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
234 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Jul 5, 2026
I’m not sure what it’s called, but the entertainment system where the touch screen is for radio, has ghost touches when the weather gets warm. Over the winter, this never happens. But during the summer, the screen starts glitching out and if I have gps going, this is a real safety issue because the ghost touches change the screen and I don’t know where I’m going. And it’s very distracting , the ghost touches continue every couple seconds.
Electrical system, Jul 5, 2026
Touchscreen system in my 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring is now having issues registering touches or is exhibiting ghost touches. This results in unpredictable selections for diverse systems like sound, touch free phone integration, navigation, etc. These are distracting in the extreme, and seem to be common during the afternoon hours in strong sun. This issue is partially mitigated via a hard reset, but this is helping less and less as this error becomes more and more common.
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.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jun 26, 2026
Infotainment Center
Other or unspecified, Jun 23, 2026
My infotainment system is not working properly. It switches between screens, radio stations, etc., and sometimes turns off. It is very dangerous when I am driving using my map and the map either moves, stops working, or switches to a different screen. I have had to pull over in the middle of nowhere while traveling because the map quit working properly. It also cuts me off in the middle of phone conversations. I just put a random date below because this has been going on for almost a year now.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 21, 2026
The vehicle suffered an unexpected loss of engine compression and dropped into a dangerous Limp Mode while driving due to a Cylinder 3 Misfire code (P0303). The manufacturer dealership misdiagnosed the mechanical issue using an unrelated 2.0L engine service bulletin (SB23-026) to clear the error. Six months later, the dashboard completely illuminated again with code P0299 (Turbocharger Underboost) caused by progressive pressure and compression loss across the 1.5L turbo engineering components. Upon post-visit inspection, engine fluids were found severely depleted. This ongoing engineering failure causes a sudden loss of vehicle motive power on public highways, creating a severe, recurring safety hazard that mirrors the active federal engine defect class-action litigation against American Honda Motor Co. This has happened 4 times with all the lights on my dash coming on Dec 2025, May 2026, June 2026 (2x)
Engine, Jun 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle decelerated and was hesitating while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the spark plugs were replaced. The contact stated that months later, the vehicle experienced the same issue and was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket. Two months later, the spark plugs were replaced again. Another two months later, additional components were repaired. The vehicle had been at the dealer for several months and the technicians were unable to determine the cause of the failure. The low engine oil warning light was illuminated, even though the engine oil level was not low. The dealer was unaware of the cause of the failure and stated that the engine needed to be dissembled for further inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 133,000.
Equipment, Jun 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the navigation system independently switched to random screens and made random phone calls. In addition, the contact stated that the failure had occurred while the GPS was activated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was recommended to take the vehicle for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,693.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jun 15, 2026
While driving to work, the radio seem to have a ghost inside the radio. The screen has a mind of its on. The radio turns itself off and on by itself. It’s a safe hazard to driving with all that is happening. The radio will beep constantly while driving down the road and my teenager will not driving my car, due to being scared
Electrical system, Jun 9, 2026
I have been experiencing what’s being called “ghost touches” on google. This is a known issue that needs to be addressed. Also VIN number starting with 1HGCV need to be added to the fuel pump recall list. I’ve had to change both systems.
Engine, Jun 4, 2026
I am filing a complaint regarding the premature head gasket failure on my 2021 Honda Accord, which failed on May 28, 2026, with only 89,000 miles on the vehicle. A head gasket is a critical engine component that should last well beyond 89,000 miles under normal driving conditions and proper maintenance. I purchased this vehicle because of Honda's reputation for reliability and longevity, and I am extremely disappointed to experience such a major engine failure at this mileage. After researching the issue, I found numerous reports from other Honda Accord owners experiencing similar head gasket failures, particularly in newer models equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged engine. Many owners report engine misfires, coolant loss, overheating, and costly repairs at relatively low mileage. This suggests there may be a broader issue affecting these vehicles rather than normal wear and tear. My vehicle has been properly maintained, and I did not expect to face a repair of this magnitude before reaching 100,000 miles. The cost of replacing a failed head gasket is substantial and places an unfair financial burden on owners who reasonably expect Honda vehicles to provide dependable service. I respectfully request that Honda review this matter, investigate the growing number of similar complaints, and provide assistance with repair costs. I believe Honda should stand behind its products and support customers who experience premature component failures. Thank you for your attention to this complaint. I look forward to a prompt response and a fair resolution.
Electrical system, Jun 2, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 76,566 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 111,139.
Electrical system, Jun 1, 2026
Infotainment center has phantom touches, the screen also freezes up and goes completely black when it is connected to a phone and also when it’s not connected to a phone. When car is connected via CarPlay for directions it will not display all the time or it will completely shut off in the middle of the directions, the only way for it to unfreeze or cut back on is if the car is turned off which makes it very dangerous. This has been happening for 2 years.
Electrical system, Air bags, May 31, 2026
I have 2 issues and not sure if they are related 1.SRS system light came on and says see dealership. This one happened about 2 weeks ago. 2. While driving today all the lights on my dash came on including the check engine and all warning notices were going off. I was driving when this happened and it was alarming because I didn’t know if my car was going to die while I was driving. Neither problem have been confirmed by the dealership because they want 199 just to diagnose and does not include repair cost No one has inspected the vehicle No previous warning signs prior to either of these both happening
Seats, May 30, 2026
I have taken my vehicle in 3 times to have the recall repair completed and each time the dealership said they did it just for me to have checked the nhtsa website to see that it has not been completed.
Electrical system, May 29, 2026
Stereo randomly started glitching out
Electrical system, May 27, 2026
Infotainment system randomly cycles through menu, as if I'm pressing buttons on the screen. It will lose navigation, randomly call my contacts and audio will turn off and on. This is extremely unsafe. Once it starts doing this the screen becomes unresponsive to actual touch. I can't stop it if I want to. I'm stuck disconnecting my phone and using the screen as navigation, constantly looking down while driving or holding the phone to make a phone call. Local Honda dealerships have told me that it's a common problem with no solution.
Other or unspecified, May 26, 2026
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.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, May 23, 2026
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.
Electrical system, May 21, 2026
Ghost touch on the radio screen and it’s worst when it’s hot
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.
Power train, Exterior lighting, Seat belts, May 8, 2026
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.
Engine, May 4, 2026
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.
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.
Seat belts, Apr 27, 2026
Unknown