What 217 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Accord Plug In Hybrid

Infotainment is malfunctioning and it is available for inspection. The screen clicks on its own, and leads to GPS errors, makes incorrect phone calls and does not respond to my inputs. It has not been reproduced by the dealer, but I have videos and have shown the dealer. It has not been inspected by others. There were no messages or warning lamps.

NHTSA ODI 11740242

The touch screen display malfunctions and is often either unresponsive or it has ghost touches and moves across various screens while you are driving and during navigation. The system will make calls, activate voice assistance, move the map when navigation is active to where you can no longer see your route, switch between audio sources, open random apps, etc while driving leading to distraction. The touch screen will not respond to your touch but continue to do its own thing. This is dangerous while driving because it is hard to end calls, get back to your navigation, or focus on the road when voice assistants are activated randomly and difficult to turn off. There is not a reset button for this issue so it may continue the duration of your drive. The issue has been confirmed by a dealer with the suggestion to replace but online forums suggest this is a widespread issue and replacement does alleviate the problem. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance. There were not any warning lamps, messages, or systems prior to the issue.

NHTSA ODI 11739658

Ghost touch on the radio screen and it’s worst when it’s hot

NHTSA ODI 11739286

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brakes would suddenly apply, stopping the vehicle immediately. The failure had become more persistent. The contact would immediately apply the accelerator, and the vehicle would gradually accelerate forward. The traction control failure, brake system failure, cruise control, and the mediation light were illuminated, all related to the various drive assistance systems within the vehicle. When attempting to shift from the sport mode to economy or regular modes, it shows as unable or failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

NHTSA ODI 11737225

I bought my vehicle around May 2024. Initially, everything seemed fine. However, I noticed that my car was starting to slow down and would enter limp mode, preventing me from exceeding a certain mileage. Subsequently, all the lights on my dashboard began flashing, prompting me to pull over and call a mechanic shop. I had all the necessary maintenance and repairs performed as per the plan. After starting the vehicle, all the lights turned off, and it drove smoothly. A few weeks later, all the lights came back on again, and nothing showed on the OB2 Reader, which I thought was odd because something shouldve popped up if all the lights on my dashboard was going all crazy. The mechanic said the same thing and maybe thought it was the battery, sensors going bad, or even the wiring. But he checked everything and said he didnt find any issues. So I went home and the lights on the dashboard stayed on for 30 seconds and then turned off after I started the car. The lights turning on all at once on the dashboard became more frequent and this time, the check engine light illuminated, indicating a misfiring issue. I took the vehicle to a mechanic shop for a thorough inspection, and they made a few minor adjustments. However, two months later, the same problem recurred. All the lights came on again, and the vehicle misfired once more, accompanied by the check engine light. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the issue was a head gasket leak. Additionally, the seat belt alert for the passenger and rear seats, as well as the child car seat, failed to function properly.

NHTSA ODI 11736561

2021 Honda Accord EX-L, 1.5T turbocharged engine. Within 8 months of purchase at approximately 21,900 miles, I experienced three separate incidents of sudden complete engine power loss at highway speeds. During each incident the vehicle would not exceed 2,000 RPM and multiple warning lights illuminated simultaneously including check engine, TPMS, brake system warning, and Honda Sensing alerts. The vehicle was inspected by two independent Honda dealerships on multiple occasions including cylinder drop tests, leakdown tests, and full fluid checks. The vehicle passed every test at both locations with fluids confirmed properly maintained. Despite passing all professional inspections the power loss incidents continued to recur. The third incident occurred in a residential driveway with a passenger present and was captured on video. A Honda dealership subsequently diagnosed a head gasket coolant leak with an estimated repair cost of approximately $8,000. Research revealed numerous other 2021 Honda Accord 1.5T owners reporting identical symptoms regardless of maintenance history. This appears to be a known design defect in the 1.5T cylinder head where a narrow coolant passage represents a structural weak point that fails regardless of maintenance. Owners have been reporting this to NHTSA since 2024 requesting a recall. This defect created dangerous conditions at highway speeds with passengers present on multiple occasions. The vehicle is currently available for inspection at a Honda dealership. I am requesting NHTSA investigate and initiate a formal recall of all affected vehicles. i have everthing documeneted from the 4 dealship visit ive done since the start of the issue.

