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.
I purchased this car in 2004 NEW,in 2008 my console lights begin to flicker as if they were going to go off and sometimes they did and returned on, later my air bag light would come on and eventually go off, my new problem is the radio frying noise. I'll have my cd/radio on and it will start making the noise and I'm unable to listen to the radio or the cd player. I am sure I'll have to pay out the pocket for a new radio/cd player for my 2004 honda accord, imagine that and I purchased it from my Trickett Honda dealership in Tn. You would think it wouldn't be doing this. My daughter has a 1997 honda accord and the radio is still working, this sounds like a real issue that needs to be addressed in a way of replacement or fixing it at no charge!!!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I purchased this car in 2004 NEW,in 2008 my console lights begin to flicker as if they were going to go off and sometimes they did and returned on, later my air bag light would come on and eventually go off, my new problem is the radio frying noise. I'll have my cd/radio on and it will start making the noise and I'm unable to listen to the radio or the cd player. I am sure I'll have to pay out the pocket for a new radio/cd player for my 2004 honda accord, imagine that and I purchased it from my Trickett Honda dealership in Tn. You would think it wouldn't be doing this. My daughter has a 1997 honda accord and the radio is still working, this sounds like a real issue that needs to be addressed in a way of replacement or fixing it at no charge!!!!
- Doris T., Gallatin, TN, US