U.S. public vehicle records

2013 Honda ACCORD problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1,419 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

45,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 882 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 494 of 1,419 complaints (34.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	518	36.5%
Braking behavior	209	14.7%
Electrical and battery issues	206	14.5%
Transmission and shifting	81	5.7%
Engine operation	52	3.7%
Fuel system concerns	21	1.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Steering

494

Electrical System

391

Engine

179

Unknown Or Other

118

Service Brakes

108

Power Train

106

Air Bags

Vehicle Speed Control

Steering: 494; Electrical System: 391; Engine: 179; Unknown Or Other: 118; Service Brakes: 108; Power Train: 106; Air Bags: 51; Vehicle Speed Control: 48

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

285

25,000 to 49,999

203

50,000 to 74,999

177

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 285; 25,000 to 49,999: 203; 50,000 to 74,999: 177; 75,000 to 99,999: 98; 100,000 to 149,999: 88; 150,000 and above: 31

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (285). 537 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2012

2013

124

2014

107

2015

125

2016

100

2017

133

2018

135

2019

2020

2021

154

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2012: 7; 2013: 124; 2014: 107; 2015: 125; 2016: 100; 2017: 133; 2018: 135; 2019: 97; 2020: 87; 2021: 154; 2022: 75; 2023: 88; 2024: 87; 2025: 70; 2026: 30

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 518 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 209 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 206 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10496636 · 2013-02-06 (February 6, 2013)

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND A CAR WAS VEERING INTO MY LANE. AS I WENT TO THE LEFT MY STEERING WHEEL JUST KEPT SPINNING AND THE TIRES WERE GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE. I COULDN'T CONTROL THE CAR BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT CORRESPONDING WITH THE TIRES. WE JERKED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM LANE TO LANE UNTIL WE FINALLY CRASHED INTO THE CONCRETE WALL OF THE HIGHWAY. WE THEN SPUN OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY WHERE WE RESTED. HONDA HAD NOT RESPONDED AT THIS TIME BUT EVERYONE INCLUDING THE GUYS AT THE HIS BODY SHIP FEEL THAT THIS IS A M…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496636 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10500539 · 2013-02-26 (February 26, 2013)

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY I VEERED TO THE LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED FREE SPINNING AND THE TIRES WERE NOT CONTROLLED BY THE STEERING WHEEL ANY LONGER. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I HIT A WALL AND STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. HONDA HAS NEVER COME TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AS I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD. MY VEHICLE IS STILL SITTING AT THE LOCAL HONDA SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT ANYTHING DONE TO IT. HONDA WILL NOT LOOK INTO WHAT CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO LOSE STEERING. *TR UPDATED 06/13/13*LJ

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10500539 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10490809 · 2013-01-02 (January 2, 2013)

CAME TO STOP AT STOP SIGN. NEW HONDA ACCORD 2013 4 DOOR SUDDENLY TRIED TO ACCELERATE. I PUSHED DOWN AS HARD AS I COULD ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE MOTION FORWARD. IT ONLY MOVED A FOOT OR TWO AND WITH MY WIFE YELLING I WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO NEUTRAL. SCARED THE LIFE OUT OF US. I AM 51 AND A FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL. MY WIFE IS 52 AND A PHYSICIAN. THIS WAS COMPLETELY REAL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10490809 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10490884 · 2013-01-03 (January 3, 2013)

WHEN BRAKING FROM 20+ MPH TO COMPLETE STOP. THE CVT TRANSMISSION JERK/JUMP/SURGE FORWARD. FEELS LIKE STRONG ENGINE BRAKE THEN CVT ADJUST TO HAVE A SMOOTH STOP. THE JERK/JUMP/SURGE HAPPENS AROUND 15 MPH. THERE ARE OTHERS THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM ON DRIVEACCORD.NET. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10490884 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10519554 · 2013-06-12 (June 12, 2013)

THE SPORADIC FAILURE OF THE RADIO TO OPERATE, COME ON IS SOME INSTANCES, OR TO DISPLAY PRESETS AND THE CD PLAYER NOT OPERATING ALL AT THE SAME TIME IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING! THE DRIVER SEAT MEMORY SYSTEM NOT REVERTING WHEN RE-ENTERING VEHICLE AND STARTING, ALL POINT TO A POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT HONDA WOULD DO GOOD TO LOOK INTO -- THERE ARE YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED RADIO MALFUNCTIONS AS WELL. THE PREVIOUS MODEL ACCORD I OWNED, 2011, HAD NO SUCH PROBLEM. WITH REGARDS TO ANOTHER OWNER COMPLAINT ON THE ENGINE'…

