What 379 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Honda Accord Fhev

I HAVE BEEN SEEING MY DOCTOR SINCE AUGUST 2012 FOR ACUTE LOWER BACK PAIN WHICH HAS NOW BECOME CHRONIC. THIS CAME UPON ALL OF A SUDDEN AND MY DOCTOR NOR ME DON'T KNOW THE CAUSE. I STUMBLED ACROSS THE CAR STATS WEBSITE AND COULDN'T BELIEVE ALL THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FRONT SEATS AND THE BACK PAIN ASSOCIATED BY OTHERS. NOW, THE MYSTERY IS OVER! MY CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN IS PROBABLY CAUSED BY MY 2012 ACCORD. I AM 42 YEARS OLD AND HAVE NEVER HAD BACK PROBLEMS BEFORE. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!!! I HAVE BEEN A PROUD OWNER OF A HONDA ACCORD SINCE 1991 BUT THIS IS MY LAST ONE UNLESS HONDA CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM. FOR ALL YOU BACK PAIN ACCORD DRIVERS, CONTACT ME AND LETS GET HONDA'S ATTENTION. WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM FELLOW DRIVERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10485359

THE FRONT SEATS IN THE 2012 HONDA ACCORD ARE SO BAD THE OWNERS ARE ALTERING THE SEATS AND COMPROMISING THE BUILT IN SAFETY DESIGN. THE SEATS IN THIS CAR CAN PHYSICALLY HURT YOUR BACK MINE GOES NUMB AFTER A 30 MIN RIDE. HONDA OF AMERICA NEEDS TO PUT ON NOTICE THE SEATS IN THIS CAR ARE NOW A SAFETY ISSUE. I DID CONTACT HONDA THEY DID NOT DENY THE SEAT PROBLEM BUT OFFERED NO SOLUTIONS OTHER THAN TRADE IN THE 2012 ACCORD FOR THE 2013 WITH THE NEW SEAT DESIGN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10480711

THE FRONT SEAT DESIGN ON THE HONDA ACCORD IS TERRIBLE. IT CAUSES LOWER BACK PAIN AND PUSHES YOUR HEAD FORWARD. DUE TO THE UNCOMFORTABLE SEAT DESIGN YOUR FOCUS MOVES FROM BEING ON THE ROAD TO TRYING TO ALLEVIATE PAIN OR GET COMFORTABLE AND IN TURN REDUCES FOCUS ON THE ROAD AND INCREASES RISK OF HAVING AN ACCIDENT. THIS SEAT ISSUE IS WIDELY REPORTED AT HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/HONDA/ACCORD/2012/. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10478901

PURCHASED A NEW 2012 ACCORD IN JUNE AND HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH IT WITH ONE VERY BIG EXCEPTION; THE DRIVERS SEAT HAS A DEFINITE DESIGN FLAW. THE SEAT IS BASICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ADJUST TO A COMFORTABLE POSITION AND THERE IS NO DOUBT IT DOES CAUSE LOWER BACK PAIN. ON ANY DRIVE OVER 15 MINUTES, THE SEAT HAS TO BE REPEATEDLY RE-ADJUSTED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITH ANY SEMBLANCE OF COMFORT. FROM WHAT I CAN SEE BY RESEARCHING COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET, THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A SAFETY DEVICE EMBEDDED IN THE SEAT BACK THAT ACTIVATES IN A REAR END COLLISION. THIS COMPLAINT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND REALLY SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO AS IT DOES POSE A SAFETY HAZARD AS THE NEED TO CONSTANTLY REPOSITION THE SEAT (AND YOUR BODY) IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE CAR IS FATIGUING AND A DEFINITE DISTRACTION TO ONES DRIVING. THOUGHT IS MIGHT "BREAK IN" BUT AFTER 3 MONTHS THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. HAVE OWNED MANY CARS OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED OR DRIVEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10478673

DRIVER SEAT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, IT CAUSING ME SEVERE BACK PAIN, I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR LAST MONTH, I CALLED HONDA BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVE NO SOLUTION.I HOP SOME ONE CAN STEP UP AND SOLVE THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10478477

