THE FRONT BRAKES ON MY WIFE'S 2003 ACCORD LX ARE THE PROBLEM. WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN NOV. 2002. NO PROBLEMS FOR THE FIRST YEAR, THEN IN NOV. 2003 WE NOTICED A GROWLING OR GRINDING SOUND WITH VIBRATION EMANATING FROM THE FRONT BRAKES WHEN STOPPING THE FIRST FEW TIMES AFTER A COLD START. UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, THE CAR DID NOT SEEM TO STOP AS SMARTLY AS IT SHOULD. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AT 24000 MILES, WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS CRACKED FRONT PADS. PADS WERE REPLACED AS A COURTESY, THOUGH THEY ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE ROTORS WERE RESURFACED. LAST WEEK, THE PROBLEM REAPPEARED IN A PANIC STOP SITUATION IN STOP-AND GO TRAFFIC, 3 BLOCKS AFTER A COLD START. THE CAR NOW HAS 33K MILES. SAME GRINDING SOUND, SAME VIBRATION, AND NOT ENOUGH BRAKING POWER TO STOP THE CAR FROM 20 MPH IN A SAFE DISTANCE. WE COLLIDED WITH A RANGE ROVER AT VERY LOW SPEED, NOT ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAG OR DAMAGE THE OTHER VEHICLE. NOW I AM LOOKING AT SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS IN BODY REPAIRS. WHEN I GET THE BODY FIXED, I CAN TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER DIAGNOSIS ON THE BRAKES. EVEN WITH NEW PADS AND/OR ROTORS, I AM NOT CONFIDENT THAT THIS WILL BE A SAFE-STOPPING CAR. *LA