPAIR. REPAIRMAN SAID IT LOOKED LIKE HONDA TRIED TO FIX THIS AS THERE WAS YELLOW PAINT ON THROTTLE HOOD AND A GASKET HAD BEEN REPLACED? I NEVER TOOK IT TO HONDA FOR PRIOR SERVICE ON THE THROTTLE. I CAN HAVE THE REPAIRMAN SAVE THE OLD PARTS. MY SON ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH HIS HONDA ACCORD 2001 AND TOOK IT BACK TO HONDA AND THEY REPAIRED IT AS IT WAS STILL UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. NEITHER OF US HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. UPON COMING TOWARDS HEAVIER TRAFFIC I TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL. THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE. I PRESSED THE BRAKE MORE STRONGLY AND THE CAR REACTED BY ACCELERATING STRONGLY. IT WAS A SIMILAR FEELING TO WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGING AND THE CAR REACTS TO A HILL CLIMB BY REVVING HIGHER EXCEPT THAT THIS WAS MUCH STRONGER AND IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO MY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE. THE MORE I PRESSED THE BRAKE THE MORE THE CAR SEEMED TO REACT TO THE DRAG BY ACCELERATING. I MANUALLY DISENGAGED CRUISE CONTROL BY PRESSING THE CANCEL BUTTON. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE MUST BE DRIVEN ABOVE 30 MPH IN ORDER FOR IT TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE DEALER CURRENTLY HAS THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 82,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,981. UPDATED 06/08/07 *TR

2002 HONDA ACCORD ACCIDENT CAUSED BY CAR PREMATURELY AND UNCONTROLLABLY LUNGING FORWARD**CC THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO TWO VEHICLES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS UNRECOGNIZABLE AND HE REPAIRED THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,683.

2002 HONDA ACCORD, AUTOMATIC. AUG 2004 (32,733 MILES) I PULLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND WENT ABOUT 60 FEET TO THE CORNER. THEN I PULLED OUT ONTO A 5 LANE ROAD, ACCELERATING TO 40 MPH. THE LIGHT AT THE NEXT CORNER WAS RED AND I BEGAN APPLYING THE BRAKE. THE RPM'S ROSE TO ABOUT 5,000 RPM'S, AS THOUGH THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS STUCK. I TAPPED ON THE THROTTLE PEDAL AND THE RPM'S WENT BACK DOWN. I HAD THE VEHICLETOWED TO THE HONDA DEALER, THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. ON 1/6/06 (58K MILES) WE HAD DINNER AT A RESTAURANT. I PULLED OUT THE RESTAURANT'S PARKING LOT, MADE A RIGHT TURN AND STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT ( APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET). ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RPM'S WENT UP TO 4-5,000 RPMS AND THE CAR WANTED TO LURCH FORWARD. I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I COULD AND IT FELT LIKE A BIG TRUCK WAS TRYING TO PUSH OUR CAR OUT INTO THE INTERSECTION. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TRY TO GO THROUGH THE RED LIGHT AS I COULDN'T KEEP IT FROM GOING FORWARD DESPITE MY FULL PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND THE CAR SHOT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND I DROVE HOME WITHOUT ANY RECURRENCE. I TOOK IT TO THE HONDA DEALER AGAIN. THEIR INSPECTION WAS TO THE THROTTLE CABLE, THROTTLE BLADE, REV LIMITER, THROTTLE BODY AND AIR FILTER. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I CALLED HOND. THEY INITIATED A CASE AND AT MY INSISTENCE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THEIR DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER. I MET WITH HIM ON 1/31/06. HE SPENT ABOUT 45 MINUTES WITH ME, DISCUSSING THE PROBLEM AND TEST DRIVING THE CAR. HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY WITH THE VEHICLE AND SAID THE CAR "OPERATED AS DESIGNED." I RECEIVED A COPY OF HIS REPORT. HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE CONTACTED ME BY PHONE AND REITERATED ALMOST VERBATIM WHAT THE DSM HAD TOLD ME AND SAID IN HIS REPORT. BOTH OCCURRENCES WERE WITH ME DRIVING, THE CAR SITTING FOR AT LEAST 1.5 HOURS, AND BOTH HAPPENED UPON BRAKING. I AM STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR, AS OBVIOUSLY IT IS AN INTERMITTENT CONDITION. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE GOING 50 MPH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE TO 80 MPH. THE CONTACT SWITCHED THE VEHICLE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL WHICH CAUSED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO DEACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED A NEW THROTTLE BODY WAS NEEDED. UPDATED 02/13/06. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHILE STOPPING THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER OR STOP THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. THE VEHICLE BECAME WEDGED BETWEEN A SMALL TREE AND A FIRE HYDRANT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AGAIN ON WAY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005 - *NM

LTR FM (MD) EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN HER 2002 HONDA ACCORD CAUSING FRONT AND REAR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, HONDA WILL NOT LOOK INTO PROBLEM UNLESS INSURANCE COMPANY FILE A CLAIM. *TS *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRYING TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AT THE TIME OF ACCELERATION. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE DURING THE ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE HIT A FENCE AFTER GOING UP AN INCLINE. AFTER THE IMPACT, THE GEAR SHIFT WAS PLACED INTO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY AGAIN. THIS TIME IT STOPPED AFTER CRASHING INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO INSPECTION STATION, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCELERATION. THEY DISCOVERED THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS TURNED ON, EVEN THOUGH THE CONTACT STATED SHE NEVER USED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THERE WAS FRAME DAMAGE AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED, AND RPMS MOVED UP AND DOWN RAPIDLY . NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK

UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION OF VEHICLE WHILE OPERATING ON FREEWAY. ACCELERATION STOPPED BY PRESSING ON ACCELERATOR BUT NOT ON BRAKE PEDAL. PRESENTLY UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE CRUISE CONTROL.*AK

ON SATURDAY JULY 3, 5004 VEHICLE LUNGED OR ACCELERATED INTO A CONCRETE PARKING BARRIER. THE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS PRESSED LIGHT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHEN HER FELT THE PEDAL GO DOWN ON IT'S OWN. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ON. *AK *NM