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2013 Honda Accord

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Accord years

Owner complaints for the 2013 Honda Accord are substantially higher than the model-year median of 356.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

882 reports with mileage · 538 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Steering. Review the 499 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 414 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 179 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

67 crash reports9 fire reports42 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

414 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineSteering

I was driving into a parking spot and the car started flickering, the screen turned off and the steering locked and would not allow me to move the car at all even though it was in drive.

NHTSA ODI #11607768

Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2024
Electrical System

The car has just over 91,000 miles on it and the push button start is working only intermittently. I know I’m not the only one because the online forums are full of started problems with these. It’s my only car and Honda has known for years it is a problem with these.

NHTSA ODI #11606022

Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 2024
Electrical System

The ABS module is malfunctioning which is a common issue with this car and should have been recalled many years ago.

NHTSA ODI #11604790

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2024
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceVehicle Speed Control

When starting the engine and while driving at speeds of 60+MPH, Malfunction lamp, FCW, VSA, LDW, Low tire pressure (TPMS), ECON mode, and EPS warning lights come on and vehicles slows to 10 MPH. Vehicle will remain in this condition until restarted which may or may not resolve the issue. Car will drive but not at speed desir…

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When starting the engine and while driving at speeds of 60+MPH, Malfunction lamp, FCW, VSA, LDW, Low tire pressure (TPMS), ECON mode, and EPS warning lights come on and vehicles slows to 10 MPH. Vehicle will remain in this condition until restarted which may or may not resolve the issue. Car will drive but not at speed desired and vehicles appears/sounds as if it is trying to change gears but cannot. The car continues to try to slow down to lower speeds.

NHTSA ODI #11603159

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2024
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

The ABS/VSA Module failure: Tire pressure, traction control, steering, Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Forward Collision Warning (FCW) dash lights come on; the vehicle is available for inspection upon request, pending recall or private repair. The safety of the driver, passengers, and outside parties is at risk in case of brak…

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The ABS/VSA Module failure: Tire pressure, traction control, steering, Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Forward Collision Warning (FCW) dash lights come on; the vehicle is available for inspection upon request, pending recall or private repair. The safety of the driver, passengers, and outside parties is at risk in case of brake failure or brake locking in a situation where the LDW or FCW has failed to alert the driver of a pending collision. The dealer conducted a diagnostic service on the morning of 07/01/2024 indicating ABS Module and Brake Flush, codes 81.19 and 81.20, with a repair cost of $2,385.49 for the ABS Module part and labor of 4.95 ($3335.49) and Brake Flush labor of .8 ($179.95) for a total cost of $3,575.44. The vehicle or parts have not been inspected by police, insurance representatives, or others, although Galpin Honda performed the above diagnostic. The vehicle dashboard lights mentioned above come on shortly after driving the vehicle at times, with the lights alternating between on and off at any given start-up—they can light up or be off at start-up/drive-off.

NHTSA ODI #11598008

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

My vehicle dash has been displaying the TPMS light (blinking then solid), Power Steering, Traction control light for the past year to two. I have checked my tire pressure they are to specifications the sensors are fine, my traction control does not respond to the button in the car to enable or disable the traction control. I tha…

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My vehicle dash has been displaying the TPMS light (blinking then solid), Power Steering, Traction control light for the past year to two. I have checked my tire pressure they are to specifications the sensors are fine, my traction control does not respond to the button in the car to enable or disable the traction control. I thankfully have not yet lost power steering but the light is on. I had researched the problem and have found several and I mean several honda accord owners all with the same problem. Only yesterday did my ABS light on my dash turned on and has consistently stayed on (on occasion would turn off like the others but then reappear). Based on internet searches and forums all things point to a faulty ABS module, a module countless honda accord owners have indicated Honda is aware of such fault and expect honda owners to pay an exorbitant amount of money to repair it when its a model wide issue. The danger this poses is the uncertainty of the reliability of these features that are meant to keep motorists safe. To make matters worse I am concerned about the safety of my family with a toddler and infant when riding my vehicle. This is not something that broke down due to negligence on the vehicle owners part. This is a manufacturer issue that affects every single honda accord from 2013 through 2022. To make matters worse when people tried to get the ABS module fixed its unavailable. Honda needs to repair all these modules and a recall needs to be issued. This is unacceptable. I will be very hesitant to buy another Honda again.

