FaultScore

2021 Honda Accord driver assist problems

91 of the 340 complaints about the 2021 Honda Accord are about the driver-assist systems — 27% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 62,000 miles.

F

91

Complaints

7

Crashes

0

Fires

3

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Emergency Braking 46 50.5%
Warnings 14 15.4%
Assist 9 9.9%
Adaptive Cruise Control 8 8.8%
Warning 7 7.7%
Blind Spot Detection 3 3.3%
Forward Collision Avoidance 2 2.2%
Back Over Prevention 1 1.1%
Automatic Steering 1 1.1%

Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance across every Honda Accord year

2013 75 4.9%
2014 96 6.2%
2015 32 2.1%
2016 39 2.5%
2017 86 5.6%
2018 533 34.6%
2019 229 14.9%
2020 151 9.8%
2021 91 5.9%
2022 96 6.2%
2023 44 2.9%
2024 43 2.8%
2025 25 1.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Houston, TX

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

On July 4th 2026, I was leaving from a restaurant that evening and within 5-10 seconds of me turning my car on, all of the lights on my dashboard turned on. I was slightly confused because there were multiple at once and my car was rumbling a bit from under the engine hood. Within a few weeks prior, I’ve been having with my digital car screen switching back and forth between tabs (from the radio, to my CarPlay, to the settings). It will be intermittent but fairly consistent. I plan to take my car to an auto parts store for a code test and battery/alternator test to see if there’s any further issues. I just purchased a new battery for this car within the 3 years of me getting it, 2 years ago and there shouldn’t be any issues. I’m not sure how to proceed and I really don’t have it in me to spend large amounts of money and time with repairs for a supposedly heavily reliable car. My current mileage is at 120,000.

NHTSA complaint #11748319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 62,000 miles West Covina, CA

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brakes would suddenly apply, stopping the vehicle immediately. The failure had become more persistent. The contact would immediately apply the accelerator, and the vehicle would gradually accelerate forward. The traction control failure, brake system failure, cruise control, and the mediation light were illuminated, all related to the various drive assistance systems within the vehicle. When attempting to shift from the sport mode to economy or regular modes, it shows as unable or failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

NHTSA complaint #11737225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 62,000 miles West Covina, CA

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brakes would suddenly apply, stopping the vehicle immediately. The failure had become more persistent. The contact would immediately apply the accelerator, and the vehicle would gradually accelerate forward. The traction control failure, brake system failure, cruise control, and the mediation light were illuminated, all related to the various drive assistance systems within the vehicle. When attempting to shift from the sport mode to economy or regular modes, it shows as unable or failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

NHTSA complaint #11737225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Raeford, NC

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

Infotainment Center: I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2021 Honda Accord Sport and the ongoing issues I’ve experienced with its infotainment system. This problem has been persistent, unpredictable, and increasingly concerning from both a usability and safety standpoint. Since purchasing the vehicle, the infotainment center has repeatedly malfunctioned without any warning. The screen will freeze, switch from setting to setting, or become unresponsive to touch input. At times, it will randomly reboot while I am driving. These issues occur regardless of whether I am using navigation, Bluetooth audio, or even when the system is idle. This also affects the ADAS, periodically, warnings will be displayed, and then not show up. What makes this especially troubling is how it affects my ability to safely operate the vehicle. For example, when the system freezes, I lose access to navigation directions mid-route, which forces me to either drive without guidance or attempt to troubleshoot the issue while on the road. Similarly, when using hands-free calling or music controls, the glitches can be distracting and require repeated attempts to regain control, taking my attention away from driving. I rely on my vehicle daily, and this ongoing issue has caused a great deal of frustration and concern. A modern vehicle’s infotainment system is not just a convenience—it is integrated into essential driving functions. When it fails, it directly impacts driver awareness and safety. I am requesting that this issue be investigated further, as it appears to be a systemic problem rather than an isolated defect. I hope that by reporting this, it may help lead to a resolution for myself and other drivers experiencing similar problems.

NHTSA complaint #11735026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Raeford, NC

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

Infotainment Center: I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2021 Honda Accord Sport and the ongoing issues I’ve experienced with its infotainment system. This problem has been persistent, unpredictable, and increasingly concerning from both a usability and safety standpoint. Since purchasing the vehicle, the infotainment center has repeatedly malfunctioned without any warning. The screen will freeze, switch from setting to setting, or become unresponsive to touch input. At times, it will randomly reboot while I am driving. These issues occur regardless of whether I am using navigation, Bluetooth audio, or even when the system is idle. This also affects the ADAS, periodically, warnings will be displayed, and then not show up. What makes this especially troubling is how it affects my ability to safely operate the vehicle. For example, when the system freezes, I lose access to navigation directions mid-route, which forces me to either drive without guidance or attempt to troubleshoot the issue while on the road. Similarly, when using hands-free calling or music controls, the glitches can be distracting and require repeated attempts to regain control, taking my attention away from driving. I rely on my vehicle daily, and this ongoing issue has caused a great deal of frustration and concern. A modern vehicle’s infotainment system is not just a convenience—it is integrated into essential driving functions. When it fails, it directly impacts driver awareness and safety. I am requesting that this issue be investigated further, as it appears to be a systemic problem rather than an isolated defect. I hope that by reporting this, it may help lead to a resolution for myself and other drivers experiencing similar problems.

NHTSA complaint #11735026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Irvington, AL

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

Car went into limp mode

NHTSA complaint #11732244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Irvington, AL

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

Car went into limp mode

NHTSA complaint #11732244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jacksonville, FL

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

The lights and warnings below popped up on my dash after the engine light had come on and then off again for about a week. See below, -Emission system problem Avoid heavy acceleration and high speed. See dealer -tpms light -brake system problem -brake hold system problem -electric power steering system problem -vehicle stability assist system problem -hill start assist problem -adaptive cruise control system problem -collision mitigation braking system problem -road departure mitigation system problem Went to get diagnosed at the dealership and was told that the turbo on my engine had failed. Mechanic said it had nothing to do with me and that it failed on its own. I saw that it was a reoccurring problem with other Honda owners with the same year, make, and model as mine but are being given the run around and no solution.

NHTSA complaint #11731289 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sioux Falls, SD

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

There are two locations in the town I live where I am driving under a bridge, and there is a dark shadow on the road from the bridge. My car’s accident mitigation braking system turns on at these locations and suddenly brakes the vehicle. This is not safe as people are traveling speed limit around me and I can cause an accident this way. About a month or two ago, the car behind me almost hit me at one of these locations when my vehicle’s automatic braking system turned on. It was made to prevent accident and brake if there is a vehicle, but because it is braking due to a dark shadow coming, it is not working properly and needs to be looked into. I called Honda and they want me to pay hundreds of dollars at my local Honda dealership for a diagnosis, I do not feel like I should be responsible for that fee as this is a safety feature that is not working as it should and instead making it less safe for me and drivers around me.

NHTSA complaint #11721817 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Panama City, FL

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

While driving the automatic brake system randomly starts flashing brake across the instrument panel and begins to brake the car. This does this while there are no other vehicles or any type of obstacles near the vehicle. It also, does it at random caution lights for the fire department on a 4 lane divided highway. There is no way to stop it from doing so. This happens frequently and leaves the driver with no control over the braking system.

NHTSA complaint #11721507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Granite City, IL Crash 2 injured

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

This Honda Accord Sport SE has had electrical problems from the day I received the vehicle. Every time I went for an oil change at Bommarito Honda I mentioned it to them and they said “yeah the new Hondas do tend to hand a lot of those electrical problems” so with this the problems continued to get worse. Sometimes the buttons do not work, sometimes they do, sometimes the lights don’t work and sometimes they do and sometimes the safety features and break system automated itself. I have slammed my head on the steering wheel on multiple occasions. I believe this needs to be looked into because the malfunction of the car falsely reports danger and caused an accident. Yes every time it malfunctions it flashes briefly and so quickly on the screen .

NHTSA complaint #11720988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Starkville, Mississippi, MS

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

The Body Control Module has gone out on my 2021 Honda Accord. Yesterday, when it went out, it affected ALL ADAS Features, in addition to key functionality of the car.

NHTSA complaint #11718272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Henrico, VA

LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST

It makes false things there is no car but it brakes by self for nothing

NHTSA complaint #11706425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Henrico, VA

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

It makes false things there is no car but it brakes by self for nothing

NHTSA complaint #11706425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

South Jordan, UT Crash

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

I was driving northbound in on I15 in Salt Lake City when a Home Depot Bucket blew into my lane. I slowed down to change lanes when the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) deployed without warning, bringing my car to an almost stop causing a semi tractor trailer to hit me from behind.

NHTSA complaint #11694798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Winter Haven, FL

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle’s collision avoidance automatic braking system is malfunctioning. It engages unexpectedly while the vehicle is moving with normal traffic flow. The system is still installed and fully available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The automatic braking system activates suddenly and without cause while I am driving at typical speeds (approximately 40–60 mph) with the flow of traffic. This unexpected braking creates a serious risk of rear-end collisions, both endangering me and putting other drivers at risk of crashing into my vehicle from behind. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? I have reported the issue to the dealer, but they have been unable to replicate the problem during their inspections. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? No, the vehicle and its braking system have not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, law enforcement, insurance representatives, or any other third parties. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lights, messages, or other indicators were present before the issue occurred. I purchased the vehicle last month, and the problem with the collision avoidance braking system has been present consistently since then.

NHTSA complaint #11694400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Winter Haven, FL

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle’s collision avoidance automatic braking system is malfunctioning. It engages unexpectedly while the vehicle is moving with normal traffic flow. The system is still installed and fully available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The automatic braking system activates suddenly and without cause while I am driving at typical speeds (approximately 40–60 mph) with the flow of traffic. This unexpected braking creates a serious risk of rear-end collisions, both endangering me and putting other drivers at risk of crashing into my vehicle from behind. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? I have reported the issue to the dealer, but they have been unable to replicate the problem during their inspections. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? No, the vehicle and its braking system have not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, law enforcement, insurance representatives, or any other third parties. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lights, messages, or other indicators were present before the issue occurred. I purchased the vehicle last month, and the problem with the collision avoidance braking system has been present consistently since then.

