Problems · by component
2018 Honda Accord power train problems
139 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2018 Honda Accord cite power train, 7% of all 1,897 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
139
7% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The CVT automatic transmission is leaking fluid from the transmission input shaft seal. The leak was diagnosed by Pohanka Honda of Fredericksburg, Virginia in October 2026 at approximately 99,400 miles. The dealer recommended replacing the transmission input shaft seal, a repair that requires removing the transmission, estimated at $2,990.90 plus tax. American Honda reviewed the case (Case #[XXX]) and declined goodwill assistance on [XXX]. The repair has not yet been performed. Safety concern: continued loss of transmission fluid can cause transmission failure and a loss of motive power while driving. No crash, fire, or injuries occurred. The problem is ongoing.”
“My 2018 Honda Accord EX-L with the 2.0L turbocharged engine (K20C4) and 10-speed automatic has had a cylinder head gasket failure at approximately 111,000 miles. The vehicle has been maintained consistently. Starting in early October 2026, the vehicle began shaking violently under acceleration while the engine was cold, including when accelerating at highway speed and climbing hills. The shaking lasted for roughly the first 15 minutes of every drive. No check engine light or diagnostic trouble codes appeared. In mid-October 2026, a Honda dealership diagnosed coolant leaking past the cylinder head gasket into the combustion chamber and quoted approximately $5,000 for the repair. Replacement parts are on backorder with no estimated arrival date. Violent shaking during highway acceleration is a safety concern, and continued coolant leakage into the cylinders can cause further engine damage. In August 2026, American Honda extended head gasket warranty coverage to 10 years or 150,000 miles on 2018–2022 Accord 1.5T and hybrid models for the same condition: coolant entering the combustion chamber and causing misfires. The 2.0L turbo engine was excluded. A pending…”
“this is a known issue with honda. the head gasket is blown causing all the warning lights to come up on the dash. my car has not got hot, it goes up to the H but goes right back down to normal setting. i have had my local honda dealer look at my vehicle and that is what they told me was the issue. since my car has a rebuilt title, honda won't cover the cost for the repair. i bought the car last year from an out of state small dealer with a rebuilt title. honda is being sued for this issue, because they know about it and still were making the vehicles. this is no fault of my own and honda should honor the recall and repair my car at no cost to me. as i am now unable to drive the car and i can't afford to have it repaired. i contacted honda of america and filed a claim and also a good-will request, but because of the rebuilt title, i was not eligible for help. every single honda made during these specific years 2018-2021 are having the same issues. not one car should be discriminated against because of a rebuilt title. the re-build has zero impact on the head gasket and the cylinders being too close together, and the turbo causing the head to blow. my car is…”
“Car went into limp mode and was struggling to accelerate, went and got it diagnosed and was notified that my spark plugs needed to be replaced. Car began running fine but a few months went by and the issue came back. I was told I needed my spark plugs changed again. After the third time, I went and had my car diagnosed again and was told I needed a battery for the car because it was drained. Then I got the Turbo replaced and still the issue remains. All lights on the dashboard are on, car overheats and goes into limp mode, sometimes not accelerating over 20 MPH. My car went into limp mode on the highway, this scared me, so I haven't drove it since. Ive seen countless comments of users with the same make and model, experiencing the same issue. Its sad that Honda, known to be a trustworthy and reliable brand for years would do their customers like this, especially considering the state of the economy at the moment.”
“There is a hole in the engine block and it happed while I was driving, people could’ve been hurt on the road because of this mechanical failure. Vehicle has only been inspected by a private mechanic who found the problem. There was no warning of this besides a add air to tire warning.”
“In September 2025, all dashboard lights came on while driving down the road. I immediately pulled over and turned the car off. When turning the car back on, all lights remained on and I drove to the nearest repair shop, where at this time it was beginning to run hot. I was told at this point that the head gasket had blown and this would need to be replaced. I replaced the head gasket for $4100.00. After that, in October 2025, I had to replace the fuel injectors and coil packs. In February 2026, driving down the road, the car was not running hot but all lights came on the dash again and it went into limp mode. The car had to be towed to a repair shop where it was stated that coil packs needed to be changed again. In August 2026, the turbo had to be replaced, resulting in an additional $2500.00”
Showing 6 of 139 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.