NHTSA ODI 11735578

Infotainment Center: I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2021 Honda Accord Sport and the ongoing issues I’ve experienced with its infotainment system. This problem has been persistent, unpredictable, and increasingly concerning from both a usability and safety standpoint. Since purchasing the vehicle, the infotainment center has repeatedly malfunctioned without any warning. The screen will freeze, switch from setting to setting, or become unresponsive to touch input. At times, it will randomly reboot while I am driving. These issues occur regardless of whether I am using navigation, Bluetooth audio, or even when the system is idle. This also affects the ADAS, periodically, warnings will be displayed, and then not show up. What makes this especially troubling is how it affects my ability to safely operate the vehicle. For example, when the system freezes, I lose access to navigation directions mid-route, which forces me to either drive without guidance or attempt to troubleshoot the issue while on the road. Similarly, when using hands-free calling or music controls, the glitches can be distracting and require repeated attempts to regain control, taking my attention away from driving. I rely on my vehicle daily, and this ongoing issue has caused a great deal of frustration and concern. A modern vehicle’s infotainment system is not just a convenience—it is integrated into essential driving functions. When it fails, it directly impacts driver awareness and safety. I am requesting that this issue be investigated further, as it appears to be a systemic problem rather than an isolated defect. I hope that by reporting this, it may help lead to a resolution for myself and other drivers experiencing similar problems.

NHTSA ODI 11735026

Unknown

NHTSA ODI 11734142

Car went into limp mode

NHTSA ODI 11732244

The lights and warnings below popped up on my dash after the engine light had come on and then off again for about a week. See below, -Emission system problem Avoid heavy acceleration and high speed. See dealer -tpms light -brake system problem -brake hold system problem -electric power steering system problem -vehicle stability assist system problem -hill start assist problem -adaptive cruise control system problem -collision mitigation braking system problem -road departure mitigation system problem Went to get diagnosed at the dealership and was told that the turbo on my engine had failed. Mechanic said it had nothing to do with me and that it failed on its own. I saw that it was a reoccurring problem with other Honda owners with the same year, make, and model as mine but are being given the run around and no solution.

NHTSA ODI 11731289

The USB port in the center console of my 2022 Honda Accord (VIN: [XXX] ) is physically loose and wobbly, causing intermittent disconnection of Apple CarPlay. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. When CarPlay disconnects while driving, I lose access to my navigation (GPS), requiring me to manually interact with my phone or the infotainment screen to restore the connection. This creates a significant distracted driving hazard. The disconnection occurs unpredictably with minor road vibrations or bumps, meaning it frequently happens at highway speeds. Not yet. The vehicle has not yet been brought in for this specific issue. The problem is consistently reproducible — any slight movement of the USB cable causes disconnection. This is a known and widely reported issue No. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by any of these parties regarding this specific defect. No warning lamps illuminate. The only symptom is the CarPlay interface disconnecting on the screen when the vehicle hits a bump or the cable is slightly moved, indicating the USB port itself is physically loose and failing to maintain a stable connection. The issue began and has persisted since I first noticed it. No prior warning was given before the port became loose. The USB port used for wired Apple CarPlay is physically loose and wobbly, causing the connection to drop with the slightest vibration or road bump. I have tried multiple cables and positions without improvement. Losing CarPlay while driving means losing active navigation, forcing dangerous driver distraction to reconnect. This is a known defect reported by numerous 2021 Accord owners. I am requesting this be investigated for a potential recall or technical service bulletin.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11729856

Head gasket issue please fix this problem for the customers

NHTSA ODI 11729907

4 out of 5 times driving the car the infotainment screen with get random touches guiding you to unknown menus or system setting or maybe just to a different radio station. Where I think this becomes a legitimate safety concern (asside from changing vehicle settings like security) is when trying to use maps function the random touches will direct the map away from where you are or where your next turn might be. So you basically need to keep hitting re-center just to get you back on course. However most of the time there is an uncomanded touch that is stuck on the screen or possibly a number of touches that prevent a real finger print touch to be sensed ultimately preventing you from re-centering. This causes extended moments where attention is taken away from the road or late/last minute route correction causing unsafe road/driving conditions. The manufacturer only recommends doing a system restart of your infotainment screen which does nothing or complete replacement of the screen which in many cases including my own is not covered by warranty.... the alternative is to disconnect your phone from android auto or apple car play and use it in your hand which again causes distracted driving. If this was something as simple as a volume knob or temperature control not responding I wouldn't even be here but since it always touching different placed and navigating you places you dont want to be i see it as a clear safety issue that should be corrected. Thanks

