2021 Honda Accord Other Problems
28 owner-reported other complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (28)
Your Accord has had ongoing electrical problems since you bought it, causing intermittent issues with buttons, lights, and safety features that sometimes activate on their own—including the automated braking system. You've experienced head injuries from unexpected brake engagement, and the vehicle's false danger alerts contributed to an accident. The electrical malfunctions appear briefly on the screen before occurring.
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Your car is experiencing a rough idle when starting, and you're seeing multiple check engine codes on the dashboard. After paying $3,000 for a fuel injector replacement, the problem returned within days, and the dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong without an active error code. Over the following weeks, you've noticed the rough idle continues regularly and your fuel efficiency has dropped by about 6 miles per gallon.
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Your 2021 Honda Accord started shaking and struggling to accelerate around 78,000 miles, with warning lights on the dashboard. A mechanic found a misfire in cylinder 3 and replaced the spark plug and ignition coil, but the same shaking and power loss returned shortly after. You're concerned this could cause a safety risk when merging on highways, and you've found similar complaints from other owners online. The issue may require engine diagnostics, potential spark plug and ignition coil replacement again, or further inspection for internal engine problems like a head gasket failure.
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Your engine's head gasket has failed, which is a seal that keeps oil and coolant from leaking into the combustion chamber. You may notice coolant leaks, overheating, or white smoke from the exhaust. The dealership has confirmed this is a known issue with your vehicle generation, but without an official recall, they're charging the full repair cost of approximately $7,000 to replace the head gasket and related components.
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Your Honda's touchscreen head unit is experiencing glitches while driving, causing your navigation system to shut down or freeze temporarily. When this happens, you lose the ability to use the touchscreen at all until it resets. The dealership has confirmed this is a known issue affecting multiple vehicles.
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I am reporting a safety-related issue on my 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid involving a failure of the heating and climate control system. The vehicle is unable to produce heat or properly defrost the windshield, which significantly reduces visibility in cold weather. This directly impacts safe operation during winter conditions and should be considered a safety concern rather than a comfort issue. A Honda dealership diagnosed the problem as a heater core failure. The heater core itself is approximately 150, but the repair requires extensive disassembly and is estimated at nearly 2,000 due to labor. This type of failure should not occur on a vehicle this new. I recently purchased the car and do not believe this is normal wear or maintenance. Honda was contacted and denied goodwill assistance, stating they have no record of other complaints. I have since found similar reports from other Accord owners experiencing heating failures, particularly on hybrid models. This failure prevents windshield defogging and makes the vehicle unsafe for winter driving. I am documenting this issue with NHTSA so that the safety implications of heater failure on this model can be formally reviewed. I can provide the dealer diagnostic report, repair estimate, and Honda case number upon request. Vehicle Details: 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid EX VIN: [XXX] Mileage at failure: 47000 Date diagnosed: 11/13/25 Location: Salinas, CA Please advise if additional documentation is needed. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The infotainment screen repeatedly overheats and runs through ghost commands (commands not initiated by the user). This includes repeated, unsolicitated phone calls, texts, radio changes, GPS commands, system tones, etc. This is dangerously distracting and takes the drivers attention off the road ahead. Honda 39710-TVA-A23 DISPLAY, CTR (8INCH) 2018-2022 Honda 39710TVAA23
Head Gasket Blown i had a diagnosis ran at the honda dealership and it came back as a blown gasket its Preventing me to accelerate whole on the highway im going at high speeds and it slows down like im slmming on brakes
I am writing to formally report a safety concern regarding the infotainment system in my 2021 Honda Accord. The infotainment system in my vehicle is faulty and exhibits consistent glitches that I believe pose a serious safety risk while operating the vehicle. The system frequently malfunctions by freezing, restarting unexpectedly, lagging during operation, or becoming entirely unresponsive. These issues affect critical functions such as navigation, backup camera display, audio controls, and in some cases, the touchscreen completely locks up, forcing me to divert my attention from the road. The system has even placed my iPhone into reset mode. This is not an isolated incident. The problem occurs on a regular basis and seems to worsen over time. I have attempted to address this issue with the dealership, but no permanent fix has been offered, and the system continues to behave erratically. This is highly distracting and potentially dangerous, especially when quick access to vehicle features is needed during driving. I believe this issue warrants investigation, as it undermines driver focus and could lead to an accident. I urge the NHTSA to look into this matter and consider whether a recall or manufacturer fix is necessary to ensure driver and passenger safety. Toyota is recalling 591,377 automobiles because the instrument panel display can fail and not show the driver critical information including vehicle speed, brake system and tire pressure warning lights, which could lead to a crash and injury. This issue has been going on for years with Honda vehicles but it's never been recalled. Vehicle details: Make/Model: 2021 Honda Accord VIN: [XXX] Mileage: 77,628 Date of Purchase: November 2021 Problem Frequency: Ongoing and frequent (daily ) I am happy to provide any additional documentation or video evidence if needed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My car ran hot for the first time and I was told my head gaskets were blown and I needed a new radiator. Once I got that repaired I was then told my transmission cooler went bad on my car which caused my engine to run hot and blow my gaskets in addition to cracking my radiator. I keep my car serviced as required with the Honda dealership and they had advised seeing this same issue in several other vehicles like mine. My car has less than 100k miles and I am the only owner. It has never given me ANY warning lights. The techs feel this is a manufacturer defect as my car should not be having this type of issue this soon. That’s the benefit of a Honda as I have owned several new Hondas and have never had any issues. I have done research and there are several forms with this same issue reported. I am attaching the initial work order. I was just advised of the transmission issue on Monday.
