Honda Accord Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Not unusually. Owners have filed 740 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2025 Honda Accord. For the Honda Accord, that's 0.15 transmission complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, below the 0.28 median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2018, 2013 and 2008.
Transmission complaints
740
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.15
2015–2022 cohorts
Share of all complaints
6.3%
of 11,839 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
3
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Honda Accord transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline), and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008WORST | 70 | — | 4.6% | 6 | 11V395000 | 8 |
| 2009 | 35 | — | 4.9% | 4 | 11V395000 | 6 |
| 2010 | 44 | — | 7.6% | 7 | 11V395000 | 0 |
| 2011 | 21 | — | 7.1% | 2 | — | 8 |
| 2012 | 29 | — | 7.7% | 3 | — | 7 |
| 2013WORST | 109 | — | 7.7% | 4 | 25V42200020V769000 | 25 |
| 2014 | 67 | — | 6.7% | 6 | 20V769000 | 25 |
| 2015 | 44 | 0.12 | 7% | 1 | 20V769000 | 26 |
| 2016 | 29 | 0.08 | 4.9% | 1 | — | 26 |
| 2017 | 32 | 0.1 | 5.6% | 5 | — | 20 |
| 2018WORST | 136 | 0.47 | 7.1% | 2 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | 47 | 0.18 | 6.4% | 6 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | 17 | 0.09 | 4.6% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | 11 | 0.05 | 4.2% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | 6 | 0.04 | 2.2% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | 23 | — | 9.8% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | 13 | — | 5.5% | 2 | — | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | — | 5.6% | 1 | — | 0 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the transmission.
Common Honda Accord transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 740 transmission complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Honda Accord years to avoid for the transmission
2018 Honda Accord
136 transmission complaints (7.1% of the year's 1,906), 0.47 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: loss of power or limp mode.
2013 Honda Accord
109 transmission complaints (7.7% of the year's 1,417). Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts. Covered by transmission recalls 25V422000, 20V769000.
2008 Honda Accord
70 transmission complaints (4.6% of the year's 1,520). Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts. Covered by transmission recall 11V395000.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Honda Accord years to avoid.
Honda Accord transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any Honda Accord model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 25V422000 · 2025-07-07 · 2013 models
The affected vehicles were originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,…
- 20V769000 · 2020-12-10 · 2013–2015 models
The drive shafts were assembled with a lubricant that may have degraded the drive shafts' protective coating, making it more susceptible to damage from road salt or other contaminants, and potentially cause it to break.
- 11V395000 · 2011-08-04 · 2008–2010 models
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 ACCORD, 2007-2010 CR-V, AND 2005-2008 ELEMENT PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 1, 2004, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 3, 2010. THE OUTER RACE OF THE SECONDARY SHAFT BEARING MAY BE BROKEN DURING CERTAIN DRIVING…
Which transmission does the Honda Accord use?
- Honda CVT — 2013–present
Years are as listed for that transmission's applications. Some apply to certain engines only.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2018 Honda Accord have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 136 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Honda Accord, 7.1% of all 1,906 complaints for that year, or 0.47 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "loss of power or limp mode" (31 complaints). 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2013 Honda Accord have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 109 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2013 Honda Accord, 7.7% of all 1,417 complaints for that year. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (17 complaints). 2 transmission-related recalls cover it: 25V422000, 20V769000. 4 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2008 Honda Accord have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 70 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2008 Honda Accord, 4.6% of all 1,520 complaints for that year. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (5 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 11V395000. 6 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Honda Accord years have the most transmission complaints?
2018 (136), 2013 (109) and 2008 (70), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Honda Accord transmission problems?
In the 740 transmission complaints, owners most often describe loss of power or limp mode (12.2%), jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (11.9%) and hesitation or delayed engagement (7.8%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Honda Accord model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 transmission complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration