Honda Accord 2018–2022
10th generation · CV1-CV3
NHTSA data through 12 August 20265,182 complaints, 1,394 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 40% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 6 times higher than during the rest of the car's life.
- First 12,000 miles — 40% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 5 complaints (0.4%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 821
- 25%
- 5,400
- Median
- 20,000
- 75%
- 66,000
- 90%
- 107,398
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 325 | 23.3% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 168 | 12.1% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 106 | 7.6% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 87 | 6.2% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 74 | 5.3% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 73 | 5.2% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 32 | 2.3% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 45 | 3.2% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 22 | 1.6% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 29 | 2.1% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 28 | 2.0% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 21 | 1.5% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 25 | 1.8% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 45 | 3.2% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 28 | 2.0% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 26 | 1.9% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 18 | 1.3% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 23 | 1.6% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 25 | 1.8% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 24 | 1.7% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 22 | 1.6% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 14 | 1.0% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 21 | 1.5% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 8 | 0.6% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 20 | 1.4% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 9 | 0.6% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 12 | 0.9% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 18 | 1.3% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 9 | 0.6% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 5 | 0.4% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 10 | 0.7% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 3 | 0.2% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 3 | 0.2% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 2 | 0.1% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 3 | 0.2% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 3 | 0.2% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 200,000+ | 5 | 0.4% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 5,182 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018–2022 Honda Accord, and 1,394 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
40% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 6 times higher than during the rest of the car's life. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are forward collision avoidance (17.3% of complaints, typically around 30,000 miles), the engine (15.7% of complaints, typically around 54,000 miles), the electrical system (10.9% of complaints, typically around 12,000 miles).
10 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Forward collision avoidance30,000median 30,000 miles, middle half 14,000 to 62,000
- Engine54,000median 54,487 miles, middle half 8,000 to 99,000
- Electrical system12,000median 12,000 miles, middle half 5,000 to 62,000
- Fuel and propulsion system18,000median 17,955 miles, middle half 5,000 to 70,000
- Problems owners could not categorise9,500median 9,616 miles, middle half 3,000 to 24,000
- Brakes10,000median 10,417 miles, middle half 2,500 to 25,000
- Fuel system90,000median 90,000 miles, middle half 64,000 to 112,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward collision avoidance | 897 | 17.3% | 30,000 | 14,000–62,000 |
| Engine | 813 | 15.7% | 54,000 | 8,000–99,000 |
| Electrical system | 567 | 10.9% | 12,000 | 5,000–62,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 478 | 9.2% | 18,000 | 5,000–70,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 473 | 9.1% | 9,500 | 3,000–24,000 |
| Brakes | 417 | 8.0% | 10,000 | 2,500–25,000 |
| Fuel system | 254 | 4.9% | 90,000 | 64,000–112,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 207 | 4.0% | 13,000 | 3,000–49,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 171 | 3.3% | 9,500 | 2,500–24,000 |
| Lane departure | 142 | 2.7% | 22,000 | 11,000–50,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 20,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Forward collision avoidance accounts for 17.3% of complaints (897 reports, 113 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 30,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 14,000 and 62,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 15.7% of complaints (813 reports, 143 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 54,487 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 8,100 and 99,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 10.9% of complaints (567 reports, 140 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 12,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 62,000 miles.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 9.2% of complaints (478 reports, 51 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 17,955 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 70,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 9.1% of complaints (473 reports, 130 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 9,616 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 3,000 and 24,500 miles.
The brakes account for 8.0% of complaints (417 reports, 194 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 10,417 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,664 and 25,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2018 model year drew the most — 2,884 complaints — while 2021 drew the fewest at 333. The median year sits at 552.
That makes 2018 an outlier: roughly 5.2 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 10 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the fuel system (3), the airbag system (2), the seat belts (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 5,182 complaints filed against this generation, 179 reported a crash; 11 reported a fire; 152 reported an injury; 1 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 3.5% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 40% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, forward collision avoidance and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Forward collision avoidance in particular shows a median failure mileage of 30,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Engine 2018–2019
1.5L turbo (L15) fuel dilution of engine oil in cold climates: incomplete combustion during short trips lets gasoline past the rings into the crankcase, raising oil level and thinning it. Honda issued PCM/HVAC software update campaigns and extended powertrain warranty coverage on the affected 1.5T population.
Driver Assistance 2018–2020
Honda Sensing radar/camera false positives causing spurious collision-mitigation braking and lane-keep warnings, often triggered by front grille or windshield conditions.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2,884 | 902 |
| 2019 | 1,060 | 310 |
| 2020 | 552 | 130 |
| 2021 | 333 | 33 |
| 2022 | 353 | 19 |
Recalls (10)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 26V332000 | 2026-07-06 | Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger |
| 23V858000 | 2024-03-29 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 24V064000 | 2024-03-28 | Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger |
| 23V430000 | 2023-07-24 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/Module |
| 23V158000 | 2023-04-18 | Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly |
| 21V900000 | 2022-01-14 | Seat Belts:rear/Other:retractor |
| 21V215000 | 2021-05-18 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 20V771000 | 2021-02-22 | Electrical System:body Control Module:software |
| 20V314000 | 2020-07-22 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 18V629000 | 2018-10-30 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera |
What owners reported
The fuel pumps, made by supplier denso, were "exposed to production solvent drying for longer periods of time" during manufacturing, according to the NHTSA recall report, which could cause surface cracking and excessive fuel absorption and eventually cause the impeller to become deformed and fail. The fuel pumps on…
2018 · 2 miles · Fuel and propulsion system
The brakes grab hard. The pedal goes down a little and then the brakes seem to lock up. We bought the car with 2 miles on it the same day it was delivered to the dealership. Immediately it was apparent there was a problem. They told us to drive it a while and it would go away. It has not. 2 Weeks later i told them…
2018 · 2 miles · Brakes
After being parked in a friends driveway for several hours i proceeded to open my car and drive home. First remote control would not open doors, after several tries it open the driver door only, upon turning ignition on a series of warning indicating the adaptive cruise control system automatically disables itself…
2018 · 4 miles · Electronic stability control (esc)
Built from 1,394 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page