RoadVitals

2004 Honda Accord Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1,016
Latest Apr 20, 2026
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
103
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
8
Reports on file since Dec 8, 2003

What this page shows

Our database holds 1,016 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Honda Accord. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 1,016 · page 1 of 41

Electrical
Filed Apr 20, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2004 Honda Accord. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was approximately 134,000. The contact stated that while attempting to resell the vehicle, the contact was informed by an individual interested in purchasing the vehicle that the mileage reported might not be the actual mileage. The contact was advised to check the Carfax Report. While checking the Carfax Report, the contact noticed two potential reports of odometer fraud with the vehicle. The Carfax Report indicated that in 2023, the mileage was reported to be approximately 251,000. The contact had not filed a report with any other agencies.

NHTSA ID
11732402
Incident
Apr 18, 2026
Mileage
251,000 mi
AirbagsPowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Feb 15, 2026

I have 22 recalls in my Jerry app and also on here. Have problems when first starting up and shifting just got from a dealer in Ohio. Maybe a year and a half ago my name is Tracy Harney my address is 702 Inverness place ft thomas Ky 41075 also my air bag light is on and my headlights are not very visible at nite wondering if all recalls on vehicle were fixed. Or still open. 8599076824. Leave message if don’t answer if you call.

NHTSA ID
11718121
Incident
Feb 15, 2026
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 28, 2025

The transmission in my 2004 Honda Accord V6 3.0L is experiencing a serious safety defect. The transmission overheats while driving, begins slipping, and eventually the vehicle will not move at all. When this happens, I lose the ability to accelerate or maintain speed, creating a dangerous situation for me and other drivers. I have to pull over and wait for the transmission to cool before the car will move again. This failure matches the symptoms described in Honda’s prior transmission recall 04V176000 (overheating and gear failure due to lubrication issues). I have contacted Honda about this issue, and they opened Case #16008926, but the problem is ongoing and has not been resolved. The problem is reproducible and happens repeatedly after the transmission warms up. Warning symptoms include overheating and severe slipping before total loss of movement. This is a major safety hazard because the vehicle can suddenly lose power in traffic.

NHTSA ID
11701954
Incident
Oct 26, 2025
Filed Oct 23, 2025

I bought a used 04 v6 accord with 84,000 on it I bought it for $7500 that was in May/June 2021 he was going on and on about the air conditioner and the jbl radiothe About the time it started getting cold I noticed problems with it not wanting to go when put in drive unless it was warmed up enough didn't really think much about. in the colder months the next year it would start doing some jerking problem and then it started messing up like when you are slowing down for a red light but then it turns green and you give it the gas but it just wines like it was in neutral but it was still in drive so I would have to pull over to the side of the road coasting but once I got to a lower gear like first gear I could hear it and feel it go into gear and then when I gave it the gas it would go. Google found a 4.3 million recall on that 04 v6 tranny... mad people same problems they had transmissions replaced somewhere saying to change the transmission fluid every three months just with 3 quarts until the torque converter was flushed out and so on well I had just bought this vehicle pretty much put my savings into it. Apparently the recall was for shavings from the transmission getting in the linkage causing it to pop out of gear if not that bad it could be fixed but if it was bad transmission need replacing no recall on my car if it has same safety problem why no recall. my childhood friend told me it was a transmission it got so bad I had to park sitting 2yrs i have no one to work on it I don't have the funds to pay a garage my friend had a heart attack passed away some say shift solenoid, I know that seller knew there was a problem he spent $600 yea no revall for him he ripped me off but at such low miles there's got to be a reason for this barely used car to be such a safety hazard...my dad told me to write you guys what can it hurt he said the car has been sitting because I have no money to pay to get it fixed I live on SS. Feel free to call me please i miss my honda

NHTSA ID
11695331
Incident
Dec 31, 1969
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 5, 2025

Second gear jumps erratically , loses power and won’t move until you shut the engine off and start again , second gear still jumps afterwards..

NHTSA ID
11691474
Incident
Sep 13, 2025
Airbags
Filed Sep 26, 2025
2 injuries reported

The contact owns a 2004 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while attempting to make a right turn, the air bags deployed independently. No warning lights illuminated. A dealer or independent mechanic was not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact's fiancé sustained injuries to the face, left eye, causing her to have a black eye, and her chest and the contact sustained injures to left side of his face and his left hand. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number:  18V268000 (AIR BAGS); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 147,486.

NHTSA ID
11689918
Incident
Sep 26, 2025
Mileage
147,486 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 3, 2025

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2004 Honda Accord. The contact stated that upon retrieving the vehicle Carfax history report, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 156,100; however, the Carfax history report indicated that the mileage was 278,000.

