What 295 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Honda Accord Fhev

I'm having symptoms of cold startup engine rattle type clatter sound for approximately 2-3 seconds and then it goes away. Doesn't do that again unless the car sits for a period of time. If it's been started recently like within 1 hour or 2 hours it will startup with out making that metal rattle/clatter sound for 2-3 seconds. I was told it's likely the 2.4l engine VTC actuator is failing letting the engine oil drain out causing a dry start. I was told it was a common issue and even the internet is saying the same thing that this is a widely known issue. There should be a recall for this because this should not be happening My car has only 156,000 miles on it. And I've own cars with well over 200,000 miles and that's never happened never had I had an engine problem related to the timing chain or the VVT system. I'm hoping this is a recall where will be soon because it's not affordable repair bill for many people. Please let this become a recall or whatever it's called to have the manufacturer take responsibility and fix the problem. I would have not had bought this vehicle if I was aware of this issue probably because it's not a low cost repair I was told. Otherwise this car is a great car runs good drives good once it starts and runs for a few seconds. It's only when the car sets for a period of time not running and you go just start it and you hear that rattle for 2-3 seconds. When I bought the vehicle it wasn't doing this at least not when I first bought it.

NHTSA ODI 11713516

ENGINE, C1 MISFIRERS, THIS HAS OCCURED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND HAS COSTS ME THOUSANDS TO FIX BUT ITS NOT A PERMANAT FIX, IT'S BEEN A BANDAID TO THIS ISSUE. ITS THE SAME ISSUE AS YOU ALL ARE INVESTAGATING WITH THE NEW MODELS, HONDA DID ACKNOLEDFGE THIS ISSUE BUT THEY SAID AFTER 2014 YOU NO LONGER CAN GET A FIX BY THEM. I PURCHASED THE CAR ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, I NEVER KNEW OR COULD OF KNOWN THIS WAS A PREEXISTING ISSUE THAT WAS NEVER FIXED, PLEASE HELP ME I AM NOT FEELING SAFE IN MY CAR ANYMORE, IT EITHER SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY OR GIVES ME ALOT OF HESATATION. MY AUTO SHOP HAS ALL MY DETAILED RECORDS ON THIS - GULF 215 362-2223

NHTSA ODI 11625340

The contact owns a 2011 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light was flashing. The contact stated that the vehicle was vibrating and was losing motive power. The contact drove the vehicle back to the residence and later had the vehicle towed to a local independent mechanic. The contact stated that the mechanic diagnosed the vehicle, and the contact was informed that the piston rings needed to be cleaned. The mechanic replaced the spark plugs as well. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to a Class Action Lawsuit regarding the piston rings fouling the spark plugs and causing poor engine performance. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI 11560847

When I start my car, I hear a rattle sound for 1-2 seconds. It only happens when the car has been off for about 3 hours. It used to happen once in awhile and now everyday. I searched online and a lot of people say it’s the “engine’s variable timing control actuator” or VTC.

NHTSA ODI 11549878

The contact owns a 2011 Honda Accord. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, he shifted into drive(D) and depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact stated that upon accelerating, the vehicle independently decelerated at slow speeds. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he used a code reader to diagnose the vehicle and retrieved two unknown codes for a faulty manifold air pressure sensor and mass air flow sensor. Additionally, the contact stated that he performed a tune-up and routine maintenance on the vehicle however, the failure recurred. The check engine warning light illuminated again after the tune-up. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that TSB 13-078 Warranty Extension had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,500.

NHTSA ODI 11538842

When starting up a noise it the motor for the sencod time with 71,000 miles why

NHTSA ODI 11519661

CVT actuator makes noise on cold start up.

NHTSA ODI 11479540

The engine on the Honda Accord car shudders and loses power when there is a change in gears. Based on my research and after consultation with my mechanic, the Honda Odyssey had similar problems. The problem was traced to the torque converter. Supposedly Honda had to implement a software fix for the torque converter on those Odyssey's.

