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2018 Honda Accord problems

The most common problem on the 2018 Honda Accord is engine and cooling, typically around 73,000 miles. It has 3.1 times the complaints of a typical Accord model year.

Year to avoid3.1x the typical complaints
Year score
30/100
Owner complaints
1,900
Recalls
6
Service bulletins
312
Worst area
Engine
Fuel economy
26-33mpg
Typical repair
$4,524

The worst 2018 Honda Accord 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.

Specific symptoms reported on the 2018 Honda Accord

Check engine light 189Warning lights 170Collision warning 165Fuel pump 165Misfire 163Stalling 158Adaptive cruise 132Loss of power 130Won't shift 95Overheating 92Jerking 73Lane assist 51Engine failure 50Backup camera 44Phantom braking 44Hesitation 31Headlights 22ABS 21Won't start 21Airbag light 20Door locks 18Screen failure 15Grinding brakes 14Shudder 13Fuel smell 12Knocking 11Sunroof shattered 11Wipers 11Harsh shifting 10Windshield crack 10Brake failure 9Fire or smoke 9Power steering loss 9Key fob 8Seat belt 8Sudden acceleration 6Transmission failure 6CVT failure 5

Trouble codes owners of the 2018 Honda Accord mention

P0301 10P0303 9P0304 9P0300 5P0302 5U3003 5P0087 3P0299 3U0401 3U0416 3B0020 2C1250 2

Recalls 6

Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passengerReported May 21, 2026 · 98,892 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
Risk
Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
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 the federal safety agency recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on beginning May 29, 2026.

Recall number 26V332000 · Recall details

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pumpReported December 18, 2023 · 2,490,460 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
Risk
Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 the federal safety agency recall numbers 21V‑215 and 20V‑314.

Recall number 23V858000 · Recall details

Seat belts: front: buckle assemblyReported March 9, 2023 · 448,613 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
Risk
An unlatched seat belt cannot properly restrain the seat occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
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.

Recall number 23V158000 · Recall details

Electrical system: body control module: softwareReported December 10, 2020 · 737,233 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
Risk
Various system malfunctions such as inoperative windshield wipers, defroster, rearview camera, or exterior lighting can increase the risk of a crash.
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.

Recall number 20V771000 · Recall details

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pumpReported May 28, 2020 · 135,995 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
Risk
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.

Recall number 20V314000 · Recall details

Back over prevention: sensing system: cameraReported September 13, 2018 · 232,140 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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."
Risk
If the rearview camera display does not show what is behind the vehicle, it can increase the risk of a crash.
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.

Recall number 18V629000 · Recall details

See all 6 recalls for the 2018 Honda Accord

Defect investigations

Inadvertent Automatic Emergency BrakingOpened April 15, 2024, still open

On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles. The reports allege that activation of the AEB system occurs while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that they were aware of a total of X,XXX reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and alleges that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the CMBS and its limitations.  However, many consumer complaints allege that Honda dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or state that they were informed that this is considered normal CMBS operation. To date, ODI has received a total of 1,294 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of CMBS in 2017-2022 Honda CR-V and 2018-2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A total of 31 complaints alleged a crash and 50 alleged an injury. The Total column in the Failure Report Summary removes duplicate reports and shows the total number of reports with unique VINs from all Manufacturer, ODI, and EWR data sources. In some cases, there were multiple reports associated with a particular vehicle in which recurring failures were alleged. In total, there were X,XXX reports, 93 injury incidents and 47 crashes involving vehicles with unique VINs that may relate to the alleged defect. PE22-003 has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the inadvertent AEB activations. The scope has been expanded to include assessment of model year 2020-2022 Honda CR-V and Accord vehicles. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to

EA24002

Inadvertent Automatic Emergency BrakingOpened February 21, 2022, closed April 18, 2024

On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles. The reports allege that activation of the AEB system occurs while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that they were aware of a total of X,XXX reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and alleges that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the CMBS and its limitations.  However, many consumer complaints allege that Honda dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or state that they were informed that this is considered normal CMBS operation. To date, ODI has received a total of 1,081 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of CMBS in the subject vehicles. A total of 24 complaints alleged a crash and 42 alleged an injury. The Total column in the Failure Report Summary removes duplicate reports and shows the total number of reports with unique VINs from all Manufacturer, ODI, and EWR data sources. In some cases, there were multiple reports associated with a particular vehicle in which recurring failures were alleged. In total, there were X,XXX reports, 84 injury incidents and 40 crashes involving vehicles with unique VINs that may relate to the alleged defect. PE22003 has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA24002) to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the inadvertent AEB activations. Further the scope has been expanded to include assessment of model year 2020-2022 Honda CR-V and Accord vehicles. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to