NHTSA ID
11684745
Incident
Sep 3, 2025
Mileage
278,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 18, 2025

2004 Honda Accord V6 178000k miles Car was just driving fine through all gears then out of nowhere as I was driving on the freeway going approximately 65 mph the car violently jerked because the transmission locked up and my car broke like if i pulled the emergency brake almost causing me to crash into another vehicle. The (RPM) then went up to redline. I pulled over restarted the car and as I tried to drive off, the cars (RPM) was way too high for example if I drove 40mph the (RPM) was at 4,000 revolutions witch can cause damage to the engine, If i went 60 mph and the (RPM) was at redline. So I had a friend tow the vehicle. Once home I drove around the neighborhood and the car won't switch gears it stays at 1st gear ( hence the high RPM) and it violently jerks the whole car very badly I'm assuming when it's supposed to switch gears. I got the following codes ( P0741, P0747) I checked all the solenoids with a professional scanner I was able to activate all the solenoids and all passed the test. Every single one clicked and showed they where in good condition. The next day I go drive it and it drives normal through all gears for an hour and then again it starts jerking violently / braking. I then replaced the solenoids and still the same problem. I did some research online and it seems a lot of people have trouble with these transmissions for this year I'm surprised it isn't recalled as it is very dangerous.

NHTSA ID
11681218
Incident
Aug 8, 2025
Electrical
Filed Aug 13, 2025

My car is beinbtg locked remotely. I do not have a working key fob so it is not anything I am doing. I am having difficulty opening the lock ad well on my car doors. This is very recent

NHTSA ID
11680424
Incident
Jul 28, 2025
Airbags
Filed Jun 23, 2025

A/c compressor and some light came on on dashboard

NHTSA ID
11668515
Incident
Jun 1, 2025
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jun 20, 2025

Mechanic states that driver buckle is causing error message concerning air bag deployment on driver side, says belt buckle should be replaced so connectivity will be re-established, to enable air bag deployment. I would think this would be a safety recall, if this is the case.

NHTSA ID
11668175
Incident
Jun 16, 2025
SteeringSuspension
Filed Apr 18, 2025

I was driving and the lower ball joints on passenger side broke causing the axle to brake the car lot i got car from said they replaced everything well it happened again and the ball jounts were the same ines that were on there before..Now my rack and opion broke

NHTSA ID
11655441
Incident
Mar 26, 2025
Electrical
Filed Nov 25, 2024

The contact owns a 2004 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, it was difficult to place the key into the ignition, and it was also difficult to remove the key from the ignition. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11627358
Incident
Nov 25, 2024
Airbags
Filed May 24, 2024

Air bag light continues to stay on even after having the recall of the wiring harness replaced. Went to the dealership and had the air bag inflater recall fixed on April 1,2021 the light came on and continued to stay on. On 5/24/2024 I serviced my vehicle at Honda of Cleveland and they stated I had an air bag code stating that my driver side airbag sensor is bad but because they fixed the recall in 2007 they said the air bag itself is faulty but not covered under recall. Just needing this documented in case an incident occurs and the air bag is faulty as indicated by the dealership.

NHTSA ID
11590532
Incident
May 24, 2024
Visibility
Filed Apr 18, 2024

Rear window shattered, spontaneously, parked. Mostly 1/4 to 3/8 inch pieces, no impact center or chips anywhere. Cause UNKNOWN. With slight vibration the rear window fell into the car, except around glued edges, also including tiny slivers. While the shattered rear window held, it created a huge blind spot behind car, which is a large safety problem. Also driving could leave a trail of glass on public streets. Rear window was vacuumed up and replaced by Glass America, who also had no idea why it shattered. Vehicle was inspected and passed by Colorado vehicle inspectors on January 31, 2024. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure found on April 13, 2024. Car had not been driven for 10 days, parked.

NHTSA ID
11583868
Incident
Apr 13, 2024
Airbags
Filed Mar 31, 2024

The warning light for defective passenger airbag came on. Honda denies it and yet cannot get the warning light off. My grandson is the passenger. He is in constant danger.

NHTSA ID
11580332
Incident
Jan 20, 2016
AirbagsInterior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Dec 26, 2023

UNKNOWN - I have a 2004 Honda Accord which indicates an airbag issue. The seat belt buckles but the light stays on. Many 2004 Accords were in a recall over SRS but my VIN did not show as part of the recall. The dealer says the seat sensor is bad but they are not making the part any longer. What should I do. I guess the maker should replace with a new system.

NHTSA ID
11561877
Incident
Apr 1, 2023
Airbags
Filed Jun 23, 2023
Crash reported1 injury reported

The contact owned a 2004 Honda Accord. The contact was stopped at a traffic sign and was rear-ended by a light truck. The contact stated that she had looked down at her lap when she was struck she said the impact caused her to hit the steering wheel with her face. The contact stated that she was rendered unconscious. The contact stated that when she regained consciousness the police and emergency technicians were on scene. The driver of the other vehicle had fled the scene. The contact stated that the air bags had not been deployed. The contact stated that the police had filed a report. The contact stated that the damage to the rear end of her vehicle was so severe that the vehicle had to be towed to an impound lot. The contact was transported to an ER where she was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, she had suffered a broken nose and whiplash to her neck. The contact stated that her vision had been impaired and she was losing her sight. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact's insurance provider had declared the vehicle a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.