Info entertainment screen will glitch out. It starts with not responding to touch. Then it will eventually connect to car play, once navigation is entered it will work for a moment before changing screens to stopping navigation. It will also randomly mute call when using hands free. Even when not connect with Bluetooth or WiFi it will start changing screens and audio options. **have video of glitching, if there is a way to upload Tried resetting to factory settings; didn’t fix issues. Delete phones and reconnected; didn’t fix issues, hard reset phones; didn’t fix issues.
I would like to report an ongoing issue with my infotainment system. I reported to Honda, but was told there was nothing that they could do about it since I had not had the issue diagnosed in the shop. I did not want to go this route because I knew it would cost an enormous amount of money, especially after reading several reviews online of others having the same issue. I reported to the shop once and later discovered that there was no documentation when I took the vehicle to Fred Anderson in Greenville SC. The Tech stated he would reset to factory defaults. This did not fix the issue. As I have done more research, I have discovered that there was a recall on models between 2017-2020, but not 2021. I feel this is a safety issue because the GPS would go out at any minute as well as drop calls that have could be emergency calls. A glitching infotainment system in your 2021 Honda Accord can absolutely become a safety issue for several reasons: Driver Distraction – If the screen freezes, reboots, or doesn’t respond, I may be tempted to look at it or keep pressing buttons instead of focusing on the road. Even a few seconds of distraction can increase crash risk. Loss of Critical Features – Modern infotainment systems often control or display important functions such as: Backup camera, Navigation / maps, Hands-free calling and texting (via Bluetooth). Vehicle settings (like driver-assist features). If the system glitches, I could temporarily lose access to these safety aids. Impaired Communication – If Bluetooth cuts out or the system won’t connect, you may be more likely to handle your phone directly, which is unsafe and often illegal. In SC there is a new law for hands free use while driving. Malfunctioning Alerts – Some infotainment systems integrate with driver-assist warnings (lane departure, collision alerts, etc.). If the system glitches, those warnings may not display or may lag. Unexpected Resets -Sudden reboots frozen screens can startle you while driving,
Infotainment system is glitching, I have had my car for 1 year and it is a distraction and frustrating when the infotainment system changes on its own. It shows touches to the screen when I have not touched the screen. Changes pages, mutes calls, closes maps, changes songs, etc. I have seen many blogs about it being a persistant problem for many people. When I take it to the dealership they will do nothing about it except disconnect the battery, which is not a solution. I do not like paying for a car that I am not able to use fully. Actions need to be taken to correct this issue for me and many other owners.
The Infotainment system (car audio) in my car is intermittently extremely defective and very distracting. The system will intermittently have ghost touches on the screen, switch screens on its own, end GPS routes, place phone calls on hold, and all kinds of other things while I am driving. Searching the internet for a solution this is a problem that many owners are experiencing and they also report it to be extremely distracting and dangerous. A recall should be issued to correct the problem before someone is distracted and has a bad accident and gets injured or killed.
