What 528 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Honda Accord Fhev

The 3rd cylinder connecting rod failed under 120k miles. The rod knocked the starter loose while the vehicle was going 70 MPH, and caused a fire. It was inspected by the dealership it was purchased from. There were no symptoms or warnings at all, it was sudden and unexpected. Myself and my passenger were both shaken and thankfully had time to pull over when it happened, and we managed to put the fire out.

NHTSA ODI 11689260

Around [XXX] on [XXX], I was driving my 2017 Honda Accord LX on [XXX] East in northwestern New Jersey. The first signs of trouble were multiple warning lights (Check Engine and many others) appearing suddenly on the dashboard. There was a total loss of engine power and the tachometer dial dropped abruptly to zero. As I applied the brakes to slow down and move onto the shoulder of the highway, I realized that I also had no power brakes or steering. When the car was nearly stopped on the shoulder, I saw smoke filling the cabin and flames coming from under the engine hood toward the windshield. We quickly exited the car and called 911. The State Police and Fire Department arrived on the scene within 10 minutes but by that time the fire had spread to the interior cabin. The car was inspected by insurance representatives and declared a total loss. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11568740

THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE BY ITSELF, A CAR ONLY WITH 13,000 MILES AND 1 YEAR OF USAGE THAT MEANS ALMOST BRAND NEW CAR. I DROVE 9 MILES APROX. FROM HOME TO MY WORK LOCATION. WHEN I ARRIVE AND PARK THE CAR BEFORE GOING UPSTAIRS, I SAW THE CAR BLOWING UNUSUAL SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, I OPENED THE HOOD AND I SAW THE FIRE WAS COMING BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE RADIATOR. I CALL THE 911 AND WHEN THEY ARRIVED THEY TRIED TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT THE FIRE STARTED GETTING OUT OF CONTROL, FORCING THEM TO USE THE WATER HOSE TO STOP THE FIRE. HONDA IS NOT TAKING CARE OF THIS SAFETY CONCERN AND NO BODY KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED

NHTSA ODI 11165448

ON THE NIGHT ON JULY 3, 2017 THE 2017 HONDA ACCORD WHICH WAS ONLY 5 WEEKS OLD WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOUSE. THE CAR WAS IN PARK AND THE MOTOR WAS TURNED OFF. YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY UNLESS THE CAR WAS IN PARK. THE CAR THAT WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE HONDA ACCORD WENT TO BACK OUT WITHOUT REALIZING A CAR WAS BEHIND IT. THE OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED WAS A KIA OPTIMA. THE KIA OPTIMA LIGHTLY BUMPED THE HONDA ACCORD AND STOPPED AS SOON AS IT REALIZED THE HONDA WAS BEHIND IT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE HONDA ACCORD OR TO THE BACK OF THE KIA OPTIMA. THE HONDA ACCORD WAS PARKED ON A FLAT SURFACE AT THE TIME. WHEN THE KIA HIT THE HONDA THE HONDA ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND HIT A LIGHT POLE. THE ENTIRE LIGHT POLE CRASHED DOWN AND BROKE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL I SAW MY NEIGHBOR'S VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE INCIDENT. WE CONTACTED HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND OF COURSE AT FIRST THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL THEY SAW THE VIDEO. AFTER A FEW DAYS HONDA GOT CORPORATE TECH SUPPORT INVOLVED AND WAS TOLD NOT TO RELEASE THE CAR BACK TO ME UNTIL THEY FOUND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK HONDA TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT AS A "PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE" THEY WERE GOING TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THEY DID REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION BUT SAID THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE BACK OF THE HONDA OR THE LIGHT POLE. I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND THE LIGHT POLE. A CAR THAT IS LIGHTLY BUMPED SHOULD NOT ROLL AWAY. IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE HAD A CHILD BEEN BEHIND THE CAR OR THE LIGHT POLE COULD HAVE CRASHED ONTO SOMETHING. I FEEL LIKE THEY FOUND SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND ARE COVERING UP FOR IT OTHERWISE IF THEY TRULY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION THEN WHY DID THEY REPLACE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

NHTSA ODI 11016496