2003 Honda Jazz SE Sport from UK and Ireland - Comments

I believe the petrol tank is underneath the front seats. Perhaps this is the source of the sloshing sound.

Exhaust noise etc.

My Jazz is three years old and has clocked up 75k miles. Since new it has sounded as if the exhaust manifold is leaking despite my dealer’s best efforts – including the replacement of various parts under warranty. Fuel economy is reasonable, but I cannot get within 100m of the range claimed in the original brochures.

Biggest disappointment is paint peeling off both wing mirror supports and the complete lack of mid-range performance. But as it still offers the most accommodation in its class, and feels like it will just keep running on and on, I continue to recommend it.

I have two automatic CVT Honda Jazzes purchased new since 2003. One has 61,000km and the other has 53,000km. Both are great cars however there is a problem with both regarding the CVT transmission. The car shudders for a moment when accelerating from a standstill and there is no power for a moment. I have been told that the clutch start assembly requires replacement which is a costly exercise. Has anyone heard of this problem?

I have just bought a 2002 jazz and I'm also experiencing the 20-40 mph judder, interested to know what part requires renewing plus costs involved. Otherwise a great car and seems very well built verses my old Nissan Tino.

My wife has had her Honda Jazz for nearly four years now and I have to say it's an excellent car. Sorry to hear about this person individual problems, it must have been a bad one, but fuel economy is excellent. It does about 35-42mpg around the town and it can get as high as about 45 doing both town and motorway driving.

We haven't experienced any problems with the handbrake although I find it doesn't hold as well on a very steep incline, however this is the first time I've noticed in four years and I do need to give it an extra click on the handbrake.

Hi, all you people with the shuddering problems, the issue is the EGR Valve, which has an extended warranty and Honda will replace for free. The new valve is improved significantly and should not fail again.

I've just bought a new Jazz and was told by the sales person before I left the dealer that the way to use the handbrake was to first press the foot brake, then apply the handbrake and also to put the car in gear (which I do anyway). Little bit worrying for a new car - to me it seems the handbrake just needs adjusting, but I'll live with it till it's first service. Also notice the rattle in the back haven't found out what it is yet, but otherwise happy with the car.

I am recently starting to have noise, like metal grinding on my Honda Jazz. It will start going when you driving after a while and then will stop. We have come to realize that the noise will stop if the car stop or we apply the brake. What is this? Anyone having this problem?

My Jazz is from 2002. I had my jazz for almost 3 years (bought it second hand) last week I notices a noise from the back of the car. With acceleration it is increases. Went to the dealer and find out that barrings on the back wheels need replacing. In the meantime also noticed that when turn to the right a noise, like small stones heating the car comes from the front left wheel. (dealer said nothing serious, which is probably not true because on all my previous Honda's after the similar noise comes a rattle and then the part need replacing for 500 eur) Also breaks behave strangly: when braking it does not apply pressure evenly. The dealer said that he can replace a disk breaks, but after 20.000 it will come back again. He said it is common jazz problem :). I also have to mention that this is car of my wife and I borrowed it for the weekend and noticed all this problems at the same time :). She probably drove without noticing it for couple of month.

I have an 05 Honda Jazz. After about 6mths I parked my car on the same hill outside my house as always. I didn't put it in gear as I've never had to with any new car I've had. 30mins later I heard a noise. A neighbour came to tell me my car had rolled down the hill into his car. His car was okay, but my bumper is dented from his tow bar.

Last year I was cleaning the car and noticed my rear floor soaking wet. I took it to the dealers, it was as if they were expecting me. They said there was a problem with the door seals. The car had the rear door seals replaced and the car dried out. I asked if there was a problem with the hand brake. I was told by staff the Honda have to have the hand brake put up an extra notch and to keep it in gear just in case.

My lease ends in March and I'm loathe to pay for the repair of the bumper if the fault is common.

I've seen that the 05 Civic is being recalled due to this problem

Is there a link?

Has anyone else had the same problem?

