What 1,812 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Honda Accord Fhev

My Accord reported multiple warnings at engine start up (check engine light, warnings about cruise control, etc.), and the engine ran rougher than normal. I immediately drove to a Honda dealer for service. The Honda dealer, Checkered Flag Honda of Norfolk, Virginia, diagnosed a blown head gasket in cylinder 2, which allowed all coolant to drain into the engine. They also indicated that fuel injectors and spark plugs were compromised and required replacement. The vehicle has approximately 75,000 miles, has received regular maintenance, and was operated in normal driving conditions.

NHTSA ODI 11752305

Blown head gasket at ~94k miles. Cost over $7k to replace with a used engine and Honda offered zero reimbursement assistance. This is a major problem on the 10th generation engines.

NHTSA ODI 11752415

At approximately 159,000 miles, my vehicle exhibited multiple dashboard warning lights simultaneously including ABS, VSA, EPS, TPMS, brake, ACC, CMBS, and RDM warnings along with engine misfire codes. Borescope inspection confirmed coolant intrusion into cylinder 1. Cylinders 2, 3, and 4 were dry. Diagnosis confirmed head gasket failure consistent with the known design defect in the 1.5L turbocharged i-VTEC engine related to inadequate head bolt clamping force versus boost pressure. This failure is the subject of active class action litigation (Bissell v. American Honda Motor Co., Case 3:24-cv-02286-AJB-MMP). Vehicle requires full head gasket replacement at my own expense estimated at $900+. No recall has been issued despite widespread reports of identical failures across 2018-2022 Honda Accord 1.5T vehicles.

NHTSA ODI 11752497

I bought this car used and I've only had it two months and the head gasket has blown. I didn't know the 10th generation had bad gaskets and turbos i found that out after I purchased the car. Literally everyone i know now that had one the gasket or turbo went out. Not only that it was a recall on my fuel pump no one told me about until I added it to my insurance and they told me. Yes Honda dealership fixed it for free now it needs to be a recall on these turbos and head gaskets. It's not fair. I wouldn't recommend Honda to no one now and they say Honda last a lifetime. Thats not true quit making the 10th generation and take it off the market.

NHTSA ODI 11752530

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I own a 2018 Honda Accord with approximately 132,000 miles. Shortly after my vehicle was serviced for the fuel pump recall, multiple warning lights and system failure messages appeared simultaneously. The affected systems include Road Departure Mitigation, Emission System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Auto High Beam, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Electric Power Steering, Vehicle Stability Assist, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Hill Start Assist, and the Air Bag System. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The failure of multiple safety and driver-assistance systems has created a significant safety risk. My vehicle is currently operating in limp mode, resulting in reduced performance and making it difficult to drive safely in traffic. The loss or malfunction of systems such as collision mitigation braking, power steering, vehicle stability assist, adaptive cruise control, and air bag monitoring increases the risk of an accident and could jeopardize the safety of both vehicle occupants and other motorists. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. I took the vehicle to a Honda dealership for diagnostic testing after the warning lights appeared. The dealer confirmed that multiple systems were reporting faults. I was advised that numerous components would need to be replaced at a substantial cost. Prior to the fuel pump recall service, I had not experienced any of these issues and the vehicle operated normally. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle has been inspected by a Honda dealership for diagnostic purposes. To my knowledge, it has not been inspected by Honda corporate, law enforcement, or insurance representatives. Were there any warning lamps, mes

NHTSA ODI 11751805

Vehicle brought to Ocean Honda, Weymouth MA with complaint that HVAC system underperforming. Customer asked to replace condensor under warrany but Honda required full diagnostic ($135). Honda disclosed that 2/3 HVAC system had leaks, and known issues. Honda has a known issue with faulty and leaking AC condensers, heat exchange pipes, and evaporators. They reported this vehicle had leaking condensor and heat exchange pipe. Honda stated they can replace the the condenser under warranty, but not the heat exchange pipe or evaporators - even though they admit both are faulty and often require repair, replacement, and costly AC system recharge. The costly repairs (upwards of $1,800-$2,000+) are passed onto the customer. These failures are confirmed by dealer (Ocean Honda - Weymouth) and considered hazardous, but refusal to fix unless cost is absorbed by customer.

