2004 Honda Accord Visibility & Wipers Problems

Rear window shattered, spontaneously, parked. Mostly 1/4 to 3/8 inch pieces, no impact center or chips anywhere. Cause UNKNOWN. With slight vibration the rear window fell into the car, except around glued edges, also including tiny slivers. While the shattered rear window held, it created a huge blind spot behind car, which is a large safety problem. Also driving could leave a trail of glass on public streets. Rear window was vacuumed up and replaced by Glass America, who also had no idea why it shattered. Vehicle was inspected and passed by Colorado vehicle inspectors on January 31, 2024. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure found on April 13, 2024. Car had not been driven for 10 days, parked.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK

This is a followup on Incident 11113944. The problem was actually an aftermarket Ipod adapter connected to the car stereo, it was draining the battery even when the car was off. Also, simply driving the car for a while (like to the mechanic) would always make the problem go away, because the battery eventually recharged. After removing the Ipod adapter and replacing the battery again, I have not had the wipers fail in ~3 years. I think Honda should provide some alert if the battery is at insufficient voltage to run the wipers, however.

BOTH FRONT WIPERS STOP WORKING INTERMITTENTLY DURING A RAIN OR SNOW STORM. NOTHING SOLVES THE PROBLEM - E.G. CHANGING FROM ON/OFF/HIGH/MEDIUM/INTERMITTENT. TURNING LIGHTS AND FAN OFF DOESN'T HELP. THE WIPERS STOP MOVING AT RANDOM POSITIONS, SOMETIMES STOPPING FOR A FEW SECONDS, TO MINUTES. NOTE THAT BOTH WIPERS STOP WORKING TOGETHER; THEY EITHER BOTH ARE MOVING OR BOTH STOPPED. THIS HAS HAPPENED DURING DRIVING (ON HIGHWAY AND CITY) IN AT LEAST 2 RAIN STORMS AND ONE SNOW STORM, WITHIN THE LAST 5 YEARS. MY ONLY RECOURSE HAS BEEN TO TRY TO LOOK OUT THE SIDE WINDOW, BECAUSE I HAVE ABOUT 10% VISIBILITY THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. I AM VERY LUCKY TO HAVE NOT CRASHED. NOTE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS HARD TO REPRODUCE - THE WIPERS NORMALLY WORK, EXCEPT WHEN I ACTUALLY NEED THEM. I REFUSE TO DRIVE THIS CAR WITH RAIN OR SNOW IN THE FORECAST. 2 DEALERS HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE BATTERY CHANGED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ACTIVATED AND UNEXPECTEDLY BECAME INOPERABLE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2003 ACCORD MODELS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN: 08V169000 (VISIBILITY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,475.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, IT STARTED POURING RAIN. I TURNED ON MY WIPERS. WHEN THE WIPERS WERE IN A VERTICAL POSITION THEY STOPPED. I IMMEDIATELY LOST VISIBILITY BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING SO HARD. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I PUT THE WIPER SPEED LEVER IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT POSITIONS BUT NOTHING WOULD MAKE THEM WORK. I CHECKED THE FUSES WHILE I WAITED ON THE RAIN TO STOP. ONCE IT STOPPED RAINING, I RETURNED THE WIPERS TO THE DOWN POSITION AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SAFELY. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WIPER MOTOR AND ALSO THE WIPER SWITCH. THE WIPER MOTOR WAS RECALLED FOR THE 2003 ACCORD. I FEEL LIKE A SIMILAR RECALL SHOULD BE DONE FOR THE 2004 ACCORDS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WINDOW FAILED TO OPEN OR CLOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED WITHIN THE MOTOR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR TO PREVENT THE DRIVERS SIDE SWITCH FROM FAILING TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 13V260000 (VISIBILITY). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE DEFROSTER TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD BUT IT WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROADWAY AND CRASHED INTO A MAIL BOX. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CIRCUIT BOARD BUT THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANY REPAIR COSTS BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WOULD OPEN AND FALL INTO THE DOOR PANEL. THE CONTACT HAD BEEN ABLE TO CLOSE THE WINDOW BY INITIATING THE WINDOW CONTROLS, BUT EVENTUALLY HAD TO LOCK THE WINDOW SO THEY WOULD REMAIN UPRIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY THE DEALER NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ONE AFTERNOON AND IT BEGAN TO RAIN. WE TURNED ON OUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND NOTHING HAPPENED. WE WERE FORCED TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO WAIT OUT THE STORM SINCE WE HAD ZERO VISIBILITY WITHOUT THE WIPERS. OUR WIPERS HAVE NOT WORKED SINCE THAT POINT. I HAVE NOTED THAT THE 2003 HONDA ACCORDS HAD A RECALL FOR A DEFECT IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND THIS SEEMS TO FIT THAT DESCRIPTION THOUGH HONDA HAS INFORMED ME THAT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE 2004 ACCORDS, DESPITE THIS BEING AN IDENTICAL ISSUE THAT IS NOT COMMON OUTSIDE OF THIS DEFECT AND IS ON A SIMILAR MODEL. IT IS A RATHER DANGEROUS SITUATION TO OCCUR SINCE ONE WILL ONLY NOTICE THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING A RAINSTORM. *TR

