2013 Honda Accord
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 1,421 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 25 Accord model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 67 involved a crash and 9 involved a fire. 59 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, driveline, driveshaftJun 19, 2025
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Honda Accord vehicles equipped with a 4-cylinder engine and a continuously-variable transmission. The affected vehicles were originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The driveshaft may corrode and break, due to damage from road salt or other contaminants.
A broken driveshaft can result in a loss of drive power, or a vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied. Both scenarios can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the driveshaft assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is OM2. This recall expands previous recall number 20V769.
Campaign 25V422000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpDec 18, 2023
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Campaign 23V858000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, driveline, driveshaftDec 10, 2020
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Accord vehicles equipped with a 4-cylinder engine and a continuously-variable transmission that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The drive shafts were assembled with a lubricant that may have degraded the drive shafts' protective coating, making it more susceptible to damage from road salt or other contaminants, and potentially cause it to break.
A broken drive shaft may cause a sudden loss of drive power. The vehicle could also roll away if the parking brake has not been applied before the vehicle has been exited. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shafts, replacing both the left and right drive shafts, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 4, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Campaign 20V769000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, 12v/24v/48v batteryJun 29, 2017
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Honda Accord vehicles. The case for the battery sensor, part of the battery management system, may allow water to get in, potentially causing an electrical short.
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensor, free of charge. Dealers will perform an interim remedy of applying adhesive to the case to prevent water intrusion. The recall began November 8, 2017. Owners may contact American Honda Customer Support Center at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KG0.
Campaign 17V418000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasolineJul 8, 2013
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2013 Accord vehicles that are Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) II rated that were manufactured January 15, 2013, through April 5, 2013. The fuel tank neck may be out of specification causing the fuel pump to not properly seal to the fuel tank.
An insufficent seal may led to a fuel leak which increases the risk of a fire.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, nut and O-ring gasket free of charge. The recall began during August 2013. Honda's recall number is JA9. Owners may contact Honda at 1-310-783-2000.
Campaign 13V297000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
1,421 reports, newest first.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH in the rain, the windshield wipers stopped operating as needed. The contact was able to continue driving at slower speeds. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 7, 2023
The ABS Modulator Assembly VSA for my Honda Accord LX-S Coupe is failing. My dashboard has several lights on the dash indicating an issue with ABS system. A mechanic (Russell & Smith Honda) in Houston, TX inspected my car on Wednesday, June 7 and indicated that the ABS system needs to be replaced. The ABS Modulator needs to be recalled because the wiring inside the modulator is incredibly thin. This is the only module that is failing and has this type of wiring thus creating a broken circuit. Honda should have instead created a circuit board with thicker wiring and act as a connector itself. Honda should be held responsible to creating a safer ABS modulator. This is a major safety concern as it affects thousands of people owning this vehicle and increases the likelihood of a brake malfunction. This can cause accidents and it is a costly fix for consumers. I am requesting a recall on this part.
Electrical system, May 30, 2023
About six months ago the starter began to malfunction. It has malfunctioned intermittently ever since. A week ago my wife who drives this car told me the car fails to start more often as she goes to pick up our grandchildren and she is afraid it will simply quit working at all. I am fearing the same thing. She says it makes a clicking or grinding noise and the the dash board lights all come on. After several tries it has started, but I am afraid it will leave them stranded in an unsafe situation. These problems with the 2013-2017 Honda Accords are well know and documented. These cars should be recalled to address this issue. It's a crime that they haven't been. In many cases persons have spent a great deal of money without a solution. O'Daniel Honda in Omaha gave me a price of $818. to replace the starter motor. Yet for some people the problem is ongoing even after replacing the starter motor! Why hasn't a recall been issued?
Power train, May 17, 2023
Good day on may 14, 2023. Driving on the highway in NYC and axle broke almost causing a major accident. My model car and year and also region is listed for a recall on the same part however my vin was not included.
Service brakes, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, May 11, 2023
No accident to report. Just feel the VSA brake modulator part should be a Honda recall. Mine has failed… and I see online that the connector wires are too thin, and this VSA brake modulator is a widespread problem in Honda Accords from 2012-17. All the dashboard warning lights kick on. Anti skid, FCW, ABS!
Steering, Electrical system, May 6, 2023
Started vehicle and power steering was not functioning. Steering light illuminated on dashboard. Car was towed to dealership who started they secured the connection and the problem would not happen again. Two days later exact same issue occurred, no power steering and extremely difficult to steer.
Other or unspecified, Apr 22, 2023
The trunk will not close properly. It appears as if the trunk itself is not even. There is a gap on the side that is larger than the area on the left side. Almost as if the trunk was pulled from another vehicle that wasn't quite the same model. The trunk latch does not close on the first try nor the second or third. Now its not closing at all. Just bought the vehicle Feb. 28, 2023 and already having issues. It was sporadic now it wont close at all.
Steering, Apr 20, 2023
The electronic power steering started pulling right unexpectedly. It started without any warning or indication. One day I just started the engine, started driving and power steering began to pull the car to right side. The dealer diagnosed the car and found no error codes and no damage. Dealer said I need to replace entire electric power steering rack.
Seats, Apr 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated that after parking and returning to the vehicle 30-minutes later, there was an abnormal burning odor inside the cabin of vehicle. The contact discovered a small burn mark on the center of the front passenger’s side seat. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Steering, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 18, 2023
For no known reason numerous warning lights appeared on dashboard (steering, LDW, FCW failure, brakes, low tire pressure). Power steering completely stopped working. It appears ABS, lane departure warning and forward collision warning systems all stopped working. Glad this happened to me and not my wife. It is her car. Dangerous as heck!
