What 1,812 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Honda Accord Plug In Hybrid

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

There are 13 alerts showing on the instrument panel for various systems not functioning, along with accompanying yellow dash lights such as tire pressure, ABS, brake system, traction control, ACC, and LKAS. Systems not available include, ABS system, Adaptive Cruise Control, Road Departure Mitigation, Auto High-Beam, TPMS, Electric Power Steering, plus several others. These alerts first started January 2026 and occasionally would disappear; however, over the past few months the warnings have become constant. The vehicle has approx. 120,000 miles. Due to TPMS not functioning, I am not given a warning when a tire has gone flat/blown while driving as the tire pressure light is always on the dash. The only warning I am provided is the sound/smell of the rim dragging along the road to notify me the tire is flat. This poses a risk to myself and others by creating an emergent situation requiring me to pull over rapidly. Another incident occurred when ACC was enabled (at a time when the alerts had been appearing on and off). Cruise control set at 70 mph when suddenly the above mentioned alerts reappeared and ACC system became unavailable, leading to unexpected deceleration on the highway. This poses a risk to myself and others as it creates unpredictable driving patterns, unbeknownst to the driver. Initially I replaced the battery with no resolution of the issue. I later discovered maintenance code displayed by the vehicle was C003A-62 for Right Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit Failure (circuit short to ground or open). The mechanic recommended replacing the right wheel hub assembly as this was suspected to be the cause of failed circuit. When that repair lasted no more than 10 mins before the warnings reappeared, the right rear wheel speed sensor itself was then replaced. Similarly, this did not fix the issue. I have not sought additional service due to repair costs beginning to add up with no resolution. Based on the history of reports, this issue does not seem uncommon.

NHTSA ODI 11746593

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH with the cruise control engaged, the brakes suddenly applied without application. The brake message was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified about the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 99,735.

NHTSA ODI 11741243

Vehicle: 2018 Honda Accord On [XXX], at approximately [XXX] PM, I was driving on [XXX] [XXX] at approximately 35 mph. The weather was clear and the road was dry. A vehicle ahead of me began turning into [XXX] N. My vehicle’s Collision Mitigation Braking System / automatic emergency braking system activated suddenly. The system made an audible warning sound, displayed a warning icon, and applied braking even though I did not believe there was a crash-imminent situation. There were vehicles behind me at the time, so the unexpected braking created a potential rear-end collision risk. The braking event also caused back pain, and I later experienced some stomach discomfort. I am concerned this was a false activation of the automatic emergency braking / Collision Mitigation Braking System. I am also concerned because the system reactivates after the vehicle is restarted, meaning I cannot reliably prevent another unexpected braking event from occurring. I am requesting that this be documented as a vehicle safety concern involving possible false activation of the automatic emergency braking system. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11739724

While driving vehicle detected both road departure and engaged the emergency automated braking. The vehicle attempted to correct the "road departure" by steering the vehicle away from the perceived problem and engaged the brakes nearly causing a collision as it has done numerous times before. I have reported this to NHTSA and American Honda multiple times and await a repair of this dangerous issue. Honda has opened a case on this but have had 18 months and no response has been issued.

NHTSA ODI 11739622

- the car's automated systems randomly applies severe breaking at improper times - the cars head gasket has blown and in turn has blown the radiator and thermostat

NHTSA ODI 11738708

The day I purchased the vehicle from the dealer, every warning light began cycling on including the automatic emergency braking failure, engine system failure and others. I immediately took the car back to the dealer and they supposedly repaired it. When the car was returned to me, I drove it for less than a week and the same thing happened again. When the light came on, the car’s auto braking and cruise control stopped working. I took it back to the dealer and they said it was the head gaskets, which they fixed. When I got the car back again, I drove it for 2 days and it did the same thing again, this time all of the warning codes came on. This time, I had a total engine failure because the timing chain broke. The dealer took almost two months to replace the engine and it cost us almost $6,000. I got the car back last Saturday. Today, driving home from work, the automatic brake system failure warning came on again and the car won’t automatically brake and cruise control wouldn’t work. This is exactly what happened last time. I am afraid to drive this car because I don’t know if the brakes will fail and the system currently isn’t working. We are taking it back to the dealer which will likely cost us more money. We are stuck with this car and cannot get rid of it because we owe more money on it then it is worth because of replacing the engine.

NHTSA ODI 11734702

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

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

I have bought this car new in 2018, The issue that I’m having is that ..I’ll be driving on the highway or local my car will brake on its own without any hazards in front of it . It’s very dangerous it almost caused me an accident on the highway .

