2004 Honda Pilot Reliability
The 2004 Honda Pilot has 544 owner complaints and 13 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and seats. Compared with nearby Pilot model years (2003–2006), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Pilot's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
544
NHTSA owner complaints
13
Recall campaigns
29
Complaints citing a crash
14
Complaints citing a fire
2004 Honda Pilot complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 model year, filed between 2004 and 2025. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Powertrain / transmission | 142 | 26% |
| Seats | 85 | 16% |
| Air bags | 81 | 15% |
| Electrical system | 60 | 11% |
| Body structure | 42 | 8% |
| Engine & cooling | 28 | 5% |
| Suspension | 27 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 22 | 4% |
2004 Honda Pilot recalls
13 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2004 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04V176000 | Apr 15, 2004 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission | On some mini vans, sport utility and passenger vehicles, certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually leading to gear tooth chipping or gear… |
| 04V389000 | Aug 11, 2004 | Equipment — other / labels | Certain sport utility vehicle's certification labels may contain incorrect vehicle weight and tire size information. |
| 08E013000 | Feb 5, 2008 | Equipment — mechanical / carrier/rack | Honda is recalling 2,032 hitch style bike racks sold as aftermarket for use on my 2003-2007 and some my 2008 Honda Pilot, ridgeline, and acura mdx vehicles. A pinch bolt exists between the bike arm bracket and the upright assembly of the "hitch" style bicycle… |
| 12V136000 | Mar 30, 2012 | Exterior lighting — headlights / switch | Honda is recalling certain model year 2002 through 2004 cr-v; model year 2003 through 2005 Pilot; and model year 2002 and 2003 civic vehicles. In March 2012, Honda filed a defect report to recall certain model year 2002 through 2004 cr-v and certain model… |
| 12V573000 | Dec 11, 2012 | Electrical system — ignition / switch | 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… |
| 14V353000 | Jun 20, 2014 | Air bags | 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… |
| 14V700000 | Nov 4, 2014 | Air bags | 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… |
| 15V320000 | May 28, 2015 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | 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… |
| 16V344000 | May 24, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
| 18V268000 | Apr 26, 2018 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
| 19V182000 | Mar 6, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | 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,… |
| 19V501000 | Jun 27, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
| 19V499000 | Jun 27, 2019 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | 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… |
How the 2004 compares with nearby Pilot years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Pilot analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 746 | 14 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2004 (this page) | 544 | 13 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2005 | 679 | 15 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2006 | 268 | 10 | Air bags | Caution |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2004 Honda Pilot
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Seats: try every power and manual adjustment and check seat heaters if fitted.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 13 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2004 Honda Pilot can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2004 Honda Pilot reliability FAQ
Is the 2004 Honda Pilot reliable?
The 2004 Honda Pilot has 544 owner complaints and 13 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and seats. Compared with nearby Pilot model years (2003–2006), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Pilot's typical year.
What are the most common 2004 Honda Pilot problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Honda Pilot are powertrain / transmission (142), seats (85), air bags (81), electrical system (60). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2004 Honda Pilot have recalls?
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns for the 2004 Honda Pilot, including 04V176000 (powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission) and 04V389000 (equipment — other / labels). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2004 Honda Pilot compare with the 2003 and 2005 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2003 has 746 complaints and 14 recalls (avoid); the 2005 has 679 complaints and 15 recalls (avoid). The 2004 has 544 complaints and 13 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2004 Honda Pilot?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Honda Pilot research
Other Honda Pilot model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2004 Pilot, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.