2016 Honda Accord

Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues

Electrical system is the leading concern among 607 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 13th highest complaint count among 25 Accord model years with reports.

Complaints by model year
  1. 607

Of the 2016 reports, 32 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 29 people were injured.

Primary concernElectrical system198 reports · 33% of complaints
Owner complaints607Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationship4 safety recallsNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Electrical system198
  2. Exterior lighting128
  3. Other or unspecified126
  4. Engine44
  5. Fuel/propulsion system39
  6. Service brakes33
  7. Steering30
  8. Power train29

Recalls and investigations

  1. Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerMay 21, 2026

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

    Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.

    Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

    Campaign 26V332000 on NHTSA.gov

  2. 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

  3. Fuel system, other, delivery, fuel pumpJan 29, 2019

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Acura MDX, 2015-2019 Acura TLX and 2015-2017 Honda Accord vehicles, equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine. Particulates in fuel may adhere to the internal components of the fuel pump, reducing its performance.

    Reduced fuel pump performance can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.

    Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the fuel injection engine control unit (FI-ECU) software and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began March 25, 2019. Owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's recall number for this recall is P3W. Honda's recall number for this recall is N3X.

    Campaign 19V060000 on NHTSA.gov

  4. 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

Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified

126 reports, newest first. Show all

  1. Air bags, Other or unspecified, Sep 28, 2026

    1-The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) / active collision avoidance system failed. Warning lights are actively displayed on the dashboard indicating that the SRS and collision mitigation systems are disabled/malfunctioning. The vehicle is parked and available for inspection upon request 2- Because the SRS / collision safety system is completely non-functional, the primary driver and passengers are operating a vehicle where airbags and active restraint systems may fail to deploy during a crash, presenting an immediate safety risk on public roads. 3-Yes. The safety defect was identified, but the selling dealership refused to provide assistance or perform the necessary repairs to resolve the active safety defect. 4-The vehicle issue was reported directly to the selling dealership, but they failed to complete repairs. Additionally, a formal complaint has been filed and opened with the State DMV Vehicle Safety Complaint Unit to investigate the unroadworthy condition of the vehicle. 5-SRS and collision system warning indicators appeared on the dashboard. Upon inspecting repair options, the vehicle warranty company confirmed that SRS/collision system components are strictly excluded from coverage, leaving an unaddressed safety defect. 1. Attempted Warranty Repair: Contacted the extended warranty provider, who formally denied coverage because SRS and collision systems are excluded under the policy terms.  2. Contacted Selling Dealership: Reached out directly to the dealership to address the unroadworthy SRS safety fault; the dealer remained non-responsive and failed to resolve the issue.  3. Escalated to State DMV: Opened an official case with the state DMV Vehicle Safety Complaint Unit regarding the selling of a vehicle with an active, unaddressed SRS safety defect.  4. Escalated to Financing Lender (Credit Acceptance): Sent formal notice to the auto loan holder requesting assistance or escalation; the lender refused to assist

  2. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Sep 14, 2026

    A very loud static noise occurs about 5 minutes after I start driving every single day now. The radio is usually not on or either it's very low. Most of the time, this occurs when temperatures are elevated, however, it's starting to happen no matter how warm it is outside. This is very very unsafe because sometimes the sound is so loud that I cannot hear what is going on around me and/or potential issues that might occur while driving the vehicle. No messages or warning lights have come on since this has been happening.

  3. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 31, 2026

    A loud static sound has been sporadically coming out of my 2016 Honda Accord, which startled me and my daughter while driving a couple of times while driving. This sound appears to come out of the speakers; we turn off the stereo system, and the sound continues. It is very dangerous, as the sound is extremely loud; it has happened out of nowhere while driving. This has been happening for a couple of months last time it happened was 8/30 that I could not drive as teh sound was too loud. Please help, as this could cause an accident due to the unexpectedly loud sound, as it distracts and disorients the driver and passengers in the vehicle.