NHTSA ODI 11430008

ENGINE RATTLES LOUDLY FOR ABOUT 4 SECONDS AT STARTUP WHILE STATIONARY. I BELIEVE THE VARIABLE VALVE TIMING CONTROL (VTC) ACTUATOR IS DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11404396

AFTER 2 YEARS OF OWNING MY NEW 2011 HONDA ACCORD, I NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND DURING COLD STARTS THAT LASTED 1-2 SECONDS AND THEN STOPS. I HAVE THE DEALERSHIP INSPECT THE PROBLEM BUT THEY QUICKLY DISMISSED AND SAID THE NOISE WAS BEING MADE BY THE VTC AND TO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE NOISE. IN ADDITION, THEY SAID THAT NO HARM WOULD BE CAUSED BY THE NOISE. NOW I HAVE OVER 100,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND THE NOISE IS ON EVERY COLD START NO MATTER WHAT THE TEMPERATURE AND LAST FOR 2-5 SECONDS. I RECENTLY CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY INDICATED THAT IF THE VTC WAS THE PROBLEM (WHICH IT HAS BEEN ALL ALONG), THEN I WOULD NEED TO PAY IN FULL FOR THE REPAIR SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI 11354525

ON 4/5/19, MY WIFE'S HONDA PILOT EX EXPERIENCED SEVERE ENGINE PROBLEMS ON THE ROAD IN FAIRVIEW TN RESULTING IN AN INABILITY TO ACCELERATE, HESITATION WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, AND A FLASHING 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT. THESE SYMPTOMS WERE IDENTICAL TO AN ISSUE SHE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE IN 2017 THAT NECESSITATED A TOW TO DARRELL WALTRIP HONDA IN FRANKLIN TN FOR REPAIR, AND SIMILAR TO LESS SEVERE EPISODES OF HESITANT ACCELERATION BOTH SHE AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE AT LEAST 2016. GRASSLAND CAR CARE CENTER IN FRANKLIN TN DIAGNOSED THE SPARK PLUGS WERE OIL FOULED CAUSING A MISFIRE. ENGINE CODES P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304, AND P0300 RESULTED FROM THE INCIDENT. WE HAVE SINCE LEARNED THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THIS MODEL OF HONDA AND THAT THE VCM-2 CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT RESULTED IN A WARRANTY EXTENSION OF EIGHT YEARS FROM PURCHASE DATE. WE HAVE AN OPEN CASE WITH HONDA OF AMERICA (CASE MANAGER: ZOE; CASE #09478660), BUT ARE BEING TOLD THAT OUR VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE THE EXTENDED EIGHT YEAR WARRANTY BY FOUR MONTHS. WE CONTEND THIS VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS CONSISTENT WITH THE WARRANTIED ISSUE WELL BEFORE THE 4/5/19 FAILURE, TO INCLUDE THE SAME TYPE OF EPISODE SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED BY DARRELL WALTRIP HONDA ON 5/1/17. THE SUDDEN INABILITY TO ACCELERATE ON A ROADWAY IS A CONSIDERABLE SAFETY CONCERN. WE ARE QUESTIONING WHY THIS WASN'T A SAFETY RECALL ITEM. WE HAVE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION AVAILABLE IF NEEDED.

NHTSA ODI 11202664

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED (55 MPH) AND THEN SLOWING DOWN FOR TRAFFIC, THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL ACTUATOR APPARENTLY STUCK. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOLLOWED BY WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPES. THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE LACK OF POWER TRYING TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL THE CAR WAS AT A SERVICE SHOP. THE MECHANIC INDICATED THE ENGINE WENT FROM 6 CYLINDERS TO 3 CYLINDERS (ECO MODE) BUT NEVER RECOVERED. THE TROUBLE CODE WAS: P3400 MEANS THAT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) HAS DETECTED AN ABNORMALITY IN THE CYLINDER DEACTIVATION SYSTEM FOR ENGINE BANK ONE. BANK 1 DENOTES THE BANK OF THE ENGINE WHICH CONTAINS THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER. THIS PROBLEMS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BY OTHER CONSUMERS. HONDA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE AND RECALL THE VTC ACTUATORS.

NHTSA ODI 11182105

ENGINE MAKES LOUD RATTLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 2-3 SECONDS ON COLD STARTUP. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. HONDA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER IS NOT OFFERING TO FIX IT. OUT OF POCKET COST IS AROUND $800, AND CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS WHEN IT IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT.

NHTSA ODI 11173065

MY ENGINE MAKES A LOUD RATTLING SOUND FOR 2-3 SECONDS AFTER A COLD START-UP, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE CAR SAT OVERNIGHT. AFTER 2-3 SECONDS, THE SOUND GOES AWAY. ACCORDING TO HONDA TSB, THE VTC ACTUATOR IS FAULTY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. IF LEFT UNTREATED, THE TIMING CHAIN CAN BE STRETCHED WHICH LEADS TO REDUCED FUEL ECONOMY AND POSSIBLY OTHER ENGINE PROBLEMS. UP TO THE TIME OF THIS COMPLAINT, HONDA HAS NOT YET ISSUED ANY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. MY HONDA DEALER QUOTED ME $680 TO REPLACE THE VTC ACTUATOR. MY VEHICLE'S WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED SO IF I WANT TO HAVE IT REPLACED, I WILL HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. I REALLY LOVE MY ACCORD. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A BIG AUTO MANUFACTURER LIKE HONDA HASN'T DONE ANYTHING, GIVEN THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WHICH HAPPENS TO MANY VEHICLES ALREADY.

NHTSA ODI 11157190

I JUST BOUGHT A 2011 ACCORD WITH 2.4L ENGINE AND I NOTICE IN THE MORNINGS ON COLD START, MY ENGINE MAKES LOUD RATTLE NOISE FOR FEW SEC. I DID RESEARCH AND LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ENGINES. IT TURN OUT TO BE ENGINE TIMING VTC ACTUATOR DEFECTED. HONDA ISSUED SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS BUT REFUSING TO REPLACE THIS PART. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE RECALL. IT COST BETWEEN 700-900 DOLLARS TO REPLACE IT. IM ABOUT TO PAY THIS OUT OF MY POCKET FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED FROM HONDA. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. ITS ALL OVER INTERNET PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS. ITS HAPPENING ON MOST 2.4L ENGINES.

NHTSA ODI 11102732

VARIABLE VALVE TIMING ACTUATOR WENT OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS RECALLED ON EARLIER MODELS. I'VE SEEN LOTS OF FORUMS WHERE PEOPLE WITH 2010'S AND 2011'S STILL HAVING THIS PROBLEM. WE LEARNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM BY RESEARCHING WHAT THE RATTLING SOUND COULD BE WHEN WE START THE CAR FROM THESE FORUMS. THE OIL LIGHT STARTED COMING ON AND THE CAR WAS LOSING OIL. IT STARTED RATTLING EVEN WHILE DRIVING IT OR IDLING AT A LIGHT. THE AUTO MECHANIC VERIFIED IT AND WE HAD TO PAY $900 TO HAVE IT FIXED. IF THIS PROBLEM WASN'T RESOLVED AS HONDA SAYS IT WAS THEN WE SHOULDN'T BE OUT THE COST TO FIX IT.

NHTSA ODI 10969651

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA ACCORD. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE MADE A WHINING NOISE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE NOISE STOPPED WHEN THE CONTACT REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LOW ON OIL, WHICH CAUSED THE TIMING CHAIN TO SLIP. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST COMPLETED. THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST HAD NOT BEEN COMPLETED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,600.

NHTSA ODI 10968414

I NOTICE TWO PROBLEMS WITH THE 2011 ACCORD V6 EXL AUTOMATIC I JUST BOUGHT. 1. WITHOUT FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR ROLLS AT 10MPH SPEEDS. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF GARAGE THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. 2. RIGHT AROUND 45MPH MARK, THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD BRIEFLY BEFORE IT PICKS UP THE ACCELERATION. BOTH THESE ARE CONSISTENTLY REPRODUCIBLE IN THE CAR I HAVE.

NHTSA ODI 10966608

WARRANTY EXTENSION NOTIFICATION: PISTON RINGS THAT STICK TOGETHER RESULTING IN HIGH MOTOR OIL CONSUMPTION. AND DEFAULT NOTIFICATION IN THE AIR BAG.

NHTSA ODI 10938511

A DESIGN DEFECT THAT ENABLES OIL TO ENTER INTO ENGINE'X COMBUSTION CHAMBER. THIS LEADS TO PREMATURE SPARK PLUG DEGRADATION AND ENGINE MALFUNCTION. ESSENTIALLY, THE ENGINE IS WORKING MUCH HARDER THAN IT HAS TO IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. UNFORTUNATELY, MY DAILY COMMUTE DOES NOT CONSIST OF CLIMBING THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL ROCKIE MOUNTAINS, BUT FIGHTING TRAFFIC ON I94. THUS THE OIL CONSUMPTION SHOULD BE NORMAL, AND YET IT'S NOT!!

