NHTSA Complaint #10378593 — 2004 HONDA ACCORD

BRAKES ARE OVERLY SENSITIVE, PARTICULARLY DURING HIGH IDLE WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES QUICKLY WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELING AS THOUGH IT'S GETTING SUCKED DOWN DURING A SLIGHT APPLICATION. ONE MUST BE VERY CAREFUL AND START APPLYING THE BRAKES INCREDIBLY SLOWLY BEFORE THEY WISH TO START STOPPING. THUS, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO STOP QUICKLY WITHOUT THE BRAKES BEING HEAVILY APPLIED AGAINST ONE'S WILL. DURING AN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATION, WHICH LUCKILY I HAVE NOT COME ACROSS WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, I SUSPECT IT'D BE INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE SLOWING DOWN, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE HAS ABS. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. UPON RESEARCH ON MANY DIFFERENT WEBSITES, I HAVE FOUND OTHER DRIVERS OF 2004 HONDA ACCORDS THAT COMPLAIN OF THE SAME ISSUE. ONE COMPLAINT EVEN CLAIMED THAT THEY APPLIED THEIR BRAKES NORMALLY ON AN OFFRAMP, AND THE ISSUE CAUSED THEIR VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND COMPLETELY, LUCKILY NOT STRIKING ANYONE OR ANYTHING. OTHERS SAY THAT THEY HAVE COMPLAINED TO THEIR DEALERSHIPS, BUT WERE JUST TOLD THAT THEY NEED TO GET USED TO THE BRAKES. I FEEL THAT A LIKELY PROBLEM MAY BE AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER BRAKE SYSTEM PROVIDING TOO MUCH ASSIST WITH EVEN LIGHT APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER ANY ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED DUE TO THIS ISSUE, OR IF THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE THE CAUSE OF ANY ACCIDENTS. NEVERTHELESS, IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR