2018 Honda Accord: problems, recalls and reliability
6 recalls and 1,998 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (21% of complaints); the 2016 and 2017 and 2019 and 2020 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 40 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall May 2026
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 1,998 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The car ACC turns orange, you can't control your speed, the car starts to slow down like it's losing power. I got a new battery. Still will cut off during drive and you can't accelerate. This could cause a major accident. I was turning into a parking lot and lost power. Had to cut the engine off, and hurry up and restart it just to get out the way.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Sep 2026
“The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, several unknown warning lights unexpectedly illuminated on the instrument panel. The failure mileage was approximately 116,242.”Owner report · Electrical System · Sep 2026
“Side airbag not working properly ("SRS problem" intermittently showing up on dashboard): DTC checked and found B0020-13: Open or increased resistance in the left side airbag inflator. No accident on this side of the vehicle has occurred to my knowledge. A few months ago back in March my car was impacted on the right rear tire/quarter panel (repaired at caliber collision). That's the only known accident. The SRS notification first appeared 2 weeks ago and then it turned off. It appeared again yesterday 9/14/2026.”Owner report · Air Bags · Sep 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“I am not sure WHAT component failed. My lights on my dash will not go off. I have done everything I was told to do, ever down to a new Battery. & they will not go off. My car will not go over a certain speed. Before this, there were no problems. No warning lights & it was driving perfectly fine. PLEASE HELP. When I researched this issue, I noticed a million others having the SAME problem. There has to be a recall on these Honda's. Let alone, just a simple answer as to WHY this is happening.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Sep 2026
“Since I purchased this car in 2022, the collision mitigation braking system has randomly engaged for no reason. This has happened multiple times over the years, day and night, when no other vehicle, road obstructions, or other factors warrant the system triggering.”Owner report · Forward Collision Avoidance · Sep 2026
“The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the AC evaporator became inoperable and was blowing hot air. The contact stated that the failure had been occurring since the vehicle was purchased in 2018. The contact stated that the evaporator was leaking. The dealer confirmed the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired.”Owner report · Visibility · Sep 2026
“Car was overheating while driving. Received warning signs on the dash to pull over and turn car off immediately. Which I did. Very dangerous to do, especially with my three year old on a 90° summer day. I felt fear for my life while waiting on the side of a busy road during rush hour for the engine to cool and figure out what to do. Here the head gasket blew. A defect in the engine that Honda knows about. As a matter of fact, they have lawsuits for this exact occurrence.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 2026
“Vehicle dashboard lights up with multiple warnings, power loss/limp mode in traffic and while driving. Dealership said it's a very common problem but Honda refuses to make a recall. Technician says it is most likely caused by faulty fuel pump which is already recall that caused damage to the injectors.”Owner report · Electrical System · Sep 2026
“The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving, the vehicle lost automotive power with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the head gasket was allowing coolant to leak into the cylinders which caused the vehicle to lose automotive power. The contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Sep 2026
“Engine making noise when start, took to dealer, it was diagnose with head gasket gone. All services done from dealer since purchased and now dealer is saying gasket replacement.”Owner report · Engine · Aug 2026
When filing, owners marked a crash in 38 of these complaints and injuries in 41 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 6 campaigns
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018 Honda Accord and 2019 Honda Insight vehicles. In certain scenarios, the back-up camera center display may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the display audio unit software, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are K2G and V2F.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura NSX, 2019 Acura RDX, RLX and RLX Sport Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R and HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight and 2019 Fit vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 22, 2020. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2020 CR-V, 2018-2019 Accord and Accord Hybrid, 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019 Insight, and 2019-2020 Acura RDX vehicles. A manufacturing issue with the front seat belts may cause the seat belt buckle channel to interfere with the release button, preventing the seat belt buckle from latching.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belt buckle release buttons or the buckle assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are NDA, QDB, BDC, MDD, LD9. TDF, FDG, ODH, YDI, ZDE.
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.
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.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, and 2019-2020 Insight vehicles. A software error may cause intermittent or continuous disruptions in communication between the Body Control Module (BCM) and other components. This may result in malfunctions of various systems such as the windshield wipers and defroster, rearview camera, exterior lights, audible warning of a stopped vehicle, and power window operation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems" and number 111, "Rear Visibility" as well as FMVSS numbers 104, 108, 114, 118, and 305.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the BCM software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 22, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is X95.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2018 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Counts are not adjusted for time on the road here - see all Accord years ranked fairly for the age-adjusted comparison.
Check your exact Accord by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Honda Accord reliable?
NHTSA has 1,998 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on record for the 2018 Honda Accord. The most complained-about area is engine (21% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2018 Honda Accord problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 24,038 miles or less.
Does the 2018 Honda Accord have open recalls?
6 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning back over prevention. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.