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| 2002 Accord SE dash. (Photo: Honda) |
The 1999 model year brought only minor changes, but 2000 added dual-stage airbags up front and standard side impact airbags on EX and EX-V6 models. After 2000 the Accord only received small improvements until 2002 when the SE, or Special Edition, was added. Truly though, the SE was merely a cost effective package of popular features, designed to help push more Accord's off the showroom floor in the model's last year of production. Both four and six-cylinder engines were available with this model.
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| 2002 Accord interior. (Photo: Honda) |
What about problems? Despite its solid reputation for reliability the Accord did face a total of six safety recalls over its five year lifespan. But, as you can probably guess, they didn't all occur evenly from 1998 to 2002. Like in most cases, the initial couple of years of a new model incur the teething pains. Honda's 5th generation sedan experienced two recalls in its first year and one that continued to plague the new sedan from its 1997 predecessor.
Affecting 188,463 cars, the most of any of the Accord's recalls, electrical contacts in the ignition switch could degrade due to high electrical currents passing through the switch upon ignition. Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, possibly resulting in a crash. This recall lasted through 1999 models as well.