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Honda Accord Hybrid engine failure problems

11 of the 740 owner complaints about the Honda Accord Hybrid describe engine failure, most of them for the 2018 model year.

owner complaints
11
worst model year
2018
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.

By model year

  • 2023
    2
  • 2022
    1
  • 2020
    1
  • 2019
    1
  • 2018
    3
  • 2017
    1
  • 2015
    1
  • 2014
    1

What owners say

Filed Sep 25, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · MD

Unknown. I was informed that my fuel pump is faulty and as a result my engine needs to be replaced.

Filed Jul 28, 2026 · Engine · NY

The engine failed catastrophically. White smoke out of the exhaust at 145,000 miles. Dealer checked out the car and they initially though it was a head gasket failure. After taking the engine head off, it turns out it was a 'structural defect' (verbatim words from the mechanic), which was a divot in the engine block. The head gasket was in great shape. Therefore, I needed a 'new' used engine (at $9K) instead of a head gasket replacement (at $4K). A search on the internet shows that forums (driveaccord.net, facebook groups) shows that many Honda Accord owners have similar head gasket failures. I contacted Honda USA and they said there's no recall so I won't get reimbursed.

Filed Mar 6, 2026 · Driver assistance, Electrical · CA

Description of Incident: 1. Component/System Failure: The engine cooling system and head gasket failed. A certified shop has confirmed coolant intrusion and a failed leak-down test on Cylinder 2. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2. Safety Risk: My safety and the safety of my family and other drivers were put at extreme risk. On March 1, 2026, the vehicle suffered a sudden loss of motive power while traveling at 70 MPH on the freeway. The car dropped to 15 MPH instantly, forcing me to maneuver across active lanes to a narrow shoulder with almost no space. I was nearly hit by high-speed traffic. This has occurred over 8 times since 2023. 3. Confirmation by Service Center: The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by an independent service center On Site Lube Auto & Tire. They utilized a borescope and leak-down test to verify the internal engine failure. 4. Inspections: The vehicle has been inspected by a certified independent technician. I am in the process of notifying the manufacturer (Honda) of these findings for their inspection and accountability. 5. Warning Lamps & Symptoms: Prior to the total power loss, the vehicle displayed engine temperature warnings and "check engine" lights. These symptoms first appeared approximately 8 months after purchase in 2023 and have progressively worsened, leading to the current engine failure. 6. Additional Notes: This failure is identical to issues cited in active class-action lawsuits regarding Honda's engine defects, affecting both standard and Hybrid models. I am communicating via written report/email for documentation and accessibility purposes.

Filed Aug 6, 2025 · Driver assistance, Engine · CA

I am reporting two safety-related issues with my 2022 Honda Accord Hybrid. 1. Head Gasket Failure At approximately 93,500 miles, the head gasket failed without any prior warning signs. The vehicle had been regularly maintained at Honda dealerships, with one service done by a third-party mechanic around 87,000 miles. There were no engine warning lights or coolant leak warnings before the incident. The engine temperature warning suddenly appeared while driving, and I immediately stopped the car. A Honda dealership confirmed the head gasket failure and quoted over $4,000 for repairs. This kind of major engine failure is highly unusual for such a new vehicle and raises serious concerns about long-term engine durability or possible design flaws in the cooling system or head gasket components. 2. False Activation of Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) The vehicle’s automatic emergency braking system frequently activates or issues a warning while driving, even when there are no obstacles or vehicles nearby. This has happened multiple times and creates a sudden sense of panic, increasing the risk of being rear-ended or losing control of the vehicle. Both issues suggest potential safety defects in this model. I respectfully request that the federal safety agency investigate whether similar complaints have been reported for the 2022 Honda Accord Hybrid, as these failures could pose significant safety risks.

