2004 HONDA ACCORD Complaints

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO WORK BETWEEN 35-40 MPH ON A CLEAR DAY WHEN THE SIDE AIR BAG CURTAIN DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BAG PARTIALLY DEPLOYED. LUCKILY, SHE WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, BRING IT TO A STOP AND WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE HONDA DEALER. MY WIFE HELEN, HAD TEMPORARY HEARING LOSS (SEVERAL HOURS) AS A RESULT OF THE CURTAINS DEPLOYING. EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY HONDA HAS SO FAR REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND AFTER EXAMINING THE CAR COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THE CURTAINS TO DEPLOY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE WITH SLIGHT BRAKE PRESSURE APPLIED, THERE WAS A PRONOUNCED VIBRATION PHYSICALLY FELT WITHIN THE ENTIRE VEHICLE FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE LURCHING BACKWARDS INTO A FENCE. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE REAR FENDER AREA, AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE POLICE WERE NOT ALERTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 12/18/2006 - THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. *NM

2004 ACCORD POSES A SAFETY ISSUE, IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF WINDSHIELD DUE TO THE CORNER PARTS THAT CREATE A BLIND SPOT. * TS *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE TURNED ON IN THE RAIN; THE FRONT RIGHT WIPER SCRATCHED THE WINDSHIELD. THE WIPER WAS TURNED OFF AND THE CONTACT PULLED THE WIPER ARM AWAY FROM THE WINDSHIELD TO ADJUST THE BLADE WHEN THE WIPER ARM FRACTURED. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, MAINLY AT A STAND STILL, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL REACH THE BOTTOM STOP AND NOT PUSH ANYMORE. THE CAR HAS NOT YET EVER FAILED TO STOP. NORMAL BRAKING REQUIRES NO EFFORT WHATSOEVER AND THERE IS NO RESISTANCE FELT. THE PEDAL WILL NORMALLY FALL TO BELOW THAT OF THE ACCELERATOR AND ON A MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR, IT MAKES HEEL/TOE DRIVING IMPOSSIBLE. I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS BOTH FRONT AND REAR WARP. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN BLED TWICE NOW, WHICH RESULTS IN A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN PEDAL FEEL FOR A SHORT DURATION. WHEN THE PEDAL DROPPED TO THE STOP, I CALLED AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALER. THEY STATED THAT OPERATION IS NORMAL AT THIS TIME, EVEN WHEN I REQUESTED THEY DRIVE ANOTHER CAR BACK TO BACK WITH MINE, AS I DID. THIS IS HOW I KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG, AS THE OTHER TWO CARS I'VE DRIVEN RECENTLY HAVE A MUCH HIGHER AND FIRMER FEELING PEDAL THAN MY CAR. I HAVE HEARD OF SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER HONDA OWNERS, AND IF THE HONDA TECHLINE IS CALLED, THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE ABS/TCS UNIT BYPASSING PRESSURE CAUSING THE LOW, ODD FEELING PEDAL. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE WHILE TRAVELING DOWNHILL, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BOARD AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD CRASHING INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THE POLICE WERE NOT ALERTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 11/30/2006 - *NM

THE SRS (SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM) DASH LIGHT COMES ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF UNTIL THE PART IS REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT OPERATE OR WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY IF A WRECK OCCURRED BECAUSE THE PART WAS "BAD". I WAS PROVIDED A RENTAL CAR WHILE THE PART WAS REPLACED. PREVIOUS RESEARCH REVEALED A PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION INTO THIS PROBLEM ON THE 2001 HONDA ACCORD. (WHY IS THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART STILL BEING USED?). *JB

DRIVING DOWN ROAD @ 40 MPH, IN A 2004 HONDA ACCORD LX, THE PASSENGER SEAT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON, INJURING THE PASSENGER. AT THIS POINT, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO REPAIR THE DAMAGES BY HONDA OF AMERICA OR STATE FARM INSURANCE COMPANY DUE TO IT'S RARE CIRCUMSTANCES. HONDA TECHNICIANS AND THEIR DISTRICT MANAGER SAID THEY FOUND NO GOOD REASON FOR DEPLOYMENT. THEY TESTED THE AIRBAG PARTS AFTER THE DEPLOYMENT, AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY STILL FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THEORIZING, THEY COMMENTED THAT A BOLT MAY HAVE SMACKED UP UNDER THE CAR AND HIT A SENSOR, CREATING A FREQUENCY MIMICKING THE SOUND OF AN IMPACT. ACCORDING TO THE HONDA TECHNICIANS, THESE SIDE AIR BAGS ARE ACTIVATED/ACTUATED ON FREQUENCY SO THE SECOND THEY HEAR A CRUNCH OR GLASS BREAK, THEY SHOOT OUT. HE SAID THAT IF SOMETHING CREATED A SOUND SIMILAR TO THAT OF AN ACCIDENT OR VEHICLE IMPACT, THAT THEY COULD GO OFF. SO, CAR STILL IS NOT REPAIRED, AND HAS BEEN CHECKED BY HONDA AND STATE FARM ADJUSTORS. NEITHER HAS FOUND ANY AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO SUGGEST ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY WAS HIT ON THE ROADWAY, JUST A SMALL SCRATCH ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE CULPRIT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON A DRY FREEWAY, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CONTACT DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROAD NOR DRIVE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD NOT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED OFF OF THE ROAD AND REMAINED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD PENDING A TOW TRUCK. THERE WERE INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK

PARKING BRAKE RELEASED ON IT'S OWN WHILE REMOVING BOAT FROM WATERWAY AND CAR ROLLED INTO WATER AND WAS COMPLETELY SUBMERGED. *NM