My wife has a '54 reg jazz and we have got no problems with it. Handbrake and a noise on cold mornings that sounds like the manifold is blowing. This goes away when engine is warm. Can anybody help, as my Honda garage do not know what is causing this?

Far too many problems for this to be a Honda Jazz...

I have a 2004 Jazz, 4 years old today, approx 65000 miles. Further to people's handbrake issues, within the first year the handbrake cable on mine seemed to 'slip' once when I applied it, after that the handle needed pulling up further to secure the car until I got it sorted at the dealer. My guess is that the cable had slipped from where it's attached. Since then I've always left it in gear, it's a habit now.

I had the rear near-side wheel bearing replaced last year just before the warranty ran out. This seems to be a common problem on Jazzes. When driving at certain speeds (exactly 39mph was one such speed) a 'droning' noise could be heard which seemed to fill the cabin. When I took the car in to be seen the mechanic said the wheel bearing was distinctly 'rumbly'. I should have asked them to look at the drivers side rear wheel bearing too as I have a feeling that's starting to go now (8000 miles later), it's hard to tell but I think I can hear a very slight drone on the move.

The fluid sloshing about is the petrol in the tank - when the tank is almost full (but not quite) the sloshing noise is very obvious. The tank is in the middle of the car under the front seats.

Other issues I have had are slight corrosion to the alloy wheels around the centre cap, one full set of wheels were replaced under warranty by my dealer (without me even having to ask!) and now the second set are showing a tiny bit of corrosion in the same place.

The 'throaty' noise in very cold weather is something I have noticed too, I think that this is noise from the exhaust that transmits through to the cabin because the rubber bushings/exhaust mounts are firmer and absorb less noise/vibration when they're very cold. That noise only ever appears in freezing weather on my car and soon stops when I've driven a couple of miles.

I've found that servicing costs have been quite high throughout, although I've always taken my car to the main dealer so that's understandable - no doubt I could have found it cheaper if I shopped around.

I'm about to have the aircon recharged and serviced tomorrow, it's still cool but not as cold as it was when new - it was so cold up until last year that condensation would form on the outside of the windows in warm weather. It doesn't seem to do that this year and feels like it doesn't get as cold so I'm taking it to a Honda dealer to be recharged properly. Or so I hope.

When the engine is cold there is a slight rattling/tappety noise at idle when first started in cold weather or when accelerating, I have a feeling that this could be one of a few things: valves needing adjusting; high oil pressure affecting the hydraulic tappets caused by the oil being colder and less viscous, or some other kind of rattle (if anyone can help or has had similar engine rattle please let me know!). This noise has increased slightly over the last 12 months. The rattle stops as soon as the engine has warmed up a bit.

Other than that the car has performed faultlessly - the only lamps I've had to replace have been headlamps (although that's not the easiest job: access is through the wheelarch lining and also the spring clip which holds the lamp in place can come away from its housing if not careful, this needs a deft hand with a screwdriver working blind to replace). Mileage per gallon has been about 42mpg around town (just me and my work bag in the car), up to 60mpg on steady motorway driving (65/70mpg is possible if you drive like an undertaker and don't have the aircon/headlights on). It's been through one set of front tyres, one set of front pads and front discs and oil consumption is virtually zero.

Hi everyone.

Have a Honda Jazz 1.3 2003 Model bought used. Mileage is about 82,000Kms.

Bought it after reading reviews about the fuel economy. But based on the Honda guage and my calculations it gives me only about 10 KM/L. (23.5MPG). Based on the comments some of you seem to be getting almost 100% more than my car. Is there a problem with my car?

By the way air-conditioner gives out a bad smell some times. Checked the air conditioner but there are no problems.

Is it good to get the engine flushed? Will it damage the engine?. Will it increase fuel economy?

I have an 05 Jazz sport. The warranty has just run out and the bearings in the gear box have just given way. According to my mechanic the gear box should last a long time. Certainly longer than the clutch which seems to be fine. Is there a fault that should be adhered to because Honda say that I have to pay for parts and labour regardless of the warranty just expiring. Can anyone help.