UNCOMFORTABLE SEATING CAUSED A SEVERE PAIN IN THE NECK AND LOWER PARTS OF THE NECK AND SHOULDERS. NEITHER NUMEROUS SEAT ADJUSTMENTS NOR CUSHIONS/SUPPORTS DID NOT HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND LOSS OF CONCENTRATION OCCURRED WHICH WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND WAS FORCED TO STOP FREQUENTLY TO HELP EASE THE PAIN UNTIL WE RETURN BACK HOME SAFELY. THE PAIN STILL EXISTS EVEN 4 DAYS AFTER IT ACTUALLY STARTED DURING THE DRIVE. HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM IN ONE OF THE CAR COMPLAINTS FORUM ALSO. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10478548

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE HEAD REST WOULD MOVE FORWARD TOO FAR AND WAS CAUSING PAIN TO THE CONTACT'S NECK WHEN DRIVING. ADDITIONALLY, THE SEAT CAUSED PAIN TO HER BACK AND WAS EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND RECOMMENDED THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.

NHTSA ODI 10477422

THE SEATS IN THIS CAR ARE JUNK AND A SAFETY HAZARD. AFTER 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING THEY CAUSE SEVERE BACK, LEG, AND NECK PAIN. I HAVE REPOSITIONED THE SEAT HUNDREDS OF TIMES AND STILL UNBEARABLE. ITS HAS 600 MILES ON IT AND WE ARE TRADING IT IN TOMORROW AT A LOSS OF THOUSANDS. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR 2 WEEKS.. THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM BUT AMERICAN HONDA SAID THEY HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT IT. DON'T BUY A HONDA ACCORD UNLESS YOU LIKE LOOKING AT IT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DRIVE IT. NOT A HAPPY CUSTOMER. HONDA SHOULD REFUND OUR LOSSES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10475533

THE FRONT SEATS HAVE BAD DESIGN AND ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR LONGER DRIVE. BOTH MY WIFE AND I SPEND THREE HOURS A DAY COMMUTING, AND MY WIFE DEVELOPED A SEVERE BACK PAIN AFTER FIRST WEEK OF DRIVING. THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THIS CAR SEMI DRIVABLE AND AVOID CRIPPLING PERMANENT BACK DAMAGE IS TO REMOVE LUMBAR PLATES FROM INSIDE FRONT SEATS. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED "SOLUTION" ON THE INTERNET, AND MANY HONDA ACCORD OWNERS RESORT TO THIS DRASTIC STEP COMPROMISING INTEGRITY OF THE SEAT. THE FRONT SEATS MUST BE REDESIGNED AND REPLACED. THIS CAR MUST BE RETESTED FOR SAFETY WITH THE SEAT BACK REST SUPPORT PLATES REMOVED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10472485

THE FRONT SEATS ARE SO UNCOMFORTABLE YOU CANT GO OVER 15 MILES WITHOUT BEING IN PAIN. SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE WRONG WITH THE DESIGN ON THE LUMBAR SUPPORT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471849

THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS INCREDIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SIT STILL FOR MORE THAN A 20MINUTE DRIVE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND ONE THAT I'VE NEVER HAD IN MY 2 CURRENT HONDA VEHICLES. THE LUMBAR SUPPORT BAR PROTRUDES INTO YOUR BACK NOT ALLOWING YOU TO SIT PROPERLY INTO THE SEAT AND CAUSING EXTREME DISCOMFORT AFTER 20MINS OF CASUAL DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471405

SEATS ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. EXCESSIVE PRESSURE FROM THE SEATS LUMBAR AREA. THEY CAUSE BACK, LEG AND HIP PAIN. THIS WAS NOT NOTICED ON THE 10 MINUTE TEST DRIVE. BECOMES UNBEARABLE AFTER 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING. THE PAIN IS DISTRACTING, CONSTANTLY ADJUSTING THE SEAT LOOKING FOR A POSITION TO EASY THE PAIN. HONDA HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND HAS NOT OFFERED A SOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471330

VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FRONT SEATS ARE CAUSING BACK PROBLEMS AND DRIVING DISCOMFORT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471341

