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.
3.8
definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
32,473 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.
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving 70 mph he applied the brakes and the vehicle started shaking. The contact feels that since it was such an unusual occurrence the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic. The mechanic test drove the vehicle and stated that the contacts rotors were faulty. The mechanic clipped the rotors to make them smoother. The contact stated that due to the mileage on the vehicle the rotors should have not failed and could have caused a crash while driving on the highway. The contact called the manufacturer regarding the rotors and informed the contact to write a letter to corporate explaining what happened with the brakes. The failure mileage was 73,000.
I went to Honda dealership for routine maintenance on car. The mechanic came out and told me my rear brakes were nearly worn out and needed to be replaced. The car had 20,959 actual miles on these brakes. I had them replaced at my expense even though I felt this was highly unusual. Now my front rotors are giving me problems at 23,000 miles. The car jerks when the brakes are applied at highway speeds. I called Honda.....was told they hadn't had any problems or complaints, but I see same problem posted on this site.
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Accord. The contact stated that his front rotors have become warped. This is his second set of rotors because the original ones became warped and were replaced. The dealer turned the rotors and the vibrations were almost completely gone. The contact submitted a complaint in July of 2007 with the regional case manager for Honda. He believed that the rotors show a pattern of failure every 20,000 miles. The failure was noticed each time he exited a highway at 60 mph. The purchase date was unknown. The current mileage was 39,550 and failure mileage was 21,904. Date was unknown. The current mileage was 39,550 and failure mileage was 21,904. The consumer stated front rotors replaced on 05/04/06 and rear rotors machined on 07/30/07. The consumer provided repair invoices. Updated 08/28/07
: the contact stated the front of vehicle vibrates anytime the brakes are applied. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the rotors were turned three times during the first 17,000 miles of ownership. At 17,000 miles the front rotors were replaced and rear rotors were turned. The problem returned, the vehicle was taken back to the dealer today for the same problem and it was determined the rotors need to be replaced again. Each time the vehicle was inspected it was determined the rotors were worn, but the brake pads never showed any excessive wear. Updated 3/9/2006 -
2004 Honda Accord ex V6 : when braking from 50+ mph especially downhill causes the whole car to shudder. The car has 14000 miles on it. Dealer says the rotors are warped and it is my driving pattern. I had other Honda's which never had to have their rotors replaced until 100K miles at least. There is a technical service bulletin for defective brake pad material for 2003's Accord but a lot of 2004/2005 owners are complaining on the message boards (edmunds.com) as well. This is a major safety issue since you lose car control while braking. NHTSA should definitely investigate this issue.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Niceville, FL, USA