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.
2.7
hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
54,360 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 the lighting on the instrument panel had become inoperable. As a result, the contact was unable to read any of the gauges or meters on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Accord. While parked, the contact noticed that the center console lighting was no longer illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics. The technician stated that the circuit panel in the radio system failed and the circuit board would have to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 90,381...updated 04/19/12 the consumer stated the center console displayed a variety of data, not just the radio. With the display dark, it was difficult to activate the defroster controls at night. Updated 06/04/12
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the interior lights on the instrument panel were inoperative, making it difficult to see how far the vehicle was traveling and how much fuel was in the fuel tank. The dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with repairs of the failure. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 106,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Accord. The contact started the vehicle and noticed that the headlights were activated and the instrument panel lights failed to illuminate. The contact planned to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000. Updated 03/23/12 updated 04/09/12
The SRS (supplemental restraint system) dash light comes on and will not go off until the part is replaced. The dealership told me the airbags would not operate or would not operate properly if a wreck occurred because the part was "bad". I was provided a rental car while the part was replaced. Previous research revealed a previous investigation into this problem on the 2001 Honda Accord. (why is the same defective part still being used?).
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Philadelphia, PA, USA