2004 Honda CIVIC problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
350 owner complaints analyzed
10 distinct recall campaigns
82,152 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 239 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 115 of 350 complaints (32.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 50 | 14.3% |
| Braking behavior | 32 | 9.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 21 | 6.0% |
| Steering behavior | 18 | 5.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 10 | 2.9% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 2.0% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 115 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 28 |
| Power Train | 24 |
| Electrical System | 21 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 21 |
| Seat Belts | 19 |
| Unknown Or Other | 17 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 14 |
Air Bags: 115; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 28; Power Train: 24; Electrical System: 21; Vehicle Speed Control: 21; Seat Belts: 19; Unknown Or Other: 17; Air Bags:Frontal: 14
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 41 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 28 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 36 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 47 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 55 |
| 150,000 and above | 32 |
Under 25,000: 41; 25,000 to 49,999: 28; 50,000 to 74,999: 36; 75,000 to 99,999: 47; 100,000 to 149,999: 55; 150,000 and above: 32
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (55). 111 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 30 |
| 2005 | 26 |
| 2006 | 17 |
| 2007 | 17 |
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2009 | 24 |
| 2010 | 24 |
| 2011 | 33 |
| 2012 | 17 |
| 2013 | 13 |
| 2014 | 28 |
| 2015 | 34 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 12 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 3 |
2003: 1; 2004: 30; 2005: 26; 2006: 17; 2007: 17; 2008: 16; 2009: 24; 2010: 24; 2011: 33; 2012: 17; 2013: 13; 2014: 28; 2015: 34; 2016: 15; 2017: 13; 2018: 15; 2019: 12; 2020: 6; 2021: 3; 2022: 3; 2023: 3
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 50 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 32 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 21 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 10082591 · 2004-07-24 (July 24, 2004)
ON MY HONDA CIVIC EX MODEL WITH THE MANUAL DRIVETRAIN, THE DRIVETRAIN WILL MAKE A GRINDING NOISE, WHILE SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR AT 4000 RPM'S OR HIGHER. I BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS FIXED, NOW 8,000 MILES LATER, I'M HAVING A REACURRING PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082591 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10089584 · 2004-08-20 (August 20, 2004)
PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION AND TIE ROD BOLTS WERE LOOSE.*MR THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL AND THE GEARS WERE GRINDING WHEN MOVING FORM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE'S TIRES WERE BALD THEREFORE SHE WAS RACING THE CAR. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT HE WOULD NOT CHECK THE TRANSMISSION UNLESS SHE AGREED TO PAY FOR IT. THE CONSUMER APPEALED THE DECISION OF THE DEALER AND CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. THE STRUTS WERE LOOSE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. TH…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10089584 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074408 · 2004-05-27 (May 27, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WORN PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10074408 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081954 · 2004-09-28 (September 28, 2004)
WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED , BRAKES FAILED AND VEHICLE HIT BRICK WALL HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK *TC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10081954 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10087940 · 2004-08-16 (August 16, 2004)
WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE'S TRUNK CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. *JB IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERIES ELECTRICAL WIRING AND CABLES ARC CAUSING THE FIRE. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10087940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10130388 · 2005-07-28 (July 28, 2005)
SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR ALL I HAVE HAD WERE PROBLEMS. THE 1ST PROBLEM WAS THAT THE ODOMETER WAS GOING MORE MILES THAN I WAS DRIVING. SOMETIMES IT WAS EVEN RIGHT ON THE DOT. I TESTED IT AGAINST MY 00 CIVIC AND 3 OTHER CARS. MY CIVIC WAS CONSISTENTLY OFF ON TRIPS OVER 20 MILES. THE FIRST DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT JUST DRIVING AROUND THE BLOCK. I TOOK IT THERE 4 TIMES WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS. I ALSO HAD TO GET AN OIL CHANGE EVERY 3.5 WEEKS BECAUSE I HAD GONE 5000 MILES SUPPOSEDLY. THE LAST TIME IT WAS AT THAT DEALER THERE WAS A …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10130388 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10046197 · 2003-11-03 (November 3, 2003)
FROM THE DAY THAT CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE THERE HAS BEEN AN ANNOYING VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VIBRATION WAS NORMAL. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046197 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10066546 · 2004-04-20 (April 20, 2004)
HAVE HAD A VIBRATION AND PULLING IN STEERING WHEEL SINCE PURCHACE OF 2004 HONDA CIVIC VP. TOOK INTO DEALER AT 2000 MILES AND THEY COULD NOT FIND VIBRATION. AT 3100 MILES TOOK TO DIFFERENT DEALER THEY FOUND VIBRATION AND PULLING. DID FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND BALANCE TIRES. STATED IF CONTINUES, THEN POSSIBLE TIRE DEFECT. AT 4000 MILES AGAIN TOOK TO ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP, THEY DID FRONT END ALIGNMENT AGAIN, BUT STATED IT IS A PROBLEM WITH A TIRE AND SINCE THEY ARE NOT A DUNLOP RETAILER COULD NOT REPLACE. WENT TO SEARS AND THEY STATE SINCE TIRE W…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10066546 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10121682 · 2005-05-20 (May 20, 2005)
WHENEVER IM DRIVING MY 04 PILOT THERE IS A LOUD AND DISTURBING THUMPING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR..AFTER SPEAKING TO HONDA AND TAKING THE CAR IN 3 TIMES I WAS TOLD THIS IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR AND THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO.AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE I SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WITHTHE SAME PROBLEM BUT YET NO RECALL IS EVEN IN SIGHT.THE REASON FOR THE FUEL SLOASHING NOISE IS DUE TO THE LONG NARROW SHAPE OF THE INSIDE GAS TANK..
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121682 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10166505 · 2006-08-25 (August 25, 2006)
ON JULY 13, 2006 ON MY WAY HOME FROM A TRIP, I NEEDED TO REFILL MY GAS TANK. I PULLED THE FLOOR LEVER TO RELEASE THE FLAP THAT COVERS MY GAS CAP AND THE LEVER DID NOT WORK. THEREFORE, I WAS STRANDED 100 MILES FROM HOME BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT OPEN. THERE IS NO MANUAL RELEASE IN THE TRUNK. I HAD TO BE TOWED HOME AS THE AAA RESPONDER COULD NOT DETERMINE HOW TO DISENGAGE THE CABLE THEREBY RELEASING THE FLAP. MY CAR IS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE HONDA MECHANIC HE IMPLIED THAT THIS IS A DEFECT WITH THIS DUAL RELEASE LEVER AND THAT THEY …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10166505 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10110660 · 2005-02-16 (February 16, 2005)
VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW NOV 2004 - THREE OCCURRENCES OF ENGINE STALLING WHILE IN GEAR AND CAR IN MOTION - DEALER SAYS DIAGNOSTICS DO NOT SHOW A PROBLEM - EXTREME SAFETEY HAZARD - CAR IS UNSAFE - DEALER HAS NOT CORRECTED PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10110660 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10215930 · 2008-01-24 (January 24, 2008)
FAULTY CVT TRANSMISSION, SLIPPING AND JUDDER BEGINNING AND DURING ACCELERATION. SOMETIMES ENGINE STALLS WHILE BRAKING TO A STOP. RECALL ONLY FIX PROBLEM TEMPORARY,THIS INFO. CAN BE OBTAIN IN HONDA CVT FORUM WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS WITH SIMILAR CVT ISSUES. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 104,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10215930 at NHTSA ↗