2021 Honda Accord
The Verdict
The 2021 Honda Accord has 212 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (90 complaints) and electrical (52 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 52/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating.
This is the cleanest year on record. Nice pick.
Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution
About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 1
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row ce...
Risk
An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the second-row center seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Reported Apr 10, 2026
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 280 | 48 | 582 | 102 | 192 |
| 2001 | 159 | 39 | 473 | 62 | 196 |
| 2002 | 187 | 31 | 321 | 60 | 459 |
| 2003 | 362 | 161 | 459 | 158 | 871 |
| 2004 | 202 | 57 | 366 | 64 | 326 |
| 2005 | 166 | 48 | 293 | 81 | 98 |
| 2006 | 133 | 48 | 163 | 43 | 43 |
| 2007 | 161 | 46 | 201 | 65 | 50 |
| 2008 | 162 | 554 | 498 | 256 | 40 |
| 2009 | 141 | 226 | 182 | 146 | 22 |
| 2010 | 132 | 124 | 149 | 134 | 32 |
| 2011 | 104 | 13 | 125 | 34 | 15 |
| 2012 | 185 | 33 | 76 | 66 | 18 |
| 2013 | 652 | 103 | 360 | 217 | 85 |
| 2014 | 288 | 112 | 307 | 208 | 51 |
| 2015 | 193 | 34 | 205 | 133 | 28 |
| 2016 | 177 | 28 | 281 | 77 | 23 |
| 2017 | 193 | 35 | 159 | 110 | 27 |
| 2018 | 482 | 218 | 207 | 787 | 45 |
| 2019 | 199 | 77 | 67 | 285 | 18 |
| 2020 | 123 | 54 | 49 | 99 | 8 |
| 2021 | 90 | 25 | 52 | 37 | 8 |
| 2022 | 91 | 10 | 72 | 40 | 3 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Compare Against
See how the 2021 Honda Accord stacks up against rivals.
Complaints
I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2021 Honda Accord because of a serious safety issue involving the turbocharger and fuel injector system. While driving on the highway, my vehicle experienced a failure related to the turbocharger and fuel injector system, which caused multiple warning sensors to activate and resulted in the vehicle suddenly losing power and becoming unable to continue driving. This unexpected failure forced my car to stop in the middle of the highway, placing me and other motorists at significant risk of a serious accident or fatality. A vehicle should not suddenly become inoperable while traveling at highway speeds due to a mechanical defect. This creates an extremely dangerous situation, especially in heavy traffic where other drivers may not have sufficient time to react. After researching this issue, I discovered that numerous other owners of 2021 Honda Accords have reported similar failures involving the fuel injectors and turbocharger. Given the number of reported incidents and the serious safety risks associated with these failures, I believe this represents a potential defect that warrants investigation. I respectfully request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigate this issue and require Honda to issue a safety recall if appropriate. No driver should have to experience a sudden loss of power that leaves them stranded in moving traffic due to an apparent vehicle defect.
Had to repleace the electrical parking brake sensor. Now all my lights on the dash board are lighted up and have to go get a diagnostic test done
Touchscreen system in my 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring is now having issues registering touches or is exhibiting ghost touches. This results in unpredictable selections for diverse systems like sound, touch free phone integration, navigation, etc. These are distracting in the extreme, and seem to be common during the afternoon hours in strong sun. This issue is partially mitigated via a hard reset, but this is helping less and less as this error becomes more and more common.
I’m not sure what it’s called, but the entertainment system where the touch screen is for radio, has ghost touches when the weather gets warm. Over the winter, this never happens. But during the summer, the screen starts glitching out and if I have gps going, this is a real safety issue because the ghost touches change the screen and I don’t know where I’m going. And it’s very distracting , the ghost touches continue every couple seconds.
On July 4th 2026, I was leaving from a restaurant that evening and within 5-10 seconds of me turning my car on, all of the lights on my dashboard turned on. I was slightly confused because there were multiple at once and my car was rumbling a bit from under the engine hood. Within a few weeks prior, I’ve been having with my digital car screen switching back and forth between tabs (from the radio, to my CarPlay, to the settings). It will be intermittent but fairly consistent. I plan to take my car to an auto parts store for a code test and battery/alternator test to see if there’s any further issues. I just purchased a new battery for this car within the 3 years of me getting it, 2 years ago and there shouldn’t be any issues. I’m not sure how to proceed and I really don’t have it in me to spend large amounts of money and time with repairs for a supposedly heavily reliable car. My current mileage is at 120,000.
Infotainment Center
My infotainment system is not working properly. It switches between screens, radio stations, etc., and sometimes turns off. It is very dangerous when I am driving using my map and the map either moves, stops working, or switches to a different screen. I have had to pull over in the middle of nowhere while traveling because the map quit working properly. It also cuts me off in the middle of phone conversations. I just put a random date below because this has been going on for almost a year now.
