2004 Honda Odyssey: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2004 Honda Odyssey
On the 2004 Honda Odyssey, the failure owners report most often is other powertrain problem, and the reports cluster around 112,000 miles. The earliest to appear is other speed control problem, reported by a median of 30,000 miles. Overall it scores 69 out of 100, high risk for a 2004.
High risk for a 2004 — 122nd riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. 715 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 64 named failure modes on the 2004 Honda Odyssey, and the three most-reported carry 40% of everything filed.
Other powertrain problem leads with 121 reports, about 1.0 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 88k to 143,000 miles.
Complete transmission failure follows with 84 reports, usually reported between 86k to 130,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.
Other body or interior problem follows with 81 reports, usually reported between 44k to 130,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into transmission (214), body (102) and engine (74).
When these failures get reported
523 of the reports on the 2004 Honda Odyssey came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 106,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 12% by 50,000 miles, 41% by 100,000 miles and 78% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 29 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 100,000 and 110,000 miles, which alone holds 11% of the dated reports.
10% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: other speed control problem around 29k, fuel pump failure around 39k, other body or interior problem around 85k and other engine problem around 97k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 64. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 29 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 43 mention a crash, 10 a fire, 40 an injury and 1 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.82, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, complete transmission failure at $2,800–$8,000, other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000 and other engine problem at $300–$4,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
42% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 121 | 101 | 88k | 112k | 143k | 1.0 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 84 | 74 | 86k | 110k | 129k | 0.7 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 81 | 59 | 44k | 85k | 131k | 0.6 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 55 | 51 | 79k | 97k | 128k | 0.4 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 32 | 22 | 104k | 148k | 180k | 0.3 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 27 | 19 | 71k | 100k | 148k | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 19 | 15 | 6k | 29k | 89k | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 16 | 15 | 102k | 136k | 194k | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 15 | 12 | 3k | 39k | 177k | 0.1 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 14 | 10 | 44k | 102k | 145k | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 14 | 4 | — | 105k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Overheating | cooling | 9 | 9 | 111k | 127k | 144k | 0.1 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 8 | 3 | — | 158k | — | 0.1 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Paint peeling or clear coat failure | body | 8 | 2 | — | 105k | — | 0.1 | $600–$6,000 | Low |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 8 | 6 | — | 75k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 7 | 6 | — | 125k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 6 | 6 | — | 98k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 5 | 5 | — | 129k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 5 | 4 | — | 93k | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure | body | 5 | 1 | — | 130k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,500 | Moderate |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 5 | 3 | — | 104k | — | 0.0 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Oil leak | engine | 4 | 2 | — | 156k | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 4 | 3 | — | 70k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Door latch or handle failure | body | 4 | 2 | — | 78k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 4 | 2 | — | 138k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 4 | 3 | — | 111k | — | 0.0 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 4 | 4 | — | 93k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 3 | 3 | — | 137k | — | 0.0 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure | transmission | 3 | 3 | — | 115k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,400 | High |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 3 | 3 | — | 103k | — | 0.0 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 3 | 2 | — | 124k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 3 | 1 | — | 107k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Harsh or jerky shifting | transmission | 2 | 2 | — | 152k | — | 0.0 | $600–$4,000 | Moderate |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 2 | 2 | — | 98k | — | 0.0 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Fuel leak or fuel odor | fuel | 2 | 2 | — | 203k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 2 | 2 | — | 115k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 20k | — | 0.0 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Engine sensor failure | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 92k | — | 0.0 | $180–$900 | Moderate |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 2 | 1 | — | 23k | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 2 | 1 | — | 255k | — | 0.0 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Other seat belt problem | airbag | 2 | 1 | — | 32k | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Head gasket failure | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 48k | — | 0.0 | $1,400–$4,000 | Critical |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 113k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 1 | 1 | — | 95k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Transmission slipping | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 59k | — | 0.0 | $1,200–$5,500 | High |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 117k | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 1 | 1 | — | 102k | — | 0.0 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 100k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Audio or connectivity failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 230k | — | 0.0 | $150–$900 | Low |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 66k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 1 | 1 | — | 163k | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Window regulator or power window failure | body | 1 | 1 | — | 56k | — | 0.0 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| Seat, track or recliner failure | body | 1 | 1 | — | 179k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Blower motor or climate control failure | hvac | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 1 | 1 | — | 141k | — | 0.0 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| DPF, EGR or DEF system failure | emissions | 1 | 1 | — | 500 | — | 0.0 | $800–$5,000 | High |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 41k | — | 0.0 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 87 | 38 | 86k | 134k | 163k | 0.7 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2004 Honda Odyssey draws about 5.7 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 81st percentile of complaint rates among 2004 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 125,620 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2004 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other powertrain problem
