2004 Honda CIVIC: complaints, problems and recalls
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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
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 10064036 · 2004-03-28 (March 28, 2004)
MY DAUGHTER WAS IN OUR 2004 HONDA CIVIC LX. SHE HAD A VIRTUALLY HEAD ON COLLISION WITH MUCH FRONT END DAMAGE. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 103 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064036 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064320 · 2004-04-01 (April 1, 2004)
THE SIDEWALL OF MY DUNLOP ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRE ON A 2004 HONDA CIVIC WITH 7,895 MILES BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. LUCKY NO ACCIDENT OCCURED. CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A TRIP AWAY FROM HOME. THE GOODYEAR AUTO SERVICE CENTER REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. THE TIRE MODEL WAS SP20FE P185/70R14.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 7,890 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064320 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10065353 · 2004-03-31 (March 31, 2004)
CONSUMER OPENED THE TRUNK AND WITHOUT WARNING THE TRUNK DROOPED, SLAMMING THE CONSUMER'S FINGER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY REPLACED THE TRUCK SPRINGS.*AK *LA
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10065353 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 10066671 · 2004-04-06 (April 6, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH AND CROSSING A STOP LIGHT THE CONSUMER WAS T-BONED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED BACK INJURIES.*MR
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10066671 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10067521 · 2004-06-04 (June 4, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH SPEED CONTROL ENGAGED. THE CONSUMER MADE ATTEMPT TO DISENGAGE THE SYSTEM AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND RUN INTO A DITCH. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT NOT THE SIDE AIR BAGS. *AK THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED A BROKEN ANKLE, FRACTURED HIP JOINT, FRACTURED PELVIS AND A COLLAPSED LEFT LUNG. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10067521 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10072344 · 2004-05-10 (May 10, 2004)
THE FRONT STRUTS OF MY VEHICLE ARE LEAKING DUE TO PREMATURE FAILURE, WHICH MAKES THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN A BUMP OR SLIGHT DING IN THE ROAD IS TRAVELED OVER. WILL GET THE STRUTS REPLACED, SO THAT MY VEHICLE DOESN'T FALL APART, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY . *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10072344 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
10 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V550000 · Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage
Reported: 2004-11-18 (November 18, 2004)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME FRONT SEAT BELT ANCHORS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED WITH AN INCORRECT WASHER, WHICH COULD RESTRICT ANCHOR MOVEMENT. AS A RESULT, THE SEAT BELT MAY BE IMPROPERLY POSITIONED FOR CERTAIN OCCUPANTS.
Consequence: AN IMPROPERLY POSITIONED BELT COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT SEAT BELT ANCHORS FOR RESTRICTED MOVEMENT. IF AN ANCHOR DOES NOT ROTATE FREELY, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE WASHER WITH A COUNTERMEASURE WASHER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 24, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.
NHTSA campaign record ↗07V512000 · Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly
Reported: 2007-11-01 (November 1, 2007)
ON CERTAIN COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG) VEHICLES, IN THE EVENT OF A SEVERE INTERIOR FIRE IN THE AREA OF THE REAR SEAT, THE CNG TANK MAY BE HEATED UNEVENLY, PREVENTING THE PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICE FROM VENTING THE CONTENTS OF THE TANK AS DESIGNED.
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A TANK RUPTURE, EXPLOSION, AND EJECTION OF THE TANK FROM THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEAT INSULATOR MATERIAL TO THE REAR SEAT BACK. AN INTERIM OWNER LETTER WAS MAILED TO OWNERS BEGINNING NOVEMBER 26, 2007. WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE, OWNERS WILL BE RENOTIFIED ASKING THEM TO BRING IN THEIR VEHICLE FOR REPAIR. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.
NHTSA campaign record ↗14V353000 · Air Bags
Reported: 2014-06-20 (June 20, 2014)
American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in California, and equipped with Takata-brand air bag inflators. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflators in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during August 2014. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
NHTSA campaign record ↗14V700000 · Air Bags
Reported: 2014-11-04 (November 4, 2014)
American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
NHTSA campaign record ↗15V320000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2015-05-28 (May 28, 2015)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to September 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or after September 12, 2014, received a remedy for a prior driver frontal air bag inflator recall already received an inflator of a different design, and therefore are not included in this recall and do not require additional servicing. Note: This recall fully supersedes recalls 08V-593, 09V-259, 10V-041, 11V-260, 14V-351 and 15V-153. Honda's numbers for this recall are JQ9, JR0, JR1, JR2, JR3, JR4, JR5, JR6, JR7, and JR8.
NHTSA campaign record ↗15V370000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2015-06-15 (June 15, 2015)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic vehicles manufactured March 21, 2000, to January 20, 2005, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX vehicles manufactured June 14, 2000, to August 19, 2004, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles manufactured February 24, 2002, to January 18, 2005, 2003-2007 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to August 28, 2007, 2002-2004 Honda CR-V vehicles, 2002-2003 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 19, 2001, to July 12, 2003, 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured September 19, 2002, to June 19, 2003, 2003 Honda Element vehicles manufactured June 25, 2002, to July 31, 2003, and 2003 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured November 26, 2001, to August 21, 2003. The affected vehicles have a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the passenger seat occupant or other occupants possibly causing serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JU4, JU5, JU6, and JU7. Note: Vehicles that have already received a replacement passenger air bag inflator as part of the recall remedy for an earlier campaign such as 14V353 or 14V700 (Honda recall numbers S95, JH6, JH7, JH8, JH9, JJ0, JJ1, JJ2, JJ6, JM5 and JM6) are not included in this recall. However, this recall does supersede 13V132 and 14V349. Note: On December 18, 2015 Honda informed NHTSA of an expansion of this recall to include certain model year 2004 Honda CR-V vehicles in addition to additional model year 2003 CR-V vehicles.
NHTSA campaign record ↗18V268000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2018-04-26 (April 26, 2018)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
Consequence: An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are K1P, and M1O.
NHTSA campaign record ↗19V182000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2019-03-06 (March 6, 2019)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.
Consequence: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
NHTSA campaign record ↗19V499000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2019-06-27 (June 27, 2019)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58.
NHTSA campaign record ↗19V501000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2019-06-27 (June 27, 2019)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.
NHTSA campaign record ↗