AI Damage2021 Honda Accord: common problems
Owners of the 2021 Honda Accord filed 245 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and forward collision avoidance. The maker issued 142 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 245
- involving a crash
- 15
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 142
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 28% of all complaints
- 2 Forward collision avoidance 25% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 16% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 6 Lane departure 6% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 68 complaints (28% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 45.
- Forward collision avoidance: 62 complaints (25% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 38 complaints (16% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 14.
- Service brakes: 31 complaints (13% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 13.
- Air bags: 15 complaints (6% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 3 complaints
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- 2 L · hybrid · 4 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- automatic, 10-speed
- CVTnamed in 2 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 245 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 68 | 4 | 45 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 62 | 7 | 0 |
| Engine | 38 | 3 | 14 |
| Service brakes | 31 | 3 | 13 |
| Air bags | 15 | 1 | 2 |
| Lane departure | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 14 | 1 | 5 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 0 | 16 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 31 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 26 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Yes every time it malfunctions it flashes briefly and so quickly on the screen .
Vehicle accelerated on its own and propelled the vehicle over a curb and into a building. This occured even though the gear shift was in the Park position. My grandchild and I were thrown forward as vehicle hit the building. Vehicle has not been inspected since incident occurred just yesterday, 11/20/2025.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started jerking. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that some time after the incident, the vehicle was involved in a crash due to the vehicle jerking and all the lights illuminating on the instrument panel,…
The brake warning light was flashing. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Action Number: EA24002 Forward Collision Avoidance. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment or fire. A police report was filed. The driver was able to continue driving. The local dealer was not contacted.
Brakes failed and steering took over the car uncontrollably and went in all different directions hitting whatever it came across and ending up stopping after hitting the last thing
1.Driving on a straight road at about 45-50 MPH sudden abrupt braking for no reason . 2. Good thing I was wearing a seat belt , it was a very forceful brake action that pushed me forcefully forward, I was struck from behind by another vehicle. Visial minor damage to the rear bumper cover. 3.
Around 12:30pm last week, we were driving a 2021 Honda Accord on a straight and clear Northbound Freeway. All of a sudden, our car started to swerve left and right a few times, even though my wife tried to keep the car straight.
As I was driving on the highway out of nowhere the car jerked away from me. I was unable to maintain control again as it kept gearing itself to the left. The emergency brake didn’t come on at all and the car slide on the freeway and ended up flipping completely over the bridge to the other side injuring all passengers
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 259 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Accord has 419 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 245, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Tech Line Summary Article - Customers may report that the center display unit changes screens on its own,…
Tech Line Summary Article - Customers may report that the center display unit changes screens on its own, registers unintended inputs, or operates erratically without user interaction. The condition may be more…
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which…
Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire. In some cases, DTCs P0300 through…
- Dealer Message - On August 21st, 2026, American Honda issued a Product Update for certain 2018-2022 Accord…
Dealer Message - On August 21st, 2026, American Honda issued a Product Update for certain 2018-2022 Accord and Accord Hybrid models that received the accessory Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto upgrade. Refer to…
- Tech Line Summary - Customers may report that the center display unit changes screens on its own,…
Tech Line Summary - Customers may report that the center display unit changes screens on its own, registers unintended inputs, or operates erratically without user interaction. The condition may be more noticeable when…
- Dealer Message - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may…
Dealer Message - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire, and/or DTCs P0300 through P0304 stored.
- Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which…
Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.
- Service Bulletin - On certain 2018-2022 Accord and 2018-22 Accord Hybrid vehicles equipped with the…
Service Bulletin - On certain 2018-2022 Accord and 2018-22 Accord Hybrid vehicles equipped with the Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto software upgrade, a programming issue within the Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto…
- Dealer Message - Due to a software programming issue within the Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto system,…
Dealer Message - Due to a software programming issue within the Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto system, an invalid "License Authentication Error" message may appear on the Display Audio screen after approximately…
- Service Bulletin - There is a dull creaking, rubbing, popping, or clicking noise coming from the front of…
Service Bulletin - There is a dull creaking, rubbing, popping, or clicking noise coming from the front of the vehicle while turning at low speeds potentially due to the bump stop contacting the top of the front damper…
- Tech Line Summary - Customers who have purchased the Accessory CarPlay /Android Auto upgrade are…
Tech Line Summary - Customers who have purchased the Accessory CarPlay /Android Auto upgrade are complaining that a pop-up message appears on the audio unit display stating, “Please insert USB drive containing valid…
- Dealer Message - Some customers have reported a pop-up message on the audio unit display stating
“Please insert USB drive containing valid software license file and press OK button.” When this message appears, the audio unit becomes unresponsive. The rear-view camera remains functional.
- Service Bulletin - Oil leak at timing chain tensioner inspection cover due to possible insufficient…
Service Bulletin - Oil leak at timing chain tensioner inspection cover due to possible insufficient sealant adhesion on inspection cover.
NHTSA lists 142 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Honda Accord?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, forward collision avoidance, engine. Total complaints: 245. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: infotainment or screen glitches (22%), warning lights, check engine (18%), loss of power / limp mode (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Honda Accord?
NHTSA lists 142 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2021 Honda Accord from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2021 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.