2003 Honda Accord Steering Problems
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2003 Honda Accord, 5% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 100,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering hose” (20% of reports).
- 90steering complaints
- 100,000median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,150typical repair cost reported by owners
- 41%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering hose: mentioned in 18 of 90 complaints (20%)
- High pressure: mentioned in 7 of 90 complaints (8%)
- Fluid leaking: mentioned in 6 of 90 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2003 Honda Accord at $1,150, and half of them between $860 and $1,300.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2015), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 67 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 90 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 4 an injury.
Honda Accord steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Accord | 1 | 10% | — |
| 2025 Accord | 41 | 47% | 4,000 |
| 2024 Accord | 51 | 34% | 64,500 |
| 2023 Accord | 16 | 19% | 30,927 |
| 2022 Accord | 14 | 5% | 46,319 |
| 2021 Accord | 8 | 3% | 14,888 |
| 2020 Accord | 23 | 6% | 9,000 |
| 2019 Accord | 27 | 4% | 5,700 |
| 2018 Accord | 60 | 3% | 14,000 |
| 2017 Accord | 24 | 4% | 19,371 |
| 2016 Accord | 31 | 5% | 21,879 |
| 2015 Accord | 78 | 13% | 50,000 |
| 2014 Accord | 142 | 14% | 55,500 |
| 2013 Accord | 499 | 35% | 50,000 |
| 2012 Accord | 51 | 14% | 22,181 |
| 2011 Accord | 21 | 7% | 40,750 |
| 2010 Accord | 18 | 3% | 34,975 |
| 2009 Accord | 30 | 4% | 46,000 |
| 2008 Accord | 33 | 2% | 10,000 |
| 2007 Accord | 44 | 8% | 122,513 |
| 2006 Accord | 48 | 11% | 96,000 |
| 2005 Accord | 40 | 6% | 80,655 |
| 2004 Accord | 66 | 6% | 122,400 |
| 2003 Accord | 90 | 5% | 100,000 |
| 2002 Accord | 24 | 2% | 130,000 |
| 2001 Accord | 21 | 2% | 62,294 |
| 2000 Accord | 25 | 2% | 150,000 |
| 1999 Accord | 24 | 2% | 135,000 |
| 1998 Accord | 29 | 2% | 135,500 |
| 1997 Accord | 11 | 2% | 144,000 |
| 1996 Accord | 13 | 3% | — |
| 1995 Accord | 3 | 1% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections
Problem: Honda is recalling certain model year 2007 and 2008 Acura TL and model year 2003-2007 Accord V6 vehicles. In May 2012, Honda filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2007 and 2008 Acura TL vehicles. In September 2012, Honda informed the agency that it was including an additional 573,147 vehicles including certain model year 2003 through 2007 Accord V6 vehicles. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 625,762. Prolonged under-hood and power steering fluid temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely, resulting in cracks and power steering fluid leakage.
Risk: If this occurs, power steering fluid can leak onto a hot catalytic converter, leading to smoke and possibly an under-hood fire.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose, free of charge. The original recall began in June 2012, and owners of those vehicles may obtain the free remedy. Sufficient parts are not yet available for owners of the vehicles covered by the September 2012 expansion, but are expected to be available in early 2013. Honda will notify owners of these vehicles beginning on October 26, 2012, and will notify these owners again when parts are available so those vehicles can be brought to dealers for applications of the free remedy. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Honda Accord. The contact stated that there were several mechanical failures with the vehicle. The contact stated that there was a failure with the ignition switch, and the key could not be removed from the cylinder, and the shift lever failed to shift into drive(D)…
Tie rods, brakes
My key will not go into the ignition. It also starts to get hot. The steering column also starts to get hot. It also periodically smells like something is burning. The dealership wants to charge me $140 to look at it. I don't have the money. I have not been able to have anybody look at it because I…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Honda Accords have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 90 owner complaints about steering for the 2003 Honda Accord (5% of the 1,987 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Honda Accord steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 100,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2003 Honda Accord?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,150 (half paid between $860 and $1,300), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2003 Honda Accord?
The most frequent phrase is “steering hose”, in 18 of 90 complaints, followed by “high pressure” (7).
Other 2003 Honda Accord problems
See all 2003 Honda Accord problems or steering problems across all Accord years.