NHTSA ODI 11751478

When going 55 mph car started leaching back and forth aggressively followed by loss of engine power. Car decelerated to a max of 20 mph and would not accelerate past that. This caused the potential of getting rear ended in traffic. When I took it to the mechanic, they told me that my first cylinder was misfiring and that my fuel injector was the issue. A warning light only came on after the car decelerated to a low speed.

NHTSA ODI 11751532

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I purchased my 2018 Honda Accord in 2024, and in 2025, I experienced significant issues with the vehicle. During my visits to both Honda of Southaven and Honda of Tupelo, they indicated that the head gasket might be the problem, which is a known issue with this model. I believe the malfunction is related to this component, and I can confirm that it is available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The issues with my vehicle have directly endangered my safety and the safety of my children. While driving, the car started jerking unexpectedly and then cut off entirely on the highway, which could have resulted in a severe accident. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, I have visited Honda of Southaven and Honda of Tupelo over three times reporting these problems. Both dealerships acknowledged the issue, with one dealership stating it was likely the head gasket, which they mentioned seeing frequently with Honda vehicles. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? I have not had an inspection by the manufacturer or police. However, I have had my vehicle inspected by two authorized Honda dealerships, where they diagnosed the problem. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes, before the failure, there were multiple warning lights on the dashboard, which indicated that something was wrong with the vehicle. These symptoms began appearing shortly after I purchased the car in 2024, and they escalated over time leading up to my visits to the dealerships in 2025.

NHTSA ODI 11751072

The Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) stopped emitting sound for no apparent reason. On June 2nd, I took it to Honda service center, they said the speaker behind the front bumper needed to be replaced. I paid $699.56, only to discover that the AVAS still didn't work. I took it back, they said the accoustic unit needed to be replaced. I paid $707.57. On June 18th, they called me to pick up the car; I asked if the sound was working, they said the sound was there but it wasn't as audible as in other comparable cars. When I drove the car, I found a parking lot and drove below to 25 miles, even when the car was put in EV mode, I personally could not hear any noticeable sound even with the window open. I had contacted American Honda, and reported the issue, especially that the service centers didn't seem to know how to fix the issue. I requested from American Honda that they dispatch an egineer or provide the Honda service centers with directiond how to fix. Nothing happened. I'm not convinced that the AVAS was fixed. The design is faulty and many cars risk to be grounded because of that. The worse part was that the Honda service centers are not able to fix the issue. I just wasted $1,407.13 (plus the Uber rides) for nothing. Also, I don't understand why they held the car from June 2 until June 18th, and when I asked about the status, no meaningful update was given. This issue is likely to occur again with thounsands of hybrid cars.

NHTSA ODI 11751174

On June 24th, 2026, I received a warning for "Supplemental Restraint System Problem". The airbag Dash indicator illuminated on the dash. The issue is intermittent and the warning has appeared on five separate occasions since. The message had went away when the vehicle has been turned off and has not appear every time the car is running. It does appear mid-travel on occasion. The issue is consistent with the passenger airbag sensor failure description recall that is associated with other VIN Numbers for the 2028 Accord but my VIN is not listed in the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11750732

The Body Control Module of my 2018 Accord has failed. At 70,000 miles on my vehicle the door locks began to be unresponsive. At 100,000 Miles all door locks were unresponsive to the door control and fob control. The only way to secure my vehicle is to manually lock all doors and use the key within my fob to unlock the drivers door and then manually unlock all other doors. Ed Martin Honda in Indianapolis inspected the vehicle and determined the the Body Control Module would need to be replaced to make the Door locks work. There were known issues with the Body Control Module as there was an active recall for the software of the system. I completed the recalls software update at the time it was issued but this seems to be a continued problem.

NHTSA ODI 11750733

Had in tank fuel pump replaced as recall stated. After 1 year went bad again. Honda refused to cover the repair. My car stalled on the interstate in traffic running around 50 to 60 mph.

NHTSA ODI 11750777

I purchased the car in November 2025 from Carvana. By December, all the dashboard lights came on and no one can locate the problem. The car still runs but not to its optimum performance.