THE FRONT SEATS CREATE INCREASED LOWER BACK PRESSURE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW A PROPER DRIVING POSITION; YOU CANNOT DRIVE COMFORTABLY FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES AT A TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10469420

I PURCHASED MY HONDA ACCORD 2012 SE MODEL, 3 MONTHS BACK. DURING THIS TIME, I DEVELOPED MORE BACK PAIN DUE TO DRIVER SIDE SEAT AND THIS SEAT IS NOT GIVING ANY COMFORT AND EVEN LUMBAR SUPPORT ALSO NOT GIVING CORRECT POSITION, SEATING IN DRIVER SIDE SEAT CREATING LOT PAIN , BACK HURTING REQUESTING HONDA TO REPLACE DRIVER SIDE SEAT WITH CORRECT ONE AS THIS CREATING MEDICAL PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10469157

NOTHING HAPPENED YET. THE HEADREST IS IN SUCH A BAD POSITION THAT IT WOULD NO SUPPORT MY NECK WERE THERE TO BE AN ACCIDENT. AND THE SEATS ARE SO BAD THAT I AM DEVELOPING BACK AND HIP PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10468932

AFTER DRIVING OFF THE LOT WITH THE 2012 ACCORD MY WIFE AND I NOTICED A "LUMP" IN BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SEAT. WE HAD NOT NOTICED THESE LUMPS DURING OUR 15-20 MINUTE TEST DRIVE. BY THE TIME WE GOT HOME, APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES, THE LUMPS HAD BECOME UNCOMFORTABLE. THE LONGER THE DRIVE THE MORE UNCOMFORTABLE THE SEATS ARE. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR JUST OVER A WEEK AND THE LUMPS ARE STILL THERE (NO SETTLING IN) AND WE HAVE NOT ACCLIMATED TO THE SEATS. THE LUMPS ARE ABOVE THE ADJUSTABLE LUMBAR SUPPORT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. PULLING FORWARD ON THE HEADREST MAKE THE "LUMP" DISAPPEAR. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE LUMP IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINT SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10464686

I PURCHASED A NEW HONDA ACCORD LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AGO. THE SEAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE BOTHERING ME AT THIS POINT, BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL, AS I HAVE HIP AND KNEE ISSUES I AM WORKING ON. HOWEVER, THE HEADREST IS EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE/PAINFUL. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, I SIT BACK, LEAN MY HEAD ON THE HEADREST AND CRUISE. THE NEW STYLE OF HEADREST IS FORCING MY HEAD TOO FAR FORWARD, AND IS CAUSING ME NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN. THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT BETWEEN THE SEAT BACK AND THE HEADREST, SO I CANNOT ADJUST THIS ANGLE. IF I LEAN TOO FAR BACK, CAUSING A NATURAL FORWARD LEAN TO MY HEAD, I CANNOT DRIVE COMFORTABLY, AS I MUST MOVE THE SEAT TOO FAR FORWARD, AND MY ARMS ARE OVEREXTENDED. I CANNOT ADJUST TO MAKE LONG DISTANCE DRIVING COMFORTABLE -- AND I COMMUTE 60 MILES, AND OVER 1.5 HOURS, DAILY. MY 1999 HONDA ACCORD HAD NO SUCH PROBLEMS. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS SITUATION, AND THE DEALERSHIP IS NO HELP. MY HUSBAND HAS BACK AND NECK PROBLEMS (SERVICE-RELATED), AND HE WAS READY TO THROW THE PASSENGER HEADREST OUT THE WINDOW ON OUR FIRST FREEWAY TRIP TO OUR DAUGHTER'S HOUSE -- ONLY 12 MILES DOWN THE FREEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10464446