NHTSA ODI 10908048

MY 2011 HONDA ACCORD MAKES NOISE ON COLD STARTS. ON 10/20/15, I PICKED UP MY CAR FROM HONDA SERVICE AND THEY EXPLAINED IT AS NOISE FROM THE VTC ACTUATOR AND STATED IN WRITING THERE IS NO REPAIR YET AVAILABLE FROM HONDA. I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE AND I WON'T BUY A HONDA AGAIN UNLESS THEY REPAIR THIS AT NO CHARGE TO AVOID ANY FURTHER DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE...I HAVE ONLY OWNED HONDA ACCORDS SINCE 1989.

NHTSA ODI 10787206

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY 2015. THE FIRST THING THAT I HAD TO FIX WAS THE AXLE ( OUTPUT SHAFT ) SEAL LEAK WHICH THE HONDA DEALER DID NOT WANT TO REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THE CAR ONLY HAD 62,000. ALSO, IT MAKES A LOUD NOISE IN THE BACK WHEN I GO OVER THE SPEED BUMP WHICH IS COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION. IN ADDITION, WHENEVER I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NTB FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE REAR MAIN SEAL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS STARTING TO LEAK MOTOR OIL. AND AGAIN, THE HONDA DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO HONOR THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY ON MY VEHICLE DESPITE THE LOW MILEAGE IT HAS. SEEMS LIKE I NEED TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM.

NHTSA ODI 10731475

THIS IS THE HONDA ACCORD 2011 EX (V6) MODEL. WHEN MOVING AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS, SAY AROUND 2-4 MPH, THERE SOMETIMES IS A FLAT SPOT, IE NO ACCELERATION WHEN STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. , AT THIS POINT THERE SEEMS TO BE A 2 TO 3 SECOND HESITATION BEFORE THE CARE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES AND LURCHES FORWARD. SOMETIME, WHEN THIS SITUATION OCCURS, NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR; THEN THE ACCELERATOR MUST BE COMPLETELY RELEASED AND PRESSED AGAIN, OR PUMPED, TO GET MOVING AND AT SOME POINT POWER SUDDENLY RETURNS AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR MOST OFTEN WHEN MAKING A TURN, AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN AS YOU ARE SITTING ALMOST MOTIONLESS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LEFT LANE AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC IS COMING AT YOU AND USUALLY MOVING ALONG BRISKLY. MY VEHICLE, WHEN IN THIS PREDICAMENT, HAS NOT YET BEEN HIT BY AN ONCOMING CAR, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CLOSE CALLS. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 3 YEARS, BUT LIVE AND DRIVE MOSTLY IN THE SUBURBS, AND THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED INFREQUENTLY, SO I NEVER REPORTED THIS PROBLEM. BUT LATELY I HAVE BEEN MAKING DAILY TRIPS TO THE CITY, AND THIS PROBLEM OCCURS EVERY DAY. IT ALSO OCCURS WHEN WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT AND THEN WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN AND TRAFFIC STARTS TO MOVE, CARS START TO CREEP FORWARD AT A FEW MPH UNTIL IT IS TIME TO ACCELERATE UP TO NORMAL TRAVELING SPEED. AND WHEN THE CREEP IS VERY SLOW, 2-4 MPH, AND THEN IT IS MY TURN TO MOVE OUT AND I HIT THE GAS, I OCCASIONALLY GET THE SITUATION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. AND IN THIS SITUATION I AM NOT MAKING A TURN BUT TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10663253

AT APPROXIMATELY 50+ MPH THE FRONT OF THE CAR SHAKES. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST OVER AN YEAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, SAID NOTHING IS WRONG. IT STARTS TO SHAKE SO BAD THAT YOU HAVE TO LET UP ON THE ACCELERATOR AND ALMOST STOP, BEFORE YOU FEEL SAFE ENOUGH TO CONTINUE ON. SHAKING IS THE WORSE FOR THE FIRST 3 MILES AT THE START OF THE DAY BUT NEVER SEEMS TO COMPLETELY GOES AWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10488934

CAR HESITATES OR PAUSES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR FROM A ROLLING STOP. IT FREQUENTLY HAPPENS WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN GOING FORWARD. THE ENGINE DOES NOT STOP BUT REMAINS IN IDLE MODE. RAPID ACCELERATION FOLLOWS THE HESITATION. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10458527