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2021 Honda Accord: stuck in gear or won't shift

6 of the 247 complaints about the 2021 Honda Accord describe stuck in gear or won't shift.

owner complaints
6
of this car's complaints
2%
recalls
0
Is there a fix? 5 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Stuck in gear or won't shift by model year

What owners say

Filed Oct 11, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · AL

I bought my Accord in February of 2026 with only 79k miles (now at 93k). 3 days after purchasing all of these warning lights popped up regarding emissions, brake system, power steering, etc. I brought it back in and they said that it needed a new fuel injector on cylinder one (which didn’t fix the issue). I have replaced all 4 spark plugs and kept up with maintenance since it has been in my ownership. Now I’m having issues with the car going in limp mode, decreased acceleration, decreased mpg, and constant misfire codes! I do not feel safe in this car anymore since it has almost left me stranded as well as it disabling the safety features which could put me at risk. Honda desperately needs to fix this issue seeing as it’s putting their customers at risk, along with others on the road. the federal safety agency please do something!

Filed Jun 21, 2026 · Engine · TX

The vehicle suffered an unexpected loss of engine compression and dropped into a dangerous Limp Mode while driving due to a Cylinder 3 Misfire code (P0303). The manufacturer dealership misdiagnosed the mechanical issue using an unrelated 2.0L engine service bulletin (SB23-026) to clear the error. Six months later, the dashboard completely illuminated again with code P0299 (Turbocharger Underboost) caused by progressive pressure and compression loss across the 1.5L turbo engineering components. Upon post-visit inspection, engine fluids were found severely depleted. This ongoing engineering failure causes a sudden loss of vehicle motive power on public highways, creating a severe, recurring safety hazard that mirrors the active federal engine defect class-action litigation against American Honda Motor Co. This has happened 4 times with all the lights on my dash coming on Dec 2025, May 2026, June 2026 (2x)

Filed May 8, 2026 · Lights, Seat belts · CA

I bought my vehicle around May 2024. Initially, everything seemed fine. However, I noticed that my car was starting to slow down and would enter limp mode, preventing me from exceeding a certain mileage. Subsequently, all the lights on my dashboard began flashing, prompting me to pull over and call a mechanic shop. I had all the necessary maintenance and repairs performed as per the plan. After starting the vehicle, all the lights turned off, and it drove smoothly. A few weeks later, all the lights came back on again, and nothing showed on the OB2 Reader, which I thought was odd because something shouldve popped up if all the lights on my dashboard was going all crazy. The mechanic said the same thing and maybe thought it was the battery, sensors going bad, or even the wiring. But he checked everything and said he didnt find any issues. So I went home and the lights on the dashboard stayed on for 30 seconds and then turned off after I started the car. The lights turning on all at once on the dashboard became more frequent and this time, the check engine light illuminated, indicating a misfiring issue. I took the vehicle to a mechanic shop for a thorough inspection, and they made a few minor adjustments. However, two months later, the same problem recurred. All the lights came on again, and the vehicle misfired once more, accompanied by the check engine light. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the issue was a head gasket leak. Additionally, the seat belt alert for the passenger and rear seats, as well as the child car seat, failed to function properly.

Filed Apr 19, 2026 · Driver assistance, Fuel system · AL

Car went into limp mode

Filed Mar 20, 2026 · Electrical · FL

ssue: Water intrusion into tail light assembly causing electrical and safety system malfunctions Status: Repaired at owner expense (~$800) Concern: Safety‑related defect and potential pattern across vehicles Description of the Issue: My 2021 Honda Accord experienced a failure where water entered the tail light assembly and caused electrical shorts. This resulted in multiple safety‑critical system warnings, including brake system alerts, ABS/VSA warnings, and Honda Sensing failures. The vehicle also lost acceleration and entered a reduced‑power “limp mode,” creating a hazardous driving situation. The dealership diagnosed the issue as water intrusion into the tail light assembly. The entire assembly had to be replaced at a cost of over $800. After replacement, all warnings and drivability issues resolved immediately.

Filed Feb 5, 2026 · Engine · CA

Financed a used 2021 honda accord sport in April of 2024 with 68,671 miles. About a month ago, with no warning signs of any sort such as overheating etc...my car did not want to start, finally started but was sputtering with a rough idle, my dash lit up with like 7 or more warning lights. Including a flashing check engine light. All the were safety warnings from braking system not working, to power steering to emissions failure, etc... and to take to dealership. Got the car to a local mechanic to get a diagnostics reading and was told I had a misfire in cylinder 2. Replaced the #2 coil and spark plug. Thought everything was fine until picking up my daughter from school and then all those warning messages lit my dash up again including the flashing check engine light. Car started sputtering and went into limp mode. Lost power and by the grace of God was able t9 coast off the major Blvd away from traffic and out of harms way. Very, very scary. My life literally flashed before my eyes. Not only my life was in danger but my daughters along with other drivers around me. So I took it back to mechanic and he ran diagnostics again still had a misfire. He could not pin point the exact problem. Took it to the dealership and they confirm it was a faulty head gasket between CYL 2 and water jacket. And they quoted me a price of $5,998. Which i can not afford. And feel Im not responsible for catastrophic major mechanical failure. I maintenance my car regularly thru the dealership so they have record of me properly maintenancing the car. Head gasket failure at 80,000 miles is absolutely unheard of. Until I started researching and come to find out this is a design flaw made by Honda. I was flabbergasted with the amount of people with the exact type of problem. Im afraid that even after repairing this problem that it may happen again down the line. And that would be putting my life in danger. Vehicle is still at dealership being that I can not afford the repairs.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Questions about the 2021 Honda Accord won't shift

Is stuck in gear or won't shift a common problem on the 2021 Honda Accord?

6 of 247 owner complaints about the 2021 Honda Accord (2%) mention stuck in gear or won't shift. The model year with the most reports is 2003.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2021 Honda Accord?

There are 0 recalls and 5 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2021 Honda Accord

Warning lights 24Check engine light 16Screen failure 14Loss of power 14Misfire 13Collision warning 10Jerking 10Adaptive cruise 9Fuel pump 9Lane assist 9Overheating 9Backup camera 6Phantom braking 6Stalling 6

All model years of the Honda Accord

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