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.
My radio will go off every now and then and make a very loud "popping" noise, which scares the crap out of me and especially my passengers!!! It used to make the noise again while the radio wasn’t working and then if I would shut it off and turn it back on it will sometimes go back on. Reaching under the radio and pushing on the whole thing would sometimes help as well but it became less and less effective over time and now the radio hasn't turned on in 6 months. it sounds like a short somewhere but I'm unable to find it.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
My radio will go off every now and then and make a very loud "popping" noise, which scares the crap out of me and especially my passengers!!! It used to make the noise again while the radio wasn’t working and then if I would shut it off and turn it back on it will sometimes go back on. Reaching under the radio and pushing on the whole thing would sometimes help as well but it became less and less effective over time and now the radio hasn't turned on in 6 months. it sounds like a short somewhere but I'm unable to find it.
- Mike Z M., Birmingham, AL, US