Service brakes, Apr 6, 2023
Abs light, steering, tire pressure and traction light came on while I was parked the dash just lit up when I went to the mechanic he said the same car between 13-16 he has gotten 12 different complaints since week only when checked all came up as faulty abs module.
Steering, Mar 20, 2023
I turned on my car and I couldn’t move my wheel left or right. It felt like it was locked. I drove a little forward out of my driveway and I was able to turn my wheel a little bit but I had to do it with great force. the power steering or system failed and made my car unsafe to drive. I couldn’t turn the wheel left or right only forward. There were no warning signs that this failure was going to occur. I contacted Honda accord San Leandro and they said it’s a common problem but not covered. The manufacturer stated it is not a defect and they would charge me to fix it. They will not cover it under warranty.
Electrical system, Mar 15, 2023
Drivers side front door and passenger rear door lock actuator failed to lock and unlock doors. No warning lamps. Could not access door and could not open doors from inside. 2013 Accord Sport.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 14, 2023, crash
The contact owned a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving alone, at approximately 15 - 20 MPH, the brake pedal was applied but failed to respond. The vehicle collided with another vehicle in the parking lot and continued on to collide with a vending machine stopping the vehicle. The contact stated that the driver-side air bag was deployed and a broken arm bone injury was sustained. The contact stated that the sole occupant of the vehicle that was struck sustained neck injuries and received medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss and towed to a lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
Engine, Mar 6, 2023
2013 HONDA ACCORD. CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER PUSHING THE AUTO START BUTTON. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY ALMOST $700 TO REPLACE RELAY BOX IN THE VEHICLE.
Steering, Feb 27, 2023
Vehicle (2013 Honda Accord) repeatedly drifts and pulls to the left while driving under normal conditions; regardless of my speed (10 mph-75mph). I have come close to crossing the center lane into oncoming traffic. I took my vehicle to the Honda dealership for inspection and a wheel alignment and was told I needed to replace the steering rack. The technician stated he had seen this issue before stating the wheel just spun when on the machine. Additionally, I took my vehicle to a local certified mechanic that took my vehicle for a test drive and immediately stated the issue was the steering rack.
Service brakes, Feb 22, 2023
Since 2022 I have been having Abs brake modulator problem. Dealer said it will cost $1700. I have noticed 80% of Honda customers have complained about this to Honda manufacturer but they are refusing to fix it.
Electronic stability control (ESC), Feb 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, there were unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to be diagnosed. The contact was involved that the vehicle stability assist (VSA) module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 146,870.
Steering, Feb 6, 2023
Steering wheel is turning to the left on its own and slightly stiff when turning to the right. I recently did a wheel alignment and changed tie rod end inner and outer driver and passenger side front I presently live in the Bahamas
Engine, Jan 26, 2023
Ever since I bought the vehicle, there are times when I cold start that the vehicle moves slowly. And pressing the gas moves the car at 1/10th the power that I am used to. Not every time, but particularly pronounced when cold. Once it warms up and this low power goes away.
Steering, Jan 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the power steering malfunctioned, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. Additionally, the power steering warning light remained illuminated with the "check charger system" message displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Electrical system, Jan 22, 2023
My car has had problems turning on. The alternator and battery had been changed twice in the past 4 years. I’ve recently changed the battery and alternator and my car still has that problem of turning on my mecanic said it could be the starter now. So battery, alternator and starter problems.
Steering, Jan 20, 2023
I was backing out of my driveway on to my street when I felt something off with the steering. The steering wheel was very very hard to turn and kept pulling to the right on its own. I managed to get the car in front my house and had the car towed to a honda repair shop. Honda diagnosed a power steering unit failure without any dtc code. I was very lucky I wasn't driving in traffic since I had no control.
Steering, Jan 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 10-15 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality intermittently, then completely lost functionality. The steering warning light was illuminated. The contact continued driving to his residence nearby using physical force to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the power steering module had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Jan 10, 2023
Started noticing problem with steering a few weeks ago. Trying to turn left is very loose and oversteers so much that it almost takes me to a U-turn. Even driving straight, I often notice the car being pulled to the left like it's trying to make a turn on its own. Turning right seems more "normal" but also more difficult that I have to use more force to complete the turn. When I took my car in for state-mandated annual inspection, the inspector immediately notified me something is wrong with the steering rack and wouldn't pass inspection, and I should take the car to a mechanic. Manual examination of the car revealed no issues with physical parts, and alignment check also had no issues. So I had another appointment for the electrical system, which diagnosed that the EPS (electrical power steering) sensor is failing, giving inaccurate readings, pulling too much to left and "skipping" on right. They informed me this was a known issue with all 2013/2014 Honda Accords, and I have to spend $3000+ to replace the entire steering rack. Upon further research, I became aware that there have been thousands of complaints filed with NHTSA regarding the same issue, and there is a service bulletin 15-056 extending the EPS sensor warranty to 13 years. So I took my car to a Honda dealer. The technician and the service advisor both recognized the exact same symptoms as described by bulletin 15-056 and recommended the same $3000+ repair to replace the steering rack. However, they said this will NOT be covered by the extended warranty due to lack of DTC codes. She suggested maybe driving around more until I get a code, which according to the technician, only happens upon a catastrophic failure of the torque sensor. I contacted American Honda, and my request for coverage was out-right rejected. Only 41k miles on the car and had been so scared driving since issue started. Outrageous to me they want me to drive dangerously until sensor COMPLETELY fails when it's a known issue for years.