When shifting up from a lower gear (from 1st to 2nd) most notably at low speeds, around 20 to 25 MPH, the engine feels like it is revving higher than normal before shifting into the next gear. When it does shift, it shifts hard and makes a clanking noise. It feels as though the transmission is sticking, preventing it from changing gears in a normal fashion. I have not noticed it occurring at any specific time, it seems to happen at random intervals when driving at lower speeds. I have taken the van in for inspection and the technician could not recreate this problem. Took van on july 08, contacted honda, the problem still has yet to be resolved. This is one of six problems I had to take the van in for. After having the van for two weeks, only two non-mechanical problems were partially resolved and one non-mechanical problem was resolved completely.*ak
2004 honda odyssey manufacturing defect.*mr the vehicle was on and the consumer had to children inside it. The consumer put the vehicle in park and exited the vehicle to retrieved something. When she returned and attempted to get into her car it began to roll backwards down the driveway. The vehicle crossed the road before it came to an abrupt stop on the curd. The dealer was contacted and explained that the gears may have somehow become stuck between park and reverse and then popped into reverse. The consumer contacted the manufacturer requesting a new vehicle and an investigation. *nm
Complete transmission failure
Dt*: the contact stated the automatic transmission failed and the vehicle was not included in NHTSA recall #04v176000, regarding the powertrain:automatic transmission due to the VIN. The service dealer determined the transmission needed to be replaced.
Normal functionality driving on trip during mild weather on 29 march 2009 from sacramento area to los angeles. After driving over 5 hours, the car suddenly lost power and the vehicle was smoking due to the rapid ejection of transmission fluid from the transmission (breather valve?) which resulted in sudden and catastrophic transmission failure in 2004 honda odyssey. The transmission required replacement at 79000 miles and was serviced at a honda dealership during scheduled transmission service. *tr
Other body or interior problem
Dear madam or sir, while driving, with two children seated inside on the back seats, my newly purchased honda odyssey suddenly flashed all the signals on the control panel/dash board, became almost non-maneuverable and abruptly stopped. This happened just after two months of purchase. My wife, who was driving the car, and the two children were in panic and scared not to speak of the trauma and inconvenience they underwent. It put my family in a very dangerous situation once and my family and I feel very bad and insecure about it. Fortunately this did not happen on a freeway or on any busy road otherwise it might have been disastrous for us. We do not want to be in same situation again and we have lost trust in this particular vans machinery due to the fact that it failed so early in its life cycle and more so because this failure was not of trivial nature. Had it been minor defects like malfunctioning of lights, indicators, AC not working, audio not working etc. We would have ignored. We were told that the computer system in the vehicle failed. As per dealership and american honda the van has been repaired but this happened so…
My daughter opened the car door and , not realizing this, I pushed the keyless entry/door open button. These actions made the door stop with a small opening. My daughter then tried to maunally open the door at the same time I pushed the button again. This resulted in her hand being crushed/caught and shut in the van door. I ran and maunally opened the door to see her hand crushed. This all happend in a matter of seconds. We iced it and upon her pediatricians request,took her to the emergency room for x-rays. It turned out that her hand was not broken but briuised badly. This van is supposed to have a safety feature to not crush people/children in the door! *ak
Recalls on the 2004 model year
NHTSA has issued 13 recall campaigns covering the 2004 Honda Odyssey, affecting an estimated 700,450 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module and air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
3,947 vehicles 2019-06-27- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
1,657,752 vehicles 2019-06-27- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
1,101,534 vehicles 2019-03-06- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver…
- Consequence
- An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
1,335 vehicles 2018-04-26- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
- Consequence
- An incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are K1P, and M1O.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
1,790,894 vehicles 2016-05-23- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling certain model…
- Consequence
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA0, KA1, KA2, and KA3.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
6,281,043 vehicles 2015-05-28- Defect
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to September 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or after September 12, 2014, received a remedy for a prior driver frontal air bag…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
374,177 vehicles 2015-01-28- Defect
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured February 13, 2002, to August 13, 2004, and 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to September 23, 2003. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
- Consequence
- Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Honda dealers will replace the supplemental restraint system electronic control unit (SRS ECU). The recall began on February 22, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's number for this recall is JN6 (Odyssey), and JN7 (MDX). Note: This recall supersedes recall 13V-412. Vehicles that had a noise filter installed as the remedy for that campaign need to have the SRS ECU replaced under this campaign.