NHTSA complaint #11694400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 60,000 miles Monument, CO

LANE DEPARTURE: LANE KEEP: AUTOMATIC STEERING

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact’s spouse stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Lane Keep Assistance feature became inoperable. The contact’s spouse stated that the feature was erroneously activated and deactivated. The contact stated that while the LKAS was activated, the vehicle jerked abnormally. The contact expressed concerns about the failure. The contact stated that the safety feature was very hazardous and could pose a risk to the driver and other vehicle operators. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

NHTSA complaint #11692316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Diego, CA

LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST

This Honda continues to have fantom alerts and false warnings that triggers the car to jerk the steering wheel and try to steer you into another lane. I have narrowly avoided crashes more than 50 times. No "safety" system should be able to jerk the wheel out of your hands. You have know for more than 5 years about this defect, why no action? Shameful mismanagement that now needs to sued to get a reaction.

NHTSA complaint #11687043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Diego, CA

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING

This Honda continues to have fantom alerts and false warnings that triggers the car to jerk the steering wheel and try to steer you into another lane. I have narrowly avoided crashes more than 50 times. No "safety" system should be able to jerk the wheel out of your hands. You have know for more than 5 years about this defect, why no action? Shameful mismanagement that now needs to sued to get a reaction.

NHTSA complaint #11687043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dumont, NJ

LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION

The touch screen is malfunctioning. Its "ghost touching" as in the screen is pressing random buttons on the screen at random times while driving. It can change and has changed settings while driving (distance for breaking before a collision, etc). While its touching random things on the screen im unable to touch anything on the screen. As if its locking me from pressing anything.

NHTSA complaint #11681997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dumont, NJ

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

The touch screen is malfunctioning. Its "ghost touching" as in the screen is pressing random buttons on the screen at random times while driving. It can change and has changed settings while driving (distance for breaking before a collision, etc). While its touching random things on the screen im unable to touch anything on the screen. As if its locking me from pressing anything.

NHTSA complaint #11681997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Deerfield, IL

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

My car slammed on its own brakes hard out of nowhere with nothing in its forward. The first time it happened was about 9 months ago while I was driving on the highway, it was a quick moment of breaking without any reason, but the car didn't stop. Today it happened again, the speed was about 30 m/h, the car slammed hard on the brakes to an almost complete stop. I was lucky, nobody was behind.

NHTSA complaint #11674807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 98,000 miles Aberdeen, MD

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle independently slowed down as if the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that a warning for the brakes and the collision mitigation and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the turbo charger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact retrieved vehicle however, several warning lights were illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle and had not returned it to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: EA24002 (Forward Collision Avoidance). The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

NHTSA complaint #11673271 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 74,716 miles Saint Petersburg, FL

BACK OVER PREVENTION

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the infotainment center screen malfunctioned, causing the backup camera display to glitch and become distorted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the infotainment center display was faulty and needed to be replaced. The infotainment center display was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 74,716.

NHTSA complaint #11668569 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Aurora, CO

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

Experienced CMBS with malfunctioning false breaking while no obstacle, acceleration delays (Features not available: Electric braking, lane departure, Electric power steering, Cruise control, Adaptive collusion prevention and brake system warning on dashboard).

NHTSA complaint #11665551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Aurora, CO

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

Experienced CMBS with malfunctioning false breaking while no obstacle, acceleration delays (Features not available: Electric braking, lane departure, Electric power steering, Cruise control, Adaptive collusion prevention and brake system warning on dashboard).

NHTSA complaint #11665551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 71,080 miles Farmington, MN Crash

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle's auto braking applied without warning. The vehicle was rear-ended by a possible 2024/2025 Buick Envista. The driver of the Buick left the scene of the crash. The brake warning light was flashing. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Action Number: EA24002 Forward Collision Avoidance. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment or fire. A police report was filed. The driver was able to continue driving. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 71,080.T he VIN was invalid.

NHTSA complaint #11665139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Romeoville, IL

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING

Lanes on the roadway were adjusted for a workzone. Because of these lane adjustments, a large amount of crack sealer was used on the roadway. The car confused the crack sealer as roadway markings and tried to slam on the brakes in a workzone, thinking I was going over the lines, unless I used the turn signal to override the automatic braking, which is the only way I was able to avoid getting rear-ended. This ian't the first time this ecent has occurred in my vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11657024 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Diego, CA

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING

steering wheel jerks hard out of my hands. Car, especially in direct sunlight jerks the wheel thinking that I'm not in the center of my lane, even though I was centered. Hard to control the car.

NHTSA complaint #11640544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2021 Honda Accord problems

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