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

I am writing to formally report a recurring and serious mechanical issue involving the head gasket in the 2018 Honda Accord equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged engine. This issue appears to be widespread and poses both safety and financial concerns for vehicle owners. In my experience, the vehicle began exhibiting symptoms consistent with head gasket failure at relatively low mileage. These symptoms included unexplained coolant loss, engine overheating, white exhaust smoke, rough engine performance, and in some cases misfires. Upon inspection and diagnosis, the root cause was identified as a failed or failing head gasket. This failure is particularly concerning because it occurs prematurely and without warning, despite regular maintenance and responsible vehicle use. A head gasket is a critical engine component, and such failures can lead to severe engine damage, sudden loss of power, and unsafe driving conditions—especially if overheating occurs while the vehicle is in motion. Additionally, the cost of repair is substantial, often ranging from several thousand dollars, placing an unexpected financial burden on owners. Many drivers, including myself, rely on these vehicles for daily transportation, and this defect undermines the reliability that is expected from a modern vehicle. There is growing evidence through consumer reports, online forums, and mechanic feedback that this is not an isolated incident but rather a pattern affecting multiple 2018 Honda Accord 1.5L vehicles. The consistency of these reports suggests a potential design or manufacturing defect related to the engine or head gasket system. Given the safety implications and frequency of occurrence, I respectfully request that the NHTSA investigate this issue further to determine whether a recall or manufacturer accountability action is warranted. Addressing this defect would help prevent further financial hardship and reduce the risk of unsafe driving conditions for affected vehicle owners.

NHTSA ODI 11732895

I experienced repeated stalling, loss of drive power while on the highway, limp mode, and all dashboard warning lights over several years. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Honda dealership multiple times and specifically asked whether these symptoms were related to the known fuel pump recall. Each time I was told the recall was not the cause. I was also told recall parts were unavailable or delayed. Based on dealership misdiagnoses, I paid out of pocket for multiple repairs including spark plugs and ignition coils which they claimed were the reason for my car acting up, that did not resolve the issue. Among other repairs I did on my own like replace the battery twice and what not. I have since received Honda’s official recall notice confirming that a faulty fuel pump causes the exact symptoms I reported. My vehicle is now completely inoperable it does not start and cannot be driven or transported. I have filed two claims with Honda Corporate, both denied based on mileage. I believe the vehicle’s failure is a direct result of Honda’s failure to address the recall in a timely manner and the dealership’s repeated misdiagnosis.

NHTSA ODI 11732960

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the climate control feature was inoperable. In addition, the contact stated that after driving for approximately 5 miles, the engine overheated. A message to park the vehicle was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with head gasket failure. The contact was informed that there was a coolant intrusion in cylinder #3. The contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was undriveable. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,483.

NHTSA ODI 11732631

Head gasket failure, Over heated randomly putting myself and kids unsafe and at risk for accident. Been confirmed by independent service center. Not inspected by police or insurance. Had cylinder misfire a week prior.

NHTSA ODI 11732713

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle either hesitated or stalled with the "Emissions System Fault", "Engine Power Reduced", "See your Dealer" messages displayed. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under the recall. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer approximately six times after the recall repair. The spark plugs, ignition coils, and turbo charger were replaced after several visits; however, failure persisted. The vehicle was also taken to an independent mechanic, and the battery was replaced but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the wiring harness and head gasket needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided a case number, but offered no additional assistance. The vehicle remained with the dealer unrepaired. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11732727

Rough downshifting and upshifting in low gears. Will slam into gears 2-3 often seems as though at slower speeds and cause driver and passengers to lurch forward. Will cause very rough acceleration at times and causes a danger in traffic given the speed becomes unpredictable. Transmission does not know what gear to be in. The ATF type 2.0 fluid change following dealer procedure after complaint has done nothing to change this lurching. This is putting me and other drivers at risk because I cannot control my speed when transmission is slamming in between gears. No warning lamps, undetected by cars TCU.

NHTSA ODI 11732533

Blown head gasket. This appears to be a widespread issue amongst all 10th gen honda accords due to a poorly designed engine by Honda.

NHTSA ODI 11732585

At 144000 miles all vehicle lights came on and vehicle engine would shake and vibrate. Computer said misfire on cylinder three. Changed spark plugs and coil. Problem still persisted. Mechanic recommended replacing fuel injectors so i did. After injectors were replaced all the lights came back on and the car runs worse. I believe its a blown head gasket now and the mechanic is testing the head this week.

