NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 2021 Honda Accord.
| Trim | City | Hwy | Combined | Annual fuel $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4 cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 30 | 38 | 33 | $1,800 |
| Overall Rating | |
| Frontal Crash |
Component: SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR
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 center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: 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.
Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
Consequence: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
The lights and warnings below popped up on my dash after the engine light had come on and then off again for about a week. See below, -Emission system problem Avoid heavy acceleration and high speed. See dealer -tpms light -brake system problem -brake hold system problem -electric power steering system problem -vehicle stability assist system problem -hill start assist problem -adaptive cruise control system problem -collision mitigation braking system problem -road departure mitigation system problem Went to get diagnosed at the dealership and was told that the turbo on my engine had failed. Mechanic said it had nothing to do with me and that it failed on its own. I saw that it was a reoccurring problem with other Honda owners with the same year, make, and model as mine but are being given the run around and no solution.
4 out of 5 times driving the car the infotainment screen with get random touches guiding you to unknown menus or system setting or maybe just to a different radio station. Where I think this becomes a legitimate safety concern (asside from changing vehicle settings like security) is when trying to use maps function the random touches will direct the map away from where you are or where your next turn might be. So you basically need to keep hitting re-center just to get you back on course. However most of the time there is an uncomanded touch that is stuck on the screen or possibly a number of touches that prevent a real finger print touch to be sensed ultimately preventing you from re-centering. This causes extended moments where attention is taken away from the road or late/last minute route correction causing unsafe road/driving conditions. The manufacturer only recommends doing a system restart of your infotainment screen which does nothing or complete replacement of the screen which in many cases including my own is not covered by warranty.... the alternative is to disconnect your phone from android auto or apple car play and use it in your hand which again causes distracted driving. If this was something as simple as a volume knob or temperature control not responding I wouldn't even be here but since it always touching different placed and navigating you places you dont want to be i see it as a clear safety issue that should be corrected. Thanks
The 2021 Honda Accord has 3 NHTSA recalls and 182 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. The high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns — review the complaint details above before purchasing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
Enter a specific VIN to get the full report — specs, recalls, safety ratings, complaints, investigations, and technical service bulletins.
| Side Crash |
| Rollover |
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Driving on the highway, my dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree. Car started having white smoke at tail pipe. Check engine lit blink 5 times. Had 4 kids under 14 years old in car. Almost got hit trying to merge over. Turns out misfire cylinder 4. Head gasket. Only 81,000 miles. I have owed 5 months. Car currently at Honda, they want almost 4,400 to repair. But apparently, Honda is aware of these HEAD gaskets going prematurely, in 1.5 l. and has done nothing about it. I do not have the money to repair this car on top of how dangerous it was to be driving on the highway.When this happened.
ssue: Water intrusion into tail light assembly causing electrical and safety system malfunctions Status: Repaired at owner expense (~$800) Concern: Safety‑related defect and potential pattern across vehicles Description of the Issue: My 2021 Honda Accord experienced a failure where water entered the tail light assembly and caused electrical shorts. This resulted in multiple safety‑critical system warnings, including brake system alerts, ABS/VSA warnings, and Honda Sensing failures. The vehicle also lost acceleration and entered a reduced‑power “limp mode,” creating a hazardous driving situation. The dealership diagnosed the issue as water intrusion into the tail light assembly. The entire assembly had to be replaced at a cost of over $800. After replacement, all warnings and drivability issues resolved immediately.
A transmission problem occurred shortly after a CVT transmission service was performed at an authorized Honda dealership, Classic Honda of Midland in Midland, Texas. After the service, the vehicle began experiencing abnormal noise, vibration, and harsh driving conditions. The vehicle was later inspected at another authorized Honda dealership, Ocean Honda of Burlingame, California. During the inspection, technicians documented that the CVT transmission fluid had been overfilled and excess transmission fluid had to be drained. After further evaluation, internal transmission damage was identified and the dealership advised that the transmission likely needs replacement. Ocean Honda of Burlingame provided an estimated cost of 10,101.13 for transmission replacement. Attempts were made to resolve the issue directly with Classic Honda of Midland in Texas, but the dealership refused to take responsibility or provide assistance. This condition may create a safety risk due to potential loss of power and unsafe drivability while operating the vehicle.