BOUGHT A NEW HONDA ACCORD SE AND STARTED TO HAVE BACK PAIN THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP. THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE SEAT AND CAUSES ME BACK PAIN AND NECK PAIN. THE DESIGN OF THE HEAD REST PUSHES MY HEAD TOO FAR FORWARD AND CAUSES NECK AND HEAD ACHES; ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED FROM THE SEAT DESIGN! THE SEAT DOES NOT SUPPORT THE UPPER BACK WHICH CAUSES MORE PAIN. I DID NOT HAVE ANY OF THESE ISSUES BEFORE THIS CAR. WHAT GOOD IS A SAFE CAR IF IT CAUSES PAIN? CALLED HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS GIVEN THE RUN AROUND. HONDA WILL NOT ADMIT THEY DESIGNED AN UNCOMFORTABLE SEAT. MAKE THAT THE WORST DESIGNED SEAT OF ANY AUTOMOBILE I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED! THIS COULD BE THE WORST SEAT DESIGN OF ALL TIME! PLEASE RECALL THIS SEAT! *JS

NHTSA ODI 10462335

DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS ARE EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE AND CAUSE LEG, HIP, AND NECK PAIN IF DRIVEN FOR OVER 15 MINUTES. HAVE OWNED 8 DIFFERENT HONDAS OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ODYSSEYS, ACCORDS, AND CIVICS. VERY POOR AND AWKWARD SEAT DESIGN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10461228

JUST STARTED LEASING A 2012 ACCORD SE A WEEK AGO. DRIVER SEAT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, WHEN I DROVE THE CAR INITIALLY, I DID NOT FEEL IT BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY FOR 5-7 MINUTES OR SO, BUT OBVIOUSLY AFTER 30 MINUTES OR SO, ONE CAN FEEL THE BACK AND NECK PAIN. I TRIED TO ADJUST THE SEAT IN MANY WAYS, BUT DID NOT FIND A POSITION FOR DRIVING THE CAR COMFORTABLY. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10460993

I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR TWO WEEKS AGO. THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED THE ISSUE WAS ON A LONG DRIVE, 5+/- HOURS WITH THE CAR. AT THE END OF THE DRIVE, MY LOWER BACK WAS ON FIRE AND I HAD A HARD TIME MOVING AROUND FOR THE REST OF THAT WEEKEND. THEN THE DRIVE HOME WAS WORSE, BECAUSE MY BACK ALREADY WAS HURTING. THESE SEATS ARE AWFUL! I TOOK THE CAR RIGHT BACK TO THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ISSUE, I WAS TOLD THEY REALLY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SEAT (IT WASN'T BROKEN). I THEN CALL HONDA CARE, EXPLAINED MY ISSUE AND WAS GIVEN A CASE NUMBER (N012012-4-3002271). THAT CASE ENDING IN HONDA USA BASICALLY TELLING ME TO POUND SAND! I SAID THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THESE ISSUES, JUST GO AND GOOGLE IT. THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE A WHILE. THE HONDA REP "CAROLINE" TO ME HONDA WAS UN-AWARE OF ANY ISSUES LIKE THIS AND FURTHER TOLD ME, THEY DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO WEB POSTINGS. BOTTOM LINE IS THIS... I HAVE A BRAND NEW CAR. THE FRONT SEATS (DRIVER AND PASSENGER) ARE CAUSING EXTREME BACK PAIN AND NUMBNESS IN MY LEGS. HONDA IS KNOWINGLY OR UN-KNOWINGLY IGNORING THIS ISSUE. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE ISSUES AND I'M JUST LOOKING FOR HELP TO RESOLVE THIS. I HAVE TRIED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURE THEMSELVES WITHOUT SATISFACTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10457852

THE DRIVER SEATS CAUSES YOUR RIGHT LEG TO GO NUMB AND YOUR NECK TO BECOME SO STIFF YOU CANNOT SAFELY CHECK BLIND SPOTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10457591

I OWN A 2012 HONDA ACCORD LX BASE. DRIVERS SIDE SEAT JUST SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE LUMBAR SUPPORT IS HURTING MY BACK. ADJUSTING THE SEAT OR ADDING SOME PADDING DOES NOT HELP. EXTREME DISCOMFORT AFTER 25 MINUTES OF DRIVING TIME. VERY POOR SEAT DESIGN. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN HONDA. I'M FORCED TO SELL MY ACCORD AT A LOSS AS I CANNOT TOLERATE THE PAIN. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10457170

FRONT SEATS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE AND CAUSE NECK AND BACK PAIN ON ANY DRIVE >30 MINUTES. PAIN LASTS FOR HOURS. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10457198