Honda Accord phantom braking problems

Filed Oct 8, 2026 · Driver assistance · CA · 2 injuries

Oct.6 2026 Driving down Burbank Bl the car braked on its own with a huge jolt. I felt my neck whip. There was no danger of hitting a car in front and the weather was clear. The car behind me almost hit me. Oct.7, 2026 Driving up Magnolia bl with a passenger the car again braked unexpectedly jolting us whipping our necks. There was no danger of collision and there was no reason for the car to brake. Both times the orange brake light lit up on the dash. I will be taking the car in to the dealer. I became aware there's a federal investigation for this happening with multiple cars. I will also be going to the urgent care with my passenger tonight as the neck pain has increased.

Filed Sep 28, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · CA · 1 injury

I have experienced phantom braking multiple times but it happened at the worst time yesterday & because of that my shoulder is hurting alot. I was driving on the road when suddenly car hit the brake without any warnings. This has caused whiplash and headache as well because of it. This phantom braking incident has happened many times just this time it was recorded on my dash cam.

Filed Aug 23, 2026 · Driver assistance, Engine · GA · crash

Issue 1: Faulty Collision Mitigation Braking System & Subsequent Crash Incident Details: In July of 2025, my vehicle’s automatic braking warning lights randomly activated and triggered an unprompted, emergency stop on [XXX]—despite having no vehicles ahead of me. This sudden malfunction directly caused a rear-end collision on the interstate. Documentation: A formal crash report was filed with the Georgia State Patrol. Ongoing Risk: The false automatic braking warnings continue to trigger randomly, creating an extreme safety hazard for myself and surrounding traffic. Issue 2: Premature Turbocharger Failure & Cracked Head Gasket Diagnostic Timeline: Immediately upon picking up the car from a body shop repair, every warning light on the dashboard illuminated erratically. After Ed Voyles Honda in Marietta claimed nothing was wrong, the body shop replaced a potentially loose battery cable. The issue persisted, and Shottenkirk Honda in Cartersville ultimately diagnosed a total turbocharger failure in March 2026. Out-of-Pocket Cost: Honda denied any goodwill coverage despite the widespread, documented failure of these 1.5L engines across 2018–2023 models. I paid $1,700 out of pocket to replace the turbocharger. Escalating Failures: Shortly after the turbo replacement, the head gasket cover cracked—another notorious, widely recognized defect inherent to this specific engine setup. At only seven years old, this vehicle has proven to be unreliable, dangerous, and financially burdensome. The known defects in the 1.5L powertrain warrant a widespread recall. Given my long-standing loyalty and the severe nature of these defects, I request a full reimbursement of the $1,700 turbocharger repair costs and an immediate investigation into the phantom braking issue. I expect a prompt reply outlining how Honda intends to resolve these safety issues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 12, 2026 · Driver assistance · CA

Automatic braking has engaged at least 3 times in the last year when there was no car nearby or obstacle in the road. This has happened on city streets at speeds of approx 30-45mph. If this sudden braking happened at freeway speeds it's highly likely I would be rear ended. I have not taken it to dealer as I expect that they will say what they typically do ...nothing is wrong. Granted it is difficult to reproduce the phantom braking for them to observe the issue. The alarm sounded and the large red "Brake" light came on on the dash. 8.12.26 incident was in a lane adjacent to traffic cones but I was nowhere near hitting them.

Filed Jun 16, 2026 · Airbags, Driver assistance · MD

SRS weight sensor failure-- triggers the dashboard warning light and disables my passenger airbag. My SRS light is on continuously. There is a current Honda recall for this issue for my make and model; however, do to my VIN not being listed, the Honda dealership wants to charge me a diagnostic fee plus the repair costs for the exact issue that the current recall is listed for. My VIN needs to be added. I should not have to come out of pocket to pay for this when I'm having the exact issue listed in the recall. My SRS light being on continuously is a MAJOR Safety concern because it disables the airbags--so in the event of an accident, the airbags will not deploy. I contacted Honda Corporate and they created a case--Case number 16432964 for this issue--but they told me it would be possibly months to get anything done and I would still have to pay out of pocket first. the federal safety agency RECALL NUMBER: 26V‑332 CAMPAIGN DESCRIPTION: 2018-22 Accord, Accord Hyb Seat Weight Sensor Recall Exp RECALL DATE: 05/21/2026 I have a service appointment on XXX @830AM at the Honda of Owings Mill Address: [XXX] Phone: [XXX] I am also experiencing the phantom braking issue (unintended activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System) when there is no object in sight. The fix seams to be updating the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), which often require software updates and sensor recalibration. The dealership wants to charge me for this as well. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Apr 19, 2026 · Driver assistance · FL

I keep having issues where my car thinks I’m changing lanes and alerts me, when I’m not, and auto-corrects my steering which has led me to actually veer into another lane and fighting the car essentially while driving. I turn the feature off and somehow it just keeps happening. Same with the sensor that auto brakes - there won’t be anything that the car should be braking for and I’ll get the flashing BRAKE text come up on dash and beeping before it completely brakes on its own. These issues and features have been more worrisome and scary than helpful. There are multiple instances

Filed Apr 11, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · IL

I have bought this car new in 2018, The issue that I’m having is that ..I’ll be driving on the highway or local my car will brake on its own without any hazards in front of it . It’s very dangerous it almost caused me an accident on the highway .

Filed Mar 27, 2026 · Driver assistance · SC · 1 injury

I was driving down the road, on Pinewood rd Sumter sc 29154, the front camera sensed something in the road but nothing was in the road I didn’t brake because I didn’t see anything in the road the orange brake light flashed on dash, so the car did a hard brake of its own, it jerked me the driver I had a sore neck and upper back area for a day due to the hard brake that jerked me. I continue to have phantom braking but I brake when this occurs to avoid hard jerks. I have not yet taken to the dealership.

Filed Mar 24, 2026 · Brakes, Driver assistance · VA

I own a 2018 Honda Accord equipped with Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS). The vehicle has experienced multiple instances of false collision warnings and phantom braking. The issue occasionally occurs when approaching overhead interstate signs. In most cases, the system flashes brake warnings briefly and then clears. However, on one occasion during rainy conditions a few years ago, the vehicle unexpectedly applied the brakes at highway speed with no obstacle present. The vehicle has undergone multiple camera calibrations (this may have also included the radar), but the problem persists. This creates a serious safety hazard, particularly at highway speeds where sudden braking could result in a rear-end collision. The issue appears to be related to false object detection by the ADAS system, potentially involving radar or sensor misinterpretation.

Filed Mar 23, 2026 · Driver assistance · NJ · 1 injury

The vehicle suddenly braked on its own without any obstruction, causing a violent stop and injury. I took it to the nearest dealership to check for a recall. They said there wasn't a recall for this VIN, although online searches show this as a known defect for 2018-2020 Honda Accord Collision Mitigation System.