UsedScore

2013 Honda Accord: Use caution

Owners filed 539 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Honda Accord in its first five years on the road, about 151 for every 100,000 sold: 1.7× the rate of a typical Accord year. That's above average, so use caution.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the steering (27% of complaints, median 35,000 miles).

Complaint index
1.7×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Accord year
Rank
12th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
539
first five years; 151 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
5
campaigns
9th generation, 2013–2017 (first year of the generation; redesign years often run worse) · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2013 Honda Accord LX sedan

Photo: 2013 Honda Accord LX sedan · Cutlass, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Steering27% · 147 complaints · median 35,000 miles
  2. Electrical24% · 130 complaints · median 34,000 miles
  3. Engine18% · 96 complaints · median 23,000 miles
  4. Brakes8% · 42 complaints · median 12,000 miles
  5. Air bags4% · 23 complaints · median 20,000 miles
  6. Powertrain10% · 55 complaints · median 6,000 miles
  7. Speed control6% · 31 complaints · median 5,000 miles
  8. Seats and belts8% · 43 complaints · median 1,000 miles
  9. Body and structure3% · 17 complaints · median 15,000 miles
  10. Wheels and tires4% · 20 complaints · median 12,000 miles

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Electrical

Owners of this Accord commonly describe trouble starting the car, often needing repeated key turns or jump-starts, sometimes tied to a failing starter or battery. Many also report dashboard warning lights, power steering loss, and infotainment or camera screens freezing, with dealers sometimes unable to pinpoint the cause.

Warning signs:
Many report clicking sounds, dash lights flickering or all warning lights illuminating, delayed cranking, stalling at low speed, or screens freezing before failures.
What shops did:
Dealers frequently replaced batteries or starters, sometimes with temporary success; several owners say dealers could not find a code or replicate intermittent issues.
Mileage:
most between 30,000 and 75,000 miles, among 273 complaints that give it

“The vehicle steering simply 'shut-down', or locked-up out of nowhere. It appears the power steering system simply failed.”

Engine

Owners of this model year commonly report their Accord failing to start, sometimes needing several key turns, along with some experiencing stalling, hesitation, or oil use. Repairs often involve starter replacement or repeated dealer visits without a lasting fix.

Warning signs:
Owners describe clicking sounds, flickering dash lights, engine revving without moving, hesitation or stalling when turning, decelerating, or starting from cold.
What shops did:
Dealers frequently replaced the starter, battery, or throttle body, ran oil consumption tests, or reported they could not duplicate the intermittent issue.
Mileage:
most between 10,000 and 60,000 miles, among 140 complaints that give it

“Sometimes when turning a corner and then trying to accelerate, the engine falters as though it is going to stall, but it doesn't”

Steering

Owners describe the power steering suddenly failing or stiffening, often with a warning light, sometimes requiring the car to be turned off and restarted to regain steering. Many say the issue recurred despite dealer repairs, leaving them uneasy about driving the car.

Warning signs:
Many report the power steering (EPS) warning light illuminating, along with the wheel suddenly becoming very stiff, hard to turn, or unresponsive.
What shops did:
Owners report dealers often replaced the steering rack, torque sensor, or performed software updates, though some say the problem recurred or could not be duplicated.
Mileage:
most between 30,000 and 85,000 miles, among 261 complaints that give it

“While driving on highway at 50 MPH, the power steering failed and the steering light came on.”

“As soon as I made the right turn the steering light came on and my steering wheel stiffened up tot he point where I could not turn properly.”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (5)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 25V422000June 202572,256 vehicles

    Power train: driveline: driveshaft

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Honda Accord vehicles equipped with a 4-cylinder engine and a continuously-variable transmission. 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, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The driveshaft may corrode and break, due to damage from road salt or other contaminants.

    Risk: A broken driveshaft can result in a loss of drive power, or a vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied. Both scenarios can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

    Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the driveshaft assemblies as necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 23V858000December 20232,490,460 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump

    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.

    Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 20V769000December 2020235,034 vehicles

    Power train: driveline: driveshaft

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Accord vehicles equipped with a 4-cylinder engine and a continuously-variable transmission that 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, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. 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.

    Risk: A broken drive shaft may cause a sudden loss of drive power. The vehicle could also roll away if the parking brake has not been applied before the vehicle has been exited. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shafts, replacing both the left and right drive shafts, if necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 17V418000June 20171,148,550 vehicles

    Electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Honda Accord vehicles. The case for the battery sensor, part of the battery management system, may allow water to get in, potentially causing an electrical short.

    Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensor, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 13V297000July 20131,659 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline

    American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2013 Accord vehicles that are Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) II rated that were manufactured January 15, 2013, through April 5, 2013. The fuel tank neck may be out of specification causing the fuel pump to not properly seal to the fuel tank.

    Risk: An insufficent seal may led to a fuel leak which increases the risk of a fire.

    Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, nut and O-ring gasket free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Honda sent NHTSA 164 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2013 Accord. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • APaS11292021 · November 2021Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • APaS11162021902 · November 2021Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • APaS11032021901 · November 2021Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • APaS10142021 · October 2021Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • AHPa08262021 · August 2021Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
  • A15-055 · May 2021When a failure is detected, the EPS control unit goes into back-up mode.
  • A19050B · May 2019ServiceNews Article - When removing and installing a cable reel, you need to keep both the cable reel and the steering angle sensor in position.
  • A19-034 · April 2019The engine will not start and sets DTC P2101 (electronic throttle control system [ETCS] malfunction).

All 2013 Accord bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2013 Honda Accord reliable?
Owners filed 539 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Honda Accord in its first five years on the road, about 151 for every 100,000 sold: 1.7× the rate of a typical Accord year. That's above average, so use caution. Ratings compare Accord years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2013 Accord problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the steering (27%), the electrical system (24%) and the engine (18%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2013 Honda Accord been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2013 Honda Accord, the most recent in June 2025 (power train). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Honda. The 2013 Honda Accord on NHTSA.gov · How we rate