repaired · 2020 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2004 Honda AccordProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,018 owner complaints about the 2004 Honda Accord, most often about the power train. It is covered by 13 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-499 the manufacturer reports only 22% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 12, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 Honda Accord has problems
1,018 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
348Power train16 crash/fire/injury
251Air bags57 crash/fire/injury
146Electrical system14 crash/fire/injury
66Steering
58Vehicle speed control
44Service brakes, hydraulic
38Seat belts
37Exterior lighting
36Structure
23020 other systems28 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 348 | 16 |
| Air bags | 251 | 57 |
| Electrical system | 146 | 14 |
| Steering | 66 | 10 |
| Vehicle speed control | 58 | 22 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 44 | 8 |
| Seat belts | 38 | 9 |
| Exterior lighting | 37 | 0 |
| Structure | 36 | 8 |
| 20 other systems | 230 | 28 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
13 recalls
2004 Honda Accord recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2020 Q4
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. 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…
repaired · 2019 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Show 9 more recalls
repaired · 2017 Q3
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. An air bag module does not meet the advanced air bag requirements can increase the risk of injury or death in the event of a crash.
repaired · 2017 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Risk. 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…
repaired · 2017 Q4
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. 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…
repaired · 2016 Q1
Air bags
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…
repaired · 2015 Q4
Air bags
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…
no report yet
Hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections
Risk. If this occurs, power steering fluid can leak onto a hot catalytic converter, leading to smoke and possibly an under-hood fire.
no report yet
Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Risk. A FAILURE OF THE SPS CAUSES THE AIR BAG SYSTEM TO DEFAULT TO FULL INFLATION PRESSURE, REGARDLESS OF THE SEAT POSITION.
no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. A TORN AIR BAG MAY NOT OFFER THE SAME LEVEL OF PROTECTION, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE DRIVER.
no report yet
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Honda.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
100kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 318 power train complaints. 49% were reported before 100,000 miles.
17under 30k miles155under 100k miles163100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
45 owners mentioned a cost$4,075median
Middle half: $3,300 – $5,000
Electrical system
10 owners mentioned a cost$673median
Middle half: $513 – $775
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2004 vs. every other Accord year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Accord median. How we score
00022710722135411188861922122061863695434724601,2001,1351,1839221,0501,9871,0186564335241,5217275812963741,4279826026135421,9027023702482679115710315
'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2004 Honda Accord safety ratings
2004 Honda Accord 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2004 Honda Accord, and the recalls they led to.
- Air Bag Inflator RuptureLed to recall 18V-025
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- FRONTAL DRIVER AIR BAGLed to recall 04V-551
- Air Bag Inflator RuptureLed to recall 13V-172
In owners' words
What Accord owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
While driving, the car’s engine suddenly shut off, and the brakes were barely responsive, making it extremely difficult to bring the vehicle to a complete stop despite continuously applying the brakes. This was a very serious and frightening safety issue that nearly caused me to crash into another…
I have 22 recalls in my Jerry app and also on here. Have problems when first starting up and shifting just got from a dealer in Ohio. Maybe a year and a half ago my name is Tracy Harney my address is 702 Inverness place ft thomas Ky 41075 also my air bag light is on and my headlights are not very…
The transmission in my 2004 Honda Accord V6 3.0L is experiencing a serious safety defect. The transmission overheats while driving, begins slipping, and eventually the vehicle will not move at all. When this happens, I lose the ability to accelerate or maintain speed, creating a dangerous situation…
Own a 2004 Accord?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.