Honda Car Forum

Greetings,
I own a 2003 Honda Accord which I love but there's two problems that
have been bugging me.

The first problem is that the battery goes dead if you shut the engine
off and leave the key in the ignition for any length of time. This has
happenned in as little as ten minutes. I've cured myself of the
habit, but every time I lend the car to someone, they usually end up
having to call AAA. The first time it happenned I did have the radio
on, and it was for over a half an hour, but less than an hour.
I took the car in to have the battery charged, but they told me the
battery was fine. Another guy told me he thought my battery looked
like a Civic battery rather than an Accord battery...but he was pretty
unsure of himself, and I figured I'd eventually take it to the Honda
dealership for confirmation. I'm not sure when I'll get the chance to
do that since the dealership is pretty far from home.

So I'm wondering, is this a common problem with Accords ? Or with all
Hondas ?
I saw a review of the latest Acura in The New York Times a few months
back, and the writer loved the car but complained that it had to be
jump started a couple of times. I believe he had the same problem I'm
having.

Does anyone know if this is a fixable problem ?

The second problem is really more of an irritant...nothing major.
It's just that at highway speeds if a rear window is openned just a
tiny bit there is a resultant inner air turbulence throughout the
entire cabin that just plain unbearable...it's almost painful. There's
also the problem of rainwater coming in if any windows are open. I
know these are both the result of the the aerodynamics of the car, but
is there a possible fix ?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, --N

Many times I have left the key in the ignition for over an hour when,
for example, I am at a doctor appointment, and my wife chooses to wait
in the car. I have never had a problem with the battery. Something
else is going on here with your car.

Dick - 2003 EX V-6.


On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 02:29:12 -0400, noydb <noydb@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Greetings,
>I own a 2003 Honda Accord which I love but there's two problems that
>have been bugging me.
>
>The first problem is that the battery goes dead if you shut the engine
>off and leave the key in the ignition for any length of time. This has
>happenned in as little as ten minutes.

On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 06:48:47 -0700, Dick <LeadWinger> wrote:

>Many times I have left the key in the ignition for over an hour when,
>for example, I am at a doctor appointment, and my wife chooses to wait
>in the car. I have never had a problem with the battery. Something
>else is going on here with your car.
>
>Dick - 2003 EX V-6.


I must have some sort of electronic gremlin in mine...
I didn't think it could be a normal situation...
But the newspaper article got me wondering...

I guess I'll have to go off to the dealer.

Thanks for your input.

Mine is an LX-4

Cheers, --N

Dick wrote:

> Many times I have left the key in the ignition for over an hour when,
> for example, I am at a doctor appointment, and my wife chooses to wait
> in the car. I have never had a problem with the battery. Something
> else is going on here with your car.

Agreed, I have had the radio playing, thus the key in the ignition, for
hours when I was working on it with never a problem. Sounds as though
something is shorted out to drain the battery in 10 minutes.

2003 Accord EX 4-door, I4, AT

Sparky Spartacus <Sparky@universalexports.org> wrote in news:6yXKe.3686
$Gx1.2492@fe11.lga:

leaving the fan on to circulate air, or leaving your map lights on will
hurt it too. I got 7 years out of the factory original in my 99. Just
replaced it this year (car made nov/98) ANy other accesories too, amps,
chargers, portable tvs, your battery should be good to have stuff running
with out the car on for about 90 minutes.

> Dick wrote:
>
>> Many times I have left the key in the ignition for over an hour when,
>> for example, I am at a doctor appointment, and my wife chooses to wait
>> in the car. I have never had a problem with the battery. Something
>> else is going on here with your car.
>
> Agreed, I have had the radio playing, thus the key in the ignition, for
> hours when I was working on it with never a problem. Sounds as though
> something is shorted out to drain the battery in 10 minutes.
>
> 2003 Accord EX 4-door, I4, AT
>