CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2004 Honda Accord suffers from widespread transmission failure & problems with the stereo backlight failing. We recommend avoiding this model year like the plague.

The transmission begins slipping & eventually has to be replaced, typically soon after 90,000 miles & with a repair cost of over $2,000. Transmission failure has been a huge problem for the Accord & several other Honda models all through the early 2000s model years. Honda extended the transmission warranty to 93 months/109k miles for the 2000-2001 Accord as a class action lawsuit settlement, but owners of other Accord model years with transmission problems are out of luck.

The stereo backlight problem has been an issue ever since these Accords were only a few years old. Honda eventually issued a recall which covered the repair for 7 years/100k miles, which was nice while it lasted but now that period is over. Honda initially replaced the entire radio ($800) but eventually began replacing just the PCB which at ~$300 is much cheaper. That sounds like a deal, but keep in mind we're talking about a backlight bulb that costs $2 to fix in most other cars.

8.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
132,500 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (2 reports)
2004 Honda Accord accessories - interior problems

accessories - interior problem

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2004 Honda Accord Owner Comments

problem #2

Apr 152015

Accord LX Lx V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 105,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

A few months ago my radio in my 2004 Honda Accord started coming on by itself and going off when it wanted to. Now the cd player doesn't work. When I started looking into this I noticed hundreds of people with similar problems even when they buy new cars. Something has to be done about this! First, there was no recall on the lousey paint jobs on Accords, and now this. I am calling Honda Corporate to get this fixed. I am not going to have to buy an aftermarket radio.I am going to hound Honda on this one.

- Rick T., Memphis, TN, US

problem #1

Oct 012011

Accord

  • Manual transmission
  • 160,000 miles

The car radio began to turn off by itself and then turned on by itself a few month ago. It is getting worse now that it turn off and stay off more often than stayed on. I have checked the fuse and electrical connections to the radio without seeing any problem. Since Honda fused their radio into the heat/AC control unit, it is not possible for me to go buy a new radio from a third party to replace it. This is really a shame on Honda. It appears to me that they have created this problem on purpose so that we have to go to them to spend the big buck to have the problem fixed. It is a shame because the car drive well otherwise.

I will not buy another Honda if they make their own radio so that you cannot replace it with any other one. SHAME HONDA, SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!

- Luv X., Boston, MA, US

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