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.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
99,955 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Sometime back in September of 2015, it was noticeable that the driver's seat would jerk forward (it began as a jerk to half an inch and as time passed the jerk increased to an inch forward). Specifically this occurs during an abrupt stop (I.e. at a stop light, stop sign, traffic stop, etc.). I believe this could be due to a manufacturer's defect. It is concerning that an accident could occur due to the lack of safety from a maneuvered driving position as the seat jerks forward and could just as well be a distraction. I am also experiencing a discomfort in my neck and shoulder area due to the constant jerking forward.
SRS light comes on intermittently when I am driving. According to NHTSA campaign number: 07V001000; component: Airbags. The driver's seat position sensor harness was improperly routed. I need to have the dealer replace and reroute the driver's seat position sensor.
I was driving to meet a friend and notice an awful smell in the car. I parked car at her home and was gone about 3 hours. As I was driving home notice that the front passenger seat bottom was melted. I have heated leather seats. There was also a small melted area on the seat back. My husband disconnected the fuses upon my arrival home. He looked it up on the web and saw reports of this happening to others, but when he called a Honda dealer he was told that this was unheard of. We were very lucky that there was no one else in the car at the time. Could have been a lot worst if my grandson or someone else was in the passenger seat. Updated 10/9/15 updated 12/06/2017
I took my car to a local Honda dealer for a recall to be repaired. After getting the car back, I still get a dashboard warning light indicating that the part may still be defective. The part in question is the passenger side power seat wire harness (seat SRS sensor). I was not aware of this recall, but the dealer was kind enough to inform me, but I just don't feel the issue has been corrected.
To whom it may concern: There is a huge safety problem with the passenger air bag sensor in my car. The passenger seat airbag indicator lights comes on intermittently when no items are in the seat, and occasionally comes when items are in the seat. The seat definitely has a short in it and I am concerned about it not working properly if I am involved in an accident. ## VIN passed ##
The air bag warning indicator is illuminated spontaneously regardless if the vehicle was in motion or at start-up and whether the front passenger seat was occupied or unoccupied. The recall 07V001000 (air bags: Frontal: Sensor/control module) does not include my VIN.
Summary: On certain vehicles, the seat position sensor (sps) detects the driver's seating position and adjusts the air bag inflation pressure accordingly. The wiring harness for the sps was attached to the seat frame in the wrong location and may have been over tightened. The sensor wire may break and cause the air bag warning light to be illuminated, and the sps to fail.
Ball bearing fell out of seat track at 50,000 miles. There was no trauma to the car. The seat now moves 1/4 to 1/2 inch upon starting and stopping. The safety concern is whether the seat is more likely to break free if an accident occurs or if there could be a spontaneous further failure of the seat. Negotiations with Honda for repair are in progress but have been unsatisfactory.
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Accord. The contact stated that after six months, his legs would become numb and he felt pain while driving the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the issue, but did not assist. The contact bought a therapeutic pillow for the driver's seat, which resolved the pain. He also stated that there was no tint on the windshield to block the sunlight. The current and failure mileages were 36,000.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Mauldin, SC, USA