2013 Honda Accord Recalls and Problems

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 1,422 owner complaints for the 2013 Honda Accord. It has 1 open investigation that names this model year.

Recalled components: powertrain, fuel system, and electrical system. Most-described problem: power steering problems or locked steering (261 complaints, 18%). Most-reported area: steering (499 complaints, 35%; median mileage when it happened: 50,000).

Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated Oct 2, 2026

Year to avoid

5 safety recalls for the 2013 Honda Accord

Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.

Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA investigations

NHTSA has opened 4 investigations that name the 2013 Honda Accord; 1 is still open. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.

A preliminary evaluation is NHTSA's first step, to gather information and decide whether to look further. An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.

What owners report

Owners have filed 1,422 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Accord. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.

Problems owners describe

• Power steering problems or locked steering261 · 18%
  Median 47,900 miles at failure, from 163 reports with mileage
• Won't start127 · 9%
  Median 52,500 miles at failure, from 104 reports with mileage
• Steering rack problems: sticking, play or pulling100 · 7%
  Median 72,200 miles at failure, from 46 reports with mileage
• Stalling or shutting off39 · 3%
  Median 20,000 miles at failure, from 25 reports with mileage
• Several warning lights at once37 · 3%
  Median 67,000 miles at failure, from 17 reports with mileage
• Jerking, lurching or harsh shifting32 · 2%
  Median 2,800 miles at failure, from 24 reports with mileage
• Hesitation or slow acceleration29 · 2%
  Median 10,500 miles at failure, from 26 reports with mileage
• Shaking, shuddering or vibration28 · 2%
  Median 15,600 miles at failure, from 18 reports with mileage

Counted from the complaint text: a complaint counts once for each problem it describes (how we match them). Some complaints describe none of these. Compare other models in the problem owners report most for every model year.

Areas named in complaints

• Steering499 · 35%
  Median 50,000 miles at failure, from 261 reports with mileage
• Electrical system415 · 29%
  Most named: starter assembly (11); ignition (7) · Median 50,000 miles at failure, from 272 reports with mileage
• Engine179 · 13%
  Median 42,500 miles at failure, from 134 reports with mileage
• Brakes113 · 8%
  Median 17,500 miles at failure, from 43 reports with mileage
• Powertrain109 · 8%
  Median 15,500 miles at failure, from 76 reports with mileage
• Air bags51 · 4%
  Median 50,000 miles at failure, from 31 reports with mileage
• Speed control51 · 4%
  Median 7,500 miles at failure, from 36 reports with mileage
• Unknown or other119 · 8%
  Median 58,000 miles at failure, from 64 reports with mileage

A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.

Honda Accord recalls and complaints by model year

The highlighted bars are the 2013 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2018 Accord drew the most (456) and the 2013 drew 363.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2013 Accord MPG

Questions