2004 Honda Accord SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

BRAKES ARE OVERLY SENSITIVE, PARTICULARLY DURING HIGH IDLE WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES QUICKLY WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELING AS THOUGH IT'S GETTING SUCKED DOWN DURING A SLIGHT APPLICATION. ONE MUST BE VERY CAREFUL AND START APPLYING THE BRAKES INCREDIBLY SLOWLY BEFORE THEY WISH TO START STOPPING. THUS, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO STOP QUICKLY WITHOUT THE BRAKES BEING HEAVILY APPLIED AGAINST ONE'S WILL. DURING AN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATION, WHICH LUCKILY I HAVE NOT COME ACROSS WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, I SUSPECT IT'D BE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE SLOWING DOWN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE HAS ABS. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. UPON RESEARCH ON MANY DIFFERENT WEBSITES, I HAVE FOUND OTHER DRIVERS OF 2004 HONDA ACCORDS THAT COMPLAIN OF THE SAME ISSUE. ONE COMPLAINT EVEN CLAIMED THAT THEY APPLIED THEIR BRAKES NORMALLY ON AN OFFRAMP, AND THE ISSUE CAUSED THEIR VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND COMPLETELY, LUCKILY NOT STRIKING ANYONE OR ANYTHING. OTHERS SAY THAT THEY HAVE COMPLAINED TO THEIR DEALERSHIPS, BUT WERE JUST TOLD THAT THEY NEED TO GET USED TO THE BRAKES. I FEEL THAT A LIKELY PROBLEM MAY BE AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER BRAKE SYSTEM PROVIDING TOO MUCH ASSIST WITH EVEN LIGHT APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER ANY ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED DUE TO THIS ISSUE, OR IF THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE THE CAUSE OF ANY ACCIDENTS. NEVERTHELESS, IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, A FEW CARS BEHIND, AND THEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND THE CARS TOOK OFF. AFTER I JUST PASSED THE INTERSECTION THE FIRST CAR MADE A SUDDEN STOP, AND THE CARS AFTER WERE ABLE TO STOP ALSO. I HAD ENOUGH TIME AND ROOM TO STOP THE CAR ITSELF WITH OUT CRASHING TOO, BUT THE BREAKS DID NOT STOP WHEN MY FOOT WAS PRESSED ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE PETAL. I WAS NOT GOING MORE THAN FIFTEEN MILE PER HOUR AT THE TIME. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT GO OFF AND THE FRONT WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AFTER GOING INTO THE OTHER CARS. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN HONDA. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT SINCE IT WAS SUCH AN UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE CONTACTS ROTORS WERE FAULTY. THE MECHANIC CLIPPED THE ROTORS TO MAKE THEM SMOOTHER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE THE ROTORS SHOULD HAVE NOT FAILED AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE ROTORS AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO WRITE A LETTER TO CORPORATE EXPLAINING WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

MY 2004 HONDA ACCORD NO BRAKES/ALMOST DIED IN A ACCIDENT /THEY SAY IT IS ABS MODULAR ???? *TR

BRAKES ARE FAILING PREMATURELY. A 2004 HONDA ACCORD LX 5 SPEED NEEDED PADS REPLACED AT 35,100 MILES. THE ROTORS ALSO HAD TO BE RESERVICED. *TR

I BOUGHT A NEW HONDA ACCORD LX IN MAY OF 2004. AS THE BRAKES WORE DOWN THEY BEGAN TO HAVE A SURGE TYPE OF PROBLEM AND MAKE A GRINDING NOISE ONCE IN A WHILE. WHEN I REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS I FOUND THAT ONE OF THE PADS WAS CLOSE TO BEING WORN OUT ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROTOR AND THE OTHER WAS LIKE NEW, ON BOTH LEFT AND FRONT ROTORS. AFTER I REPLACED THEM, EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE FINE UNTIL AFTER THEY HAD WORN ABOUT 25,000 MILES. NOW THEY HAVE ABOUT 45,00 MILES ON THEM. NOW THEY ARE DOING IT AGAIN EXCEPT THE SURGE PROBLEM IS MUCH WORSE THIS TIME AND THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY SOMETIMES IF I PUT THE BRAKES ON HARD. SOMETIMES THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE MINOR AND SOMETIMES IT IS REALLY BAD. I ASK THE HONDA PEOPLE ABOUT IT AND THEY WANT MONEY TO PUT IT ON THE RACK TO LOOK AT IT; SOMETHING I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF. HOPE THIS WILL BE OF HELP TO SOMEONE ELSE. *TR