NHTSA ODI #11597105

Mileage unknown · May 5, 2024
Electrical SystemPower TrainSteering

I lost control of vehicle while driving because the electrical steering motor stopped working. I’ve had the electric starter already replaced twice with Honda parts and it’s still not working. There’s something wrong with the steering. I already placed a complaint and I have not heard back from Honda or NHTSA. I sent letters …

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I lost control of vehicle while driving because the electrical steering motor stopped working. I’ve had the electric starter already replaced twice with Honda parts and it’s still not working. There’s something wrong with the steering. I already placed a complaint and I have not heard back from Honda or NHTSA. I sent letters to NYS Senators Schumer and Hillabrand and I have not yet heard back from them yet either. I sent letters emails to Congress and the Senate transportation committees. I’ve found testimonials for the same issues online even with videos. I just read a complaint that was nearly identical the experience I had except it happened in 2020. The power steering stops and starts same for the cars starter and windows. I took the car to Honda dealer to repair it on March [XXX], 2024. I now have a car repair bill for $8500 at Curry Honda in Yorktown Heights. They said I needed to replace entire exhaust system $3000 because they couldn’t get to the steering column without taking down the fragile exhaust system. Basically, I had no choice. In order to start the repairs they wanted a $4,500 down payment which I paid. They’ve now had the car for 37 days. They described the steering column and motor system as being completely corroded to the point where the steering column was going to snap/break. What they said at the Honda dealer was the Honda steering motor and wiring was completely corroded which is not common. A few weeks later they told me that the knuckle/ball bearings were rusted out and that all the shock absorbers needed replaced as they were also rusted out even the screws according to them. They said these should all be replaced or I would fail inspection. The bill went from $3000 to $4700 to $6200 to $7900 to now $8500 includes tax. They’re still working on the vehicle and they’ve had it since March [XXX], it’s now May [XXX], 2024. I’ve asked them for the parts that they’re removing and they said they’ll save the parts. Do you want them? Recall? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM O

NHTSA ODI #11587037

120,000 miles · Apr 30, 2024
Electrical SystemService Brakes, Hydraulic

The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the traction control, vehicle stability assist, the low tire pressure, and steering wheel symbols were illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle but was worried that the warnings had indicated a larger mechanical failure with t…

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The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the traction control, vehicle stability assist, the low tire pressure, and steering wheel symbols were illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle but was worried that the warnings had indicated a larger mechanical failure with the vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS module and motherboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI #11586082

Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2024
Electrical SystemService Brakes

Several Dashboard lights came on. Electric Steering ,Tire Pressure Sensor, Traction Control, ABS, Brake lights. Paid 300 dollar diagnostic fee for Honda dealer to tell me this is a known issue on Hondas and would cost 3,000 dollars to repair. Final verdict, ABS module needs replacement. Also seems to be causing issues with the t…

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Several Dashboard lights came on. Electric Steering ,Tire Pressure Sensor, Traction Control, ABS, Brake lights. Paid 300 dollar diagnostic fee for Honda dealer to tell me this is a known issue on Hondas and would cost 3,000 dollars to repair. Final verdict, ABS module needs replacement. Also seems to be causing issues with the transmission shift points due to the Vehicle speed sensor having an error with code P-0717 input shaft speed error. Upon doing research, the mother board connections from connector to the motherboard are very thin and lose connection over time causing safety issues since it's unknown if the ABS is working correctly with the fault lights on, also the tire pressure is not currently monitored correctly due to the light is always on among other monitored systems that have lights illuminated on the dashboard.

