VehicleVerdict

2021 Honda Accord problems

Verdict · NHTSA data

One of the years to avoid

The 2021 Honda Accord carries two red flags at once: 314 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA and an open NHTSA defect investigation (subject: Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking). It is one of the Accord years to avoid. Complainants reported 14 injuries in total across these filings.

Driver Assistance leads the complaint categories with 90 reports (29% of the total). In government crash testing it earned 5 of 5 NCAP stars overall.

314

NHTSA complaints

4

Recalls

1

Investigations · 1 open

25

Crash-involved

1

Fires reported

14

Injuries

0

Deaths

5

NCAP overall · of 5 stars

How does 2021 compare to other Accord years?

Accord NHTSA complaints by model year, 2021 highlighted2,803 complaints1976: 0 complaints1977: 0 complaints1978: 0 complaints1979: 3 complaints1980: 2 complaints1981: 8 complaints1982: 26 complaints1983: 7 complaints1984: 25 complaints1985: 19 complaints1986: 63 complaints1987: 131 complaints1988: 102 complaints1989: 114 complaints1990: 229 complaints1991: 242 complaints1992: 249 complaints1993: 222 complaints1994: 476 complaints1995: 673 complaints1996: 579 complaints1997: 546 complaints1998: 1,429 complaints1999: 1,345 complaints2000: 1,506 complaints2001: 1,160 complaints2002: 1,267 complaints2003: 2,384 complaints2004: 1,307 complaints2005: 880 complaints2006: 541 complaints2007: 700 complaints2008: 1,854 complaints2009: 858 complaints2010: 703 complaints2011: 357 complaints2012: 506 complaints2013: 1,882 complaints2014: 1,428 complaints2015: 815 complaints2016: 812 complaints2017: 754 complaints2018: 2,803 complaints2019: 1,027 complaints2020: 533 complaints2021: 314 complaints2022: 339 complaints2023: 139 complaints2024: 200 complaints2025: 105 complaints2026: 3 complaints
Accord NHTSA complaints by model year, 2021 highlighted. Red bars are years to avoid.

See all Accord years to avoid →

What are the most common 2021 Honda Accord problems?

ComponentComplaintsShare
Driver Assistance9029%
Electrical System5116%
Other4615%
Engine289%
Brakes268%
Airbags144%
Fuel System134%
Transmission114%
Steering83%
Seat Belts62%
Speed Control62%
Visibility & Wipers52%
Seats31%
Body & Structure31%
Suspension31%
Lighting10%

Does the 2021 Honda Accord have recalls?

4 NHTSA recall campaigns on file. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

26V332000AirbagsMay 21, 2026 · 98,892 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

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

Remedy

Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 6, 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.

24V064000AirbagsFebruary 1, 2024 · 750,114 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. 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.

23V858000Fuel SystemDecember 18, 2023 · 2,490,460 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

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.

21V900000Seat BeltsNovember 18, 2021 · 4,346 units

Defect

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."

Consequence

An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy

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.

Open NHTSA investigations

EA24002

Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking

On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles.  The reports allege that activation of the AEB system occurs while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that they were aware of a total of X,XXX reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and alleges that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the CMBS and its limitations.  However, many consumer complaints allege that Honda dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or state that they were informed that this is considered normal CMBS operation. To date, ODI has received a total of 1,294 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of CMBS in 2017-2022 Honda CR-V and 2018-2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A total of 31 complaints alleged a crash and 50 alleged an injury.  The Total column in the Failure Report Summary removes duplicate reports and shows the total number of reports with unique VINs from all Manufacturer, ODI, and EWR data sources.  In some cases, there were multiple reports associated with a particular vehicle in which recurring failures were alleged.  In total, there were X,XXX reports, 93 injury incidents and 47 crashes involving vehicles with unique VINs that may relate to the alleged defect. PE22-003 has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the inadvertent AEB activations. The scope has been expanded to include assessment of model year 2020-2022 Honda CR-V and Accord vehicles. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

Representative excerpts, cleaned of personal information. These are consumer statements, not verified defects.

“A vehicle in front of me made a quick slow down. The automatic braking engaged, the driver behind me did not react in time and struck the back of my car. Resulting in totaling of the vehicle. The automatic braking would not stop engaging, if it would have dis-engaged I could of pulled forward a few…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Driver Assistance · October 9, 2023 · crash

“Brakes failed and steering took over the car uncontrollably and went in all different directions hitting whatever it came across and ending up stopping after hitting the last thing ”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Electrical System · August 15, 2023 · 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…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Other · February 26, 2026 · crash

“Vehicle accelerated on its own and propelled the vehicle over a curb and into a building. This occured even though the gear shift was in the Park position. My grandchild and I were thrown forward as vehicle hit the building. Vehicle has not been inspected since incident occurred just yesterday,…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · November 20, 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.”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Brakes · October 21, 2025 · crash

2021 Honda Accord — common questions

Is the 2021 Honda Accord reliable?

NHTSA data argues against it: 314 complaints put the 2021 model at #29 of 51 Accord years, and a defect investigation remains open. It is one of the Accord years to avoid.

What are the most common 2021 Accord problems?

According to NHTSA complaint data, the leading problem areas are driver assistance (90 complaints), electrical system (51 complaints), other (46 complaints).

Does the 2021 Honda Accord have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns affecting the 2021 Honda Accord. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm the work was done.

Is the 2021 Honda Accord under NHTSA investigation?

Yes — an investigation remains open (Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking). An open ODI action means NHTSA is actively assessing a possible defect.

Which Honda Accord years should you avoid?

Based on complaint rates and open investigations, the Accord years to avoid are 2018, 2003, 2013, 2008, 2000, 1998, 2014, 1999, 2004, 2002, 2001, 2019, 2005, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2007, 2006, 2020, 2022, 2021. The cleanest record among Accord years belongs to 1978.

How safe is the 2021 Honda Accord?

In NHTSA's NCAP crash testing, the 2021 Honda Accord earned an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.