NHTSA ODI 11728485

Driving on the highway, my dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree. Car started having white smoke at tail pipe. Check engine lit blink 5 times. Had 4 kids under 14 years old in car. Almost got hit trying to merge over. Turns out misfire cylinder 4. Head gasket. Only 81,000 miles. I have owed 5 months. Car currently at Honda, they want almost 4,400 to repair. But apparently, Honda is aware of these HEAD gaskets going prematurely, in 1.5 l. and has done nothing about it. I do not have the money to repair this car on top of how dangerous it was to be driving on the highway.When this happened.

NHTSA ODI 11726618

ssue: Water intrusion into tail light assembly causing electrical and safety system malfunctions Status: Repaired at owner expense (~$800) Concern: Safety‑related defect and potential pattern across vehicles Description of the Issue: My 2021 Honda Accord experienced a failure where water entered the tail light assembly and caused electrical shorts. This resulted in multiple safety‑critical system warnings, including brake system alerts, ABS/VSA warnings, and Honda Sensing failures. The vehicle also lost acceleration and entered a reduced‑power “limp mode,” creating a hazardous driving situation. The dealership diagnosed the issue as water intrusion into the tail light assembly. The entire assembly had to be replaced at a cost of over $800. After replacement, all warnings and drivability issues resolved immediately.

NHTSA ODI 11725968

Fuel pressure dropped and car stalled

NHTSA ODI 11724387

A transmission problem occurred shortly after a CVT transmission service was performed at an authorized Honda dealership, Classic Honda of Midland in Midland, Texas. After the service, the vehicle began experiencing abnormal noise, vibration, and harsh driving conditions. The vehicle was later inspected at another authorized Honda dealership, Ocean Honda of Burlingame, California. During the inspection, technicians documented that the CVT transmission fluid had been overfilled and excess transmission fluid had to be drained. After further evaluation, internal transmission damage was identified and the dealership advised that the transmission likely needs replacement. Ocean Honda of Burlingame provided an estimated cost of 10,101.13 for transmission replacement. Attempts were made to resolve the issue directly with Classic Honda of Midland in Texas, but the dealership refused to take responsibility or provide assistance. This condition may create a safety risk due to potential loss of power and unsafe drivability while operating the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11724363

I am writing to file a complaint on the service that was provided at Vann York Honda. On February 17, 2026, I was returning home from work and my car had a hard idle at start up. I was able to drive it home without issue. The next day, February 18, I got in my car and I had another hard idle start with many check engine codes appearing on the dashboard. I drove it to Vann York Honda in High Point, North Carolina for service. I was told it was a faulty fuel injector causing the problem and that it needed to be replaced. I left the car there over night and paid for the service; approximately 3,000. I got the car back on February 19. On February 20, I again had a rough idle on start up. I brought the car back to Vann York Honda and advised them that I was experiencing the same issue as before. The mechanic brought it to the back and advised me that he could not find anything wrong with the vehicle and that it is running fine. I expressed my concerns with the vehicle and he stated that without a error code or check engine light being on, it would be difficult to diagnose. The technician and the advisor said to keep driving it until a light comes on saying there is a problem since they could not find an issue. in the following 2 weeks, I had regular rough idles on start up and the fuel efficiency dropped approximately 6 miles per gallon. When I filled the car with gas, the fuel range dropped from 540 to 370. When I called about that issue, they said they reset the computer when performing the previous service on the vehicle and it is taking time for the computer to "learn" the car again. On March 6, I brought the vehicle back to Vann York Honda due to many check engine codes appearing on the dashboard. On the way to Vann York, the service advisor called me and stated that she would be reaching out to Honda Corporate to see about Honda paying for some of the cost of this service. My wife and I drove into the service bay and I spoke with the service adviso

