2021 Honda Accord
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 234 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 23rd highest complaint count among 25 Accord model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 14 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 8 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
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
Air bags, sensor, occupant classification, front passengerFeb 1, 2024
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
Campaign 24V064000 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
Seat belts, rear/other, retractorNov 18, 2021
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Dealers will replace the second-row center seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Campaign 21V900000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: forward collision avoidance
61 reports, newest first. Show all
Forward collision avoidance, Sep 19, 2026
Sudden braking; car comes to a complete stop and brakes so Hard. Most likely fault from Collision Mitigation Brakking system
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 15, 2026
The car's infotainment system constantly glitches out and changes channels,outputs,texts,videos while car is being driven. It's very distracting and dangerous. It will literally do it 100's of times within a short period. It's much worse than any text messaging distraction, which is against the law. Several people with this car have the same issue. Also the car will break when there's actually nothing in the road that should make it break but it will just slam on the brakes.
Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Sep 10, 2026
Vehicle started flashing all lights on dashboard. I drove it for awhile and then it eventually went off. A few days later same lights came back on a car started misfiring. Was told by Honda that is was the Turbo that's going bad. Today is just cut off on me. Luckily there wasn't anyone behind me. I see a lot of people are having these same issues and a recall should be put out immediately.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 4, 2026
On July 4th 2026, I was leaving from a restaurant that evening and within 5-10 seconds of me turning my car on, all of the lights on my dashboard turned on. I was slightly confused because there were multiple at once and my car was rumbling a bit from under the engine hood. Within a few weeks prior, I’ve been having with my digital car screen switching back and forth between tabs (from the radio, to my CarPlay, to the settings). It will be intermittent but fairly consistent. I plan to take my car to an auto parts store for a code test and battery/alternator test to see if there’s any further issues. I just purchased a new battery for this car within the 3 years of me getting it, 2 years ago and there shouldn’t be any issues. I’m not sure how to proceed and I really don’t have it in me to spend large amounts of money and time with repairs for a supposedly heavily reliable car. My current mileage is at 120,000.
Traction control system, Forward collision avoidance, May 12, 2026
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.
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, May 1, 2026
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.
Fuel/propulsion system, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 19, 2026
Car went into limp mode
Electrical system, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 15, 2026
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.
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 3, 2026
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.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 2, 2026
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.
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 27, 2026, crash
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 .
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 16, 2026
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.
Service brakes, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 21, 2025
It makes false things there is no car but it brakes by self for nothing
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 21, 2025, crash
I was driving northbound in on I15 in Salt Lake City when a Home Depot Bucket blew into my lane. I slowed down to change lanes when the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) deployed without warning, bringing my car to an almost stop causing a semi tractor trailer to hit me from behind.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 19, 2025
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle’s collision avoidance automatic braking system is malfunctioning. It engages unexpectedly while the vehicle is moving with normal traffic flow. The system is still installed and fully available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The automatic braking system activates suddenly and without cause while I am driving at typical speeds (approximately 40–60 mph) with the flow of traffic. This unexpected braking creates a serious risk of rear-end collisions, both endangering me and putting other drivers at risk of crashing into my vehicle from behind. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? I have reported the issue to the dealer, but they have been unable to replicate the problem during their inspections. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? No, the vehicle and its braking system have not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, law enforcement, insurance representatives, or any other third parties. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lights, messages, or other indicators were present before the issue occurred. I purchased the vehicle last month, and the problem with the collision avoidance braking system has been present consistently since then.
Electrical system, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 20, 2025
The touch screen is malfunctioning. Its "ghost touching" as in the screen is pressing random buttons on the screen at random times while driving. It can change and has changed settings while driving (distance for breaking before a collision, etc). While its touching random things on the screen im unable to touch anything on the screen. As if its locking me from pressing anything.
Forward collision avoidance, Jul 19, 2025
My car slammed on its own brakes hard out of nowhere with nothing in its forward. The first time it happened was about 9 months ago while I was driving on the highway, it was a quick moment of breaking without any reason, but the car didn't stop. Today it happened again, the speed was about 30 m/h, the car slammed hard on the brakes to an almost complete stop. I was lucky, nobody was behind.
Forward collision avoidance, Jul 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle independently slowed down as if the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that a warning for the brakes and the collision mitigation and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the turbo charger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact retrieved vehicle however, several warning lights were illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle and had not returned it to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: EA24002 (Forward Collision Avoidance). The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 7, 2025
Experienced CMBS with malfunctioning false breaking while no obstacle, acceleration delays (Features not available: Electric braking, lane departure, Electric power steering, Cruise control, Adaptive collusion prevention and brake system warning on dashboard).
Service brakes, Air, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 5, 2025, crash
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle's auto braking applied without warning. The vehicle was rear-ended by a possible 2024/2025 Buick Envista. The driver of the Buick left the scene of the crash. The brake warning light was flashing. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Action Number: EA24002 Forward Collision Avoidance. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment or fire. A police report was filed. The driver was able to continue driving. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 71,080.T he VIN was invalid.
Forward collision avoidance, Jan 31, 2025
Automatic breaking engaged with foot already pressing down brake pedal as traffic ahead was slowing. The automatic braking was overkill that the traffic that was slowing down ahead of me was now pulling away.
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 20, 2025
I saw that they are investigating Honda Pilots for an automatic braking issue. I wanted to report that on my car I’ve had the automatic brake warning come on at least 3 times while driving at highway speed with nothing in front of me. This is over a period of 3 years (my car has 40k). The brakes didnt engage, but it alerts you like it will engage for a couple seconds then the alert goes away. It could be related to the Pilot issue. If the brakes did engage I would likely get rear ended on the highway. So far it hasnt happened but it is scary when it does. And totally random as each time no car within 2000ft
Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 11, 2025
Lane keep assist continues to jerk the wheel from my hands with false lane departure warnings. Especially in direct sunlight. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO YOU 100'S OF TIMES AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE FOR 4 YEARS. HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE KILLED AND INJURED IN HONDAS BEFORE YOU ACT?
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 22, 2024
The infotainment system randomly presses all over the screen all the time. This causes tony of issues such as turning on the radio, changing navigation, and making beeping noises constantly. Honda has replaced the infotainment system twice in my vehicle and it has fixed absolutely nothing. This is a major safety issue because of how distracting it is when driving. The incessant beeping noises (it beeps every time the touch screen is “pressed”) makes it so that I don’t know whether the car is beeping for safety issues (lane assist etc) or not. The radio being turned on at random is extremely startling and has caused me many near accidents. The navigation turning off as I am navigating through traffic has caused much stress and confusion which can lead to an accident. This is a major issue that needs correction ASAP.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 2, 2024
Driving on Highway at approximately 65 Miles Per Hour using the Adaptive Cruise Control. Car in front of us took a right hand exit. My 2021 Honda Accord activated the Braking System and applied the brakes, so I stepped on the accelerator thinking it would override the braking system. It had no effect. There were cars behind me at the time and luckily nobody was injured. I looked this up on the internet and found that it is a reported issue. That is why I am contacting you. Very concerned about the safety of my family.