The starter fails to start the car. The starter throws out the pinion ,but fails to engage the fly wheel and crank the motor. Starts out intermitent and steadily gets worse. I have replaced the starter 3 times, one after market refurb starter failed right out of the box. Honda has a service bulletin that documents this failure , but tell the owner to replace the starter and rotate the fly wheel on the torque convertor. This does not fix the issue. The issue is a poorly machined shaft inside the starter on which the pinion gear floats. Over time it becomes worn and the pinion gear fails to full engage the fly wheel and runs out short on the shaft in the starter. It is and engineering defect and should be correct by honda. I have felt the hang up of the pinion gear once the starter is out of the car and on a bench.
The worst 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Steering7
- Electrical3
- Transmission1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour
Recalls 1
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX, ZDX, Honda Accord Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura TSX Sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord,, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles and 2013 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Honda is recalling certain 2010-2012 Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Accord Crosstour, Fit and Pilot, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V, and 2010 Acura ZDX and Honda Insight vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Unless included in Zones A or B above, Honda is recalling certain 2009 Acura TSX, Honda Accord, Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid, CR-V, Fit, and Pilot vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to higher absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are B0K and L0J.
Recall number 18V042000 · Recall details
See all 1 recalls for the 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour
Defect investigations
Loss of Direction Control
On May 6, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA21-001) to assess a sudden loss of steering control, in Model Year (MY) 2013-2015 Honda Accord vehicles. Consumers alleged while driving the steering wheel would pull to the left or the right independently. Steering pull may pose a risk of loss of directional control. Honda stated that they believed the inadvertent steering input was caused by a loose magnet located within the electronic power steering (EPS) system. Due to poor formulation of the adhesive, this magnet can become loose and move up to 2 degrees around the steering column. When the magnet moves, the torque sensor generates a signal that results in unwanted steering in either direction. Honda stated the steering force required to maintain directional control with a loose magnet is a maximum of 3-pound feet. The maximum force of the unwanted steering input can be overcome by the driver and is similar to driving on grooved pavement.The Vehicle Research Test Center (VRTC) sent over 4,000 questionnaires to 2013-2015 Honda Accord vehicle owners. Of the 637 responses, 58 consumers experienced unwanted steering. Consumers experiencing unwanted steering did not report difficulties maintaining directional control. There were no crashes or injuries reported to VRTC. Testing done by VRTC was not able to reproduce the allegations. Analysis of all relevant data indicates that the subject condition has a relatively low failure rate. The poor adhesive formulation was addressed by the supplier with three (3) counter measures in the manufacturing process.There has been a declining trend in consumer complaints to the federal safety agency which indicates possible exhaustion of parts prone to failure. In view of the low rate, declining complaint trend, the nature of failure, and resolution of the adhesive formulation, this Engineering Analysis is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at under the following ODI identification numbers: 11538714, 11528538, 11528008, 11522953, 11496557, 11495837, 11494328, 11478680, 11477167, 11476758, 11476263, 11471198, 11470001, 11467026, 11466561, 11466016, 11465626, 11464143, 11463558, 11462759, 11461500, 11460777, 11460191, 11455540, 11454334, 11452198, 11448114, 11447666, 11444888, 11444823, 11444172, 11443324, 11443243, 11443105, 11441374, 11439520, 11438345, 11437261, 11436824, 11436350, 11435994, 11435079, 11434969, 11434545, 11434442, 11434381, 11433824, 11433745, 11433555, 11433368, 11433176, 11431206, 11430465, 11430253, 11430009, 11429253, 11428301, 11427449, 11426841, 11426340, 11425928, 11425261, 11425230, 11423611, 11423245, 11422445, 11422395, 11422351, 11422220, 11422138, 11422069, 11421683, 11421589, 11421540, 11420573, 11419338, 11419270, 11418147, 11418143, 11417768, 11417742, 11417570, 11417437, 11416804, 11416699, 11416401, 11416378, 11416375, 11416155, 11416117, 11416084, 11416051, 11416032, 11416028, 11416024, 11416000, 11415933, 11415915, 11414105, 11406220, 11398736 ,11387075, 11387049, 11375580, 11364698, 11361125, 11351660, 11349961, 11327909, 11327170, 11301957, 11289067, 11282525, 11277659, 11258017, 11256914, 11218752, 11208077, 11196050, 11194358, 11189901, 11165075, 11163481, 11154891
EA21001
What 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Eps (electric power steering) light on dash lights up followed by almost total loss of steering. Takes extreme amount of force to steer car when system cuts out. Once car is stopped and engine switched off light will reset and power steering will return.
While driving the power steering went out. After multiple restarts of the engine it did not work. I was able to drive it to a nearby honda dealer, with much physical effort to turn. The dealership saw the light on and ran the code, but after a later check the eps light went off. No resolution.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 honda accord crosstour. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated when it was cold started. An independent mechanic replaced the battery, but the failure continued. The vehicle was taken to johnson city honda (2806 n roan st, johnson city, tn 37601, (423) 282-5440) where it was determined that the starter could be the cause of the failure. The repair would cost approximately $725. The contact planned to have the vehicle repaired by an independent mechanic. The failure mileage was 45,000.
While driving the eps light starts flashing and I have no power steering. I pulled over and turned the car off and on many times, but it doesn't fix the problem.
Loss of power assisted steering. Event 1. The eps light on the dash illuminated on start, unable to exit parking space. Shutting down the car and restarting it, cleared the condition. Event 2. Within 15 minutes of event 1, the eps light lit and loss of power assisted steering while driving at ~30 MPH on a city street. Cycled the vehicle and the condition cleared again. Event 3. Within 10 minutes of event 2, the symptoms of event 2 repeated. Drove vehicle for 1 day without issue event 4. On start, no power assisted steering, condition is now persistent. The root cause appears to be the electronic power steering (esp) module. Verified the 70a fuse. The mechanical components operated normally between the four separate events. Part estimates ~$1000, labor estimates ~ $350. No accidents or injuries in my case. That this presents itself as a random event, giving the driver an invalid sense of randomness when in reality it is a lurking failure should warrant intervention as nearly 17,000 of this model year have been sold.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 honda accord crosstour. When the vehicle was started, the contact heard a strange grinding noise coming from the starter. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent and occurred several times over the period of three months. Napleton's river oaks honda (17220 torrence ave, lansing, il 60438, (708) 782-4770) was made aware of the failure and diagnosed that the starter and the gear shifter box were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired under warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided the contact with case number: 09072371. The contact referenced tsb: a16-002 (electrical system) as a potential cause of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Takata recall... My dashboard is displaying a steering wheel symbol and that warning sign is restricting my wheel to steer properly.
Driving to work going around a curve on the turnpike at 45 MPH and the power steering went out couldnt steer went off the road missing a tree by a foot.
Voice recognition does not work . Very intermittent . Not what I tell it . All out side sound is not interfering .stationary, parking lot empty 4:30 in morning power stayed it was off and yet music still played / have video . Taken in 3 times to dealer / nothing wrong they say
Compare the 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour
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Questions about the 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour
Is the 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour reliable?
Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour, fewer than a typical Accord Crosstour model year.
What is the 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour year score?
The 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour scores 81 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Honda Accord Crosstour: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour?
Steering, with 7 complaints, typically around 88,000 miles. Next is electrical (3).
How many recalls does the 2013 Honda Accord Crosstour have?
1 recall, covering air bags.
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