  4. Other or unspecified, Aug 31, 2026

    The radio outputs very loud static whether the radio is on or off. The static is so loud that it is difficult to hear emergency vehicles. Yes, dealerships have recreated the noise. There are no warning lights or sounds and seems to happen when the temperature is very hot.

  5. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 30, 2026

    Have had ongoing issues with audio display dashboard crashes. And also AirPlay not working. The are videos all over the in the internet about these issues, including YouTube videos. This is not isolated. The concern is that while driving or using airplay map directions for example the unit disconnects and thus creates distractions while driving. This is unnecessary and surely can cause accidents. Here a link with over 40,000 views. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

  6. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 18, 2026

    The OEM audio/navigation system in my 2016 Honda Accord is emitting extremely loud static from all speakers after 10 minutes of the engine on. This occurs even when the audio system is turned off. It is extremely distracting while driving as there is no way to make it stop. I had the Honda dealership look at it today, they just say it is an internal problem. The internet and YouTube is full of people with the exact same issue, from the same year range of Honda cars. There was no warning, it just started one day.

  7. Other or unspecified, Jul 15, 2026

    The radio head unit produces a loud unbearable static that is very unsafe because if one needed to hear emergency responders passing by they could not. Yes it has been confirmed by multiple auto shops. No warnings, just loud unbearable static.

  8. Other or unspecified, Jun 24, 2026

    Loud static noise from radio. It was so loud it gave us a splitting headache.

  9. Other or unspecified, Jun 21, 2026

    Static noise comes from all speakers even when the audio is switched off. The intensity or volume of the noise is so high that the driver or passengers inside the car can't hear any sound coming from the engine or outside. How it impacts safety--it distracts the driver; both passengers and driver feel they will lose their hearing ability. It feels like ear drum will break. Yes, I took my car to a Honda dealer for inspection; they confirmed the static noise. They recommended me to replace the current infotainment system with a new one --the total cost would be around $1,500.

  10. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jun 10, 2026

    As I’m driving screeching static noise coming from the inside of vehicle whether radio is on or off. Very disturbing. No warning lamps on car drives perfectly . Only problem is the noise which can cause an accident , gives me a migraine every time

  11. Other or unspecified, Jun 2, 2026

    While i was driving on the freeway one Sunday afternoon, the radio started making a static noise. It became very loud that i could barely hear the cars around. I tried to turn off the radio to no avail. I pulled over on the road side, turned off the vehicle and waited for a few minutes. When I started the car, the noise came back on even though the radio power was off. Since then about two months now, the same issue comes on especially when temperatures are high. Honda recommends to replace the Radio. I believe this issue should be Manufacturer's responsibility for a voluntary service campaign. It's a safety concern since you cannot control the radio once the static comes on.

  12. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, May 8, 2026

    Loud Static/Screeching Noise: A major, widely reported issue is sudden, extremely loud static, often described as max-volume screeching from all speakers. It often triggers during hot weather or when the car heats up. This is dangerous because it is extremely loud even if you have the volume on your radio completely off. Causes your ears to bleed as some say. After looking into it more. I realized this is a very common problem in 2016 honda accords and should be recalled due to something faulty in the motherboard…

  13. Other or unspecified, Apr 29, 2026

    Spontaneous explosion of sunroof. Today its about 85 degree F. The car was parked for a few hours in the carport. Took it out for a short drive. Approximately 0.5 miles from my home, the sunroof exploded as I was accelerating from a full stop at a red light. It appears to have exploded 'up' (I have photographs), and the glass landed both on top of the car and inside my car. Approximately 15% of the glass separated completely (half on top of the car and half in the passenger area). I have scratches from the glass showering on me. This was completely without warning. I've maintained the outside of the car recently and there has been no damage up until this event.

