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.
We love our Honda. We would buy another one at some point, but we just had a baby and our 2004 Accord needs to last if our daughter wants to go to college. The car runs great... requires very little maintenance and we recommend Honda's to EVERYONE!!! We hope to put our daughter in a civic someday. That said, the sun has beat this car to hell. The peeling paint is horrible. We have had black cars in the past and have never had this problem.
I think the pictures speak for themselves. I bought the car used 3 years ago. Clear coat was just starting to peel off in small areas, and has peeled off exponentially since then. The side panels are the only areas not affected. I also have a friend who owned a Honda Accord 2003 who had the same problem.
I purchased my car brand new from a Honda Dealership in Anderson, SC. It is a black 2004 Honda Accord EX. I am the original owner and take care of my car. In 2015 I was getting out of my car at Target and a piece of paint fell off the back passenger door. I realized paint was also chipping off around the window. A few months later small spots that look grayish white started to pop up all over my car. More have appeared since then. I had a quote done at the end of 2015 to see how much it would cost to repaint the car and it would be $2,000 to repaint the entire car. I think my car will end up looking like a leopard if I continue to let the paint fade. I hope Honda will issue a recall to fix the problems on their customers vehicles. I understand my car is older, but he has a lot of life left and I prefer to have him one color vs spotty.
- dawssgirl78,
Athens, US
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What is going on??? How can Honda take zero responsibly for this? My car is in great condition mechanically but the outside is so rough. The paint is peeling everywhere, terrible on my hood, roof and trunk. This is not normal wear and tear. This is an issue! HELP PLEASE!
First Honda and probably last. Clear coat started peeling off last year. Car has been taken care of and garaged at night. It still runs good, but looks like pure crap.
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
CLEAR COAT HAS BEEN PEELING FOR SEVERAL YEARS!
The problem started out on the roof and just spread all over. Several specialists in body work opine that the car seem to have been repainted by someone with very poor auto body skills but the car was never repainted, at least not in the areas that reflect the problem. In fact, an area that was repainted years ago is showing no signs of the issue. The car with really low mileage, (under 25k) is now starting to look like junk! I am really unhappy because I thought that Honda was a premier brand and the car was treated quite well in terms of maintenance, so this is totally unexpected.
My car looks horrible. It is embarrassing to drive around with the clear peeling and making my car look like a piece of junk. I was hoping that there was a recall to repaint or repair this listed. AN EYESORE TO SAY THE LEAST.
Everybody knows there's a problem with Honda paint. I took my car to my Honda dealership probably a few years ago, and they acted like they had no clue what I was talking about and that it was just wear & tear. Bullshit. Now my car is old as heck, but I still love it, and wish it didn't look like a piece of sh*t. And it pisses me off.
I am at my wits end regarding the paint job on my 2004 Honda Accord. Let me first say that I love my car. However, the paint on my midnight blue honda accord is dreadful. As I am driving in Illinois and I see cars that look exactly like mine, I have noticed that they are all Hondas! I am appauled at the little to no help that I am receiving from the dealership. I asked for direction as to what to do and I was told to get it repainted. The cost for this is estimated between $2-4K depending on the amount of damage. Granted my car is older, however, she she not look like she has a disease. A severe case of psoraisis. What do or what can I do.
My car Honda Accord 2004 black, started two white dots on top back of roof. that increased and allover the car. Need some solution from Honda Accord manufacture.
As common as it is to see a Honda driving everyday, It is a pain to see that all of them seem to have this horrible paint problem. There is no possible way that we all just have the usual wear and tear on the vehicles. There are 90s vehicles riding around around with a better paint job. Honda has definitely disappointed me.
The car looks like crap, the clear coat is coming off. Owed previous Hondas never had a problem until now. The Honda dealer said it was normal wear of the paint.
Clear coat failure noticed on the roof, initially around the sunroof. Area of concern has continued to grow over the last year. Car is regularly washed and waxed and is garage kept; no reason for the clear coat to fail as bad as it has.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Clearcoat is separating and chipping on both the front and rear of the roof.
- Patrick M., Durham, NC, US