Honda · Known Issues
2021 Honda Accord Problems: 8 Known Issues
2021 model year · 9,211+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
2021 · All trims · All engines
Choose the year and equipment for your written issues and visual request.
2021 model year · 9,211+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
2021 · All trims · All engines
Choose the year and equipment for your written issues and visual request.
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According to Au7o's analysis of 9,211+ owner reports, the 2021 Honda Accord has 8 documented known issues, with 6 rated critical. The most serious are Denso Fuel Pump Impeller Failure - Safety Recall NHTSA 20V-374 ($0-$0 repair), ZF 9-Speed Transmission Rough Shifting, Shudder, and Hesitation (2.0T) ($0-$7,000 repair), 1.5L Turbo Engine Oil Dilution ($100-$8,000 repair), Automatic Emergency Braking False Activation (CMBS) ($0-$1,500 repair), Hybrid Inverter/Power Control Unit (PCU) Cooling System Failure ($100-$6,000 repair) and 1.5L Turbo Coolant Intrusion into Cylinders / Head Gasket Coolant-Slot Defect ($1,500-$3,500 repair). The most commonly reported issue is Denso Fuel Pump Impeller Failure - Safety Recall NHTSA 20V-374 with 4,231 owner reports. Across all issues with published estimates, repair costs range from $100 to $8,000. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the brake hold feature is engaged or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
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.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
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.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Accord and HR-V vehicles. The front seat belt pretensioners may be missing the rivet that secures the quick connector and wire plate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," 209, "Seat Belt Assembles," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
+ 4 more recalls. Check all on NHTSA.gov
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According to Au7o's analysis of 9,211+ owner reports, the 2021 Honda Accord has 8 documented issues. The most frequently reported are: Denso Fuel Pump Impeller Failure - Safety Recall NHTSA 20V-374, ZF 9-Speed Transmission Rough Shifting, Shudder, and Hesitation (2.0T), 1.5L Turbo Engine Oil Dilution. Of these, 6 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.
The 2021 Honda Accord has 8 known issues documented across 9,211+ owner reports. 6 issues are rated critical: Denso Fuel Pump Impeller Failure - Safety Recall NHTSA 20V-374 and ZF 9-Speed Transmission Rough Shifting, Shudder, and Hesitation (2.0T) and 1.5L Turbo Engine Oil Dilution and Automatic Emergency Braking False Activation (CMBS) and Hybrid Inverter/Power Control Unit (PCU) Cooling System Failure and 1.5L Turbo Coolant Intrusion into Cylinders / Head Gasket Coolant-Slot Defect. Prospective buyers should inspect for these issues and factor potential repair costs into their purchase decision. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.
Repair costs for known Honda Accord issues range from $0 to $8,000, depending on the specific problem and whether you choose DIY or professional repair. The most critical issue, Denso Fuel Pump Impeller Failure - Safety Recall NHTSA 20V-374, typically costs $0-$0 to repair. Au7o provides step-by-step DIY maintenance guides that can help reduce repair costs.
The 10th generation Accord (2018-2021) is affected by the largest Honda fuel pump recall in history, covering over 5.7 million vehicles. Denso fuel pump impellers were manufactured with improperly molded low-density material. The impellers deform over time under fuel exposure, ex… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
The 10th generation Accord 2.0T uses the ZF 9HP48 9-speed automatic transmission - the same unit that caused widespread complaints in the Honda Pilot (2016-2019) and Acura TLX/MDX. Software-controlled dog clutches are incompatible with Honda's original calibration, causing violen… Repairs typically run $0-$7,000. Severity: high.
The 1.5-liter turbo direct injection engine suffers from an oil dilution defect where unburned fuel enters the engine oil. This occurs when fuel is sprayed into the cylinder, drips down the cylinder walls past the piston rings, and accumulates in the oil pan. The problem is more… Repairs typically run $100-$8,000. Severity: high.
The Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), part of Honda Sensing, may activate randomly without warning even when no obstacle is present. NHTSA investigated over 278 complaints with 107 specifically for Accord models. The investigation covers nearly 3 million vehicles and ha… Repairs typically run $0-$1,500. Severity: high.
The 10th and 11th generation Accord Hybrid uses a dedicated liquid-cooled Power Control Unit (PCU/inverter) that manages power flow between the gas engine, electric motors, and high-voltage battery. The PCU cooling system uses a separate small coolant reservoir (distinct from eng… Repairs typically run $100-$6,000. Severity: high.
On the 1.5L turbo, the sealing surface between cylinders 2 and 3 narrows to a thin sliver of multi-layer-steel head gasket sitting over a coolant slot. Over time coolant can seep into the cylinder head grooves, degrade the head gasket, and leak into a combustion chamber - causing… Repairs typically run $1,500-$3,500. Severity: high.
The 10th generation Accord (2018-2022) AC condenser develops pinhole leaks and hairline cracks at the aluminum fin-to-tube brazed joints, causing slow refrigerant loss. The condenser is located at the front of the vehicle behind the grille, where road debris (pebbles, sand, grave… Repairs typically run $600-$1,200. Severity: medium.
The plastic gears inside a door-lock actuator wear or strip, causing a loud buzzing/grinding/clicking from inside the door when locking or unlocking, a door that won't lock or unlock with the remote, or — most annoyingly — the auto-locks endlessly cycling (clicking) in stop-and-g… Repairs typically run $100-$450. Severity: low.
Content on this page was compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, owner reports, and public automotive data. While we strive for accuracy, this information may contain errors. Always verify repair procedures and specifications with your vehicle's service manual or a qualified mechanic.