2004 Honda Odyssey: Is It Reliable?
Problems, Recalls & Buyer Verdict
Shopping for a used 2004 Honda Odyssey? This page highlights owner-reported complaint patterns and recall history so you can inspect the right systems before buying. Current data includes 584 complaints, with Transmission / Drivetrain as the top reported area.
2004 Honda Odyssey Fuel Economy
✓ EPA Official DataEPA official fuel economy rating for the 2004 Honda Odyssey.
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov. Figures reflect EPA lab testing; real-world results vary by driving style, load, and conditions.
2004 Honda Odyssey Safety Ratings
NHTSA 5-Star ProgramOfficial crash test results from the NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Stars reflect government-conducted tests; higher is safer.
Overall
Not RatedFrontal Crash
Not RatedSide Crash
Not RatedRollover
Not RatedSource: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Ratings are based on government crash tests and may not reflect all trim levels.
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2004 Honda Odyssey has 584 owner complaints, 41 crash-related complaints, and 13 recall campaigns on record. The most frequently reported component is Transmission / Drivetrain. NHTSA reliability signal: Severe Issues.
- Make
- Honda
- Model
- Odyssey
- Model year
- 2004
- NHTSA owner complaints
- 584
- Crash-related complaints
- 41
- Safety recall campaigns
- 13
- Top reported component
- Transmission / Drivetrain
- Reliability signal
- Severe Issues
- EPA MPG combined
- 19
- EPA MPG city / highway
- 16 / 23
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Electronic stability control
- No
Most Common 2004 Honda Odyssey Problems
Top owner-reported complaint areas and where they often appear.
Transmission / Drivetrain
Airbag Malfunctions
Engine Problems
Complaint patterns center on Transmission / Drivetrain, Airbag Malfunctions, Engine Problems. Use these as a pre-purchase inspection guide, then verify recall and damage history on the specific VIN.
Should You Buy a Used 2004 Honda Odyssey?
The 2004 Honda Odyssey shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase.
Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report.
What to Check Before Buying a Used 2004 Honda Odyssey
Inspection Focus
- Inspect transmission for signs of failure or previous repairs.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for transmission and airbag systems.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
Before You Close the Deal
- Inspect transmission for signs of failure or previous repairs.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for transmission and airbag systems.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
Shortlist with model-year data. Decide with the exact VIN.
Before buying a used 2004 Honda Odyssey, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, theft checks, and open recalls for the exact vehicle.
What the Complaint Data Suggests
Editorial interpretation of NHTSA public complaint data. Source: nhtsa.gov. Complaints are owner-submitted and do not confirm a defect. Methodology
Based on NHTSA complaint data for the 2004 Honda Odyssey, complaints are concentrated in the transmission/drivetrain and airbag systems. The data suggests potential issues with these components, but the confidence level is low due to the limited scope of one model year.
- Transmission/drivetrain complaints account for the largest share of reported issues.
- Airbag malfunctions are the second most frequently reported component.
- Crash-related complaints represent a small portion of total complaints.
- Transmission / Drivetrain
- Airbag Malfunctions
- Engine Problems
All 2004 Honda Odyssey Complaints by Category
Every owner-reported complaint category filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Honda Odyssey. Use this as a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 221 | 7 | 3 | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 110 | 21 | 2 | — | |
| Engine Problems | 72 | 2 | 2 | — | |
| Structural Problems | 55 | 3 | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 53 | 3 | 1 | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 24 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 23 | 7 | 2 | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 22 | — | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 19 | 1 | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 17 | 3 | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 15 | 1 | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 14 | 1 | — | — | |
| Brake System | 13 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Gasoline | 13 | 1 | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 12 | 1 | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 9 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 7 | 1 | — | — | |
| Visibility | 6 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 6 | 1 | — | — | |
| Equipment | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Traction Control System | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Child Seat | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Other | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Real Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Honda Odyssey. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact pulled over to the right side of the roadway, turned off the vehicle for approximately 30-minutes befor…
The contact owned a 2004 Honda Odyssey equipped with Michelin CrossClimate 2 Tires, Tire Size 255/60R112VXL, DOT Number: Not Available. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an unknown speed and turning a corner, the front driver's side tire suddenly blew out, …
I’ve seen several recalls on the transmission for Honda odysseys that are 2004 just like mine . My transmission has been horrible for the entire time Ive had it. When accelerating, it jumps super hard from 1st into 2nd gear. switching from first gear to 2nd. Sometimes I have to m…
SRS light is on they said it was the air bag or riverside buckle
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the engine revved up high however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. There were no warni…
As the result of a recall, my driver airbag inflator was replaced. Soon afterwards, my horn started honking when hitting, bumps or moving the steering wheel. I returned the vehicle to the dealership, and they said they adjusted something that seem to help for a short period of ti…