AUDIO-HVAC DISPLAY MODULE IS DIM OR DARK: THE AUDIO DISPLAY AND CONTROLS (KNOBS, BUTTONS, BARS) OF THE AUDIO-HVAC DISPLAY MODULE ARE DIM OR ARE DARK. THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE HONDA ACCORDS 2003-2007 WHERE ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD ( PCB) WHICH CONTROLS THE CENTER AUDIO CONSOLE FAILS AND THEN THE WHOLE AUDIO CONSOLE GOES DARK. SO WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING THE CAR, YOU CANNOT SEE ANY BUTTON OR KNOB ON THE CENTER CONSOLE. IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE HEAT / COOL , THE FAN SPEED OR ANY FUNCTION THAT IS CONTROLLED BY THE COUNTER CONSOLE. HONDA INITIALLY SENT OUT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN AND THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE AUDIO CONSOLE TO 7 YEARS /100, 000 MILES. BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS IN A LARGE NUMBER OF CARS. THIS IS NOT LIKE A TRANSMISSION OR A BRAKE ISSUE WHICH CAN WEAR DOWN OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONICS ON THE CAR AND SHOULD BE ESCALATED TO A RECALL. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AS THE CONSOLE LIGHTING DOES COMPLETELY DARK AND THE DRIVER CANNOT SEE OR LOCATE ANY CONTROLS WITHIN THE CAR. THIS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. HONDA HAS ISSUES A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 04-027. THIS BULLETIN IN THE PROOF THAT HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT HONDA HAS OFFERED IS OF NO USE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM ARE OUT OF THE WARRANTY TERMS ( 7 YEARS // 100,000 MILES) THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY INSTITUTE SHOULD FORCE HONDA TO REPAIR THIS COMPONENT IN THE CAR IRRESPECTIVE OF THE MILES OR THE NUMBER OF YEARS. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND IS NOT RELATED TO BREAK DOWN OF A COMPONENTS BECAUSE OF MILES OR YEARS. THERE IS NO WEAR AND TEAR INVOLVED WITH PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS. ( PCB) *TR

I WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK WHILE IT WAS RAINING AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED SUDDENLY I WAS UNABLE TO SEE OR USE THEM AND HAD NO PRIOR INDICATION THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. JUST SO HAPPENED I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE NOT ONLY FOR ME BUT OTHER DRIVERS AS WELL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD EX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED AND BECAME STUCK IN MID-OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE MOTOR FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED AND WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISES THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WENT OUT IN MY 2004 HONDA ACCORD. I HAVE HAD OLDER CARS AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. NOT TO MENTION, I LIVE IN THE DESERT, SO IT WASN'T DUE TO OVERUSE. AFTER REPLACING THE MOTOR, IT WENT OUT AGAIN WITHIN 2 WEEKS! THE 2003 ACCORD HAD A RECALL ON THE WIPER MOTOR AND I FEEL THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE 2004 MODEL. THE 2004 WIPER MOTOR SHOULD BE RECALLED AS WELL. *TT

1. NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE. 2. DRIVING HIGHWAY IN RAIN, WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY FAIL, CONSEQUENCES ARE SEVERELY DECREASED VISIBILITY. 3. WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR IS DETERMINED TO BE THE FAILURE. REPLACEMENT COSTS ARE $500. *TR

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF FAILURE. FUSE IS GOOD, WIPER MOTOR WON'T TURN ON. *TR

AT 69,600 MILES THE WIPER MOTOR FAILED ON MY HONDA 2004 ACCORD EX V6 NAVI. HAD THE MOTOR REPLACED FOR $470. UPON DIS-ASSEMBLY CORROSION WAS DISCOVERED IN THE MOTOR HOUSING. THIS IS WHAT IS DESCRIBED IN THE HONDA 2003 ACCORD RECALL. PART NUMBER: 76505-SDA-A011. THE RECALLED PART WAS -A01; WITH REPLACEMENT PART BEING -A11. MY REPLACEMENT PART IS -A11. THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED IN MY DRIVEWAY; HAD I BEEN DRIVING AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. REQUEST HONDA ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

WINDSHIELD WIPER DO NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN. I LIVE IN SAN DIEGO AND IT RARELY RAIN HERE SO I RARELY HAD TO USE MY WIPERS. EVERY TIME I USE MY WIPERS IN THE RAIN IT WOULD STOP WORKING AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES - THE WIPER WOULD START MOVING SLUGGISH AS IF GETTING STUCK THEN IT WOULD ACTUALLY STOP MIDWAY ON THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD TO TURN THE WIPERS OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES TO GET IT WORKING AGAIN AND THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. I NO LONGER DRIVE THIS CAR IN THE RAIN FORTUNATELY IT DOES NOT RAIN VERY OFTEN IN SAN DIEGO. IT WORKS FINE WHEN NOT RAINING (WINDSHIELD FLUID CLEANING WINDOW). I CHECKED THE RECALL FOR HONDA AND FOUND THAT THE 2003 ACCORD WAS RECALLED FOR DEFECTIVE WIPER MOTOR AND THIS RECALL WAS ISSUE ON 4/17/2008. I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER HOW MANY OTHER ACCORD YEARS WERE AFFECTED WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE WIPER MOTOR ISSUE. HONDA ACCORD 2003-2007 ARE BASICALLY THE SAME BODY STYLE SO IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THE SAME TYPE OF WIPER MOTOR DEFECT EXIST IN ALL THESE MODELS. I WAS GOING TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM HOWEVER LAST MONTH, SAN DIEGO HAD A HUGE RAIN STORM AND I HAD TO USE MY ACCORD AND NEARLY GOT IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE I WAS UNABLE TO SEE. I AM GOING TO GET THIS WIPER FIXED NOW SINCE IT IS TOO MUCH OF A RISK NOT TO (I HAVE A SECOND CAR SO IT IS RARE THAT I USE THE ACCORD WHEN IT RAINS - WHICH TOO IS RARE IN SAN DIEGO). *LN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH DURING RAINY WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIRS FACILITY WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 119,000.