  14. Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 18, 2026

    Going home from work, At highway traffic light intersection and car began to shake, sputter.. Engine and Oil light briefly came on before car stalled and shut off. In panic put gear into park, turned ignition button, car started and was able to put into drive and proceed. Not long after, on a main road, waiting for turn light, stalled, lost power again. Did not have any acceleration or power. Car was again shaking, luckily pulled into parking lot, put in park, shut off car and back on. When trying to accel, same thing happened as I was half way across 2 lanes, had zero accelerate power, car was shaking/sputtering, but luckily made it across. Car sat off for approximately 10 minutes. Was able to turn on and accelerate to get home without problem. This is a very scary situation to be in, especially in very heavy city traffic conditions. I have never been notified of any sort of recall. A case # has been made with Honda USA. They also let me know that although the year and model of my car WAS a part of a Fuel Pump Recall, and even though I experienced the same issues that other owners were having in which their vehicles were recalled, that my VIN # was not part of that particular batch recall. Honda dealership shop has diagnosed as a Fuel Pump. (can provide shop estimate)

  15. Other or unspecified, Mar 2, 2026

    Loud static noise coming from speakers even when audio is turned off. Consistent with bluetooth radio or radio off it is terribly loud and dangerous to be driving with. Think its a head unit issue please need a factory recall

  16. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 20, 2026

    After driving about 20-25 minutes, the speakers after working fine turn to all loud static even when turning the volume down. After the car is off for a bit, the speakers return to normal until driving again for 10-20 minutes. It’s so loud that you can’t hear anything and is very distracting

  17. Other or unspecified, Jan 16, 2026

    I have recently noticed my audio system has static even when it is turned off and when it's turned on, it get's worse. (The static noise is loud, it starts from the back speaker then works it's way to the front speakers) This just started at the end of December 2025 and it's increasing getting worse. I do not feel safe having my family in the car with me because the static noise is on going and can cause overstimulation. The only time I do not hear the audio static no more is when I completely shut my car off. I believe this needs to be recalled and fixed because this is a safety concern. I called Honda and they told me it's going to cost $205 dollars just for the diagnosed. This is outrageous. I have talked to other people I know and they have told me they are experiencing this with their vehicle as well.

  18. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jan 5, 2026

    Out of no where - the speakers start blaring this loud scrambled sound. (Like a dead channel on TV.) Even when the radio is off. The speakers roar so load you can not concentrate to drive. No warning, just happens. I can go days/weeks without it happening, then boom - scare me so bad when it comes on out of no where. There is no rhyme or reason to when it will happen - could be driving slow or fast, could be hot or cold outside. Could be soon as you start the car or in the middle of driving after an hour. Thought it was a fluke but here were are - 2 months later and it's happened at least 5 times.

  19. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 21, 2025

    When the car reaches operating temperature slowly a static noise will creep over the speakers and then quickly cut out the audio input and put the speakers to full volume with waves of loud static. Turning off the stereo and turning down the volume does nothing to stop the static. The only way to stop it is to pull the radio fuse. This will also happen on a hot day and not slowly build just suddenly loud static as soon as the car turns on. This is a safety risk because the sound is so loud and distracting it’s hard to focus on everything going on around you and in order to pull the fuse out to stop it you need to pull over and it’s not always in a safe location. When I called and asked the Honda dealership in Stockton CA about it they were familiar with the problem when I described it to them but it has not been replicated in my car specifically by a separate party. No inspection was performed by police or other. There were no lights or warning when it first occurred. The problem first occurred in June when the weather started to get hot. I tried installing the fuse again now that it’s cold and it happened again once the car got to operating temperature.

  20. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 14, 2025

    On our 2016 Accord with the 3.5 V6 there is a design issue with the starter assembly. This issue is also happening with other models with this engine configuration manufactured between 2013 through 2017. The starter on my vehicle won’t engage the flywheel gears fully causing damage to the flywheel and the starter. There is a Honda service bulletin ( 16-002) calling to replace the starter and rotate the torque converter clockwise one bolt hole position. This can only be done ONE TIME so if it happens again( and it probably will)the torque converter will need to be replaced which is a minimum of $4,000 and even that won’t guarantee it won’t repeat this issue. This is a safety issue because there is a possibility that you could be stranded and vulnerable to hazards on the road .