NHTSA ODI 11732197

I keep having issues where my car thinks I’m changing lanes and alerts me, when I’m not, and auto-corrects my steering which has led me to actually veer into another lane and fighting the car essentially while driving. I turn the feature off and somehow it just keeps happening. Same with the sensor that auto brakes - there won’t be anything that the car should be braking for and I’ll get the flashing BRAKE text come up on dash and beeping before it completely brakes on its own. These issues and features have been more worrisome and scary than helpful. There are multiple instances

NHTSA ODI 11732234

I own a 2018 Honda Accord EX-L with a 1.5L turbocharged engine. The vehicle began overheating while idling and at low speeds, cooling down when driving at higher speeds. I brought the vehicle to a Honda dealership where a pressure test confirmed internal coolant loss with no external leaks found. The dealership diagnosed a head gasket failure and recommended replacement at a cost of $8,941. The component that failed is the head gasket on the 1.5L turbocharged engine, allowing coolant to leak internally into the cylinder. My safety was put at risk as the vehicle overheated while in traffic during normal driving conditions, creating a risk of engine failure, loss of power, and potential fire. The problem was confirmed by a certified Honda dealership via cooling system pressure test. A goodwill request has been submitted to American Honda on my behalf. Warning lights appeared on the dashboard twice indicating to turn the vehicle off immediately due to overheating. Symptoms first appeared in April 2026. I am aware of NHTSA TSB MC-10234626-0001 and an active class action lawsuit Bissell v. American Honda Motor Co. Case No. 3:24-cv-02286 addressing this exact defect on this exact engine.

NHTSA ODI 11732131

Driving in a construction zone. Two lane highway and my car immediately went into limp mode. Left me and my children stranded on the side of the road while semis and cars driving 65 mph went past very close to us. Honda knows these accords have head gasket issues and it is unsafe to be driving them.

NHTSA ODI 11732132

Subject: Formal Complaint – Unresolved Safety Issues Following Recall Service (2018 Honda Accord) I am submitting a formal complaint regarding ongoing and unresolved safety issues with my 2018 Honda Accord, which began during the time frame of a fuel pump recall and have not been properly resolved despite multiple attempts with Honda service departments. Approximately two years ago, my vehicle was subject to a fuel pump recall. During the extended wait period for the replacement part, my vehicle began displaying multiple warning messages and experiencing performance issues. These issues included reduced acceleration and erratic driving behavior. Once the recall repair was completed, I was informed that an additional repair—a battery sensor replacement—was necessary, which cost approximately $800 out of pocket. Despite completing both the recall repair and the recommended sensor replacement, my vehicle has not operated properly since that time. Currently, the vehicle intermittently displays multiple system warnings, including but not limited to: - Emission system problem - Brake system and brake hold system problems - Electric power steering problem (reduced steering assist) - Vehicle stability and traction control warnings - Adaptive cruise control system problem - Collision mitigation braking system problem - Road departure mitigation system problem In addition, the vehicle frequently enters a reduced power or “limp mode,” making it difficult to accelerate safely, particularly at lower speeds. Restarting the vehicle temporarily resolves the issue, but the warnings and performance problems return shortly after. I have brought this vehicle to Honda service departments on multiple occasions. The vehicle was held for extended periods without resolution, and I ultimately had to retrieve it without a clear diagnosis or repair plan. I also contacted American Honda for assistance and did not receive meaningful support.

NHTSA ODI 11731841

Apparently, my car has a leaking head gasket. It was confirmed by the Honda Dealership. While driving it will go in limp mode and will no longer accelerate. I have to pull off to the side of the road, turn the car off, and back on just to get to where I'm going. It is causing my car to stutter really bad and we're constantly having to put coolant in it. This is a safety issue and will cost about $7000 to get fixed. The most recent time it did it, I was at a stop sign and starting to go to turn and my car just would no longer accelerate.

NHTSA ODI 11731653

Infotainment center continually freezes. When it does, backup camera does not work. I have tried software updates but it has gotten worse. It is also very slow to reboot so again, no backup camera during that time.

NHTSA ODI 11731677

The dashboard on the vehicle lights up with multiple error notifications. This puts the vehicle in limp mode. Indicates emissions errors, check engine, lane mitigation, brakes, control system. Per different customers this fault is being caused by either faulty fuel injector, miss fire, bad ignition coils, damage head gaskets, or turbo mechanism faulty. My vehicle has 70,000 miles and others in the chat have less miles that are having similar problems. Head gaskets should not fail so soon with proper maintenance. My obd2 scan code is miss fire which could Indicate faulty spark plugs, coil, injector or headgasket. For a vehicle at 70,000 miles this shouldn't happen. Vehicle has been maintained as the manufacturer recommendations

NHTSA ODI 11731333

We’re driving home when the vehicle suddenly had a significant reduction in power and the car would not accelerate beyond 5 mph. Honda calls it “limp mode”. I was approximately 2 to 3 miles from home. Approximately 20 vehicles swerved passed us at normal road speeds of approximately 50 mph. The only warning light that came on was a flashing “check engine” light. The vehicle towed to Elk Grove Honda, I initially thought it may the turbocharger because I could hear a grinding sound emitting from that area. EG Honda diagnosed the issue as coolant leaking into the cylinder, which caused the misfire from a faulty head gasket. It is understood this faulty head gasket issue is part of a California class action lawsuit related to 2018-2022 Honda 1.5L turbocharged VTEC engines.

NHTSA ODI 11731355

I was driving down a 45mph street when my car shut down, complete power failure. Dashboard lit up with all kinds of warnings. It had to be towed to the nearest shop.