Filed Feb 16, 2025 · Engine · 99,169 miles · NY

About two weeks ago, I could have been killed on the New York State Thruway when my 2018 Honda Accord suddenly lost all power. One moment, I was driving normally—then, without warning, my check engine light came on, I had zero ability to accelerate and was forced to pull over as my car rapidly lost speed. II had my vehicle towed to Morehead Honda where they ran diagnostics and told me my car needed nearly $6,000 in repairs due to coolant leaking into the engine, which caused cylinder misfires and valve damage. But here’s the kicker—this same issue has happened to other Honda Accords of the same model year, yet Honda refuses to recognize it as a widespread problem. Morehead Honda admitted to me that they’ve seen this issue before in other 2018-2020 Honda Accords and 2017-2018 CR-Vs. In fact, they said Honda quietly fixed the problem in newer models (2021+)—but they still won’t acknowledge it as a defect in mine. That means my engine failure is not some one-in-a-million fluke—it’s something that has happened to multiple owners of the same model and year. But Honda refuses to take responsibility, leaving me on the hook for an absurdly expensive repair. Many others have had the same or similar issues. Below are some: 2017-2020 Honda Accord owners who have reported coolant leaks, cylinder head cracks, head gasket failures, or related issues: 2018 Accord 2.0T owner blew a head gasket, with a potential cracked engine block. The dealership diagnosed the issue on cylinder #3, with coolant mixing into the engine oil. A 2018 Accord EX-L 2.0T owner experienced a coolant loss leading to a blown head gasket and coolant leaking into cylinders 2 and 3. A 2018 Accord 1.5T owner had dashboard warnings and the car failed to accelerate. The dealership diagnosed a blown head gasket, with coolant leaking into cylinders 3 and 4. A 2020 Honda Accord owner suffered a blown head gasket at 58,000 miles. The dealership confirmed it was the fourth such case they had seen.

Filed Feb 7, 2025 · Engine · MI

came to stop sign. As I turned the corner, engine died in the intersection, all warning lights and dashboard warnings came on. I was dead in the intersection. I had to put car into park, turn the car off, turn car back on and then I could start the car and move out of the intersection to the side of the road. All warning lights and dashboard warnings were on. I have pic of warnings from last event (of 4). able to drive car, everything was normal except brake warnings was on the whole trip (30 min) but brakes worked fine. Parked car for 2 hours and when I came out, all warnings were NOT displayed. This has happened at about the following dates and mileage on the car BETWEEN events. Car purchased new 2/25/2023. First event was about 7/16/2023 at about 2994 miles. Second event was about 2/20/2024 at about 4978 miles since first event (7972 total miles). Third event was about 6/20/2024 at about 3885 miles since 2nd event (11857 total miles). Fourth event was on 11/9/2024 at exactly 3970 miles since 3rd event (15827 total miles. Each time, I have taken it into a dealer. They did a software update after 3rd event and after 4th event, replaced ICM module (ignition control module). Honda factory person worked with dealership after 3rd and 4th event. To date, we do not have any evidence that replacing the ICM has fixed the problem but also no evidence it has not fixed the problem as the events seem to happen every 3,000 to 4,000 miles. I have lots of documentation I have sent to Honda and have a case number with them (13997837). I have asked Honda to replace the car. They started the process but just this week in a call, they said they were ending that process for now. Not sure if I was able to ADD copies of my dealership invoices, my own correspondence with Honda. If they are not on this document, call me and I will send them to you or email them to you.

Filed Oct 10, 2024 · Steering · 12,906 miles · NJ

The contact's son owns a 2023 Honda Accord. While the contact's son was driving at highway speeds, the steering wheel seized with an unknown message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact's son used excessive force to steer the vehicle off to the shoulder of the highway. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where the mechanic discovered that the power steering gear box was defective; and the steering gear box was replaced. Recently, the contact's son stated that there was an abnormal tapping sound coming from the steering wheel. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified, and an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,906.

Filed Sep 6, 2024 · Engine · IL

While driving on interstate highway at normal speed (55-60 mph), all dash warning lamps lit up and i could hear a rattling sound and saw white smoke coming out of exhaust/back of car. Luckily i was able to safely pull car over as engine failed. I checked underneath car to see if anything was loose and did not notice anything. My car needed to be towed since engine was dead. Independent mechanic confirmed that engine rod bolts blew out and an entirely new engine was needed. All proper maintenance was completed and car was running fine with no warning lights or sounds/problems noticed prior to time of incident.

Filed Feb 26, 2022 · Body · NC

Hood release cable has seized closed - Honda has been unable to give any explanation as to why and repair times for part are months out - unable to access engine or battery compartment due to this- unable to refill washer fluid, check oil etc -

Filed Dec 12, 2017 · Steering · 400 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2017 honda accord hybrid. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the power steering seized without warning. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road, but was unable to restore the power steering. The vehicle was towed to martin main line honda (123 e. Lancaster ave, ardmore, pa 19003) where it was diagnosed with a power pump failure that needed replacement. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 400.

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Questions about the Honda Accord Hybrid engine failure

Which Honda Accord Hybrid years have engine failure problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2018 (3 complaints), 2023 (2 complaints) and 2014 (1 complaints).

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