Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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).
Transmission seems to disengage after 20 minutes of driving and the worse bthong about it is it does it on the highway causing me to pull over shit the car off and wait 5 minutes start it back up put it in the gear and sometimes it doesn't go in the gear it won't go into reverse we'll go in the drive we'll go in the drive 3 won't go in the drive to or one and then I got to shut it off and wait again then I do it all over again and then I'll get driving again and after about 3 minutes 4 minutes it'll do it again and I have to pull over why is it doing this it does it when I'm stopped at a stoplight and when the light turns green I drive and I'll get stuck in the middle of an intersection it'll be in drive but the engine just continues to rev and nothing happens it's scary it's on safe this needs to be a recall this needs to be fixed by Honda s*** it should be obvious that somebody could …
I got off of work early in the morning I get in my 04 Honda Accord and start driving home which only takes about 10minutes, I'm super tired so I go inside and go to sleep rougly around 2 hours, I wake up suddenly to my car alarm going off which I always keep my vehicle locked when Its not visible from me, Anyways I grab my key and click the unlock and lock button but I still hear the alarm going off so I head outside of my home and I see my cars interior on fire and my neighbors already on the phone with 911as he was sitting outside 20 minutes prior, me running frantic back inside for a fire extinguisher first responders we're already there so I run back out the doors are still locked so the first responder climbs on top of my car and kicked the sunroof in and starts using his fire extinguisher which at this point the fire is practically in his face he had to get checked out after …
2004 Honda Accord V6 178000k miles Car was just driving fine through all gears then out of nowhere as I was driving on the freeway going approximately 65 mph the car violently jerked because the transmission locked up and my car broke like if i pulled the emergency brake almost causing me to crash into another vehicle. The (RPM) then went up to redline. I pulled over restarted the car and as I tried to drive off, the cars (RPM) was way too high for example if I drove 40mph the (RPM) was at 4,000 revolutions witch can cause damage to the engine, If i went 60 mph and the (RPM) was at redline. So I had a friend tow the vehicle. Once home I drove around the neighborhood and the car won't switch gears it stays at 1st gear ( hence the high RPM) and it violently jerks the whole car very badly I'm assuming when it's supposed to switch gears. …
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 for me and other drivers. I have to pull over and wait for the transmission to cool before the car will move again. This failure matches the symptoms described in Honda's prior transmission recall 04V176000 (overheating and gear failure due to lubrication issues). I have contacted Honda about this issue, and they opened Case #16008926, but the problem is ongoing and has not been resolved. The problem is reproducible and happens repeatedly after the transmission warms up. Warning symptoms include overheating and severe slipping before total loss of movement. …
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 vehicle or an object. I am very concerned about the safety and reliability of this vehicle and believe it needs to be inspected immediately.
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.
Several months ago while driving on the freeway, the CEL came on and the engine revved high without any power to the wheels, as if the transmission automatically went into neutral. It eventually went back into gear. The car was subsequently towed back home and is not currently drivable since gears continue to slip.
One day I was driving on the highway I all of a sudden lost power to acceleration. The rpm went up and I pulled over. Put it back in drive to a lower gear to make it home safe. Never had problems with my car until recently. It seems when I get up over 45mph is when the acceleration gives out.
I was having problems with my transmission and had a mechanic look at it and I was told there was a recall for 04 Honda accords, i was also told it was very dangerous to drive my car while my transmission wasn't engaging properly
This seems to be a common issue as just looking it up today another person suffered the same issue I have, down to the exact conversation with Honda. We ahve had the '04 Honda Accord for 4ish years now. It has driven great since we bought it and tested fine with the Honda dealer before purchasing. All of a sudden we started experiencing some slipping of the transmission. We immediatly had the system flushed and filled and all seemed to be good, for about a week. 3 days before christmas, my wife was getting onto a busy section of a major highway and the transmission slipped and she was unable to accelorate nearly getting run over by a tractor trailer. She was able to pull over and get home safely. I did some research and found the recall notice based off the models make and year. …
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission
On some Mini vans, sport utility and passenger vehicles, certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually leading to gear tooth chipping or gear breakage.
Remedy: On vehicles with 15,000 miles or less, the dealer will update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to the second gear.
Transmission complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2004 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 348 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2004 Honda Accord, 34% of the model year's 1,018 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (148 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Honda Accord transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 04V-176 (automatic transmission, Apr 15, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2004 Honda Accord transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 11 crashes, 2 fires and 11 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.