What 1,418 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Honda Accord Plug In Hybrid

THIS STARTED OFF AS AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE BUT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE (TWICE A DAY) UNTIL HONDA FLASHED AN UPDATE [A2A690] TO MY CAR. NOW IT'S INTERMITTENT AGAIN (ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK). THE PROBLEM ALWAYS HAPPENS FROM A COLD START. THE ISSUE IS AFTER CRANKING MY CAR, WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR (REVERSE OR DRIVE) THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T ENGAGE. I CAN PRESS THE GAS PEDAL AND THE RPM'S WILL SHOOT UP BUT THE MPH DOESN'T MOVE, IT'S LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, IF I DON'T LET OFF THE GAS THE TRANSMISSION WILL ABRUPTLY ENGAGE AND CAN BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS IN THE PARKING GARAGE AT WORK AND THIS ISSUE ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. NOW I HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T DO THIS EVERY TIME I PUT MY CAR IN GEAR. I'VE BEEN TO TWO DIFFERENT HONDA DEALERS FOR A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES AND THEY SAY THEY CAN'T EVER REPRODUCE THE ISSUE. HERE'S A LINK TO A VIDEO OF THE ISSUE WHEN I CAUGHT IT ON VIDEO. HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=MJ1QDYJXGTE&FEATURE=EM-UPLOAD_OWNER#ACTION=SHARE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10521455

TO STATE MY ACCORD TROUBLES, THE CAR JERKS/PULLS AT LOW SPEEDS WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE. I AM A SOFT DRIVER AND I ACCELERATE/DECELERATE THE SAME AT ALL TIMES, THESE ARE THE SPEEDS A NOTICED IT MOST: @15MPH, THE CAR JERK/PULLS AND DECELERATES SIGNIFICANTLY. @ 5MPH, THE CAR JERKS/PULLS (VERY UNSMOOTH) BOTH WHEN ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING PAST 5MPH. I'M IN TRAFFIC MOST OF MY DRIVE SO HAVING THE CAR ROUGHLY DOWNSHIFTING/JERKING SUDDENLY MULTIPLE TIMES IN AT LOW SPEEDS IS EXTREMELY IRRITATING. I AM ALSO CONCERNED OF THE WEAR AND TEAR THIS MIGHT ENSUE ON THE ENGINE FURTHER DOWN THE LINE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY SAID THERE'S NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO. I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS HONDA PRODUCT, BUYER BEWARE! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10512938

HONDA ACCORD 2013, WIFE WAS DRIVING AND CAR STUTTERED AND QUIT IN MIDDLE OF ROAD AND THEN STOPPED. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALER. CAR IS 3 DAYS OLD AND WE WHERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT. THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF ORDERING A NEW ONE TO REPLACE IT. FCW SYSTEM FAIL FLASHED ON DASH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10509489

VEHICLE SHUDDERS/SHAKES ON ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY WITH ECO BUTTON ON. NOTICEABLE DOWNSHIFT WHILE DECELERATING. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS "IS JUST HOW THE CAR DRIVES" AND THAT THE CAR "REACTS TO HOW THE DRIVER DRIVES IT". WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE NEW CVT TRANSMISSION HAS HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SHUTTERING/SHAKING ON ACCELERATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10508853

2013 HONDA ACCORD CVT LX 4 CYLINDER. STARTED VEHICLE, PLACED IN REVERSE, GAVE IT GAS, WENT NO WHERE. ENGINE FELT RESISTANCE BUT AS I GRADUALLY GAVE IT FUEL, IT WHET NO WHERE . THEN PULLED SLIGHTLY LIKE A MANUAL WITH THE CLUTCH SEMI DEPRESSED. AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS IT STARTED TO PULL BUT VERY SLUGGISH. I PUT IN DRIVE TO SEE HOW IT DID. IT PULLED LIKE NORMAL. THEN WHEN TRIED REVERSE AGAIN IT ALSO WORKED NORMAL. HAS BEEN SLUGGISH AT STOP SIGNS SEVERAL TIMES, LEAVES YOU LACKING CONFIDENCE IF ANY TRAFFIC IS COMING AT ALL AS YOUR NOT SURE IT WILL ALWAYS RESPOND IF YOU TURN AND CROSS ANY LANES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10505167

WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKE WHILE SLOWING DOWN FROM 20+ MPH TO COME TO A STOP THERE IS A NOTICEABLE JERK (WHEN THE RPM INDICATOR IS CLOSE TO 1) BEFORE THE VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME WHEN I NEED TO BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN OR SIGNAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10498439

WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKE WHILE SLOWING DOWN FROM 20+ MPH TO COME TO A STOP THERE IS A NOTICEABLE JERK (WHEN THE RPM INDICATOR IS CLOSE TO 1) BEFORE THE VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP (GUN HONDA, SAN ANTONIO) AND THE TECHNICIAN COULD REPLICATE THE ISSUE BUT MENTIONED IT AS A FEATURE OF THE NEW CVT TRANSMISSION AND SAID HE DOESN'T KNOW OF ANY WAY TO FIX THE SAME. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME WHEN I NEED TO BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN OR SIGNAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10493229

WHEN BRAKING FROM 20+ MPH TO COMPLETE STOP. THE CVT TRANSMISSION JERK/JUMP/SURGE FORWARD. FEELS LIKE STRONG ENGINE BRAKE THEN CVT ADJUST TO HAVE A SMOOTH STOP. THE JERK/JUMP/SURGE HAPPENS AROUND 15 MPH. THERE ARE OTHERS THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM ON DRIVEACCORD.NET. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10490884

CAME TO STOP AT STOP SIGN. NEW HONDA ACCORD 2013 4 DOOR SUDDENLY TRIED TO ACCELERATE. I PUSHED DOWN AS HARD AS I COULD ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE MOTION FORWARD. IT ONLY MOVED A FOOT OR TWO AND WITH MY WIFE YELLING I WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO NEUTRAL. SCARED THE LIFE OUT OF US. I AM 51 AND A FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL. MY WIFE IS 52 AND A PHYSICIAN. THIS WAS COMPLETELY REAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10490809