Problems · by component

2008 Honda Accord exterior lighting problems

113 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Honda Accord cite exterior lighting, 7% of all 1,521 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
113
7% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the exterior lighting

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“MY HUSBAND AND I WERE ON A TRIP AND I DIDN'T REALIZE IT, BUT PEOPLE KEPT FLASHING US AND I DID NOT HAVE MY LIGHTS ON. WHEN WE PULLED OVER, MY HUSBAND COULD NOT GET OUT OF HIS SIDE OF THE DOOR. IT WOULD NOT OPEN. WE WERE ON THE FREEWAY, ON A COLD RAINY DAY AND VISIBILITY WAS BAD, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE LIGHTS, OR DEFROSTER WORK PROPERLY PUT US IN A HAZARDOUS POSITION. LATER I FOUND OUT AS I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WAS THAT OUR FUSE BOX WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY, AND THE LIGHTS ON THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY AND THE DOOR AND THE DEFROSTER WERE NOT WORKING. IT COST ME $951.09 TO GET THIS REPAIRED ON MY 2008 HONDA ACCORD. I THINK WHEN PEOPLE GET IN A CAR, AND DRIVE IT ESPECIALLY IN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS, EVERYTHING SHOULD WORK PROPERLY. I DID SEE ON SEVERAL SITES THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS, BUT I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, OR WAS CONTACTED BY MY DEALER. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE $951.09 OH, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE OTHER HONDA OWNERS TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. IT COULD POSSIBLY PREVENT AN ACCIDENT, SOMEONE IN DIRE SITUATION THAT AFFECTS THEIR SAFETY. THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A RAINY DAY, AND THE DEFROSTER COULD NOT CLEAR THE WINDOWS, WE COULD NOT PUT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2021Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiperODI 11386702
“DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ANY SPEED THE HEADLIGHTS DIM EVERY 10 TO 15 SECONDS. HAD THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR CHECKED BY A PROFESSIONAL AND BOTH WAS GOOD. SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH THE EXACT SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2020Exterior lightingODI 11344201
“TAKATA RECALL, EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION, VTC ACTUATOR LOUD GRINDING ON START UP COLD OR WARM!!!!! HONDA WOULD NOT FIX BECAUSE I WAS 15,000 MILES OVER THEIR GRACE PERIOD. I ASKED FOR GOOD WILL AND A BIG COMPANY THAT HONDA IS SURE WON'T GO BANKRUPT FIXING MY CAR.... BUT THE GIRL I TALKED TO WAS SOME WHAT RUDE TO ME AND JUST ASKED IF I WANTED THE BETTER BUSINESS BEAU PHONE NUMBER. THEIR NEEDS TO BE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE VTC ACTUATOR, BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER I WILL HAVE ENGINE FAILURE AND HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE READ 90% OF THE 2008 4 CYLINDER ACCORDS HAVE THE PROBLEM AND SOME OF THE NEWER MODELS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AND I HAVE HEARD THEY WILL REPLACE THE PART, AND SOON AFTER IT DOES IT AGAIN!!!! DEFECTIVE PART!!!! I HOPE I CAN GET SOME HELP, BECAUSE HONDA KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND I CANT AFFORD A NEW ENGINE WHEN THE TIMING CHAIN GOES AND EVERYTHING WITH IT!!!! THANK YOU.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 12, 2017Electrical system, Exterior lighting, EngineODI 11014811
“TAKATA RECALL, WE BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR OVER 16,000 AT GORMLEYS AUTOMOTIVE. AFTER GETTING IT HOME THERE WERE CERTAIN REPAIRS THAT WE NEEDED ASAP. THE CAR WAS DEFINITELY IN A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT AS WE COULD SEE WHEN THE PAINT CHIPPED THAT THERE WAS THE ORIGINAL HONDA WHITE UNDERNEATH. THE CAR HAS 3 RECALLS. LIGHTS COME ON THAT DO NOT MAKE SENSE AND EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T RECEIVE A MANUAL, I LOOKED THINGS UP ON THE INTERNET. THE ENGINE BELT RUMBLES, THE SUSPENSION IS WAY OFF, THE LEATHER SEATS AND SIDEARMS HAVE RIPPED BECAUSE THEY WERE REPLACED BY CHEAP PARTS. THE CAR LOAN IS FOR 331.00 MONTHLY AND STILL IS OWED A SIGINIFICANT AMOUNT ON. STEWARD FINANCIAL HARASSES WITH PHONE CALLS IF YOU ARE AN HR LATE ON A PAYMENT. UNACCEPTABLE. I AM DISABLED AND CAN BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET. I DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR A CAR THAT RUNS LIKE A HOOPDEE WHEN ITS SUPPOSED TO RUN LIKE A HONDA. TURNING IT DOES NOT GRAB THE ROAD, STATIONARY THE ENGINE RUMBLES. I AM A FEMALE SO I DO NOT KNOW TO MUCH ABOUT CARS. WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE REPAIRS DONE ON A CAR WITH SUCH A LARGE AMOUNT OWED ON IT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 22, 2016Electrical system, Exterior lighting, SeatsODI 10927432
“PERSON PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I STRUCK HER WITH FRONT AND EDGE OF BUMPER. THE SIDE CURTAIN DEPLOYED, BUT NOT THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG. I WENT FORWARD AND WAS HIT IN THE CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS WAS ON A 4 LANE STREET LEADING OUT OF TOWN THE SPEED WAS 35 MPH”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2016Exterior lighting, Air bags, StructureCrash reportedODI 10820761
“2008 HONDA ACCORD. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BRAKE , ENGINE, ELECTRICAL, AIR BAG LIGHT, SEAT BELT, LIGHT PROBLEMS AND RADIO PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE PISTONS WERE REPLACED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. THE ENGINE HAS BEEN MISFIRING SINCE JULY 2014. THE COILS, SPARK PLUGS AND FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO STAY ON. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 4, 2015Service brakes, hydraulic, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Air bags, Seat belts, Equipment, EngineODI 10680196

Showing 6 of 113 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.