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.
Each time my car starts there is a high pitched whine that becomes worse when you turn the wheel of the car or accelerate. I took the car in and the mechanic said it was because the tensors were loose, supposedly these keep the main belt tight and in place. So he replaced the tensors and the problem is still there. However, once the car has been driven (for even 3 minutes) and then shut off the noise goes away upon starting the car up again. However, the noise will remain there the entire time you are driving, for up to 30 minutes. This is very annoying and the car never did this before.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Each time my car starts there is a high pitched whine that becomes worse when you turn the wheel of the car or accelerate. I took the car in and the mechanic said it was because the tensors were loose, supposedly these keep the main belt tight and in place. So he replaced the tensors and the problem is still there. However, once the car has been driven (for even 3 minutes) and then shut off the noise goes away upon starting the car up again. However, the noise will remain there the entire time you are driving, for up to 30 minutes. This is very annoying and the car never did this before.
- Matthew T., Washington, DC, US