The vehicle suffered an unexpected loss of engine compression and dropped into a dangerous Limp Mode while driving due to a Cylinder 3 Misfire code (P0303). The manufacturer dealership misdiagnosed the mechanical issue using an unrelated 2.0L engine service bulletin (SB23-026) to clear the error. Six months later, the dashboard completely illuminated again with code P0299 (Turbocharger Underboost) caused by progressive pressure and compression loss across the 1.5L turbo engineering components. Upon post-visit inspection, engine fluids were found severely depleted. This ongoing engineering failure causes a sudden loss of vehicle motive power on public highways, creating a severe, recurring safety hazard that mirrors the active federal engine defect class-action litigation against American Honda Motor Co. This has happened 4 times with all the lights on my dash coming on Dec 2025, May 2026, June 2026 (2x)
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle decelerated and was hesitating while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the spark plugs were replaced. The contact stated that months later, the vehicle experienced the same issue and was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket. Two months later, the spark plugs were replaced again. Another two months later, additional components were repaired. The vehicle had been at the dealer for several months and the technicians were unable to determine the cause of the failure. The low engine oil warning light was illuminated, even though the engine oil level was not low. The dealer was unaware of the cause of the failure and stated that the engine needed to be dissembled for further inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 133,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the navigation system independently switched to random screens and made random phone calls. In addition, the contact stated that the failure had occurred while the GPS was activated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was recommended to take the vehicle for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,693.
While driving to work, the radio seem to have a ghost inside the radio. The screen has a mind of its on. The radio turns itself off and on by itself. It’s a safe hazard to driving with all that is happening. The radio will beep constantly while driving down the road and my teenager will not driving my car, due to being scared
I have been experiencing what’s being called “ghost touches” on google. This is a known issue that needs to be addressed. Also VIN number starting with 1HGCV need to be added to the fuel pump recall list. I’ve had to change both systems.
I am filing a complaint regarding the premature head gasket failure on my 2021 Honda Accord, which failed on May 28, 2026, with only 89,000 miles on the vehicle. A head gasket is a critical engine component that should last well beyond 89,000 miles under normal driving conditions and proper maintenance. I purchased this vehicle because of Honda's reputation for reliability and longevity, and I am extremely disappointed to experience such a major engine failure at this mileage. After researching the issue, I found numerous reports from other Honda Accord owners experiencing similar head gasket failures, particularly in newer models equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged engine. Many owners report engine misfires, coolant loss, overheating, and costly repairs at relatively low mileage. This suggests there may be a broader issue affecting these vehicles rather than normal wear and tear. My vehicle has been properly maintained, and I did not expect to face a repair of this magnitude before reaching 100,000 miles. The cost of replacing a failed head gasket is substantial and places an unfair financial burden on owners who reasonably expect Honda vehicles to provide dependable service. I respectfully request that Honda review this matter, investigate the growing number of similar complaints, and provide assistance with repair costs. I believe Honda should stand behind its products and support customers who experience premature component failures. Thank you for your attention to this complaint. I look forward to a prompt response and a fair resolution.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 76,566 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 111,139.
Infotainment center has phantom touches, the screen also freezes up and goes completely black when it is connected to a phone and also when it’s not connected to a phone. When car is connected via CarPlay for directions it will not display all the time or it will completely shut off in the middle of the directions, the only way for it to unfreeze or cut back on is if the car is turned off which makes it very dangerous. This has been happening for 2 years.
I have 2 issues and not sure if they are related 1.SRS system light came on and says see dealership. This one happened about 2 weeks ago. 2. While driving today all the lights on my dash came on including the check engine and all warning notices were going off. I was driving when this happened and it was alarming because I didn’t know if my car was going to die while I was driving. Neither problem have been confirmed by the dealership because they want 199 just to diagnose and does not include repair cost No one has inspected the vehicle No previous warning signs prior to either of these both happening
I have taken my vehicle in 3 times to have the recall repair completed and each time the dealership said they did it just for me to have checked the nhtsa website to see that it has not been completed.
Stereo randomly started glitching out
Infotainment system randomly cycles through menu, as if I'm pressing buttons on the screen. It will lose navigation, randomly call my contacts and audio will turn off and on. This is extremely unsafe. Once it starts doing this the screen becomes unresponsive to actual touch. I can't stop it if I want to. I'm stuck disconnecting my phone and using the screen as navigation, constantly looking down while driving or holding the phone to make a phone call. Local Honda dealerships have told me that it's a common problem with no solution.
Infotainment is malfunctioning and it is available for inspection. The screen clicks on its own, and leads to GPS errors, makes incorrect phone calls and does not respond to my inputs. It has not been reproduced by the dealer, but I have videos and have shown the dealer. It has not been inspected by others. There were no messages or warning lamps.
212 total