2003 Honda Accord Air Bags
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
WHEN I WAS SITTING PERFECTLY STILL PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, MY DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG AND MY PASSENGER-SIDE SIDE AIRBAG INFLATED. NOTHING HAD HIT ME, AND I HADN'T HIT ANYTHING. I HAVE CONTACTED HONDA, AND THEY WILL NOT RETURN MY CALLS, AND ARE NOT BEING COOPERATIVE ABOUT FIXING MY CAR. THERE ARE MULTIPLE RECALLS FOR THIS EXACT THING HAPPENING. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V351000 (AIR BAGS). HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V351000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REMEDY THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V351000 (AIR BAGS). HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE ABDOMEN, RIGHT HAND, AND LACERATIONS TO THE FACE. THE FRONT PASSENGER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE SUFFERED A NECK INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
THERE IS A RECALL OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG INFLATOR BUT HONDA HAS NOT SENT LETTERS TO OWNERS TO INFORM US. HONDA HAS TOLD ME THAT THESE LETTERS WILL NOT BE SENT OUT UNTIL PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. CLEARLY, OWNERS NEED TO BE INFORMED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLES. AND, SECONDLY, PARTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AND WE ARE STILL NOT BEING NOTIFIED. IS IT LEGAL FOR THEM TO WITHHOLD NOTIFICATION LETTERS? *TR
HONDA WROTE YOU A LETTER, WHICH I HAVE A COPY OF FROM YOUR WEBSITE, ON JUNE 14, 2014 CONFIRMING DISCUSSION WITH YOU ABOUT LOOKING INTO PROBLEMS WITH THE 2003 HONDA ACCORD DRIVER'S AIRBAG. THEY HAVE ONLY RECALLED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN DRIVING MY HONDA WITH THE CURRENT DRIVER AIRBAG. WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE RECALL FOR THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG FOR THE 2003 HONDA ACCORD? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V349000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DELAY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
I'M COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW SLOW YOUR WEB SITE IS. *TR
I OWNED A 2003 HONDA ACCORD LX. I WAS STOPPED WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED ME DOING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS & I WAS PUSHED MORE THAN A CAR LENGTH PAST WERE I WAS STOPPED. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED, NOT ONE. I SUFFERED HAND, WRIST, NECK, HEAD & FACE INJURIES FROM BEING SLAMMED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. I ALSO HAVE BACK, KNEE, HIP & FOOT INJURIES. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. POLICE WERE ON SCENE & A REPORT WAS FILED. MY CAR SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE & WAS TOTALED OUT BY THEIR INSURANCE CO. MY CAR HAD 204,635 MILES ON IT. I AM STILL OUT OF WORK DUE TO THE HEAD INJURY. *TR
2003 HONDA ACCORD AIR BAG SAFETY RECALL. *MW THE CONSUMER BELIEVED HIS VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL, BECAUSE OF WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. EVEN THOUGH HE NO LONGER LIVES THERE. *JB
FRONT END COLLISION INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF ANOTHER CAR (4-DOOR HONDA ACCORD) THAT RAN THROUGH A RED LIGHT. IMPACT WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG IN MY VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IN MY VEHICLE DID DEPLOY, HOWEVER, NO ONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG ALSO CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO SHATTER. A CONCENTRIC SHATTER PATTERN WAS EVIDENT DIRECTLY ABOVE WHERE THE AIR BAG EMERGES FROM THE DASHBOARD. *TR
THE 2003 HONDA ACCORD EX REAR-ENDED A GMC 2005 GMC ENVOY GOING AT WHAT THE DRIVER ESTIMATES IS 35 MILES PER HOUR. THE ACCORD'S PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED BUT THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT. DRIVER WAS WEARING SEATBELT AT THE TIME. DRIVER DOES NOT RECALL ANYTHING OCCURRING DIRECTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT BUT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND DIAGNOSED WITH A CONCUSSION. *TR
I SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT OVER THE PHONE ALREADY #[XXX] WITH NHTSA REP "[XXX]." [XXX] REFUSED TO SPECIFICALLY DETAIL WHAT I EXPLAINED TO HIM, WHICH WAS VERY DISCONCERTING AND A HUGE WASTE OF TIME, SO I AM SUBMITTING A SEPARATE COMPLAINT IN WRITING. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL NOTICE IS NOT BEING PROPERLY COMMUNICATED TO THE PUBLIC. THE MEDIA REPORTING BASED ON NHTSA'S RECALL NOTICES STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT THE RECALL ONLY AFFECTED VEHICLES IN 13 SOUTHERN STATES WITH HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN COLORADO AND CURRENTLY RESIDE AND DRIVE IN CALIFORNIA. NEITHER OF THOSE STATES IS ON THE LIST OF 13. I CONTACTED HONDA, BECAUSE NHTSA'S NOTICE WAS NOT CLEAR, AND THE VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE NHTSA RECALL INFORMATION HAS RESULTED IN A CYCLE OF NEWS REPORTING THAT MISLEADS THE PUBLIC INTO BELIEVING THAT THEIR VEHICLE IS FINE AND NOT SUBJECT TO THE RECALL UNLESS THEIR VEHICLE IS IN ONE OF THE 13 STATES. THIS NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED TO A MUCH GREATER DEGREE. THANK YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED THE AIRBAG LIGHT IN THE DASH DOESN'T ALWAYS GO OUT. THIS IS INTERMITTENT, OCCURS MORE OFTEN ON RAINY DAYS, AND WHEN SERVICED MECHANIC SAID IT WAS PROBABLY THE SENSOR, BUT WHEN PUT ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. NOW THERE'S A RECALL BUT ONLY IN HUMID STATES(?). WHAT ON EARTH IS RAIN BUT HIGH HUMIDITY? ADDITIONALLY I BOUGHT ALL OF MY HONDAS (3) USED SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE ORIGINALLY SOLD IN A "KNOWN HUMID STATE". *TR
