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.
Steering, May 5, 2022
Traveling down the interstate at 65-70 mph and the steering pulled very hard to the left and veered into the left lane decreases speed and had to counter steer to the right which keep me on the road. No warning or maintenance lights on. Dealership diagnosed with failed steering rack and a $3500 repair bill. 2013 Honda Accord EX L 95,000 miles
Steering, May 3, 2022
Power Steering failed while driving car causing me to nearly mow down a group of people waiting on curb for crosswalk.
Steering, Apr 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was pulling to the right. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered an open investigation under NHTSA Action Number: EA21001 which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
Steering, Lane departure, Apr 26, 2022
While driving around 65 mph on the freeway, the car suddenly became hard to steer. The electronic power steering seemed to fail, and multiple warning lights simultaneously appeared on the dashboard (Vehicle Stability Assist, Tire Pressure, Power Steering, Engine). I was in the middle of merging into another lane, and the wheel became jerky and less responsive. The car swerved, but I was able to regain control and pull over. I restarted the car a few times, but this did not resolve the issue. The next day, the power steering returned and the warning lights were no longer on. After driving locally for a few minutes (30+ mph), the power steering failed again, and the cluster of warning lights returned. The power steering continues to fail intermittently while driving, but will return seemingly randomly. I was able to bring the car to a certified Honda dealer, and my service advisor let me know the problem may be related to a known issue with the torque sensor, which had its warranty extended to 13 years in 2013 - 2014 Accords (TSB Warranty Extension 15-056). After inspecting my car, the error code DTC 85-01 was discovered (EPS - VSA malfunction), but it was not covered under the warranty extension (DTC 53-01 / 53-02). The service advisor determined "the problem is the gearbox internally not the outside sensors" and that the steering rack should be replaced at my expense (~$2500). I believe my safety and the safety of others was put at risk because this sudden loss of control could have led to a collision with a driver or pedestrian. This component is necessary to safely drive the car, and I believe the manufacturer is responsible for the premature failure of this component without warning. No warning lights were on prior to this incident, and there was no known history of symptoms/issues related to steering or other major components. No history of accidents. The car with faulty steering gearbox is available for inspection (2013 Honda Accord LX).
Steering, Apr 20, 2022
My car started pulling to the left, and no service lights appear on the dashboard, so I took it to the Honda dealership for an alignment. After inspection, the service consultant took me into the garage, and with my car on a lift, the mechanic turned the steering wheel all the way to the right and upon releasing it, the wheel turns all the way back to the left on its own (very quickly). He said the electronic power steering rack is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced, at a cost of $2,800. I ask if this would be covered under warranty, as it is a serious safety concern. He said it is not. I request a copy of the quote to review options, and I leave the dealership. An hour later the service consultant calls back to say only the electronic steering module needs to be replaced (and not the rack) so the total cost will now be $745 (including an alignment). Honda has recognized the problem, but will not cover under warranty unless diagnostic codes 53-01 or 53-02 appear, but neither code shows up in my vehicle. The car turns by itself to the left, which could potentially steer me into another lane (or oncoming traffic), and I believe this is a serious safety concern for everyone on the road.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 18, 2022
Bought the car in 2013, and around 2015 it started having intermittent problems starting the car. After about 5-6 tries it would start normally and everything would be fine for couple of months. This went on all the way up to this year 2022. At least 6 different times of having my car inspected for this, they could not determine a cause. Come today, it won't start again, and after numerous times it won't start at all. After reading through many numerous owners having the same issues on Accord forums, Reddit and YouTube, the obvious cause is the starter is prone to failure. I am now trying to figure out a way to have my car towed to the dealer and dreading the cost of replacement for the starter including labor costs (when I've done everything pro-active to try to find the cause of this issue). I am sure I am not covered under any equipment warranty for this (but I sure was when I first reported this to them from 2015-2022.
Electrical system, Apr 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated while starting the vehicle there was a grinding sound coming from the engine. The vehicle would not start immediately. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the failure with the starter switch. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure continued. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 35,000.
Steering, Apr 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the steering wheel was pulling to the right. The contact stated that while attempting to correctly steer the vehicle, the vehicle was still pulling to the right. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven home. The contact did not take the vehicle to a dealer to be repaired. The manufacture was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
Steering, Apr 8, 2022
In February 2022, inspection by a Honda dealer technician revealed random malfunctioning of magnetic system in steering rack causing car to turn at random on its own that can lead to collision while driving.
Steering, Apr 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle suddenly pulled to the right and the steering wheel could not be turned to the left. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted and an appointment to have the vehicle examined was scheduled. The manufacturer was not yet notified. The failure mileage was 100,292.
Steering, Mar 14, 2022
The power steering stops working making it very difficult to drive especially when turning. I do not know what caused it but over the past several days it has gone off multiple times. Thankfully I have not been in an accident. The car is going to be inspected at the end of the week. Vehicle immediately experienced total loss of power steering. Not suitable for a test vehicle which is experiencing uncommanded steering. VEHICLE REPAIRED.
Steering, Mar 7, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel would jerk to left and lost power steering assist while turning to the left. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle had a software update performed; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 16,000. Regularly occurs, not repaired.
