U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Honda ACCORD problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1,016 owner complaints analyzed

13 distinct recall campaigns

90,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 794 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 199 of 1,016 complaints (19.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	324	31.9%
Braking behavior	131	12.9%
Steering behavior	83	8.2%
Engine operation	40	3.9%
Electrical and battery issues	39	3.8%
Fuel system concerns	7	0.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags

199

Power Train

190

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

148

Electrical System

118

Steering

Vehicle Speed Control

Exterior Lighting

Seat Belts

Air Bags: 199; Power Train: 190; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 148; Electrical System: 118; Steering: 59; Vehicle Speed Control: 51; Exterior Lighting: 32; Seat Belts: 31

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

118

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

104

75,000 to 99,999

158

100,000 to 149,999

239

150,000 and above

102

Under 25,000: 118; 25,000 to 49,999: 73; 50,000 to 74,999: 104; 75,000 to 99,999: 158; 100,000 to 149,999: 239; 150,000 and above: 102

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (239). 222 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

108

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2003: 2; 2004: 66; 2005: 72; 2006: 32; 2007: 34; 2008: 45; 2009: 51; 2010: 86; 2011: 97; 2012: 108; 2013: 67; 2014: 74; 2015: 90; 2016: 50; 2017: 32; 2018: 25; 2019: 33; 2020: 14; 2021: 8; 2022: 8; 2023: 6; 2024: 4; 2025: 10; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 324 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 131 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 83 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10086746 · 2004-08-12 (August 12, 2004)

BOUGHT A HONDA ACCORD 2004 V6 EX 3 WEEKS GO. ABOUT ONE WEEK AFTER I HAD THE CAR I NOTICED A HUMMING NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. ROBERTSON HONDA IS JERKING ME AROUND TELLING ME THEY DON'T HEAR ONE. NOW I FIND OUT FROM YOUR WEB SITE THERE IS A TSB ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE WITH AT LEAST ONE COMPLAINT FROM THE PRIOR YEAR WITH THE SAME ISSUE. LAST HONDA CAR I BUY.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086746 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10095117 · 2004-10-05 (October 5, 2004)

A RECALL FOR TRANSMISSION SECOND GEAR INSPECTION WAS ISSUED. THE CONSUMER CALLED TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT, AND DEALER STATED THAT NEXT AVAILABLE DATE IS NOT UNTIL DECEMBER. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10095117 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10052383 · 2004-01-05 (January 5, 2004)

THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON (247 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, BRAND NEW CAR) AND AS I WAS DRIVING TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER CONSULTING WITH THEM ON THE PHONE, THE BRAKES COMPLETELY GAVE OUT. PROBLEM WAS "FIXED", NOW THE BRAKE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN AT 817 MILES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 247 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052383 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10053345 · 2004-01-05 (January 5, 2004)

AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30 MILES THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE DRIVER DOWN SHIFTED AND USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE O-RING. SIX HUNDRED MILES LATER THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 260 miles reported. Look up ODI 10053345 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10050192 · 2003-12-08 (December 8, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL INTERMITTENTLY PULLED TO THE LEFT/RIGHT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050192 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10054633 · 2004-01-21 (January 21, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING MY 2004 HONDA ACCORD (3 MONTHS OLD/4,000 MI) THE ENGINE CUT OFF. THE RADIO STILL PLAYED. THE CAR LOST POWER STEERING. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. THE DEALER COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, STATED THAT IT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE AND I MUST CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IS. HONDA AMERICA CONCURRED AS DID A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AND DO NOT WANT TO RISK MY LIFE, OR THE LIVES OF OTHERS, WITH A CAR THAT MAY SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WHILE I AM DRIVI…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054633 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10119950 · 2005-06-03 (June 3, 2005)

DT: THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE STALL INTERMITTENTLY EVEN IN TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. DEALER CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC, THE PROBLEM IS MORE NOTICEABLE. *NM VEHICLE HAS REPEATED PROBLEMS GOING INTO FIRST GEAR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN HONDA SHOP FOR ABOUT 75 DAYS AS OF 5/21/05 AND REPEATS THE STALLING ISSUE ON A REGULAR BASIS. DEALER REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TT *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10119950 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10132710 · 2005-08-13 (August 13, 2005)