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON. *TR
WARNING LIGHT FOR AIR BAG CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO A CAA RECOMMENDED GARAGE WHO DETERMINED IT WAS A DEFECTIVE "FRONT DRIVERS SEAT BELT BUCKLE SWITCH" HE HAS HAD SEVERAL OTHER HONDA CARS COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HONDA SAYS THERE IS A 5 YEAR WARRANTY FOR THIS PART. I BELIEVE THAT HIS PART SHOULD BE WARRANTED FOR A MUCH LONGER TIME AS IT IS A IMPORTANT PROTECTION FOR THE DRIVER, SHOULD THERE BE AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THE PART COULD BE REPLACED.. HONDA SAYS THEY MIGHT REVIEW A POSSIBILITY IN PAYING ME A PORTION OF THE COST OF REPAIR IF I PAY A HONDA DEALER TO ASSESS, AT MY EXPENSE, THIS PROBLEM, WHICH I REFUSED. I AM A CANADIAN, BUT WANTED YOU TO KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT APPROX 9PM ON A DARK INTERSATED WHEN THE TRAILER BEING PULLED IN FRONT ME SLOWED DOWN BUT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TAIL LIGHTS I WAS UNABLE TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH AND I HIT THE TRAILER WITH MY VEHICLE. MY PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED BUT MY DRIVERS DID NOT AND I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY FACE. FROM THE IMPACT I RECEIVED A CONCUSSION AND A LOOSE TOOTH. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM IF THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V353000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V351000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
DURING A RECENT SNOW STORM, MY WIFE AND I DECIDED TO CARPOOL TO WORK IN OUR SUBARU AS IT HAS 4 WHEEL DRIVE. DURING THAT STORM TIME WE LEFT OUR 2003 HONDA ACCORD IN THE GARAGE FOR ABOUT 5 DAYS. AROUND DAY THREE OR FOUR, WE HEARD A LOUD NOTICE IN THE GARAGE BUT COLD NOT FIND THE CAUSE. THE NEXT WEEK, AFTER THE SNOW HAD MELTED, MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR TO WORK AND CALLED ME STATING THAT SOMETHING WAS HANGING FROM THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THAT THE STITCHING WAS ALL RIPPED OUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT. WHEN SHE GOT HOME I DISCOVERED THAT THE THING HANGING OUT OF THE SEAT WAS THE SRS SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THERE IS NO SIGN OF ANY DAMAGE TO THE CAR. WE HAVE HAD AN INDEPENDENT INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND A HONDA DEALERSHIP INSPECT THE CAR. NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT WHY THE AIR BAG "SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED" OR HOW IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. TO DATE, THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS DENIED TO COVER THE DAMAGE UNDER OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND HONDA OF AMERICA IS TRYING TO AVOID FINANCIAL FOR REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE SYSTEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH, THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD ONLY TRAVELED 1.5 MILES AND WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A NONSTOP RINGING IN THE EARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND PICTURES WERE TAKEN, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE INFORMATION WAS SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 185,000. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
OUR AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. WE ARE TOLD THAT THE AIRBAGS ARE INOPERABLE WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON. WE HAVE HAD IT IN FOR REPAIRS 6 TIMES OVER THE LAST 5 MONTHS. WE HAVE SPENT OVER $1,100 AND STILL THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES BACK ON. SRS CODE 32-80 - HONDA DEALER IS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. WE WERE TOLD THAT AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY HAS RECORD OF MULTIPLE INCIDENCES OF THIS CODE WITH NO KNOW RESOLUTION. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS OUR PRIMARY CAR AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP POURING MONEY IN WITH NO RESULTS! WE NEED OUR AIRBAGS TO WORK! *TR
MY SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. *TR
I REAR ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED BUT THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES INVOLVED. *TR
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
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Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2003 Honda Accord has 265 Air Bags complaints on file. 73 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.