Infotainment head unit (touchscreen radio) overheats in the warmer months, causing the touchscreen to process commands without human touches (acts like a ghost is operating the unit). This can range from calling radom people within my contacts, turning th volume of the radio up to the max volume (startling and distracting), starting/stopping a GPS route, to freezing the screen altogether. I feel this is a safety issue, as we are warned not to operate this unit while the car is in motion. When the head unit is operating on its own, it is distracting and startling at times while driving. This can cause an accident. I've heard other owners say the manufacturer of this head unit has stated they don't have a fix for the "overheating" issue. Honda should be pursuing a remedy for their consumers to correct this safety hazzard.
There is a loud humming noise that is starts at 40 mph. The noise comes and goes, but sometimes lasts for 10 minutes. It appears to be the Active Noise Cancelling unit. There was a previous bulletin Service Bulletin 21-053 about this issue for 2018-2020 Honda accords
I am submitting this report to bring attention to a recurring issue with the infotainment/radio system in my vehicle, which I believe may warrant inclusion in a safety recall. The radio system in my vehicle has been experiencing persistent malfunctions, including ghost touching—where the screen registers inputs that I have not made. These phantom commands result in erratic behavior such as random changes to settings, volume fluctuations, unintended calls, and frequent screen switching. In some instances, this has caused significant distraction while driving, raising safety concerns. This issue appears to be electrical or software-related, and I have seen reports from other drivers of similar occurrences in the same make/model. I believe this defect poses a potential safety risk due to its impact on driver focus and control of in-car systems. I respectfully request that this malfunction be investigated by the NHTSA for potential inclusion in a recall or technical service bulletin, as it may represent a broader issue affecting other vehicles of the same type. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Touch screen radio is not responding to my touch as well as it is pressing the buttons on the touch screen itself like a ghost.
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
The touch screen will constantly register Phantom touches. Many other owners complain about this, but since it is sporadic, the dealers won't fix it. It is a safety concern as it is a distraction, especially when using Google Maps navigation. It can only be stopped by filming the screen to zero, rendering it useless.
The infotainment screen touch is unresponsive half the time. Rarely works in the heat, sometimes works when cooler out. CarPlay is tough to connect reliably wireless or wired. There are other people complaining on online forums about the touch being unresponsive especially in the heat as well.
While driving, infotainment system starts jumping to different modes causing me to get distracted while driving. I ended up recording a few clips of it in the mist of running into the curb. Honda initially stated that it was odd because there are no complaints a year ago. Yesterday however, I talked to Honda because the problem is occurring more. They stated that there are numerous complaints. In order for them to fix it, they have to be able to duplicate the issue
The infotainment system is both unresponsive and self operational. It operates on its own as if it's being pressed (ghost touching) while simultaneously not responding to my touch. Impossible to safely use navigation as screen will pan or switch functions entirely. Same goes for using phone via Bluetooth. I cannot answer or hang up. Radio randomly turns on, changes stations etc. It's a complete mess. All of which is very distracting and adversely affects my ability to focus and safely control the vehicle. Honda insists that it is all software related - doubtful - so they refuse to change it out. They claim a software update is being worked on. Car has now been out for over two years and still no update. So 2 years with no update for a single software issue, yet they were able to design and build an entire new '23 model with multiple new software components in less than a year. Obviously little attention is being given to this, if at all. Please step in. I have some videos available.
Hi there! I have reported this a couple of times to Honda directly, so it's possible they've already fixed it, but my father pointed out that I should let you guys know as well since it could be a serious safety issue... Basically, the feature shown on the Honda dashboard that "reads" speed limit signs is (or at least was earlier this year) very buggy; e.g. I've encountered instances where it indicates a speed limit of 60mph in 20mph, or even 100mph in a 60mph zone; apparently it's often getting those numbers from unrelated highway signs and not speed limit signs. As far as I can tell this feature should be disabled until it can made much more reliable; otherwise I'm worried it could cause a dangerous accident.
A few months after I bought the car,the paint is peeling off.Today 4/25/22,it has gotten worse
Navigation system errors: turn wrong direction, turn wrong compass direction, system will not recognize home. System was inspected more than once by the Honda dealer. A case was filed with Honda Corp
ANC making annoying noise and never goes away , car makes a loud humming noise that is really noticeable when driving. This has been going on since I bought it . Replacing it doesn’t help it it’s the same thing. Honda needs to fix this .
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, HEARD A BOOM, SUNROOF BLEW OUT. NO REASON/EXPLANATION. THE COVER WAS CLOSED AND THE SUNROOF WAS COMPLETELY CLOSED, NOT EVEN TILTED UP. DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH.