'02 Accord - Engine/Flex Plate problems
 

Let me start off by telling you a little bit about my car. I bought my 2002 Honda Accord in April of 2007, and it has always run great since the day I bought it. When I bought it it had 101k miles, and I put roughly 20k miles/year on it, so it is over 141k right now. It is a 4 cylinder w/ auto transmission.

Recently, the engine began to knock and make a lot of noise while I drove it. It still drove okay, but the sound was ridiculously loud. I took it to my mechanic who told me it needed an engine.

I had the engine replaced by somebody else. I got the car back, and only used it to drive from work to home and back (about 4-5 miles) two times. The next time I drove it I went a long distance, 150+ miles, and on the way back home I had a problem with the car again. While I was on the freeway the car stalled. I would press the accelerator and the RPM's would go WAY up, above 5,000/6,000 from what I remember, but the car wouldn't accelerate.

I pulled over to the side of the road hoping that it would work again after a few minutes but it didn't. Now when I tried to start it again the car would barely make a noise. The battery was not a problem because all my lights, my cd player, etc., were all working fine. I called my mechanic from the car and he told me the problem could be that the other mechanic didn't put the flex plate in right.

I took the car directly to the mechanic who installed the engine, and he told me that the flex plate broke, that it had nothing to do with the way he installed the engine/flex plate, and that he was going to charge me $200 to replace it.

I don't know much about cars, and according to my mechanic the flex plates on these cars don't break too often, so I wanted to ask around before I go down there to argue with this guy. Is it likely that the flex plate would break on its own, or is this something that can be caused by faulty installation? I appreciate any help I can get. Thanks.

Welcome new member!
Sorry you're joining under the circumstances of a broken car, but still...

It doesn't seem very common for the flex plate to break, but other than a vague feeling I don't really have an answer. Still, it would be interesting to actually SEE the broken peices.

Thanks Jim!

I called a few mechanics and they told me the same thing: this is VERY rare, some had never even heard of this happening to a Honda Accord before, and a few said that the only way this would've happened is if the flex plate wasn't installed correctly. I wanted to get a few different opinions before I called the person who worked on my car.

broken flex plate twice!!!!!!
 

please help me!!!! i have 02 accord 4 cyl auto. with 86000 miles ive had the car for two years and bought it in 09 with 53000 miles or so, no problems of any kind ever, recently i was driving in the city maybe 20 mph and the rpms shot up to 5000 put was getting no power to the wheels just engine spinning, pulled the car over and tried to put it in park and then in drive but same thing turned it off and nothing!!! found out it was the flex plate and got it fixed along with a new starter while the transmission was off, 10 days later same thing happened!!! the mechanic told me he doesnt know what the real problem is as to why the flexplate broke again and told me to let him fix it so it will run and to hurry up and sell it while its still running!!!! Ive talked to a bunch of people and mechanics nobody has even heard of a flexplate breaking ever!!! so i dont know what to do i know there is an underlying cause that is making it happen but dont know what to do about it, i have a car sitting at the mechanice with the trans pulled out and i have no idea what to do!!!!