Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Honda Pilot owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was parked in the driveway on a completely flat surface. I put the car in reverse to back out of the driveway. I touched the accelerator pedal lightly to get the car moving, the car accelerated wildly. I stomped on the brake, which went to the floor. I had time to look down and see that my foot was on the brake pedal and to stomp on the emergency brake. The car did not slow down at all. The vehicle continued accelerating until it smashed into a tree going approximately 30 MPH (estimated). A couple hours before the wreck a previously unseen brake error light came on the dash. The shop it was taken to refused to look into the brakes, accelerator, master cylinder or the transmission. They stated there were no codes triggered, though they could provide no proof that they even had the necessary equipment to read the codes. …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that there had been sudden acceleration with the vehicle on numerous occasions before the crash occurred. While driving out of a parking space the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into the side of the house which moved it six inches. The air bags did not deploy. The driver was injured while shifting into neutral gear and park at the same time in order to stop the vehicle from accelerating. The brake were depressed while the rpms increased excessively and the vehicle would not turn off. A police report was available if needed. The vehicle was towed by the sheriff to perform a forensic examination on it. The insurance company confirmed that the vehicle was destroyed. The Honda manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Honda Pilot. While the contact's wife pulled into a parking space at 5 MPH, with her foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle lunged forward and the engine revved. The contact drove over a curb and crashed into a wall. The air bags deployed and two occupants were injured. A police report was filed. The contact has yet to take the vehicle to the dealer or a mechanic. The current and failure mileages were 22,000. The brakes would not stop the vehicle. The vehicle had a defective air control valve and throttle. The consumer stated he experienced the problem 1 year prior to the accident. The vehicle was totaled. Updated 09/18/07.
The accelerator sometimes freezes and I cannot press it down. When I press very hard it releases and goes too fast from the stop position. I was in the school zone stopped when I tried to start again, it froze. The guard was trying to make me go, I was trying but pedal was frozen. When I pushed very hard, it went very fast from stop. The cop saw me clocked me and gave me a $360.00 ticket. I tried to explain the problem. Did not believe me. This has happened several times but never this bad. I have sent to the shop and was told it was the throttle body.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Honda Pilot. When the driver of the vehicle engaged the brake pedal the vehicle accelerated into the store window causing bricks to fall off of the building. The vehicle was towed to a Honda dealer who stated that they could not find anything wrong with the vehicle. There were no prior warnings or failures. The failure mileage and current mileages were 102600.
When we step on the gas pedal, it sticks, when you press down a little more, the car lurches quickly, causing a dangerous sudden acceleration. The worst is when we back out of our garage (we have an uphill driveway), but it happens in forward from a stop also...
Dt*: the contact stated after backing out of the driveway, the vehicle was put in drive and the accelerator pedal was depressed multiple times. When the vehicle responded it surged forward. The accelerator pedal continued to stick. At 1034 miles, the dealership determined the pedal was sticking and cleaned the throttle body. The dealership stated the manufacturer was making an upgrade for the component. When the upgrade was available, it was installed. Two months later the accelerator pedal started sticking again. The dealership replaced the gasket and cleaned the throttle body at 3395 miles. The vehicle worked properly in warmer conditions. The accelerator pedal began sticking while driving 9 months after the previous repair. The throttle body was cleaned again, the mechanic stated the vehicle was not repaired, but the vehicle was to be taken home. …
I've been having problem with the sticky accelerator pedal since I purchased it. The first time that the problem occurred was at 19K miles. The accelerator pedal got so bad on the highway I had to pull to the right side to prevent from causing an accident because the accelerator pedal got stuck and it could not accelerate. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealership. I was informed that there is a problem with the throttle. The dealership replaced the throttle at least 5 times and also cleaned it but made it worst. The last time that the dealership replaced the throttle was in April 7, 2008 and again I am having the same problem. I've called the manufacturer and was informed that there really is not much they can do at this point. I refused to pay for something that is only a temporary fix and would like some resolution to the problem. …
While driving on the german autobahn I accelerated from 65 MPH to pass at which point the engine revved beyond anticipated response for accelerator pressure. I removed my foot from the accelerator, but speed and engine RPM continued to increase. Cruise control was not engaged, but I re-verified by toggling the switch to off (unlighted), while applying brakes. Brakes 'fought' against continued acceleration for approximately 10 seconds before I recovered authority over brakes and accelerator. Estimated maximum speed for the duration of the incident was 85-90 MPH. I drove the remainder of the trip (approx 100 miles) without further incident, and without attempting to use cruise control. Vehicle is currently at a certified Honda mechanic's shop for evaluation.
Upon taking off at the stop light I accelerated to 35 miles an hour then changed lanes as I was nearing my destination ,the car sped out of control and reached speeds over 65 miles an hour,I stood on the brake and stepped on the emergency brakes while steering the vehicle away from other vehicles, the emergency brakes stopped the vehicle, I had a new ignition switch put in at a cost to me of 700.dollars six month in the fall of 2013..this was a most dangerous incident, people must know this., I tried to re[port it online to NHTSA it said ''25 '' complaints only.???
Acceleration complaints in other Pilot years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2004 Honda Pilot?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2004 Honda Pilot, 4% of the model year's 544 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Honda Pilot acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2004 Honda Pilot, though it has 12 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Honda Pilot acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 39% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to speed control & acceleration 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.