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10519554 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10532062 · 2013-07-26 (July 26, 2013)

WHEN I START UP THE CAR IT WOULDN'T START. THE LIGHT, ACC, RADIO EVERYTHING TURNS ON BUT THE ENGINE WONT START. I TRY SEVERAL TIMES BUT IT WILL NOT START, I GOT OUT THE CAR LOCK IT, THEM I DECIDE TO TRY AGAIN AND THEM IT STARTED. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY 2013 THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IT HAPPEN SAME EXACT WAY. ALSO A BUZZING NOISE COMING FROM THE RADIO OR BLUETOOTH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY COULD NOT FOUND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE BATTERY WAS FINE ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10532062 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10493229 · 2013-01-16 (January 16, 2013)

WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKE WHILE SLOWING DOWN FROM 20+ MPH TO COME TO A STOP THERE IS A NOTICEABLE JERK (WHEN THE RPM INDICATOR IS CLOSE TO 1) BEFORE THE VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP (GUN HONDA, SAN ANTONIO) AND THE TECHNICIAN COULD REPLICATE THE ISSUE BUT MENTIONED IT AS A FEATURE OF THE NEW CVT TRANSMISSION AND SAID HE DOESN'T KNOW OF ANY WAY TO FIX THE SAME. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME WHEN I NEED TO BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN OR SIGNAL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 10493229 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10488116 · 2012-12-12 (December 12, 2012)

2013 HONDA ACCORD SEDAN, V6, TOURING MODEL I STOPPED AT THE SIGNAL LIGHT AT ROUTE 50 AND CHAIN BRIDGE ROAD; WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO LEAVE, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED - THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING OR ACCELERATING. CARS BEHIND ME HONKED AND I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR MORE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE'S FRONT TIRES SPUN A LITTLE AND THE CAR TOOK OFF. THIS GAVE ME A SCARE! THIS HAPPENED AGAIN 10-15 MILES LATER AS I WAS ARRIVING NEAR MY HOME IN ALEXANDRIA, VA. HOWEVER, THIS ISSUE IS NOT CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK, SURGE, O…

Owner-reported narrative. 26 miles reported. Look up ODI 10488116 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10516186 · 2013-06-11 (June 11, 2013)

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE, I NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING A CORNER AND THEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE ENGINE FALTERS AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO STALL, BUT IT DOESN'T. THE CAR NOW HAS ABOUT 2500 MILES ON IT AND THIS HAS HAPPENED DOZENS OF TIMES, BUT NOT ALWAYS, WHEN TURNING A CORNER. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER OR NOT THE ECO SYSTEM IS ENGAGED OR THE A/C IS ON OR OFF. I SPOKE TO A SERVICE REP AT MY HONDA DEALER WHO SAID OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE, BUT THAT IT IS JUST A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR …

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10516186 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10493755 · 2013-01-22 (January 22, 2013)

ON 1/16/2013 WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK GAS CAP LIGHT CAME ON AND BLINKED OFF AND ON THREE TIMES AND WENT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE GAS CAP WAS CHECKED IT WAS NOT LOOSE. THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT THEN CAME ON WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED OVER THE PHONE AND A TECHNICIAN SAID THIS WAS NORMAL AND THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT WOULD GO OUT.THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT DID NOT GO OUT AND AFTER A COUPLE DAYS YOU COULD SMELL FUEL IN THE CAR IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS FOUND TO HAVE A FAULTY GAS TANK THAT WAS LEAKING AT A …

Owner-reported narrative. 330 miles reported. Look up ODI 10493755 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10714268 · 2015-05-03 (May 3, 2015)

MY VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE PARKED IN AN PLAZA ON PEMBROKE ROAD AT THE BEGINNING ON MARCH 2015. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN X 2 WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED (ENGINE RUNNING) ON SEPARATE DAYS. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS DRIVING ALONG PINES BOULEVARD IN PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC (TUESDAY APRIL 21ST 2015), AS I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION OF HIATUS ROAD AND PINES BOULEVARD, I STARTED SLOWING DOWN FOR A RED LIGHT. THE VEHICLE THEN SHUT DOWN/STALLED AGAIN. THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A RED LIGHT HELPED TO PREVENT AND ACCIDENT, AS EVERYONE DRIVING IN THE SAME DIRECT…

Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10714268 at NHTSA ↗