2004 Honda Accord Problems

Above Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Honda Accord. Part of Generation 7 — 2003–2007.

20032005
Complaints
1,306
Crashes
127
Fires
19
Injuries
110
Fatalities
4
Recalls
10

Worst 2004 Honda Accord Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1199 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:131,297 mi
Crash-related:30
#2190 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:113,842 mi
Crash-related:6
Fires:1
#3148 complaints

Automatic Transmission

Avg mileage:89,874 mi
Crash-related:4
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2004 Honda Accord.

Airbags
199
complaints
Crashes
30
Fires
Avg Miles
131,297
Transmission / Drivetrain
190
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
1
Avg Miles
113,842
Automatic Transmission
148
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
1
Avg Miles
89,874
Electrical Faults
118
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
5
Avg Miles
101,419
Steering Defects
59
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
2
Avg Miles
128,763
Unintended Acceleration
51
complaints
Crashes
18
Fires
Avg Miles
70,761
Headlight/Taillight Failures
32
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
121,867
Seat Belt Issues
31
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
95,781
Air Bags:Frontal
27
complaints
Crashes
12
Fires
Avg Miles
51,067
Engine Problems
27
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
123,730
Hydraulic Brakes
23
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
21,499
Body Structure
23
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
Avg Miles
96,345
Engine & Cooling
16
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
64,011
Suspension Failures
15
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
74,435
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module
14
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
54,112
Air Bags:Side/Window
14
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
45,568
Seat-Related Issues
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
108,284
Wipers & Visibility
13
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
73,952
Visibility
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
79,735
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
10
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
8,792
Fuel System
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
121,026
Brakes
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Avg Miles
106,700
Instrument Cluster
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
72,480
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
43,123
Structural Problems
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
69,655
Tire Defects
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
52,270
Electrical System:Ignition
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
9,579
Interior Lighting
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
104,645
Electronic Stability Control
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
175,840

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Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Honda Accord. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2004 Honda Accord

10 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~13,314,663 vehicles.

19V501000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,657,752 affected

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.

19V499000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~3,947 affected

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.

19V182000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~1,101,534 affected

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.

18V268000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,335 affected

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.

16V178000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~11,602 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Accord vehicles manufactured October 1, 2003, to August 17, 2007. The affected vehicles may have been assembled with an incorrect passenger frontal air bag module that does not comply with the advanced air bag requirements. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

15V370000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~3,498,481 affected

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.

15V320000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~6,281,043 affected

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.

14V700000Airbags
~0 affected

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.

14V353000Airbags
~133,207 affected

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.

12V222000Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections
~625,762 affected

Honda is recalling certain model year 2007 and 2008 Acura TL and model year 2003-2007 Accord V6 vehicles. In May 2012, Honda filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2007 and 2008 Acura TL vehicles. In September 2012, Honda informed the agency that it was including an additional 573,147 vehicles including certain model year 2003 through 2007 Accord V6 vehicles. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 625,762. Prolonged under-hood and power steering fluid temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely, resulting in cracks and power steering fluid leakage.

Other Honda Accord Years

2004 Honda Accord — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2004 Honda Accord reliable?
Verdict: Above Average Complaints. The 2004 Honda Accord has 1,306 NHTSA complaints, 127 crash-related, and 10 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 199 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2004 Honda Accord?
Top reported problems: Airbags (199 complaints, avg 131,297 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (190 complaints, avg 113,842 mi); Automatic Transmission (148 complaints, avg 89,874 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2004 Honda Accord?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 100,718 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2004 Honda Accord?
NHTSA complaints for the 2004 Honda Accord include 127 crash-related reports, 19 fire reports, 110 injuries, and 4 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2004 Honda Accord have any recalls?
Yes — 10 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 13,314,663 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2004 Honda Accord?
Slightly worse than average. Most owners are fine; problem clusters are concentrated around specific components. Check the issues table below and match against the specific car's mileage.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Honda Accord reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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