2004 Honda Civic Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Honda Civic. Part of Generation 7 — 2001–2005.

20032005
Complaints
424
Crashes
59
Fires
10
Injuries
49
Fatalities
1
Recalls
8

Worst 2004 Honda Civic Problems

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

#1115 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:121,792 mi
Crash-related:17
Fires:1
#228 complaints

Automatic Transmission

Avg mileage:77,771 mi
#324 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:100,458 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2004 Honda Civic.

Airbags
115
complaints
Crashes
17
Fires
1
Avg Miles
121,792
Automatic Transmission
28
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
77,771
Transmission / Drivetrain
24
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
100,458
Electrical Faults
21
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
95,450
Unintended Acceleration
21
complaints
Crashes
11
Fires
Avg Miles
55,800
Seat Belt Issues
19
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
104,367
Air Bags:Frontal
14
complaints
Crashes
12
Fires
Avg Miles
46,092
Body Structure
11
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
121,519
Engine Problems
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
116,563
Headlight/Taillight Failures
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
88,058
Suspension Failures
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
22,556
Engine & Cooling
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
82,339
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
53,149
Fuel System
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
148,000
Structural Problems
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
84,484
Gasoline Fuel System
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
46,463
Steering Defects
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
50,630
Electrical System:Ignition
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
3
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System, Other
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Manual Transmission
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner
3
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
3
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Front:Macpherson Strut
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Visibility:Windshield
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

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

Recalls for 2004 Honda Civic

8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~12,677,299 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.

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.

Other Honda Civic Years

2004 Honda Civic — FAQ

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

Is the 2004 Honda Civic reliable?
Verdict: Typical for Model. The 2004 Honda Civic has 424 NHTSA complaints, 59 crash-related, and 8 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 115 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2004 Honda Civic?
Top reported problems: Airbags (115 complaints, avg 121,792 mi); Automatic Transmission (28 complaints, avg 77,771 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (24 complaints, avg 100,458 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 Civic?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 97,558 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 Civic?
NHTSA complaints for the 2004 Honda Civic include 59 crash-related reports, 10 fire reports, 49 injuries, and 1 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 Civic have any recalls?
Yes — 8 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 12,677,299 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 Civic?
Complaint levels are in line with what's expected. Normal used-car due diligence applies — check the specific VIN for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.

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

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

Check Your Specific 2004 Honda Civic

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