NHTSA ODI 11731436

Pulling out in front of High Speed Traffic, Engine went into Safe Mode with Check Engine Light. Fortunately a car at high speed avoided rear ending my car. Upon evaluation, DTC Code P0303 (Cylinder 3 - Misfire) was present. Coils and Spark Plugs were changed but car was still misfiring. Honda has a Warranty for 150k/ 10 year on Fuel Injectors but this VIN was not on list based on Honda Service Department. The Honda Service Department evaluated and Car has Head Gasket Leak in Cylinder 3. This is a widely known problem reported on many Honda Owner websites and Honda Service acknowledged it was an issue but is not a “Recall” despite the potential Safety Risk on the Road when car goes in to Protect / Shutdown Mode. The nature of this issue occurring on a well maintained car with 147k miles that is 8 years old and not being a Recall and a Safety related item is being reported by me as me and my family could have been impacted by a rear end collision as car shut down / protect mode. This could and likely has occurred to other owners and possibly attributed to accidents and Safety of passengers. Honda wants over $11k to repair the car which includes Fuel Injectors / Plugs / Coils / New Head as they reflect old head can’t be used even if machined / Head Gasket. This issue is a Safety related issue and should be a Honda Recall as the Head Bolts are a known design issue causing premature failure of the Head Gasket. Submitting this to document my incident, protect the public driving this model and year and hopefully providing information to warrant a recall so that all repairs will be performed under Recall Warranty. Also to protect the public from a Honda Accord Safety issue for 2018 Honda Accord LX.

NHTSA ODI 11731442

I just submitted a complaint but wanted to add that after my car lost all power on a 45mph road and went into limp mode it then was towed to the closest shop. I do have a warranty but when I called Honda they said it wasn't covered The shop I took it to charged me 4100 dollars for a blown head gasket which from researching it looks like this is happening to all 2018 Honda accords This is low mileage and unacceptable , turns out after I called and told Honda they refused to pay because I had already had the shop look for the problem So I had to pay 4100 for an issue Honda clearly knows about This is unfair and Honda needs to fix this issue

NHTSA ODI 11731446

The head gasket failed which caused the vehicle to stall out while driving which poses a safety threat to the driver and others due to other vehicles possibly colliding with the vehicle when stalling out. Also, this issue cause the warning light of the engine overheating, which required me to pull over while driving to prevent additional damage to the engine. The vehicle was taken to a nearby dealership for repairs that cost $3,898.91. Upon research, this is a standard issue with this year, make, and model that Honda has refused to address through a recall.

NHTSA ODI 11731054

2018 Honda Accord with blown head gasket. Vehicle has a 1.5L turbo charged engine and 100,000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11731190

The vehicle began to overheat while traveling at fair speeds (35mph) on state road. Thermostat reading increased to H and vehicle note read “vehicle overheating” please park car. Car temperature read over 104 degrees Fahrenheit. No check engine light present. Vehicle was parked and turned off to cool.

NHTSA ODI 11731199

I am experiencing an ongoing issue with my 2018 Honda Accord LX 1.5L where multiple warning lights on the dashboard illuminate simultaneously without warning, often described as the dash lighting up “like a Christmas tree.” These lights include (but are not limited to) collision mitigation braking system, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, power steering, and other safety-related systems. The issue appears to occur intermittently and without a clear cause. When this happens, several driver-assist and safety features become disabled, which raises serious safety concerns while operating the vehicle. After researching this problem, I have found numerous reports from other Honda Accord owners experiencing the exact same issue across various online forums and communities. Many of these individuals have also been advised to file complaints with NHTSA due to the widespread nature of the problem. This appears to be a potential systemic or electrical issue that affects multiple critical safety systems at once. I believe this defect could pose a significant safety risk and should be investigated further.

NHTSA ODI 11730729

When Tpms light comes on, all safety features including cruise control become disabled. Lane assist and collision safety features become disabled. On top of that, I have had Honda look at my rear end after they replaced a rear upper control arm after being in a ditch and at 246,000 current miles, I have replaced my tires 16 times due to the rear tires ripping the tread off between 10-15k. If there was nothing else wrong, why have I spent between $10,000-$15,000 miles on tires? I have had numerous alignments at Honda and elsewhere. Marion Honda claims it’s normal! I was told I can put adjustable control arms on. I have met other Honda accord sport 1.5t owners with 50k miles on one set of tires, yet I can’t get more than 15k on the rear tires. Clearly something is bent or incorrect currently I am re replacing the upper control arm.. They say the alignment rack does not flag anything. I have bought between Goodyear, Michelin, and Pirelli tires they also replaced a turbo, only for a few months later to have a pressure problem that Findlay Honda found I was missing an oring in the turbo or intercooler. How? Orings do not call out. Fast forward 18 months and another bad turbo on this lemon!

NHTSA ODI 11730610

My air conditioner EVAPORATOR CORE HAS A HUGE LEAK. Dealership told me they just go bad its not even 10 yrs old 2018 Honda accord ex just go bad a hole ?? Honda extended the condenser warranty to the evaporated core but the dealership said no just the condenser I'm sorry. But you got lot people out here with just hole in there evaporator core this is not normal and to be told its 2800 to fix and could go bad again in 5 yrs . My air conditioner was fine in September 2025 now April 2026 a hole leaking ?????

NHTSA ODI 11730508