NHTSA ODI #11585857

Mileage unknown · Mar 31, 2024
Electrical SystemEngine

Hoping to take care of the starter grinding on startup for my 2013 Honda Accord V6… It’s a known issue with the 2013-2017 Accord V6 redesigned starter (starter part number 31200-5G0-A02). Honda's fix (TSB 16-002) is yet another redesigned starter (redesign of the redesigned starter part number 31200-5G0-A04 ), plus a one time…

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Hoping to take care of the starter grinding on startup for my 2013 Honda Accord V6… It’s a known issue with the 2013-2017 Accord V6 redesigned starter (starter part number 31200-5G0-A02). Honda's fix (TSB 16-002) is yet another redesigned starter (redesign of the redesigned starter part number 31200-5G0-A04 ), plus a one time only one hole rotation of the flywheel. In the TSB 16-002 it states: If replacing the starter with the redesigned starter and rotating the flywheel doesn't work, then the next course of action is to replace the torque converter (which is not cheap and who knows if it’s a good fix…REALLY). I had the starter and engine battery replaced before on this car at a Honda dealership to correct the problem. Needless to say, it did not correct the screeching noises upon pushing the start engine button. The safety of the driver and the occupants will be in peril when being stuck in hazardous weather (storms, heat alert indexes, snow, freezing weather) without the ability to start the car. This is a design flaw that Honda clearly knows about with no solution in sight. I already had this repaired before at a Honda dealership, but it never corrected the problem. Honda needs to initiate a recall since it knows it’s a massive problem by issuing a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB 16-002).

NHTSA ODI #11580270

Official recalls

5

25V422000 · Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

Jun 19, 2025

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

23V858000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump

Dec 18, 2023

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

20V769000 · Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

Dec 10, 2020

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

17V418000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery

Jun 29, 2017

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Honda Accord vehicles. The case for the battery sensor, part of the battery management system, may allow water to get in, potentially causing an electrical short.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensor, free of charge. Dealers will perform an interim remedy of applying adhesive to the case to prevent water intrusion. The recall began November 8, 2017. Owners may contact American Honda Customer Support Center at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KG0.

13V297000 · Fuel System, Gasoline

Jul 8, 2013

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2013 Accord vehicles that are Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) II rated that were manufactured January 15, 2013, through April 5, 2013. The fuel tank neck may be out of specification causing the fuel pump to not properly seal to the fuel tank.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An insufficent seal may led to a fuel leak which increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, nut and O-ring gasket free of charge. The recall began during August 2013. Honda's recall number is JA9. Owners may contact Honda at 1-310-783-2000.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

5

EA21002 · Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Opened Sep 17, 2021 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

EA21001 · Loss Of Direction Control

Opened May 6, 2021 · Closed Aug 25, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering

On May 6, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA21-001) to assess a sudden loss of steering control, in Model Year (MY) 2013-2015 Honda Accord vehicles. Consumers alleged while driving the steering wheel would pull to the left or the right independently. Steering pull may pose a risk of loss of directional control. Honda stated that they believed the inadvertent steering input was caused by a loose magnet located within the electronic power steering (EPS) system. Due to poor formulation of the adhesive, this magnet can become loose and move up to 2 degrees around the steering column. When the magnet moves, the torque sensor generates a signal that results in unwanted steering in either direction. Honda stated the steering force required to maintain directional control with a loose magnet is a maximum of 3-pound feet. The maximum force of the unwanted steering input can be overcome by the driver and is similar to driving on grooved pavement.The Vehicle Research Test Center (VRTC) sent over 4,000 questionnaires to 2013-2015 Honda Accord vehicle owners. Of the 637 responses, 58 consumers experienced unwanted steering. Consumers experiencing unwanted steering did not report difficulties maintaining directional control. There were no crashes or injuries reported to VRTC. Testing done by VRTC was not able to reproduce the allegations. Analysis of all relevant data indicates that the subject condition has a relatively low failure rate. The poor adhesive formulation was addressed by the supplier with three (3) counter measures in the manufacturing process.There has been a declining trend in consumer complaints to NHTSA which indicates possible exhaustion of parts prone to failure. In view of the low rate, declining complaint trend, the nature of failure, and resolution of the adhesive formulation, this Engineering Analysis is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers: 11538714, 11528538, 11528008, 11522953, 11496557, 11495837, 11494328, 11478680, 11477167, 11476758, 11476263, 11471198, 11470001, 11467026, 11466561, 11466016, 11465626, 11464143, 11463558, 11462759, 11461500, 11460777, 11460191, 11455540, 11454334, 11452198, 11448114, 11447666, 11444888, 11444823, 11444172, 11443324, 11443243, 11443105, 11441374, 11439520, 11438345, 11437261, 11436824, 11436350, 11435994, 11435079, 11434969, 11434545, 11434442, 11434381, 11433824, 11433745, 11433555, 11433368, 11433176, 11431206, 11430465, 11430253, 11430009, 11429253, 11428301, 11427449, 11426841, 11426340, 11425928, 11425261, 11425230, 11423611, 11423245, 11422445, 11422395, 11422351, 11422220, 11422138, 11422069, 11421683, 11421589, 11421540, 11420573, 11419338, 11419270, 11418147, 11418143, 11417768, 11417742, 11417570, 11417437, 11416804, 11416699, 11416401, 11416378, 11416375, 11416155, 11416117, 11416084, 11416051, 11416032, 11416028, 11416024, 11416000, 11415933, 11415915, 11414105, 11406220, 11398736 ,11387075, 11387049, 11375580, 11364698, 11361125, 11351660, 11349961, 11327909, 11327170, 11301957, 11289067, 11282525, 11277659, 11258017, 11256914, 11218752, 11208077, 11196050, 11194358, 11189901, 11165075, 11163481, 11154891

DP20005 · Loss Of Direction Control

Opened Nov 23, 2020 · Closed May 7, 2021

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition dated October 19, 2020 requesting an investigation of an alleged defect in the steering system in Model Year (MY) 2013 Honda Accord vehicles. The petitioner alleges that MY2013 Honda accord vehicles are experiencing a sudden loss of steering control as the vehicle veers from its intended path of travel. The petitioner further alleges that this deviation from the intended path of travel occurs without warning or driver input while operating the vehicle under normal driving conditions. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11349961.On November 23, 2020, ODI opened a Defect Petition (DP20-005) to evaluate whether to grant or deny the petition. ODI sent two Information Request (IR) letters to Honda requesting information on steering anomalies in MY2013 Honda Accord vehicles and later MY2014-2015 Honda Accord vehicles.ODI performed extensive analysis on the information obtained from Honda as well as information in NHTSA's database.Based on ODI's review of the applicable materials, including responses to the IR letters sent to Honda, Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) and Early Warning Reporting data, NHTSA has decided to grant the petition. ODI has opened an Engineering Analysis (EA21-001) to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety related consequences of the alleged defect, a sudden loss of steering control.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers:11414105, 11406220, 11398736, 11387462 ,11387075, 11387049, 11375580, 11364698 ,11361125, 11351660, 11349961, 11327909, 11327170, 11324181, 11306112, 11301957, 11289067, 11282525, 11278511, 11277659, 11258017, 11256914, 11218752, 11208077, 11196050, 11194358, 11189901, 11165075, 11163481, 11156378, 11154891, 11131050

EA19001 · Electrical Overstress

Opened Apr 19, 2019 · Closed Sep 19, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications.  The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU.  In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment.  FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle.  Other FCA vehicles that also used the subject ACU, but were not equipped with cross-car harnessing, had not experienced EOS failures, despite similar time in service. During the course of this investigation, ODI sent two separate Information Request (IR) letters to six vehicle manufactures (including FCA, Hyundai, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, and Toyota) and one IR letter to ZF-TRW.  These IR letters resulted in ODI receiving comprehensive data from these manufacturers and suppliers. Studies of this data found that the DS84 ASIC does not have sufficient protection against negative electrical transients or electrical overstress (“EOS”) that can be generated in certain severe crashes.  An electrical transient occurs when the electrical power supplied to a circuit changes momentarily over a short duration of time.   In these severe crash cases, the crash sensors and other powered wiring can be damaged and short circuited so as to create a negative electrical transient of sufficient intensity and duration (that are outside the vehicle manufacturer's specification) to damage the ASIC before the restraint device deployment signal is received by the SRS ECU.  This damaged signal can lead to incomplete or nondeployment of the air bags and/or pretensioners.  Airbag non-deployment and/or lack of pretensioner operation can increase the risk or severity of injury in a crash.A total of 8 fatalities and 14 injuries were associated with known EOS events. The common element in all investigated manufacturers vehicles is the SRS ECU containing a DS84 ASIC manufactured by ZF-TRW.  The risk associated with the ASIC is equally shared among all OEMS involved in the investigation.  The actual real-world risk can be mitigated by other factors which were assessed by ODI during this investigation. The first mitigating factor involves protections built into the ACU design which protect the DS84 ASIC from damage.  There are multiple strategies and levels of protection employed by different OEMs that provide effective EOS mitigation.  The two most common strategies at the ACU level are circuit protection diodes on the remote senor signal lines, and current limiting resistors that protect critical components. The second mitigating factor is found at the vehicle level and involves the location and routing of the wires leading from the crash sensors to the SRS ECU.  If the wires are well protected in a crash and are not routed with other power wires carrying large currents, the risk for an EOS event is significantly reduced or eliminated. These design specific factors combine to produce a spectrum of risk for the vehicles equipped with ACUs using the DS84 ASIC.  Given the many of years of field exposure, it is possible to divide the subject population into two groups; vehicles which have experienced EOS events, and vehicles which have not experienced EOS field events. Four of the six OEMs involved in this investigation have experienced EOS field events on at least one of their models equipped with a DS84 ASIC.  All vehicle models (including the Toyota models identified in the Failure Report Summary of the opening resume for this investigation) with field events have been recalled.  In an abundance of caution, ODI kept this investigation open five years to monitor field performance and did not identify any field events on vehicles not included in existing safety recalls. Given the spectrum of risk identified in this investigation and that all vehicles with a demonstrated unreasonable risk have been recalled, ODI is closing this investigation. ODI is closing this investigation with the following manufacturer safety recalls: 16V-668, 18E-043, 18V-137, 18V-363, and 20V-024.  With the recall actions taken by the subject vehicle and equipment manufacturers, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exists on other model or model year vehicles outside of the recall scopes. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

PE14033 · Electric Power Steering Failure

Opened Nov 4, 2014 · Closed Oct 6, 2015

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering:electric Power Assist System

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-033 to investigate 24 complaints alleging loss of power steering while driving in model year (MY) 2013 Honda Accord vehicles equipped with electric power steering (EPS).Analysis of service data for the original 24 complaints and 33 additional complaints received after PE14-033 was opened found that 85 percent of the vehicles with diagnostic trouble codes available to identify the faulty component had a code indicating torque sensor failure (DTC 53).In its response to ODI's information request letter for PE14-033, Honda identified two manufacturing process conditions that may have affected the quality of some early production torque sensors.Analysis of warranty returns and manufacturing processes determined that a relatively small number of torque sensors were potentially affected by the conditions, which were corrected by the supplier (Bourns) relatively early in production.Analysis of warranty data indicates that both conditions were early-life failure concerns and most of the affected sensors have already failed, resulting in a cumulative failure rate of less than 0.2 percent.Of the 20 VOQ's that appear to be related to torque sensor failure, 6 reported failure dates in 2013, 12 in 2014, and just 2 to date in 2015.ODI's analysis identified 2 minor crashes with no injuries that may have been related to torque sensor failure in the subject vehicles.This investigation is closed because the low failure rate and a declining trend indicate that failures are rare.The closing of this preliminary evaluation does not constitute a determination that no defect exists or that power steering failures do not present an unreasonable risk to safety. The VOQ's referenced in this resume are:10515618, 10515696, 10537336, 10542360, 10545177, 10563724, 10588425, 10595068, 10605909, 10627926, 10629629, 10630852, 10644762, 10654768, 10661240, 10664234, 10667364, 10672452, 10676256, and 10695191

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