NHTSA ODI 11730535

I own a 2018 Honda Accord equipped with Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS). The vehicle has experienced multiple instances of false collision warnings and phantom braking. The issue occasionally occurs when approaching overhead interstate signs. In most cases, the system flashes brake warnings briefly and then clears. However, on one occasion during rainy conditions a few years ago, the vehicle unexpectedly applied the brakes at highway speed with no obstacle present. The vehicle has undergone multiple camera calibrations (this may have also included the radar), but the problem persists. This creates a serious safety hazard, particularly at highway speeds where sudden braking could result in a rear-end collision. The issue appears to be related to false object detection by the ADAS system, potentially involving radar or sensor misinterpretation.

NHTSA ODI 11726665

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. No warning light was illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11725262

Experiencing an ongoing issue where multiple warning lights appear on the dashboard at the same time. The lights include several safety and system warnings, making it look like many different systems in the vehicle are malfunctioning simultaneously. Even after repairs were made, the dashboard warning lights continue to stay on or return shortly after. It has become frustrating because the vehicle continues to show problems even when something has already been fixed. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. How can we know if something is actually malfunctioning if codes are being thrown, constantly?? We also can’t use the safety features included with the vehicle when this is happening. Having so many warning lights on at once also creates concern about the reliability and safety of the vehicle, especially since several of the warnings relate to important systems such as braking, driver assistance features, and engine performance. Repairs aren’t helping and I’m seeing sooooo many other 2018 accord owners with the same issue, as has been documented with this site, NHTSA

NHTSA ODI 11724803

While driving in a busy area with pedestrians and other vehicles, my car hard braked out of nowhere to a complete stop for no reason. I was nearly rear ended. The adaptive cruise control shuts off completely after 15 minutes in use. Says to take it to the nearest dealership. Turning off and restarting the car gets rid of the notification.

NHTSA ODI 11724476

All dash lights are on and the Honda dealership told me I have a blown head gasket, need a turbo replacement & fuel pump in which I wasn’t able to drive the car for 7 months at 112,276 miles..This seems like a known issue for this make and model vehicle after 100,000 miles

NHTSA ODI 11721898

Car initiated emergency auto break while traveling on the freeway at high speed (70 plus mph) in Phoenix, AZ for no reasons. There were no objects or cars within 500 feet, however I was approaching an overpass. This occurred multiple times on the freeway and on local roads. Reported to Honda, no fix.

NHTSA ODI 11717528

All dashboard lights are on & will not go away!

NHTSA ODI 11710537

My car is having the head gasket issue which caused an issue while driving.

NHTSA ODI 11710055

Upwards of a dozen times my Honda Accord will suddenly brake as it believes I am about to have a collision whereas it is typically a shadow. This happens when going under bridges or overpasses, or depending on the glare from the sun. This has happened several times on the highway causing multiple near collisions at high speeds. This is extremely dangerous and requires an adjustment or recall. I have had this part stolen and replaced through a Honda approved repair shop yet the issue persists.

NHTSA ODI 11707669

Hi, to whom it may concern my dashboard lights have been on for months now and I’ve taken it to the dealership I purchased my car from and it comes back that it’s the turbo that needs replacing. The pricing of that is ridiculous and I’m currently not the ONLY one with this issue ! It’s an ALL AROUND THE WORLD thing! I’m not sure about anybody else but I don’t have that type of money plus while paying other important bills ! There should be a recall against the turbo replacement as well! And just what if I was to get the turbo replacement and then the lights come back on, because I’ve seen multiple people saying the replacement didn’t help with the lights and still have gotten other things done and the lights only off for a couple days ! Indeed of answers because this is ridiculous!

NHTSA ODI 11707261

The car will have all lights on dashboard showing, car has been taken multiple times to dealership and nothing seems to be wrong but this cause all safety features to malfunction. I have talked with other Honda owners, on forums and acquaintances and they have similar issues.

NHTSA ODI 11707143

These also are warning signals that keep coming on I took it to AutoZone obd scanner said is was misfire cylinder2got spark plug changed and engine coil still showing same thing on scanner

NHTSA ODI 11703678

The problem I am having with my vehicle Honda accord 2018 is with the head gasket. I was on the highway and as I was driving suddenly all the signs came on the display and gave a warning that my vehicle is overheating and it came down to 20mph while I was on the highway. This was very risky to me and the other vehicle around me.

NHTSA ODI 11700713

After having fuel pump replaced by recall at random times dashboard will light up with all system lights, car will go into limp mode and loose power for a few seconds and then I am able to resume driving. Extremely scary as there is no warning. This has happened both on the freeway at high rates of speed and on neighborhood roadways. Safety has been compromised several times and Honda dealer is not able to reproduce the issue, retrieve any warning codes or offer any assistance. This has randomly been occurring for several months. When not having this exact issue car runs with no other issues.

NHTSA ODI 11700101

The warning lights for many areas has come on without warning. The car runs and drives fine. Took it to Honda. They want between 500 - 2500 to resolve the issue and replace the front radar. This appears to be a consistent problem for these 2018 Hondas. I already had to have the fuel injectors replaced at 48k miles. Another common Honda problem. Please help us as consumers

NHTSA ODI 11697749