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.

6.5

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$440
Average Mileage:
78,750 miles
Total Complaints:
4 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (4 reports)
2004 Honda Accord electrical problems

electrical problem

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2004 Honda Accord Owner Comments

problem #4

Dec 032011

Accord LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 80,000 miles

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

Pretty much the same as what other have described. The car goes through batteries like pancakes killing them prematurely. The first thing I did is replaced the battery with a high quality expensive battery. It only lasted one two years. Cranking of this car takes a few more seconds than other cars I owned. Eventually cranking gets so weak it would not start. Honda dealership screwed me up replacing the starter for $700. I got the part back and it tested good at napa store. They said battery holds charge fine and probably charged my battery back up because car started again after that. Now 2 years later same problem again. I don't know what is causing this but I suspect a faulty electrical discharge. I think it is a Honda problem that they should recall and fix.

- awelch, Charlotte, NC, US

problem #3

Dec 242010

Accord EX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 61,500 miles

Third time this year this has happened - I have a fairly new DIEHARD Gold battery where went out to start the car and all i got was CLICKity CLICK. I jumped the car and drove it around for 20 minutes thinking the battery was drained for some reason to let it charge and went to the store - when I left the car would not start and had to be jumped - I took it to Sears and they had to spend 45 minutes charging the battery and then told me the battery checked out fine. Drove the car 6 months without any problems.

A week ago my wife moved my car so she could get out of the driveway and when I went out 30 minutes later - car would not start - had to jump it again

Yesterday - Christmas Eve was out doing last minute errands and had to have the car jumped 3 separate occasions. One time I even let the car run while I was in the store (I locked it sonce I had my second key with me). I started driving out of the parking lot and all of a sudden all the electronics started flashing and the car died - waited for someone else to leave the store for another jump - the car sitting with a dead battery in my driveway on Christmas.

Anyone with a solution please advise - I checked other websites and have seen many posts on this problem

- Mark S., Bloomington, IL, US

problem #2

Mar 192010

Accord EX V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,000 miles

My car battery had a 7 year warranty and it lasted about 3 and half years. I got a new battery with a 7 year warranty. And in just a few short months, with a new battery, my car is starting like the battery is ready to die again.

- kittyhawk, Tustin, CA, US

problem #1

Jan 012010

Accord EX 3.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 118,400 miles

I procured the car New in 2004, then I've had the car for almost 3 years (2007) and I had the battery die on me (had my wife give me a jump, it died again), and I purchased a new one. Then it went 2 years + without a problem, until Jan. 01, 2010. The battery died out on me again and I had my brother give me a jump. The car worked well for about 2 days, and then the car sat over night and in the morning the car wouldn't start again. This time I went to purchase a new battery (luckily I purchased the 1st battery from the same auto parts 2 years ago, and I got $57.00 credit).

The car drove well for one day and this morning the battery was dead again... don't know what is wrong with it, but I noticed that is problem is prevalent with the 2003 Accord EX V6 (Autobeef data). I would like to know what the problem is if anyone out there knows. This is starting to be a trend, which in my book, this could be a manufacturing / design problem.

- Jerry G., Commerce, CA, US

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