YearToAvoid

2013 Honda Accord Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 109 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2013 Honda Accord, 8% of its 1,421 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 15,500. Two recalls (25V422000 and 20V769000) cover driveshaft assemblies on CVT-equipped 4-cylinder models.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
109
8% of 1,421
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
15,500 mi
Related recalls
2

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report an unexpected forward lurch or hesitation when shifting into drive or reverse from a stop, sometimes leading to a crash into a curb or wall.
  • Some describe a noticeable jerk or delayed engagement when braking to a stop from around 20 mph or higher, similar to a rotor releasing suddenly.
  • Several owners report the intermediate or driveshaft assembly cracking or snapping outright, in some cases while simply backing out of a driveway.
  • Owners describe sudden loss of power or an overheating warning while driving, with the car struggling to accelerate past low speeds before requiring a stop.
  • A number of complaints mention dashboard warning lights and steering assist or stability control errors appearing together, sometimes tied to the driveshaft or VSA modulator.
  • Some owners mention that dealers found driveshaft leaks or damage not covered by the existing recalls, despite matching the recall's described defect.

When 2013 Honda Accord transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 2, 2013, latest May 21, 2026.

2013 Honda Accord transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter82013 Q12014 Q32016 Q32018 Q22020 Q22023 Q22025 Q2
109 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q1 to 2026 Q2; peak 2014 Q3 (8).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2013 Honda Accord

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Accord model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005113 (17%)
  2. 200649 (11%)
  3. 200758 (11%)
  4. 200870 (5%)
  5. 200936 (5%)
  6. 201045 (8%)
  7. 201121 (7%)
  8. 201227 (7%)
  9. 2013109 (8%)
  10. 201464 (7%)
  11. 201540 (7%)
  12. 201629 (5%)
  13. 201733 (6%)
  14. 2018137 (7%)
  15. 201943 (6%)
  16. 202016 (4%)
  17. 202113 (6%)
  18. 20228 (3%)
  19. 20233 (4%)
  20. 20246 (4%)
  21. 20255 (6%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission and powertrain complaints does the 2013 Honda Accord have?
NHTSA lists 109 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2013 Accord, which is 8% of the 1,421 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2013 Honda Accord transmission or driveshaft?
Yes. NHTSA recall 25V422000 covers driveshaft assembly inspection and replacement on 4-cylinder CVT models, and recall 20V769000 covers drive shaft replacement on 2013-2015 Accords in certain states.
At what mileage do 2013 Accord transmission problems tend to show up?
The median mileage at failure reported in NHTSA complaints for this component area is 15,500 miles.
Did the 2013 Accord transmission issues cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data shows 3 crashes and 1 injury linked to Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2013 Accord, with 0 fires reported.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.