NHTSA ID
11528509
Incident
Apr 27, 2023
Mileage
133,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 17, 2023

The honda accord 2004 and close models have an issue with gps control screen that fails to turn on, it keeps getting stocked in one position on which prevents access to air controls as well as gps controls but more important air controls to defog front windshield when in cold weather as driving creating a hazardous condition for the drivers as a potential for accident as the driver attempt to clean windshield but air controls are not accessible on screen, it also controls the radio and maps that are not as important as the air control. Please note that the issue is been present for many years on cars and Honda have not provided a solution just yet as is not a warranty issue instead it will be considered a manufacturers defect that was carried by car owner for the rest of the car life and the challenges presented during the driving on the road unable to access those controls. There are many people complaining about the same issue on these models and have been but a repair have not been offered that I'm aware of it. Once again is not an owners problem or anything that is been caused by car owners instead the part became a defective product. My complain is not about receiving a free product instead receiving assistance on asking the manufacturers to respond to a deflective product provided to consumers and assist with repair and provide parts needed if necessary to correct problem rather that directing consumer to purchase new product that will cost thousands of dollars and not been a consumers fault. Thank you for your assistance.

NHTSA ID
11522466
Incident
May 17, 2023
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 15, 2023

One day I was driving on the highway I all of a sudden lost power to acceleration. The rpm went up and I pulled over. Put it back in drive to a lower gear to make it home safe. Never had problems with my car until recently. It seems when I get up over 45mph is when the acceleration gives out.

NHTSA ID
11521991
Incident
May 15, 2023
Visibility
Filed Mar 17, 2023

This is a followup on Incident 11113944. The problem was actually an aftermarket Ipod adapter connected to the car stereo, it was draining the battery even when the car was off. Also, simply driving the car for a while (like to the mechanic) would always make the problem go away, because the battery eventually recharged. After removing the Ipod adapter and replacing the battery again, I have not had the wipers fail in ~3 years. I think Honda should provide some alert if the battery is at insufficient voltage to run the wipers, however.

NHTSA ID
11512465
Incident
Mar 1, 2018
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Feb 20, 2023
Fire reported

I got off of work early in the morning I get in my 04 Honda Accord and start driving home which only takes about 10minutes, I'm super tired so I go inside and go to sleep rougly around 2 hours, I wake up suddenly to my car alarm going off which I always keep my vehicle locked when Its not visible from me, Anyways I grab my key and click the unlock and lock button but I still hear the alarm going off so I head outside of my home and I see my cars interior on fire and my neighbors already on the phone with 911as he was sitting outside 20 minutes prior, me running frantic back inside for a fire extinguisher first responders we're already there so I run back out the doors are still locked so the first responder climbs on top of my car and kicked the sunroof in and starts using his fire extinguisher which at this point the fire is practically in his face he had to get checked out after incident, there was a police report stating it was a open investigation that they aren't ruling anything out but the thing is the doors and windows were all locked. They did a full scan of the car and the fire started somewhere around drivers side stating it was drivers seat steering wheel/collum and or pedals there was no issues with my car I had it fully inspected/maintenance every 3 months checking levels/gage's every other week I had no warning lights on the dash when I parked to go inside. Also in the police report everything was so melted that they couldn't figure out the cause just a idea of where it started, but I have read about other people that have had this same issue with the same circumstances stating that it's the power steering hoses that can deteriorate prematurely, causing cracks and leaks. I hope that this doesn't happen to anyone else, I loved my car and unfortunately I had liability and my girlfriend and Dad had passed away withing a 5 month gap of this incident so I was extremely devastated from losing my car and didn't know what to do hopefully this helps someone.

NHTSA ID
11508169
Incident
Sep 29, 2018
Airbags
Filed Dec 19, 2022

My 2 door (coupe) has yet to be recalled for the exploding airbag. The sedan was recalled a long time ago. Undoubtedly the airbags are the same in both cars. Why no recall for the coupe? My guess is that the NHSTA applies separate statistical tests to the coupe and sedan as a matter of course--even if it makes no sense when both use the same part. Because so few coupes were made, the statistical threshold for exploding airbags was never reached to trigger a recall. Am I driving a timebomb? Will my death be the one to trigger a recall? Thank you for your response.

NHTSA ID
11498052
Incident
Dec 19, 2022
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 24, 2022

Several months ago while driving on the freeway, the CEL came on and the engine revved high without any power to the wheels, as if the transmission automatically went into neutral. It eventually went back into gear. The car was subsequently towed back home and is not currently drivable since gears continue to slip.

NHTSA ID
11490681
Incident
Jun 6, 2022
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Oct 3, 2022

The contact owns a 2004 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the SRS air bag warning light started blinking off and on. The contact related the failure to having had the driver's side air bag replaced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V320000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated continually. Additionally, the contact stated that the horn, cruise control, and the passenger’s side air bag sensor had also failed to operate as needed. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 405,000.

NHTSA ID
11487749
Incident
Jun 3, 2016
Mileage
405,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Narrow this down by component

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .