YearToAvoid

2021 Honda Accord Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 45 engine complaints for the 2021 Honda Accord, 19% of its 232 total complaints for the year. Median mileage at failure is 74,000. No related recalls are listed, and the complaints include 4 crashes and 2 injuries.

Engine complaints
45
19% of 232
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
74,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Head gasket failures reported to cause sudden loss of power, warning lights, and stalling on the highway, in some cases near 81,000 to 100,000 miles.
  • Sudden unintended acceleration reported even with the gear shift in Park, in one case pushing the vehicle into a building.
  • Engine misfire codes (including cylinder 3 and cylinder 4 misfires) reported alongside dashboard warning lights and the vehicle dropping into limp mode.
  • Turbocharger and fuel injector system failures reported to cause sudden loss of power and multiple warning sensors activating while driving.
  • Hybrid model owners reported gradually weakening air conditioning performance traced back to the engine bay, requiring repeated refrigerant top-offs.

When 2021 Honda Accord engine complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 24, 2021, latest Sep 23, 2026.

2021 Honda Accord engine complaints: complaints filed per month6Sep 2021May 2023Nov 2024Sep 2025Dec 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Sep 2026
45 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2021 to Sep 2026; peak Aug 2026 (6).

Engine recalls for the 2021 Honda Accord

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Accord model year

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

  1. 2010145 (25%)
  2. 201139 (13%)
  3. 201272 (19%)
  4. 2013230 (16%)
  5. 2014218 (22%)
  6. 2015127 (21%)
  7. 201665 (11%)
  8. 201776 (14%)
  9. 2018661 (35%)
  10. 2019209 (30%)
  11. 202085 (23%)
  12. 202145 (19%)
  13. 202243 (17%)
  14. 202314 (16%)
  15. 202415 (11%)
  16. 20254 (5%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2021 Honda Accord have?
NHTSA lists 45 engine complaints for the 2021 Accord, which is 19% of the 232 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for 2021 Honda Accord engine problems?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this component on the 2021 Accord, even though some owners mention a head gasket issue they believe should be recalled.
At what mileage do 2021 Accord engine problems usually occur?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for engine complaints on the 2021 Accord is 74,000 miles.
Are 2021 Accord engine failures dangerous?
NHTSA data tied to this component includes 4 crashes and 2 injuries among the reported complaints, with owners describing sudden power loss and unintended acceleration.
Is 2021 worse than other Accord years for engine problems?
The 2021 Accord's engine complaints make up 19% of its total complaints, lower than 2018 (35%) and 2019 (30%), but similar to 2020 (23%) and 2022 (17%).

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.