2002 Honda Accord Reliability
The 2002 Honda Accord has 1,062 owner complaints and 16 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and air bags. Compared with nearby Accord model years (2000–2004), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Accord's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
1,062
NHTSA owner complaints
16
Recall campaigns
133
Complaints citing a crash
10
Complaints citing a fire
2002 Honda Accord complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 model year, filed between 2001 and 2025. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Powertrain / transmission | 483 | 45% |
| Air bags | 274 | 26% |
| Body structure | 75 | 7% |
| Electrical system | 70 | 7% |
| Speed control / throttle | 47 | 4% |
| Seat belts | 38 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 35 | 3% |
| Engine & cooling | 34 | 3% |
2002 Honda Accord recalls
16 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2002 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02V226000 | Aug 28, 2002 | Engine & cooling — engine | On certain minivans, sedans, coupes, and sport utility vehicles equipped with v6 engines, a timing belt tensioner pulley on the water pump is misaligned and could cause the timing belt to contact a bolt on the cylinder head. Eventually the belt could be… |
| 05V025000 | Jan 28, 2005 | Electrical system — ignition / switch | On certain passenger vehicles, the interlock operation of the ignition switch may not function properly, making it possible to turn the ignition key to the "off" position and remove the key without shifting the transmission to park. |
| 06E023000 | Mar 13, 2006 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps,… |
| 06E025000 | Mar 21, 2006 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Certain poli-auto combination headlamp assemblies, p/nos. 11-728, 11-728d, 11-710, 11-419, 11-713, 11-703, 11-704, 11-708p, 11-735, 11-725, 11-726, 11-716 (p&c), 11-721-1, 11-733, 11-729, 11-730, and 11-732, sold as replacement lamps for use on certain… |
| 06E026000 | Mar 23, 2006 | Exterior lighting | Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle… |
| 06E032000 | Apr 18, 2006 | Exterior lighting | Certain eagle eyes and sonar headlights and corner lights sold as aftermarket for use on 1988-2005 Honda civic, 1990-2005 Honda Accord, and 1990-2001 acura integra passenger vehicles listed above. Headlights and corner lights that are not equipped with amber… |
| 06E038000 | May 8, 2006 | Exterior lighting | Certain alfaotto combination headlamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps,… |
| 06E044000 | May 22, 2006 | Exterior lighting | Certain j & a auto accessories combination headlamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no.… |
| 06E060000 | Jun 29, 2006 | Exterior lighting | Certain aai motorsports combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above list passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108,… |
| 06E064000 | Jul 17, 2006 | Exterior lighting | Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108,… |
| 08E050000 | Aug 11, 2008 | Exterior lighting — headlights | 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 federal motor vehicle safety standard… |
| 09E012000 | Apr 7, 2009 | Exterior lighting | Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety… |
| 09E025000 | May 11, 2009 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety… |
| 15V320000 | May 28, 2015 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | 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 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura… |
| 19V182000 | Mar 6, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | 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 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic,… |
| 19V499000 | Jun 27, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | 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 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008… |
How the 2002 compares with nearby Accord years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Accord analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,193 | 21 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2001 | 932 | 19 | Air bags | Caution |
| 2002 (this page) | 1,062 | 16 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2003 | 2,013 | 24 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2004 | 1,018 | 22 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2002 Honda Accord
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 16 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2002 Honda Accord can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2002 Honda Accord reliability FAQ
Is the 2002 Honda Accord reliable?
The 2002 Honda Accord has 1,062 owner complaints and 16 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and air bags. Compared with nearby Accord model years (2000–2004), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Accord's typical year.
What are the most common 2002 Honda Accord problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2002 Honda Accord are powertrain / transmission (483), air bags (274), body structure (75), electrical system (70). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2002 Honda Accord have recalls?
NHTSA lists 16 recall campaigns for the 2002 Honda Accord, including 02V226000 (engine & cooling — engine) and 05V025000 (electrical system — ignition / switch). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2002 Honda Accord compare with the 2001 and 2003 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2001 has 932 complaints and 19 recalls (caution); the 2003 has 2,013 complaints and 24 recalls (avoid). The 2002 has 1,062 complaints and 16 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2002 Honda Accord?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Honda Accord research
Other Honda Accord model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2002 Accord, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.