Steering, Mar 6, 2022
I have lost my ability to turn the steering wheel while driving without warning which is extremely dangerous! Luckily we were close to home. I had very limited ability to turn the steering wheel. It was super tight. If I were on an interstate I would not have been able to switch lanes or turn suddenly as I had no ability to. I took it to Hall Honda in Charlotte, NC and they couldn’t locate the problem as it didn’t happen during their test drive. The power steering warning light appeared after the wheel stiffened. I took my car to a local Auto Zone and she tightened some screws and my steering wheel mysterious loosened. I’ve been able to drive it with no problems for the past month. Unfortunately when I turned on the car this morning the steering wheel won’t turn. I have no way to work. This is extremely dangerous and a major inconvenience. This is my second Accord. I loved my first one, but I no longer want this car. Please help!! Thank you!!
Steering, Mar 5, 2022
I was driving on an interstate highway when a car ahead of me swerved and appeared to lose control. I had to brake extremely hard to avoid being involved in a collision. I was exiting off the interstate at the next exit. My steering had begun to pull to the left very heavily, but was hard to turn to the left, and when I needed to make a right turn it seemed very loose with no resistance. I was able to get the car home. A few days later when I had someone to follow me to the nearest Honda dealership, I took it in and was told that the steering "box" needed to be replaced and they proceeded to repair the car. With the addition of a new battery the repair totaled $3209.01. I asked how braking the car hard could damage an electrical power steering box. Apparently, they did not know, but mentioned having had to replace other "boxes," but said there was no recall on them.
Steering, Feb 16, 2022
The steering wheel started jerking to the side on it's own causing vehicle to veer to the side. Now it is stiff and erratic. We had previously had the harness replaced for the passenger side mirror which the dealer said had a short and had caused a stiff steering wheel approx 2 years ago
Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 15, 2022
I receive a message that states FCW System Failure, which turns on multiple indicators on my dash board; TPMS, ABS, traction control, steering icon, etc. It disables my front collision warning as well as my lane departure warning, so I am not alerted anymore. The issue happens every time I drive. Sometimes within minutes, and other times after driving for about 20 miles or so. I have not taken it to a dealer, as they will more than likely not know what the problem is, based on many other people posting about this. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance reps, or others. No, the lamps and indicators on the dashboard is what started coming up when it first started happening.
Power train, Feb 15, 2022
The contact's son owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated that upon depression of the accelerator pedal, the vehicle would intermittently shake without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer on multiple occasions; however, the failure persisted. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V769000 (Power Train) which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. THE CONSUMER STATED TWO TIRES WERE THE CAUSE OF THE VIBRATIONS. TWO NEW TIRES WERE PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED.
Steering, Feb 12, 2022
Power Steering failure. The steering wheel became stiff to turn left or right, in the middle of operation. I was able to get over on the side of the road by switching lanes with very strong force.
Power train, Feb 4, 2022
All warning lights on the dashboard suddenly lit up one day. The car is in excellent condition with all recommended maintenance up-to-date and no accidents. Honda dealer said the VSA modulator needed to be replaced and quoted $1756 + tax for the repair. Parts are unavailable, so repairs cannot be made. Dealer admits this is a very common problem with Honda vehicles and suggests I do not worry about it and just keep driving the vehicle - even though safety features are all disabled and the car may not be safe to operate. An online search reveals this is a VERY common and known issue that Honda USA has failed to address.
Service brakes, Jan 29, 2022
All Light came on ABS BRAKE TRACTION
Steering, Jan 19, 2022
When making a right turn without warning the steering went out, I lost control for a short period. My auto repair person has confirmed a continuation of the problem. Had I been in a different location it could have caused a collision endangering myself and others. I'm told the fix is to replace the rack and pinion and the tork senso.
Power train, Jan 19, 2022
Driveshaft failed at dynamic damper by metal breaking.
Steering, Jan 18, 2022
Electric power steering system failed while driving car. I stopped the car for about 15 minutes to reset system, but it failed again after driving another 5 minutes or so.
Steering, Jan 17, 2022
While driving the car, the steering icon pops up and becomes hard to steer the vehicle. This happens every time you drive the vehicle. It started 3 days ago, and it hasn't gone away. We went to a car repair shop, and they found no issues when connecting and looking through the code. Even when the icon is on and indicates that there is a problem, the steering sometimes get fixed and reverted back to its original state. A few minutes after, it just goes back to the hard steering. I don't know why it would just randomly turn off the EPS while driving, but that is a very dangerous thing when on the road, randomly shuts off while making a turn could cause a crash.
Steering, Jan 16, 2022
As I was driving, the steering wheel jerked and I had to redirect it, but it was difficult to turn. I pulled over to figure out what was happening and noticed the power steering light on. I restarted the car and was able to make it home safe. It happened again and I took it to a mechanic, but he said he couldn't get it to happen while he was test driving the car; however, it happened repeatedly as I drove home a week later. When it happens, I am able to get control and pull over to restart, but not everyone will be able to regain control without power steering. It is not reasonable for a driver to expect their car to randomly veer off the road and lose power steering so they cannot regain control due to a fault that a mechanic cannot replicate and that is not being recorded as a trouble code. Vehicle has not been repaired.