PE22003

Technical service bulletins for the 2018 Honda Accord 312

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 312 bulletins for the 2018 Honda Accord

2018 Honda Accord fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
1.5L 4‑cylFWD26-3035-3830-33
2.0L 4‑cylFWD22-2332-3426-27

What 2018 Honda Accord owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Nov 4, 2026 · Engine · 104,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The RPM was elevated above 2,000 RPM, but the engine shuddered, and the vehicle lost motive power. The dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket. The contact was informed that there was a misfire in cylinders #2 and #3. The contact was informed that there was coolant mixed into the engine oil. In addition, the contact was informed that the head gasket and the engine needed further diagnostic tests. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was contacted and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

Filed Nov 1, 2026 · Engine · CA

The check engine light came on. I took it to the dealership where I bought it. They instructed me to go to an authorized Honda repair facility. I took it in July 17, 2025 for a check engine light. The auto repair dealership said the head gasket was no good. So they repaired it my extended warranty paid for the cost. Then the repair facility did an unauthorized second disassembly without my permission So they repaired it my extended warranty paid for the cost. Then the repair facility did an unauthorized second disassembly without my permission then I was expected to pay for the engine repair. There was coolant leaking into the engine which caused the engine block to be warped. Pistons rings cylinder was completely messed up.

Filed Oct 29, 2026 · Electrical · 283,000 miles · PA

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 110,000. It was later discovered upon checking a Carfax report, the mileage was 283,000.

Filed Oct 26, 2026 · Driver assistance · GA

Computer BCM module malfunction while driving. All warning light went off like Christmas tree.

Filed Oct 25, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · NJ

I am submitting a serious safety complaint regarding the placement and design of the electronic parking brake switch in my Honda Accord. The parking brake switch is located on the center console, directly in an area where a driver's hand naturally rests while driving. This creates an unnecessary risk of accidentally activating the parking brake. With a traditional gear selector, shifting into reverse requires two deliberate actions: pressing a release button and physically moving the shifter. These safeguards help prevent accidental operation. However, in the Honda Accord, the parking brake switch can be activated with a simple finger movement. A driver resting their hand on the center console could unintentionally operate this switch. Even if the vehicle has electronic safeguards, accidental activation while driving could cause unexpected braking, startle the driver, or create a dangerous situation. What makes this particularly concerning is that Honda uses a different placement in the Honda Odyssey, positioning the parking brake switch away from where a driver's hand naturally rests. This demonstrates that a safer, less exposed location is possible. The parking brake is not a control that drivers need to access continuously while driving. There is no justification for positioning it where a driver's hand naturally rests. This risk is especially concerning during highway driving, when an unexpected braking event or even a momentary distraction could have serious consequences. A safety-critical control should require deliberate activation and should not be susceptible to incidental contact. I strongly urge Honda and federal safety regulators to investigate this design, evaluate the risk of accidental activation, and consider relocating the switch or implementing additional safeguards. This is an unnecessary and preventable safety hazard that should be addressed before someone is injured.

Filed Oct 22, 2026 · Transmission · VA

The CVT automatic transmission is leaking fluid from the transmission input shaft seal. The leak was diagnosed by Pohanka Honda of Fredericksburg, Virginia in October 2026 at approximately 99,400 miles. The dealer recommended replacing the transmission input shaft seal, a repair that requires removing the transmission, estimated at $2,990.90 plus tax. American Honda reviewed the case (Case #[XXX]) and declined goodwill assistance on [XXX]. The repair has not yet been performed. Safety concern: continued loss of transmission fluid can cause transmission failure and a loss of motive power while driving. No crash, fire, or injuries occurred. The problem is ongoing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 22, 2026 · Engine · MA

Noticed that the engine temperature was slightly higher normal (went to 5 bars when always at 4) I checked and the fan was running properly and had coolant in the overflow tank. I took it to the Honda dealer, and they found that the head gasket failed and the fluid inside the radiator leaked into the cylinders. My 2018 Honda has the 2.0T engine with 126,875 miles. Honda acknowledges this design flaw on their 1.5T and 2.0 non-turbo engines but wouldn't cover my 2.0T. This 2.0T from my research is about 80-100 units of the 1,115,384 accords sold in the US 2018-2022 10th gen. The 2.0T has the same design flaw as the other two engines but Honda wont cover them. Moreover, I asked for 50% good will coverage from Honda and was flat out told no after waiting for 4 weeks to get this decision on a known mechanical engine flaw that could be a safety issue, Eg. fire or loss of power on a highway that can get someone hurt or killed.

