2013 Honda Accord Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2013 Honda Accord ranks 3rd worst of 21 model years, with a complaint index of 90 and 1,421 NHTSA complaints. Steering issues dominate at 35% of complaints, and the year carries 5 recall campaigns, earning it an Avoid verdict relative to other Accord years.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 90/100
- #3 of 21 Accord years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 1,421
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 5
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 67
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 9
- Injuries
- 59
- Top issue
- Steering
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 26
- 22.5 city / 33.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 59 / 1
Top 2013 Honda Accord problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Steering499 (35%)
- Electrical System424 (30%)
- Engine230 (16%)
- Brakes144 (10%)
- Other131 (9%)
- Transmission & Powertrain109 (8%)
- Structure & Body74 (5%)
- Airbags51 (4%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras46 (3%)
- Fuel System45 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report the steering wheel suddenly free-spinning while driving, with the tires no longer responding to input.
- Some drivers describe the car veering left on its own, leading to crashes into walls or poles.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in at least one crash, despite significant vehicle damage.
- Owners describe the engine revving or accelerating unexpectedly while their foot was on the brake, sometimes ending in a collision.
- One driver reported the backup camera and warning chime failing to activate, resulting in a crash while reversing.
- A brake pedal reportedly produced no braking response despite being fully depressed, causing the car to keep rolling.
2013 Honda Accord recalls
5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 25V422000Jun 19, 2025Transmission & Powertrain72,256 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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the driveshaft assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is OM2. This recall expands previous recall number 20V769.
- NHTSA 23V858000Dec 18, 2023Fuel System2,490,460 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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
- NHTSA 20V769000Dec 10, 2020Transmission & Powertrain235,034 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.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shafts, replacing both the left and right drive shafts, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 4, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
2013 Honda Accord fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22.5 MPG
- Highway
- 33.5 MPG
- Combined
- 26 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,500
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2013 compared with other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 Honda Accord reliable?
- Relative to other Accord model years, the 2013 ranks 3rd worst out of 21 years tracked, with a complaint index of 90 and 1,421 NHTSA complaints. Steering, electrical, and engine problems are the leading categories.
- What are the most common problems with the 2013 Honda Accord?
- NHTSA data shows steering complaints make up 35% of all complaints (499 cases), followed by electrical system issues at 30% (424 cases) and engine problems at 16% (230 cases).
- Does the 2013 Honda Accord have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2013 Accord, covering the transmission/powertrain (driveshaft assemblies, twice), the fuel system (fuel pump module and fuel tank), and the electrical system (battery sensor). None are do-not-drive recalls.
- Should I avoid the 2013 Honda Accord?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Accord is rated Avoid compared to other Accord model years, ranking 3rd worst of 21 years with a complaint index of 90.
- At what mileage do 2013 Accord problems typically appear?
- The median mileage at failure across complaints is 45,000 miles, with steering issues showing up at a median of 50,000 miles and transmission/powertrain issues at a median of 15,500 miles.