NHTSA ODI 11723808

I am reporting a serious safety concern involving my 2021 Honda Accord Sport SE. The issue began at approximately 78,000 miles when multiple warning lights suddenly appeared on the dashboard while driving. At the same time, the vehicle began shaking and had difficulty accelerating. The engine felt unstable and the car struggled to gain speed. I immediately took the vehicle to a mechanic where it was diagnosed with an engine misfire on cylinder 3. The spark plug and ignition coil were replaced. After this repair the vehicle appeared to run normally for a short time, but the exact same symptoms returned shortly afterward. The vehicle again began shaking while driving and experienced loss of power and poor acceleration. This creates a serious safety concern, especially when merging onto highways or driving in traffic where sudden loss of power could lead to an accident. After researching this issue, I discovered numerous complaints from other owners of 2021 Honda Accords describing the same symptoms that ultimately resulted in blown head gasket failures. These complaints appear in the NHTSA database and other consumer forums. The pattern of engine misfires, shaking, and loss of acceleration appears to be consistent across many vehicles with similar mileage. Despite the number of similar complaints, there are currently no recalls associated with my VIN. I believe this may indicate a broader manufacturing defect affecting these vehicles. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue further to determine whether a safety defect exists that could require a recall or other corrective action.

NHTSA ODI 11723127

This has been reported one time before but the situation has gotten worse when driving at approximately 60ish miles per hour but it starts doing it about between 50 and 70 mph when driving and the car is using the regular engine not the EV section. You will randomly lose the ability to accelerate and you have to remove your foot from the gas let the engine slow and then re-accelerate now for the second time as I'm driving I lose the ability to accelerate at all and no matter what I do the car will slow almost every warning light on the dash comes on and there are 11 different warnings I've uploaded photos of a few I have a video though also and you lose complete power and ability to drive warning lights such as power steering problem emissions problem powertrain problem all of those are part of what turns on if you try to move the vehicle it will not move unless it is an EV mode and even then it only works for several feet but you can't get over a few miles per hour if you are on the highway like I was going 65 mph and there's traffic is extremely dangerous the only reason I was not hit was because I turn my emergency lights on and was able to maneuver my vehicle to the shoulder safely had I been in a more busy section of the road or had I been in an area where I could not get off the road I would have been hit by another vehicle. Honda has stated they can't find anything wrong with the vehicle but a quick Google search shows that this is a common issue and I have a video of the dash with all the warning lights should anyone need it as well as photos.

NHTSA ODI 11722767

There are two locations in the town I live where I am driving under a bridge, and there is a dark shadow on the road from the bridge. My car’s accident mitigation braking system turns on at these locations and suddenly brakes the vehicle. This is not safe as people are traveling speed limit around me and I can cause an accident this way. About a month or two ago, the car behind me almost hit me at one of these locations when my vehicle’s automatic braking system turned on. It was made to prevent accident and brake if there is a vehicle, but because it is braking due to a dark shadow coming, it is not working properly and needs to be looked into. I called Honda and they want me to pay hundreds of dollars at my local Honda dealership for a diagnosis, I do not feel like I should be responsible for that fee as this is a safety feature that is not working as it should and instead making it less safe for me and drivers around me.

NHTSA ODI 11721817

While driving the automatic brake system randomly starts flashing brake across the instrument panel and begins to brake the car. This does this while there are no other vehicles or any type of obstacles near the vehicle. It also, does it at random caution lights for the fire department on a 4 lane divided highway. There is no way to stop it from doing so. This happens frequently and leaves the driver with no control over the braking system.

NHTSA ODI 11721507

This Honda Accord Sport SE has had electrical problems from the day I received the vehicle. Every time I went for an oil change at Bommarito Honda I mentioned it to them and they said “yeah the new Hondas do tend to hand a lot of those electrical problems” so with this the problems continued to get worse. Sometimes the buttons do not work, sometimes they do, sometimes the lights don’t work and sometimes they do and sometimes the safety features and break system automated itself. I have slammed my head on the steering wheel on multiple occasions. I believe this needs to be looked into because the malfunction of the car falsely reports danger and caused an accident. Yes every time it malfunctions it flashes briefly and so quickly on the screen .

NHTSA ODI 11720988

All the lights came on in my car and it wouldn’t accelerate. Brought to dealership and they stated it was a blown head gasket and it was a known problem with the 1.5 turbo cars. There are also 2 others problems that are known problems with these cars and Honda isn’t doing anything about it.

NHTSA ODI 11719498

The Body Control Module has gone out on my 2021 Honda Accord. Yesterday, when it went out, it affected ALL ADAS Features, in addition to key functionality of the car.

NHTSA ODI 11718272