NHTSA ODI 11750479

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the brakes intermittently failed to engage while the brake pedal was depressed. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

NHTSA ODI 11750689

Blown head gasket

NHTSA ODI 11749896

1. Head gasket and turbo system 2. I was driving on the highway at 55mph and the front end of the car started to shake so I pulled over to inspect the car as best I could. 3. The Honda dealer did a diagnostic for my AC $450 and $200 for the hazard lights. I was told my AC needed to be charged and then the prices to replace my head gasket, turbo and coolant flush for a total of 10k. 4. All of the warning light came on in the vehicle as I was driving and my AC started to blow warm air June 29, 2026.

NHTSA ODI 11749924

My Engine is overheating, cannot drive the car at all. There is Coolant loss and leaking into the cylinder. It is Rough running and misfires: no matter when I start the Honda whether a fold start or not it is chunky and wants to give out. There is Loss of power which makes my car feel sluggish and is very dangerous as I’m driving myself, children and family on the freeways of St. Louis. I have never had any other issue and maintained the maintenance on the car. Honda dealership wants 6k to start fixing it. Could be more after they get into it.

NHTSA ODI 11749861

A loss of power while driving on the freeway created a dangerous situation and nearly caused an accident. The issue was diagnosed by the Honda dealer as a misfire of the 3rd cylinder due to a head gasket failure and a fuel injector issue. No other symptoms were detected as this appeared suddenly at the worst possible time.

NHTSA ODI 11749712

I own a 2018 Honda Accord LX 1.5T. The vehicle has developed an intermittent hard-start condition after sitting overnight. The engine cranks for approximately 5–6 seconds before starting and runs very rough for the first 2–5 seconds before smoothing out. Warm restarts are normal. While driving, the vehicle hesitates and stumbles during acceleration, is slow to build RPM, and fuel economy has noticeably decreased. During one hard acceleration event, the vehicle lost power and the check engine light flashed. I also observed that if I turn the ignition on and allow the fuel pump to prime for several seconds before starting the engine, the vehicle starts noticeably quicker than if I start it immediately. This makes me concerned that the fuel system may not be maintaining proper fuel pressure after the vehicle sits. Because of the hard starting, hesitation, intermittent loss of power during acceleration, and the improvement after allowing the fuel pump to prime, I am submitting this complaint for investigation because these symptoms could create a safety risk when entering traffic or accelerating.

NHTSA ODI 11749726

I just paid $250 for diagnostic fee and Honda mentioned it’s a head gaskets failure ironically enough for my model it’s a world wide problem I just spent $2k on a turbo charger job on my car last month thinking that was the problem

NHTSA ODI 11749544

My son had an accident where he re-ended another car that caused damage to the front of his car. The AirBags did not deploy in his car; and I beleive they should have with the amount of damage that the car sustained.

NHTSA ODI 11749635

Head gasket failure, coolant leaking into cylinder 1 and 3. Car stuttering when try to accelerate and has trouble getting up to speed on highway. Coolant mixing with oil, rear main seal leak. It is available for inspection currently at dealership where it was diagnosed. My safety was jeopardized because I barely can accelerate on the highway causing cars to tail gate me and potentially crash into the back of me. The issue has been confirmed by Honda service department as a faulty head gasket. There were no warnings signs, no overheating nor any smoke indications of a faulty failing head gasket only stuttering at low spreads and not being able to accelerate. The problem first appeared a day or so before I brung it to Honda for a diagnosis. These are well none litigated issues with these head gaskets and are safety concerns that they’re failing to address.

NHTSA ODI 11748951

at 154,000 i’m forced to replace my head gasket and fuel injectors and lots of other stuff because my head gasket failed driving in the freeway and went into limp mode and several light turned on and lost all power thankfully i was able to pull over safely and shut off the vehicle for 10 minutes and start back up with no limp mode and drove to honda and informed me my head gasket failed had failed my last honda was at 320,000 and no head gasket failed this is insane and no recall or fix

NHTSA ODI 11749082

everytime upon start up i get a message saying supplement restraint system error see dealer, should not be having this issue

NHTSA ODI 11749085

The vehicle suffered a sudden, severe structural head gasket failure causing coolant to flood the combustion chambers. This results in violent engine stalling, limp mode, and complete loss of propulsion while driving at highway speeds, creating a severe traffic hazard. The manufacturer is actively tracking this conjoined cylinder failure but refusing to issue a safety recall for the defective engine block layout while their local dealerships dangerously misdiagnose the problem and leave customers with unreliable and unsafe vehicles.

NHTSA ODI 11748782