AIR BAGS
0 vehicles 2014-11-04- Defect
- American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa are addressed by…
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 26, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
AIR BAGS
133,207 vehicles 2014-06-20- Defect
- American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in California, and equipped with Takata-brand air bag inflators. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passengers frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflators in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during August 2014. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
AIR BAGS
374,618 vehicles 2013-09-19- Defect
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Odyssey and model year 2003 Acura MDX vehicles. Due to electrical noise, a component in the air bag control module may fail causing the front air bags, side curtain air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
- Consequence
- Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a noise suppressor unit, free of charge. The recall began on November 1, 2013. A renotification letter went out on July 11, 2014 for the 2003 Acura and the 2003-2004 Odyssey. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's recall numbers are JC2 (Honda Odyssey) and JC3 (Acura MDX).
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
807,161 vehicles 2012-12-11- Defect
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Pilot and Odyssey and 2003 through 2006 Acura MDX passenger vehicles manufactured from November 26, 2001, through August 30, 2006. The interlock lever of the ignition switch may deform, which can allow the interlock function of a vehicle with an automatic transmission to be defeated.
- Consequence
- Removal of the ignition key when the gear selector of a vehicle with an automatic transmission has not been shifted to the park position can allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicle to a Honda or Acura dealer. The dealer will install an updated shift interlock lever and, if necessary, replace any necessary part of the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on February 22, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
69,538 vehicles 2004-08-27- Defect
- On certain minivans, the fuel pump may fail due to corrosion of an electrical terminal.
- Consequence
- If the pump stops working, eht engine will stall without warning, and a crash could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will check the electrical coupler terminal of the fuel pump. If any corrosion is found, the pump will be replaced. The recall began september 27, 2004. Owners should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2004 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 2004 sits in the model line
High risk for a 2004 — 122nd riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 31 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1997 comes out best at 59 and 2018 worst at 79, with 2004 itself at 69.
If the model year is negotiable, 1997, 1998, 2017 and 1996 score lower than 2004 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 1999–2004 generation specifically, 1999 is the strongest year at 66 and 2003 the weakest at 73.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 1999-2004 generation, 1999 Honda Odyssey scores best at 66 and 2003 Honda Odyssey worst at 73.
Where to spend the inspection money
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: fuel pump failure from about 3k, other speed control problem from about 6k, seat belt or retractor failure from about 44k and other body or interior problem from about 44k.
On a 2004 Honda Odyssey with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether fuel pump failure has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
Where these figures stop being useful
715 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 715 reports, 523 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 73% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Honda Odyssey?
The most-reported failures are other powertrain problem (121 reports, median 112,000 miles), complete transmission failure (84 reports, median 110,000 miles) and other body or interior problem (81 reports, median 85,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2004 Honda Odyssey problems start?
Other speed control problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 30,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 5,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 106,000 miles.
Is the 2004 Honda Odyssey reliable?
It scores 69 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 122nd riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2004 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Honda Odyssey is best?
Within the 1999–2004 generation, 1999 scores best at 66 out of 100 and 2003 worst at 73. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed