Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Honda Accord owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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 visible at nite wondering if all recalls on vehicle were fixed. Or still open. 8599076824. Leave message if don't answer if you call.
I was driving and the lower ball joints on passenger side broke causing the axle to brake the car lot i got car from said they replaced everything well it happened again and the ball jounts were the same ines that were on there before..Now my rack and opion broke
My 2004 Honda Accord had the battery, alternator, ac filter, and oil changed by the Honda dealer. After picking the car up from the Honda dealer, it was driven approximately 10 miles on the interstate. After exiting the highway, while coming to a stop, the car burst into flames. The fire department responded and extinguished the blaze. The car was a total loss. The dealer stated that the cause of the fire was a failure of the power steering system.
Today was just another day to work. I have taken this road to work for past two years with me driving. First you get off the ramp, then stop at a stop sign, then you pass under the bridge to follow the straight road to work. However, today it was different. I first took the exit ramp and went to the end of it. Stopped at the stop sign. Checked both sides to see if it was clear for me to proceed and go ahead with making a turn. It was clear so I made a left turn and went straight. However, within next 5 yards after going straight my car's steering wheel started to shake and car pulled to the left. I could not control the car since all this happened so fast and my car hit the huge cement pole which is the base of the bridge. After talking with my husband and many others, they believe that car has somehow malfunctioned. …
Jan. 2015 traveling at 25 to 30 MPH, driver front lower ball joint separated causing wheel to turn sideways in wheel well, which resulted in disabling vehicle, seperated cv shaft and fender damage. No injuries and had to have towed. May 2015 traveling 20 to 25 MPH, passenger lower ball joint separated causing wheel to turn sideways in wheel well, resulted in disabling vehicle and damage to fender. Local police were called, no injuries and vehicle towed. July 2016 backing out of driveway, passenger front lower ball joint separated, causing wheel to turn sideways in wheel well, resulted in disabling vehicle, damage to fender, separated cv shaft, and dented the oil pan, no injuries. …
2004 Accord transmission began leaking at the same time as ABS trouble, what seems to be suspension problems (bad springs?), hood struts failed. These all happened about a month after one dealer replaced an engine mount and leaking power steering fluid container. The trunk opening switch would not work but was too expensive to repair. I had the ABS looked at at another dealer and for $100 an "electrical switch" under the gas pedal was replaced. The power steering fluid was leaking again. They said that the transmission needed to be fixed for $2000 and that my car was not in the recall. I saw many complaints about transmission leaks online and about the gas door not opening. The dealer didn't want to hear about that. (engine mounts and hood struts are popular items on amazon.) I was lucky that my head wasn't under there when the hood fell. …
When in motion, the steering wheel randomly locks when turning. While turning left or right, the steering wheel will lock and the vehicle will keep straight as if the steering wheel has not been turned at all. It has also locked when attempting to reverse from a parking spot making it difficult to back out. I had to switch back and forth from drive to reverse multiple times because the steering wheel would lock with minimal slack allowing me to barely maneuver the vehicle in the correct direction to successfully back out. The vehicle has been brought to a local mechanic who replaced the power steering belt thinking that it was slipping which could cause the issue, however the issue still continues. The vehicle was brought back again for further evaluation and I was told that there was a recall on a pin part of the steering column. …
This vehicle and model has had 2 recalls regarding aftermarket parts in steering wheels, holes in leaking hoses and valves and fire hazardous. The second one is regarding low beam lights and very poor visibility, increasing probabilities of a crash. I have called American Honda to honor the repairs of this 2 recalls and they do not want to do it, because the car is already 14 years old. So I am driving a faulty vehicle, and to make matters worse I am already disable from 2 car accidents (as a passenger) one of the recalls, the steering wheel, was already taken care of in the past, but it still persist now as I bought it. 2 leaking steering wheel hoses. And the head lights haven't been done ever! My car has already been diagnosed by a Honda dealer specialist and American Honda does not want to assume the repairs of these 2 recalls. …
I was driving down a city road and the vehicle started to accelerate on its own and it did not want to shift gear. I was able to apply brakes but the car continued to accelerate to very high rpms. I had no choice but to turn the shut off the car midway and pull-over. While stationary and car shut off on side of the road I tried to turn it back it and it automatically jumped to high RPM and was never able to change gears from park to drive or anything because the car would take off. After 45 minutes of letting the car figure itself out, it stopped revving too high RPM and was able to go back home. The issue has stopped but now when I start the car up and switch from park to drive the car has a delayed engagement. Also, now my steering wheel locks up ever once in a while and when making turns randomly. …
Was informed that there is a power steering fluid leak in the vehicle. Noted that there was a recall of hundreds of thousands of 2004 Honda accords for this exact problem but told at dealership that my particular 2004 Honda Accord was not included. I am concerned that this is the same problem. Of note, by 2007 Honda odyssey has also been diagnosed with a power steering fluid leak. Multiple mechanics have stated that this is very unusual that two cars made by the same manufacturer would both have power steering issues. Both the odyssey and Accord models have had power steering recalls in the past and I suspect that these vehicles have similar issues
Related recalls
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
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.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose, free of charge. The original recall began in June 2012, and owners of those vehicles may obtain the free remedy.
Steering complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2004 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 66 complaints about the steering of the 2004 Honda Accord, 6% of the model year's 1,018 complaints. The component named most often is column (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Honda Accord steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 12V-222 (hose, piping, and connections, May 17, 2012). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2004 Honda Accord steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 122,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 3 fires and 4 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.