2004 Honda Accord: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Feb 20, 2023 · Electrical, Transmission · KS · fire

I got off of work early in the morning I get in my 04 Honda Accord and start driving home which only takes about 10minutes, I'm super tired so I go inside and go to sleep rougly around 2 hours, I wake up suddenly to my car alarm going off which I always keep my vehicle locked when Its not visible from me, Anyways I grab my key and click the unlock and lock button but I still hear the alarm going off so I head outside of my home and I see my cars interior on fire and my neighbors already on the phone with 911as he was sitting outside 20 minutes prior, me running frantic back inside for a fire extinguisher first responders we're already there so I run back out the doors are still locked so the first responder climbs on top of my car and kicked the sunroof in and starts using his fire extinguisher which at this point the fire is practically in his face he had to get checked out after incident, there was a police report stating it was a open investigation that they aren't ruling anything out but the thing is the doors and windows were all locked. They did a full scan of the car and the fire started somewhere around drivers side stating it was drivers seat steering wheel/collum and or pedals there was no issues with my car I had it fully inspected/maintenance every 3 months checking levels/gage's every other week I had no warning lights on the dash when I parked to go inside. Also in the police report everything was so melted that they couldn't figure out the cause just a idea of where it started, but I have read about other people that have had this same issue with the same circumstances stating that it's the power steering hoses that can deteriorate prematurely, causing cracks and leaks. I hope that this doesn't happen to anyone else, I loved my car and unfortunately I had liability and my girlfriend and Dad had passed away withing a 5 month gap of this incident so I was extremely devastated from losing my car and didn't know what to do hopefully this helps someone.

Filed Jun 15, 2015 · Steering · 259,000 miles · FL · fire

My 2004 honda accord had the battery, alternator, AC filter, and oil changed by the honda dealer. After picking the car up from the honda dealer, it was driven approximately 10 miles on the interstate. After exiting the highway, while coming to a stop, the car burst into flames. The fire department responded and extinguished the blaze. The car was a total loss. The dealer stated that the cause of the fire was a failure of the power steering system.

Filed Dec 11, 2013 · Brakes · 84,000 miles · CT · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 honda accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the rear driver's side brake seized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where unknown repairs were performed. Most recently, the contact smelled a burning odor while driving and noticed smoke coming from the rear passenger's side wheel. The contact moved off the roadway and discovered that the rear passenger's side brake had seized. The contact was not able to drive the vehicle until the brakes were allowed to cool. The vehicle was later taken to the dealer where the technician advised that the brake calipers needed replacing. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.

Filed Dec 11, 2013 · Brakes · 84,000 miles · CT · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 honda accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the rear driver's side brakes seized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where repairs unknown to the contact were performed. On a later occasion, the contact was traveling at an unknown speed when he smelled a burning odor and noticed smoke coming from the wheels. The rear brake also seized. The contact allowed the vehicle to cool down for several minutes before attempting to drive. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic, who advised that the calipers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure would only occur when operating the vehicle in colder weather. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.

Filed Dec 22, 2012 · Electrical, Engine · 84,500 miles · CA · fire

My 2004 honda accord had an engine fire caused by a defective high pressure power steering hose. The hose sprung a leak, spraying power steering fluid onto the engine, which caught fire. This defect is already the subject of the federal safety agency recall 12v‑222, but inactivity and foot-dragging on honda's part has caused this otherwise avoidable safety incident.

Filed Oct 27, 2012 · Engine, Transmission · 61,000 miles · CA

Smell something burning while running the car on freeway. Axle seal leaking and coolant bypass hose leaking was confirmed later.

Filed Oct 11, 2012 · Steering · 58,220 miles · CA

When starting the car in the morning and backing out of garage, noticed a whining, grinding noise coming from under the hood, and more so when turning steering wheel. The car would also whine when driving and accelerating. Also found that the steering wheel was getting gradually harder to turn. Brought car to local honda dealership where they replaced the 0-ring at power steering inlet joint but found the whining to continue. The power steering pump & reservoir were changed which solved the problem. Six months later, found a leak under the car and burning smell. Returned to honda dealership and found leak coming from power steering pressure hose. Hose was replaced. About 4 years later, started noticing whining/humming noise coming from under the hood again. Immediately brought it in to an independent repair shop that specializes in hondas. They thought it was the tensioner and changed it. The car continued to whine. The power steering pump was replaced again. It took care of the noise. The pump that was replaced at the honda dealership lasted only 35502 miles. Find this unacceptable that the 2004 honda accord has had 3 power steering pumps in the span of 9 years and the car has only 93722 miles.

Filed Oct 7, 2012 · Electrical, Visibility · 33,000 miles · CA

The passenger window began rolling up and staying up all on its own, at anytime it wanted. It would return to normal working order after I restarted the car. Then one day- it rolled down, and would not work again. I found out I could override with the keys to roll up. But id have to window lock to stay. Then one day we smell burning- we traced it to the door- and the override no longer works. Now the driver window is beginning to do the same behavior. So far I've replaced driver switch= 325.00 --quote for motor= 400.00--I know it will need the switch too... That is over 1000.00 just to get the window up??? That is absurd!

Filed Feb 22, 2012 · Steering · 122,400 miles · CA

I drove south on interstate 15 from victorville to fontana, california, and when I parked the car I noticed the smell of smoke coming in through the air vents and saw a bit of white smoke coming up from the back of the engine compartment hood. We discovered that the power steering high-pressure feeder hose had a leak under the bushing that fits into the engine hose clamp. The leak was small but produced enough liquid to drip onto the rear of the engine and exhaust components, which then heated the fluid and caused it to smoke. We duct-taped the hose forward of the hose clamp, which helped stop the leak and diverted the drip a bit rearward, and we drove the car home. We assessed the hose condition and consulted with honda dealer service and parts personnel to see if there is an improved replacement hose ' apparently not. I purchased a replacement oem power-steering high-pressure feeder hose and o-rings from my local honda dealer and had them installed by an independent mechanic. The high-pressure feeder hose with flammable power-steering fluid is poorly routed closely along the transverse-mounted engine front and across a rear corner, above high-temperature engine and exhaust components, including the pre-cat. This placement and hose failure is very much like those in recalled acuras, also manufactured by honda, detailed in recall ids # 68810, dec. 4, 2007; # 70296, feb. 27, 2008; and # 82159, april 29, 2010.

Filed Feb 12, 2008 · Electrical · 56,000 miles · NY · fire

I parked my car in my parents driveway at approx 11:pm at 2am my father woke me and told me my car was on fire in the driveway. When first seen the fire was inside the car in the front drivers corner by the time the fire department got there the car was totally engulfed total loss.

Filed May 4, 2007 · Engine · NH

My husband and I purchased a 2004 honda accord. Before bringing the car back to autofair honda in manchester, new hampshire; we reported numerous times of a burning smell coming from the car. The smell was so bad that we called our city's fire department. The firefighters could see and smell the smoke coming from the engine. We made the owner of the dealership aware of the problems with the car and never once did the dealership put the car up on the lift or do a computer test to find the cause of the problem. However, with knowledge of the problem they resold the car to another party without fixing the problem.

Filed Mar 15, 2005 · Electrical, Steering · NJ · crash · fire

Car struck deer, damaging front left headlight. Within minutes car caught on fire and completely burned out.