I GOT OUT THE DRIVEWAY AND MADE A RIGHT TURN. THE IGNITION KEY JUMP OUT OF THE IGNITION KEY HOLE AND BROKE THE KEY HANDLE ( PLASTIC WITH REMOTE DOORS/TRUNK OPENING. THE CAR STALLED AND STOP. I PUT THE KEY ( THE METAL PART) IN BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT START. I TRIED SUPER GLUE THE METAL AND PLASTIC BACK TOGETHER AND TURN THE IGNITION KEY. THE ENGINE WAS ON NORMAL. I TOOK THE KEY OUT, AND TRIED TO TURN IT WITH THE METAL PART AGAIN. THE CAR DID NOT START. I DID NOT REALIZE THE SERIOUS OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL I READ THE WORCESTER TELEGRAM GAZETTE …

Owner-reported narrative. 24,590 miles reported. Look up ODI 10132710 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10068128 · 2004-04-30 (April 30, 2004)

PURCHASED CAR WITH 10 MILES ON IT. FAILED TO START UPON LEAVING DEALERSHIP. APPARENTLY LOOSE WIRE. SALESMAN WIGGLED WITH CABLE AND CAR STARTED. EVERY DAY SINCE THE PURCHASE OF CAR, I WOULD HAVE A FALSE START REQUIRING A SECOND OR EVEN THIRD TRY TO START THE CAR. 25 DAYS LATER, 1200 MILES LATER, THE CAR DIED AND WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST HONDA DEALER. APPARENTLY, THE BATTERY WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY AND ALL CABLES SURROUNDING THE BATTERY WAS LOOSE AND THE HEADLAMP COVER WAS LOOSE ALSO. THERE IS CLUNK NOISE WHEN YOU INITIALLY PUT THE CAR IN D…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10068128 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10090503 · 2004-09-06 (September 6, 2004)

COULD NOT START CAR ON 2 OCCASIONS MONTHS APART. ORIGINALLY THOUGHT STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED HARD AGAINST SWITCH. THIS TIME SWITCH EASILY TURNED BUT CAR SEEMED TO HAVE DEAD BATTERY. BOTH TIMES NO FURTHER INDICATION OF BATTERY PROBLEMS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090503 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10116321 · 2005-04-04 (April 4, 2005)

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS (THE LAST MAKES AT LEAST THREE TIMES, MAYBE MORE) THE REAR SEAT OF THE VEHICLE BECOMES SOAKED AFTER RAIN. ON THE FIRST OCCASION THE DEALER SAID THEY REPAIRED SOME TYPE OF HARNESS/GROMET THAT WASN'T SEALED AT THE FACTORY. INITIALLY THE WATER WAS ONLY COMING THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE LATEST OCCURANCE HAPPENED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THIS TIME THEY HAVE REMOVED THE FUEL TANK TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. THE REAR SEAT AND SEAT BELTS HAVE NOW BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES. *AK WAITING FOR THE NEXT RAIN...

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10116321 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10224216 · 2008-04-11 (April 11, 2008)

HONDA CASE # N012008-04-1100-403 HONDA AT [phone removed] NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 04V176000 MY CAR A 2004 HONDA ACCORD 4 DOOR 4 CYLINDER. WHEN I AM DRIVE AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 25 MPH THE CAR TREMBLES/SHAKES MOMENTARILY AND THEN CONTINUES TO GAIN SPEED. IF I CONTINUE DRIVING AT ABOUT 25 MPH THE CAR TREMBLES/SHAKES MOMENTARILY WITHOUT WARNING. THE SAME ISSUE WITH TREMBLING AND SHAKING HAPPENS ALSO WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 40 MPH. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR AT ANY OTHER DRIVING SPEED RANGES. THE SECOND GEAR IN THE AUTOMATIC…

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10224216 at NHTSA ↗