I WENT TO HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON CAR. THE MECHANIC CAME OUT AND TOLD ME MY REAR BRAKES WERE NEARLY WORN OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAD 20,959 ACTUAL MILES ON THESE BRAKES. I HAD THEM REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE EVEN THOUGH I FELT THIS WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL. NOW MY FRONT ROTORS ARE GIVING ME PROBLEMS AT 23,000 MILES. THE CAR JERKS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I CALLED HONDA.....WAS TOLD THEY HADN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS OR COMPLAINTS, BUT I SEE SAME PROBLEM POSTED ON THIS SITE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS ENGAGED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. HE FELT THAT THE BYPASS VALVE ON THE ABS MODULATOR CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE DEALER RE-INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE ABS MODULATOR. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. AS OF AUGUST 7, 2007, THE DEALER HAS NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,500. UPDATED 01-15-08. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED 2 ABS MODULATORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND 2 MASTER CYLINDERS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE STARTED WITH A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL AND OVER TIME IT BECAME WORSE. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL HARD TO ONE SIDE AND/OR THE ABS MODULATOR WOULD ACTIVATE WHEN BRAKING POWER WAS ESTABLISHED. UPDATED 12/12/07

REAR BRAKES WORE OUT AT 29,000 MILES. PISTONS STICKING, CALIPERS RECONDITIONED, NEED NEW HARDWARE, NEW ROTORS, NEW BRAKE PADS. HONDA MAINTAINS THAT THE CAR IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED AND THESE ARE NORMAL ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 29,000 MILES. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS FRONT ROTORS HAVE BECOME WARPED. THIS IS HIS SECOND SET OF ROTORS BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL ONES BECAME WARPED AND WERE REPLACED. THE DEALER TURNED THE ROTORS AND THE VIBRATIONS WERE ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE. THE CONTACT SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT IN JULY OF 2007 WITH THE REGIONAL CASE MANAGER FOR HONDA. HE BELIEVED THAT THE ROTORS SHOW A PATTERN OF FAILURE EVERY 20,000 MILES. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED EACH TIME HE EXITED A HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,550 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,904. DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,550 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,904. THE CONSUMER STATED FRONT ROTORS REPLACED ON 05/04/06 AND REAR ROTORS MACHINED ON 07/30/07. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED REPAIR INVOICES. UPDATED 08/28/07 *TR

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 THE BRAKES ROARED AND VIBRATED WHEN GOING DOWN A STEEP INCLINE. TWICE THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PADS AND TURNED THE ROTORS. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE IF THE REAR OR FRONT BRAKES WERE REPAIRED. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON OCCURRED 11-04. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN 2006. THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO ROAR AND VIBRATE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THIS WAS NORMAL AND RECOMMENDED THE CONTACT DOWN SHIFT WHEN COMING DOWN A STEEP INCLINE AND ALLOW THE VEHICLE ROLL OFF OF THE HILL INSTEAD OF USING THE BRAKES. UPDATED 09/20/6. *JB

REAR DISC BRAKE PADS ON 2004 HONDA ACCORD EX WORE DOWN QUICKLY AND UNEVENLY, WITHIN 30,000 MILES. REPLACEMENT WAS AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. SUCH SHORT BRAKE LIFE IS INDICATIVE OF A DEFECTIVELY OR INADEQUATELY DESIGNED REAR DISC BRAKE SYSTEM AND COULD POTENTIALLY BE A SAFETY ISSUE. SEARCHED THE WEB AND FOUND THAT RAPID REAR DISC BRAKE WEAR IS COMMON ON LATE-MODEL HONDA ACCORDS. THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING ENTERED ON BEHALF OF MY ROOMMATE, WHO IS THE PURCHASER/OWNER/DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

BRAKES HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE ON MY 2004 HONDA ACCORD FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS. THE CAR IS STILL UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY AND BOTH THE DEALER AND HONDA REFUSE TO FIX THEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT OF VEHICLE VIBRATES ANYTIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ROTORS WERE TURNED THREE TIMES DURING THE FIRST 17,000 MILES OF OWNERSHIP. AT 17,000 MILES THE FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED AND REAR ROTORS WERE TURNED. THE PROBLEM RETURNED, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TODAY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED IT WAS DETERMINED THE ROTORS WERE WORN, BUT THE BRAKE PADS NEVER SHOWED ANY EXCESSIVE WEAR. UPDATED 3/9/2006 - *NM

2004 HONDA ACCORD EX V6 : WHEN BRAKING FROM 50+ MPH ESPECIALLY DOWNHILL CAUSES THE WHOLE CAR TO SHUDDER. THE CAR HAS 14000 MILES ON IT. DEALER SAYS THE ROTORS ARE WARPED AND IT IS MY DRIVING PATTERN. I HAD OTHER HONDA'S WHICH NEVER HAD TO HAVE THEIR ROTORS REPLACED UNTIL 100K MILES AT LEAST. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR DEFECTIVE BRAKE PAD MATERIAL FOR 2003'S ACCORDS BUT A LOT OF 2004/2005 OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING ON THE MESSAGE BOARDS (EDMUNDS.COM) AS WELL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE SINCE YOU LOSE CAR CONTROL WHILE BRAKING. NHTSA SHOULD DEFINITELY INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE. *JB

ON JUNE 13, 2005 MY WIFE NOTICED A SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR PORTION OF THE CAR. SHE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR JUNE 14 AT DESERT HONDA IN LAS VEGAS. THE SERVICE REP REPORTED TO ME THAT THE REAR BAKES WERE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT, THIS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE CAR HAD ONLY 16,271 MILES. I FIND THIS ISSUE TO BE UNACCEPTABLE. WE PURCHASED A HONDA LARGELY DUE TO A REPUTATION OF EXCELLENT RELIABILITY. CLEARLY WE WERE MISTAKEN. EITHER THE DEALERSHIP COMMITTED FRAUD BY PERFORMING AN UNNEEDED REPAIR, OR HONDA BUILT A CAR WITH VERY POOR QUALITY. I DO HAVE THE USED BRAKE PADS, OR AT LEAST WHAT THE DEALER CLAIMS IS THE PADS FROM OUR ACCORD. *NM

I HAVE A SERIOUS COMPLIANT REGARDING MY HONDA ACCORD. ON JUNE 13, 2005 MY WIFE NOTICED A SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR PORTION OF THE CAR. SHE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR JUNE 14 AT DESERT HONDA IN LAS VEGAS. *JB THE SERVICE REP REPORTED TO ME THAT THE REAR BAKES WERE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT, THIS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE CAR HAD ONLY 16,271 MILES. I FIND THIS ISSUE TO BE UNACCEPTABLE. WE PURCHASED A HONDA LARGELY DUE TO A REPUTATION OF EXCELLENT RELIABILITY. CLEARLY WE WERE MISTAKEN. EITHER THE DEALERSHIP COMMITTED FRAUD BY PERFORMING AN UNNEEDED REPAIR, OR HONDA BUILT A CAR WITH VERY POOR QUALITY. I DO HAVE THE USED BRAKE PADS, OR AT LEAST WHAT THE DEALER CLAIMS IS THE PADS FROM OUR ACCORD. THE REPAIRS WERE NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I FIND THE SAFETY ISSUE OF BRAKES TO BE UNACCEPTABLE CONSIDERING THE RELATIVE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. I KNOW OF ANOTHER HONDA ACCORD WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.

PROBLEM WITH EXCESSIVE BRAKE GRABBING SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE ON 05/29/2004. DISCUSSED WITH TAMERON HONDA SERVICE MANY TIMES SINCE PURCHASE AND IT SEEMS EVERONE (SALES AND SERVICE) KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT HONDA HAS NOT DONE SOMETHING TO CORRECT THE POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM.

2004 HONDA ACCORD EX W/24,000 MILES AND IN SERVICE ONE YEAR. EXCESSIVE NOISE (SQUEALING) COMING FROM FRONT AND REAR BRAKES. FRONT PADS HAD MINIMAL WEAR BUT THERE WAS A CRACK DOWN THE CENTER OF EACH FRONT PAD (FOUR IN ALL) SERVICE MANAGER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND THE CRACKS WERE PROBABLY CAUSED BY HEAT (A CRACK IN THE PAD IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR BUT A PROBLEM). AS FOR THE REAR BRAKES, THE REAR PADS WERE WORN COMPLETELY DOWN NOT EQUAL TO THE FRONT PADS AND BY ALL ACCOUNTS SHOULD HAVE HAD LESS WEAR THAN THE FRONT PADS BECAUSE IT IS THE FRONT BRAKES THAT WORK THE HARDEST. *JB

REAR BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT AT 14,000 MILES. SERVICE INDICATES 2 MILIMETERS LEFT ON REAR PADS. DESPITE SERVICE STATING 60% OF BRAKING IS DONE BY FRONT BRAKES THE REAR NEED REPLACING. ADDITIONALLY, DRIVING HABITS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS. I OWN OTHER HONDA'S AND VEHICLES WHERE MY HABITS ARE THE SAME AND DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. PADS WERE REPLACED ON REAR.*AK

THE CAR MAKES A SQUEALING / SCREECHING NOISE WHILE DRIVING THAT APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM THE REAR BRAKES. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON MY 2001 ACCORD 4CYL NOW IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN ON MY 2004. I'M AFRAID THAT I WILL HAVE TO GO WHAT I WENT THROUGH BEFORE WHERE EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE I NEEDED REAR BRAKE PADS AND RESURFACING OF MY ROTORS, BUT IF I WASN'T SO DILIGENT ABOUT GETTING MY VEHICLE SERVICED WHO KNOWS, I PROBABLY WOULD LOSE ALL BRAKING ABILITY.

THE VEHICLES BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE WITH VERY POOR RESPONSE TIME. THE BRAKE LINES HAVE AIR IN THEM AND THIS RESULTS IN A SPONGY RESPONSE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED SEVEN TIMES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD. THIS IS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.*AK

DURING EMERGENCY STOP BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED. THIS CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE REAR ENDING THE MOTORIST IN FRONT OF THEM. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A BODY SHOP, BUT WILL BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE BRAKES INSPECTED. *AK