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH the driver-side front air bag deploy on its own without any impact, causing the contact to drive off the road and struck a tree and causing damages to the front end of the vehicle. No one was injured. …
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power without warning. The contact self-diagnosed the vehicle with an ignition switch failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dea…
SRS light is on, diagnostic test done at Honda Dealer ($149.00), drivers seat belt buckle was at fault, Dealer ordered part and to install at no cost to me. Light would come on for a week or two maybe longer when vehicle was started. Not sure if my airbags were compromised with t…
Good Morning, On Monday, September 19, 2022. I talked with Chris from Honda. com. He told me to take the vehicle back to the same repair dealership where I had issues with repairing the vehicle. I said trusting them is hard for me because they had the vehicle 3 different times …
Issues: 1. The malfunction was a heavy grinding noise from the rear of the vehicle on the passenger side. 2. Also, the recall status was incomplete. 3. The repair dealership inspected the vehicle. 4. No warning lamps or anything appears. 5. The vehicle issues information was sent…
In have traffic on hwy van quit pulling causing a major traffic problem upon checking Honda failed to mount a proper cooling system for the Trans even though they acknowledge doing so refuse to do anything about it apparently there's a lot of these on road luckily someone wasn't …
On 6-14-2022, I installed a full set of these tires - from Costco, Florence, KY ( all four tiers have been installed in Costco ), to prepare to travel with my family from Kentucky to Louisiana. Early morning on 6-22-2022, while driving on the highway with my family, suddenly we …
My transmission will not shift into third fourth or fifth and I see that there is a recall on the transmission for the 2004 Honda Odysseys and I was wondering how I go about getting this repaired that’s what mines doing it won’t shift I have to manually shift it from 1st to 2nd a…
until today, 4/3/2022, no issues with 2004 Honda Odyssey transmission. today after driving 5 minutes from home the engine roared and forward drive was lost. the car was balky getting it home and would not climb a moderate hill. after a 30 minute rest the car would move forward an…
The contact owns a 2004 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. Due to the failure, the contact moved the vehicle off to the shoulder of the highway and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. Upon investigation, the …
My 2004 has codes relating to transmission problems, along with ongoing codes for emission problems. I have taken it in and it dose need a new transmission. It also needs emission work . I have been told that this rare with this make and model. Also the input for the gas …
The vehicle was taken to Honda to have the airbag replaced. They said that the work couldn’t be completed because the airbag had already been deployed. They said that they needed to work with corporate to determine what the costs were going to be. I kept making calls to find…
Side wall of tire split causing tire to lose air pressure available for inspection upon request. Tire went flat when driving. No No No
We were driving and was at a stop, when we went to go, our van wouldn't move. We shut it off then restarted it and it was ok for about a mile then started shaking a little & we could only go about 10 mph on a highway. We got home after it being off restarted it it goes into gear …
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2004 Honda Odyssey.
2004 Honda Odyssey Recalls
13 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2004 Honda Odyssey. 13 recall campaigns are on record for this model year. Recalls are free to fix at authorized dealers, but completion status must be verified on the exact VIN.
2004 Honda Odyssey Buying FAQ
Buyer-focused answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this model year.
Is the 2004 Honda Odyssey reliable?▾
Severe Issues. NHTSA currently shows 584 owner complaints, 41 crash-related complaints, and 13 recall campaigns for this model year. The 2004 Honda Odyssey shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Treat this as a model-year signal, then verify the exact vehicle's condition and history before purchase.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Honda Odyssey?▾
#1: Transmission / Drivetrain (221 complaints). #2: Airbag Malfunctions (110 complaints). #3: Engine Problems (72 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2004 Honda Odyssey?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2004 Honda Odyssey?▾
Complaint data is not the same as crash-test scoring, but it does highlight possible risk patterns. For the 2004 Honda Odyssey, NHTSA complaints include 41 crash-related reports and 6 fire reports out of 584 total complaints. 45 injury reports are also on file. For controlled crash-test ratings, check nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2004 Honda Odyssey have any recalls?▾
Yes. 13 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2004 Honda Odyssey. A major recall area is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. 13 recall campaigns are on record for this model year. Always verify open recalls by VIN because completion status varies by vehicle.
Should I buy a 2004 Honda Odyssey?▾
The 2004 Honda Odyssey shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report. Pay extra attention to Transmission / Drivetrain during inspection. Before committing, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, and recall completion for the exact car.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Honda Odyssey reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Owner Reliability Rating
Rate the 2004 Honda Odyssey based on your ownership experience.
Add your rating:
Ratings are based on owner experience and are separate from NHTSA data shown above.
Check the Exact Vehicle History Before You Buy
Model-year complaints and recalls reveal patterns. A VIN report confirms whether the exact car has accident history, title brands, mileage issues, or open recalls.