YearToAvoid

2018 Honda Accord Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 16 Accord years

The 2018 Honda Accord has 1,881 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 100, the highest of any Accord model year, ranking worst out of 16 model years covered. It carries 6 recalls, with Engine issues the top complaint area at 35% of complaints.

Complaints
1,881
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
35 / 4
Injuries / deaths
39 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
28.5
24.5 city / 34.5 hwy

Top 2018 Honda Accord problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine661 (35%)
  2. Fuel System471 (25%)
  3. Collision Avoidance & Cameras358 (19%)
  4. Electrical System311 (17%)
  5. Brakes275 (15%)
  6. Other252 (13%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain137 (7%)
  8. Structure & Body64 (3%)
  9. Airbags60 (3%)
  10. Steering60 (3%)

What owners report

  • Engine problems reported around 35,000 miles median, including sudden loss of steering control while driving in rain.
  • Some owners describe engine compartment fires accompanied by smoke and burning smells while driving at highway speed.
  • Backup camera failures are reported, with owners saying the display went blank or malfunctioned right before a collision while reversing.
  • Owners describe the vehicle rolling or moving on its own while parked or in reverse, sometimes striking another vehicle.
  • Airbag-related complaints include reports of airbags deploying unexpectedly and dislodging a wheel during a crash.
  • Electrical system complaints include a popping sound and smoke rising from the dashboard near the windshield while the car was stationary.
2018 Honda Accord complaints: complaints filed per quarter1912017 Q42019 Q12020 Q22021 Q32022 Q42024 Q12025 Q22026 Q3
2797 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2017 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q3 (191).

2018 Honda Accord recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V332000May 21, 2026Airbags98,892 vehicles

    Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

    Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 23V158000Mar 9, 2023Seat Belts448,613 vehicles

    Seat belts:front:buckle assembly

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2020 CR-V, 2018-2019 Accord and Accord Hybrid, 2018-2020 Odyssey, 2019 Insight, and 2019-2020 Acura RDX vehicles. A manufacturing issue with the front seat belts may cause the seat belt buckle channel to interfere with the release button, preventing the seat belt buckle from latching.

    Risk: An unlatched seat belt cannot properly restrain the seat occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belt buckle release buttons or the buckle assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are NDA, QDB, BDC, MDD, LD9. TDF, FDG, ODH, YDI, ZDE.

See all 6 recalls for the 2018 Honda Accord →

2018 Honda Accord fuel economy and fuel cost

City
24.5 MPG
Highway
34.5 MPG
Combined
28.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,275
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.

2018 compared with other Accord years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2016Caution60604426
2017Caution53535325.5
2018Avoid1001,881628.5
2019Avoid80689628.5
2020Good33362528.5

All Honda Accord years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Honda Accord reliable?
NHTSA lists 1,881 complaints for the 2018 Accord, giving it a complaint index of 100, the worst among the 16 Accord model years tracked, so it carries an Avoid verdict relative to other Accord years.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Honda Accord?
Engine complaints make up 35% of all complaints (661 cases), followed by Fuel System at 25% and Collision Avoidance & Cameras at 19%, according to NHTSA data.
Does the 2018 Honda Accord have recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2018 Accord, covering airbags, fuel system, seat belts, and the collision avoidance camera/BCM software, none of them do-not-drive recalls.
What year Honda Accord should I avoid?
Based on NHTSA data, 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2019 are labeled Avoid, with 2018 having the highest complaint index of 100 among all Accord years covered.
How many miles do 2018 Accords last before problems appear?
NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage at failure of 22,000 miles overall, with Engine issues reported at a median of 35,000 miles.

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.