I'm trying to decide between a used 2001/2002 Accord or Camry. However, I'm very worried about both the Honda's transmission problems and the Camry's oil sludging during those years. I'm a Consumer Reports nut and like to really know what I'm in for. Honda did put in a recall for their transmissions, but Toyota put stipulations on their recall saying that the oil needed to be strictly replaced every 3000 miles and by a dealer. This makes me think that at least Honda is being a little more proactive at getting their problem fixed, instead of trying to pin blame on the consumer. Given that I'm buying a used car from a 1st or 2nd owner (private party seller), it could be questionable if a Camry was treated as it should per Toyota's specs. Although I dislike a dealer's higher price (w/tax, reconditioning fees, etc) as well as their mind game tactics, I wonder if a certified used car is the route to go in either case. The inspections, reconditioning, and 12 month warranty usually offered with certified cars is starting to appeal because of the above worries.

I'm also trying to decide between a Japan or U.S. country of manufacturer/assembly. I've always heard that Japan plants put tighter tolerances and higher QA on their cars. Has that work ethic caught up with U.S. union auto workers who are assembling those cars here in the U.S.?

 

You're on the wrong site to get an unbiased opinion. I along with everyone else here will tell you to go with the accord

 

I actually am siding with Honda, but want to know if my worries about the Gen 6 tranny is warranted. It seems like they fixed the issue in the 2002.

 

To help clear up a few things for you the honda accord did not have a re-call. They just extended the warranty till 100k miles or seven years. If the tranny goes out on certain cars (VIN # spread) before the 100k or seven years they will replace it ONE time. After that its customer pay. As for the toyota sluge problem the reason there so strickt about theres is because it is a recall. But un-like the honda tranny problem ( trannys were not built by honda but rather an out side soure) the toyota camery engines were in fact wuilt by toyota. The problem with theres was a flaw in the design of the valve covers. The oil would collect on top of the baffle for the valve cover and just build up until chuncks of old oil sludge would fall into the engine and cause damage. So no nowing both sides you should be able to make a better decison. Honda goofed on going with the wrong company to build there trannys. But toyota desinged a bad engine. It wasn't just the camery that had this problem

 

Yes, in 2002 the probelm was fixed. It had 2 main problems on was it would eat the diff. bearings up and trash the diff and the case. The pre-load between the diff and the case was way off in about 30-40% of the trannys. Couple this with hard driving and kiss the diff unit go by.
The other problem was that the 2nd and 3rd clutch packs would over heat and cause the car not to shift properly or not at all. The way there posioned in the tranny they get very little fluid flowing to them. This was an easy fix by just adding to fluid feed straws and scavange plate to the top of the gear stacks. Once done, problem was fixed. If you really wanted to you could put thes feed tubes in all the 98-01 trannys that had this problem and problem solved. Problem is its usually to late to fix by the time people notice.

 

Great information!!! Thanks for the heads up.

I have a 98 CR-V EX with 74k miles (driven in AZ from the desert to the high mountains on and off road) and it has be absolutely perfect!

Now that I need to get a second car for me and going to work (but with the capacity to have a child seat in it), I have high expectations for an accord. Unfortunately, it looks like at the cost that I looking to find a used car those just happen to be the years that Honda had some bugger problems.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Turbowa &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yes, in 2002 the probelm was fixed. </TD></TR></TABLE>

What years did this affect? Did it affect only American built accords w/ NAFTA sourced transmissions?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by doppler &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm a Consumer Reports nut </TD></TR></TABLE>

Btw, there is a way to get these all free over your home internet.

If you access you local public library over the net', you can usually get into their free Consumer Reports subscription database. Ergo, no need to pay for any online access from CR.

 

I went through this recently. I deceided to look at both the Camry and Accord. First resonable priced Camry was checked out by local dealer. Sludge so bad the bearings were shot. Looked at lots of accords and no major problems with any I could find. It was just a matter of condition and price. Purchased the accord in November and so far I am very happy with it. I did go with a 97 as I had heard about the 98-2001 transmission problems.

 

They tranny's were updated very late in 01" and 02". The newer K series don't seem to have any problems with the trannys. As for the CR-V, those will run for ever. Never had atranny problem. The only modles that had tranny problems were 98"-01" accord 4cyl and V6's, prelude's from 97"-01", and the odysses from 98"-01".

 

Go with the accord.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Turbowa &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">They tranny's were updated very late in 01" and 02". The newer K series don't seem to have any problems with the trannys. As for the CR-V, those will run for ever. Never had atranny problem. The only modles that had tranny problems were 98"-01" accord 4cyl and V6's, prelude's from 97"-01", and the odysses from 98"-01". </TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks for the info.

So I gather from your answer a Japanese Built accord w/ 99% japanese content had a potentially bum tranny as well??

Didn't US-built accords have different sourced trannies? They're japanese content is something like 37% (i think) or so.

I ask this b/k my brother has an Japanese-built early-01' Accord LX (auto). TIA

 

ALL the trannys come from the same manuf. doesn't matter if the car was made in the U.S., Japan, or Canada. They all come from the same place. And if your looking at coupes these were ONLY made in U.S.

 

Is there any way dealer can add fluid feed straws to a Accord that isnt having the problem, as a prevenative measure?

Are the trannys that Honda replaces holding up better? do they have the "fix" so they dont have the same problem?

 

Here's what I've found by watching vins and trim levels of the Accord sedan on the car classified sites is the country where the car is manufactured/assembled.

EX 4cyl w/leather : USA
EX 4cyl w/cloth: Japan

EX V6: USA

SE/LX: varies

 

lol i work for toyota, we had alot of the v6 engines slugging. for the most part they do this from the lack of oil changes. toyota warrenties them depending on year. if they get bad enough you get a new short block.

 

From what I'm finding here and from other car forum sites is that the problem got corrected in the 2002 Accord (even so much that this year is not included in the Honda's extended 100k/7yr warranty).

I'm pretty stoked in that last night I just found a used, private party 02 LX Accord sedan, 1st owner, 37k miles, with maintenance records, and made/assembled in Japan for only $11750. The guy also buys Hondas for his family too. I'm going to go check it out tonight and have a look see. Autocheck.com verified the ownership and that it has stayed here locally. Edmunds lists it for $11861. KBB at $13275

 

Here's what I've found by watching vins and trim levels of the Accord sedan on the car classified sites is the country where the car is manufactured/assembled.

EX 4cyl w/leather : USA
EX 4cyl w/cloth: Japan

EX V6: USA

SE/LX: varies

 

Dont get either one of them, Both have problems looks for a better car.

 

The straws can be added but the labor to do so is just to great. And don't forget that the pre-load on the diff. bearings on most of those modles were off too.

 

From what I'm finding here and from other car forum sites is that the problem got corrected in the 2002 Accord (even so much that this year is not included in the Honda's extended 100k/7yr warranty).

I'm pretty stoked in that last night I just found a used, private party 02 LX Accord sedan, 1st owner, 37k miles, with maintenance records, and made/assembled in Japan for only $11750. The guy also buys Hondas for his family too. I'm going to go check it out tonight and have a look see. Autocheck.com verified the ownership and that it has stayed here locally. Edmunds lists it for $11861. KBB at $13275

 

From what i've heard the oil sludge problem is completely avoidable if you change your oil every 3-5k. I believe the problem is the owner's manual specified a very long oil change interval, like 10k. Not that i would necessarily choose a camry over an accord, but the tranny issue seems more serious.

 

Not true I am afraid. The Camrys have problem with sludge with 3000 mile oil changes. It seems only the best top quality synthetics seem to be able to avoid sludge. The problem is even if it runs fine you don't know if you have sludge till you pull the pan and the valve cover. If you find it you have one hell of a mess to deal with.

 

what camry engines and year's were effected?