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.

9.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
87,500 miles
Total Complaints:
2 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (2 reports)
2004 Honda Accord engine problems

engine problem

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2004 Honda Accord Owner Comments

problem #2

Aug 012011

Accord LX 2.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles

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

water went into my car as a result of heavy down pour of the rain and my car wont start. it has been under repairs for 3 days now but it has not been successful.

- Lynda N., Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

problem #1

Oct 102008

Accord LX 2.4L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

About 15 months ago I noticed my rpms dipped while idling with it in park. With that came a sort of pulsating shaking. A few days later I put it in park and the engine stalled. When I started it back up the malfunction lamp came on, which stayed on. After that this randomly happened putting it from park to drive, park to reverse, and reverse to drive, with a shaking occuring always and only when idling in park. The only exception to this idle problem was a few times when i started it and the lamp was not on.

After a couple weeks I finally had the opportunity to take it to a mechanics. When they ran the diagnostics it threw off the code for the EGR valve. Once replaced, it was fine.....for about a week, and then it was back. I was in and out of the shop for months with no resolve. Because it was an intermittent problem, they were unable to diagnose it. Then one day the problem just dissapeared...but soon following was an engine knock which was most audible when the engine was cold and when putting into reverse. Because i moved away for college i had to take it to a different mechanic who claimed to not hear it. A few weeks ago I changed my oil (which I have always done every approx 3000 miles) to find pieces of metal shavings. I cannot help but believe all these problems are connected.

- Andrew G., Orlando, FL, US

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