I am writing to file a complaint on the service that was provided at Vann York Honda. On February 17, 2026, I was returning home from work and my car had a hard idle at start up. I was able to drive it home without issue. The next day, February 18, I got in my car and I had another hard idle start with many check engine codes appearing on the dashboard. I drove it to Vann York Honda in High Point, North Carolina for service. I was told it was a faulty fuel injector causing the problem and that it needed to be replaced. I left the car there over night and paid for the service; approximately 3,000. I got the car back on February 19. On February 20, I again had a rough idle on start up. I brought the car back to Vann York Honda and advised them that I was experiencing the same issue as before. The mechanic brought it to the back and advised me that he could not find anything wrong with the vehicle and that it is running fine. I expressed my concerns with the vehicle and he stated that without a error code or check engine light being on, it would be difficult to diagnose. The technician and the advisor said to keep driving it until a light comes on saying there is a problem since they could not find an issue. in the following 2 weeks, I had regular rough idles on start up and the fuel efficiency dropped approximately 6 miles per gallon. When I filled the car with gas, the fuel range dropped from 540 to 370. When I called about that issue, they said they reset the computer when performing the previous service on the vehicle and it is taking time for the computer to "learn" the car again. On March 6, I brought the vehicle back to Vann York Honda due to many check engine codes appearing on the dashboard. On the way to Vann York, the service advisor called me and stated that she would be reaching out to Honda Corporate to see about Honda paying for some of the cost of this service. My wife and I drove into the service bay and I spoke with the service adviso
I am reporting a serious safety concern involving my 2021 Honda Accord Sport SE. The issue began at approximately 78,000 miles when multiple warning lights suddenly appeared on the dashboard while driving. At the same time, the vehicle began shaking and had difficulty accelerating. The engine felt unstable and the car struggled to gain speed. I immediately took the vehicle to a mechanic where it was diagnosed with an engine misfire on cylinder 3. The spark plug and ignition coil were replaced. After this repair the vehicle appeared to run normally for a short time, but the exact same symptoms returned shortly afterward. The vehicle again began shaking while driving and experienced loss of power and poor acceleration. This creates a serious safety concern, especially when merging onto highways or driving in traffic where sudden loss of power could lead to an accident. After researching this issue, I discovered numerous complaints from other owners of 2021 Honda Accords describing the same symptoms that ultimately resulted in blown head gasket failures. These complaints appear in the NHTSA database and other consumer forums. The pattern of engine misfires, shaking, and loss of acceleration appears to be consistent across many vehicles with similar mileage. Despite the number of similar complaints, there are currently no recalls associated with my VIN. I believe this may indicate a broader manufacturing defect affecting these vehicles. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue further to determine whether a safety defect exists that could require a recall or other corrective action.
This has been reported one time before but the situation has gotten worse when driving at approximately 60ish miles per hour but it starts doing it about between 50 and 70 mph when driving and the car is using the regular engine not the EV section. You will randomly lose the ability to accelerate and you have to remove your foot from the gas let the engine slow and then re-accelerate now for the second time as I'm driving I lose the ability to accelerate at all and no matter what I do the car will slow almost every warning light on the dash comes on and there are 11 different warnings I've uploaded photos of a few I have a video though also and you lose complete power and ability to drive warning lights such as power steering problem emissions problem powertrain problem all of those are part of what turns on if you try to move the vehicle it will not move unless it is an EV mode and even then it only works for several feet but you can't get over a few miles per hour if you are on the highway like I was going 65 mph and there's traffic is extremely dangerous the only reason I was not hit was because I turn my emergency lights on and was able to maneuver my vehicle to the shoulder safely had I been in a more busy section of the road or had I been in an area where I could not get off the road I would have been hit by another vehicle. Honda has stated they can't find anything wrong with the vehicle but a quick Google search shows that this is a common issue and I have a video of the dash with all the warning lights should anyone need it as well as photos.
My vehicle is currently suffering a failed head gasket. I was alerted about this issue from local mechanics and friends way before it actually happened. I took it to services and regular maintenance even more frequently after that. However, it still failed no matter what. I took it to the dealership, they even admitted that this is a known problem for this generation of vehicle. They still proceeded to ask nearly $7000 to fix it, saying that even though this is a known issue, there was no recalls on the vehicles so they could not waive or deduct the fees.
There are two locations in the town I live where I am driving under a bridge, and there is a dark shadow on the road from the bridge. My car’s accident mitigation braking system turns on at these locations and suddenly brakes the vehicle. This is not safe as people are traveling speed limit around me and I can cause an accident this way. About a month or two ago, the car behind me almost hit me at one of these locations when my vehicle’s automatic braking system turned on. It was made to prevent accident and brake if there is a vehicle, but because it is braking due to a dark shadow coming, it is not working properly and needs to be looked into. I called Honda and they want me to pay hundreds of dollars at my local Honda dealership for a diagnosis, I do not feel like I should be responsible for that fee as this is a safety feature that is not working as it should and instead making it less safe for me and drivers around me.
While driving the automatic brake system randomly starts flashing brake across the instrument panel and begins to brake the car. This does this while there are no other vehicles or any type of obstacles near the vehicle. It also, does it at random caution lights for the fire department on a 4 lane divided highway. There is no way to stop it from doing so. This happens frequently and leaves the driver with no control over the braking system.
This Honda Accord Sport SE has had electrical problems from the day I received the vehicle. Every time I went for an oil change at Bommarito Honda I mentioned it to them and they said “yeah the new Hondas do tend to hand a lot of those electrical problems” so with this the problems continued to get worse. Sometimes the buttons do not work, sometimes they do, sometimes the lights don’t work and sometimes they do and sometimes the safety features and break system automated itself. I have slammed my head on the steering wheel on multiple occasions. I believe this needs to be looked into because the malfunction of the car falsely reports danger and caused an accident. Yes every time it malfunctions it flashes briefly and so quickly on the screen .
All the lights came on in my car and it wouldn’t accelerate. Brought to dealership and they stated it was a blown head gasket and it was a known problem with the 1.5 turbo cars. There are also 2 others problems that are known problems with these cars and Honda isn’t doing anything about it.
The Body Control Module has gone out on my 2021 Honda Accord. Yesterday, when it went out, it affected ALL ADAS Features, in addition to key functionality of the car.
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