I have 15,000 miles on my 2003 Accord Coupe, recently my master cylinder needed replacing so that I agreed to. The Service Writer, Nick advised me to remember that the Timing belt should be replaced?? I myself am a 20 year car man and have believed that proper maintenance on a car with extremely low mileage would prevent a car from needing that based simply on time? Isn’t the mileage requirement for that service usually around 120k? Please disabuse me of my current notion(s), or let me know otherwise.
All you need to do is to open your glove compartment, take out the Owner’s Manual, and refer to the Honda Maintenance Schedule. That should disabuse you of your incorrect notions regarding maintenance.
In case you can’t find the manual, I will make it easier for you. The maintenance schedule calls for the timing belt to be replaced at 105k miles (not “about 120k”) OR 105 months whichever comes first.
105 months equals 8.75 years, meaning that you are coming up on that interval very soon if you have not reached it already. Since this is an interference engine, when the belt snaps (with no warning whatsoever), the engine will sustain very expensive damage as pistons and valves collide.
My advice is to change the timing belt, water pump, serpentine belt, and all belt tensioners soon.
First, verify if it has a timing belt or a timing chain. Honda was switching over to timing chains about this time.
If it has a belt, then it needs to be changed on the time interval. Timing belts use rubber and rubber rots over time. If you have only 15k miles on this, then you probably have the original tires as well. The tires would also be due to be replaced based on age, even if they have good tread.
Keith–This model DOES have a timing belt.
If it didn’t need to be replaced based on time, why would Honda specifically put that in your owner’s manual?