Filed Oct 21, 2026 · Driver assistance, Fuel system · NY

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA FOR ACTIVE ODI CASE #XXX. P1: SYSTEMIC SAFETY RECALL FALSIFICATION (the federal safety agency 23V‑858) This submission supplements active ODI Case #XXX against Honda of Manhasset (Facility #XXX). On XXX, the facility certified Fuel Pump Safety Recall 23V‑858 as fully completed to claim warranty credits. Vehicle dashcam recordings irrefutably prove the technician never opened the hood, never disconnected the 12V battery (mandatory safety step to release fuel pressure), and never stood in front of the car. When confronted on XXX with video evidence, advisor [XXX] manually altered the invoice to "Not Performed", falsely blaming a system error/lack of stock, despite parts records proving the recall kit arrived XXX. System admin then issued a corrective invoice "Reprint #1" stating "RECALL NOT PERFORM. PART NOT IN STOCK", dynamic-reopening the VIN nationally to evade corporate detection. This constitutes severe corporate fraud. P2: COMPRESSED ADAS SOFTWARE TOLERANCES AND PROCEDURAL OMISSION The secondary fraud involves an unneeded quote of $1,237.19 and illegal $233.55 diagnostic fee under false pretense of a "bent radar bracket". Independent engineering audit disproved hardware failure, establishing true 0.00° baseline. Technical root cause of DTC P2583-76 was the recall update, migrating the car from the factory 2018 software layout—which possessed a permissive vertical threshold up to ±3.0°—directly to hyper-strict Program ID: 36802-TVA-A190, restricting the window to an unyielding 0.0°±0.1°. Due to suspension settling over 259,258 km, the radar had a natural deviation of -2.25°, which A190 flagged, disabling ACC. On XXX, the Shop Foreman confessed technicians willfully skip physical radar re-centering protocols because they "take too much time". After manual adjustment back to 0.00°, a 19km road test dynamically cleared DTC [XXX] per Honda Bulletin 21-068. Subpoena dealer records for ID A190. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 18, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · MD

My 2018 Honda Accord EX-L with the 2.0L turbocharged engine (K20C4) and 10-speed automatic has had a cylinder head gasket failure at approximately 111,000 miles. The vehicle has been maintained consistently. Starting in early October 2026, the vehicle began shaking violently under acceleration while the engine was cold, including when accelerating at highway speed and climbing hills. The shaking lasted for roughly the first 15 minutes of every drive. No check engine light or diagnostic trouble codes appeared. In mid-October 2026, a Honda dealership diagnosed coolant leaking past the cylinder head gasket into the combustion chamber and quoted approximately $5,000 for the repair. Replacement parts are on backorder with no estimated arrival date. Violent shaking during highway acceleration is a safety concern, and continued coolant leakage into the cylinders can cause further engine damage. In August 2026, American Honda extended head gasket warranty coverage to 10 years or 150,000 miles on 2018–2022 Accord 1.5T and hybrid models for the same condition: coolant entering the combustion chamber and causing misfires. The 2.0L turbo engine was excluded. A pending class action (Alcantara et al. v. American Honda, consolidated with Bissell v. American Honda, S.D. Cal.) alleges head gasket failure in Honda's 1.5L and 2.0L turbocharged engines. I ask that the federal safety agency investigate head gasket failures in 2018–2022 Accords with the 2.0L turbo engine, and whether this engine should be included in Honda's remedy.

Filed Oct 14, 2026 · Driver assistance · TX

This has happened several times, usually on interstates, about once every few months. It usually takes place where there is a transition in the road, especially if there is a large shadow combined with a car in front of me. The two places that come to mind include merging on, especially during sunrise or sunset (if the highway is set into the ground like in [XXX]), or when passing under a bridge on the highway, esp with a car in front of me that is slowing down. The latter happened earlier this week, I believe on XXX eastbound in [XXX], passing under the XXX or one of the other streets similar to it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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Compare the 2018 Honda Accord

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Other model years

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Questions about the 2018 Honda Accord

Is the 2018 Honda Accord reliable?

Owners have filed 1,900 complaints about the 2018 Honda Accord, 3.1 times a typical Accord model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.

What is the 2018 Honda Accord year score?

The 2018 Honda Accord scores 30 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Honda Accord: 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 2018 Honda Accord?

Engine and cooling, with 587 complaints, typically around 73,000 miles. Next is fuel system (476).

How many recalls does the 2018 Honda Accord have?

6 recalls, covering air bags, fuel system, gasoline and seat belts.

What year does the Honda Accord have bad engine?

The Honda Accord model years with the most engine complaints are 2018 (587 complaints), 2008 (251 complaints) and 2019 (195 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2018 Honda Accord get?

Official estimates for the 2018 Honda Accord range from 26 to 33 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.5L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 26-30 city and 35-38 highway.

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