  21. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 8, 2025

    When driving, occasionally, there is a strong buildup of static coming off the speakers, the problem persists for a long time and seems to calm down if the Radio is turned to full volume. It happens at random after driving for a few minutes, if the A/C is on it can get worse, I think it could be a faulty wiring issue from wear and tear or a frequency change that everyone with a 16’ Accord has as i’ve seen on videos.

  22. Other or unspecified, Oct 18, 2025

    The vehicle has recently developed a loud and painful static noise through the speakers, which occurs intermittently and unpredictably, even when the radio and audio system are turned off. This issue has now become so severe that it is unsafe to drive the car. The static bursts are extremely loud, startling, and physically painful, creating a serious distraction hazard while driving. I am deeply concerned that this constitutes a safety defect in the vehicle’s electrical/audio system, not a routine maintenance issue. The vehicle has approximately 70,476 miles, and a full history of regular maintenance. Yesterday, (10/17/2025), I took my vehicle to the dealer for diagnosis. While the issue was not initially present, it began again within minutes of leaving the service department, prompting me to return immediately so the technician could hear it. The dealership completed a diagnostic assessment (cost: $217) and determined that the OEM radio head unit has failed and must be replaced. The service advisor further explained that: - The defective audio unit cannot be safely disconnected or its fuse removed because doing so would affect the braking system. - The replacement part is on national backorder with no estimated availability date. - The repair would cost $1,211.80, which I am being asked to pay out of pocket despite this being a factory component failure. - No loaner vehicle is available, leaving me without safe transportation. Since leaving the dealership, the issue has continued repeatedly. The vehicle remains unsafe to operate under these conditions. Through my research, I have learned that this is a widely reported problem among 2016–2017 Honda Accord owners. There are numerous documented complaints on owner forums (including DriveAccord.net) and on CarComplaints.com describing identical symptoms, loud static or “white noise” from the speakers, occurring even when the radio is off, often linked to failure of the infotainment head unit or amplifier.

  23. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Oct 3, 2025

    When driving the 2016 honda accord ex-l, after driven for around 10-20 minutes, a static starts playing on the speaker starting small and gets progessively louder (even when the audio system is turned off, if audio system is on and volume is adjusted, it gets even worse) until you cannot hear anything else other than the loud static. You cannot hear anything said in the car by your fellow passengers, kids get scared with the loud noise. The only thing that works is a restart of the engine which can only be done by pulling over to a shoulder or another unsafe area of the road putting everyone in the car and other nearby cars at dangerous risk. The static noise is so loud, it completely takes over all of your driver senses and you'll be like a deer staring into headlights unable to do anything. In a recent incident, we (family including kid) were going in the left-most lane of a CA freeway when this started and in the ensuing 2 minutes I had to move over 3 lanes into the number 1 lane and stop at an unsafe curb near an exit in the evening and restart the car and go back home. This is traumatic everytime it happens and we have to plan for it. There are several people with the same issue complaining on social media (reddit/youtube) and they have evidence for the same in video format. 500+ posts and going [XXX] . Upon calling my usual service center, they did mention they saw similar problem recently, but it is not part of a recall and quoted me 250$ for diganosis and upwards of 1900$ for replacing the audio unit. My audio unit worked fine for 10 years, and I do no think this is an individual issue but a widespread one that triggers in this specific model of the vehicle. There were no warnings prior to this, started appearing around [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

  24. Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Sep 22, 2025

    interference; and importantly, that the problem occurs only when the outside temperature is excessively hot. Due to the specific conditions required to trigger the interference, the static noise is impossible to replicate on command, rendering troubleshooting efforts prohibitively costly and unlikely to bear fruit. For reference, there are videos of the problem online with search terms "Honda Accord static noise".

  25. Other or unspecified, Sep 6, 2025

    The stereo randomly starts making very loud popping and static noise so loud it sets off the sound warning on my watch. Even with the stereo off it still does. You can’t stop it and you can’t hear anything around you. Very unsafe.