Honda Accord common problems & fixes (Mk7 2003–2008, Mk8 2008–2015)

Written by the C4R team from DVSA data and owner reports. Fact-checked 2026-10-13.

30-second verdict

A used Honda Accord is a quiet, well-built saloon or Tourer, and 2009–2015 cars passed their 2024 MOTs more often than the average car of the same age. It suits high-mileage drivers who value comfort and dependability more than boot space. Make sure the airbag-inflator recalls, which cover both generations, have been done. On the 2.2 i-DTEC diesel, check the oil level, the particulate filter, the clutch and the flywheel. On any Accord, check the suspension joints and the lights, which top its MOT failure list. The safe pick is a facelifted 2011–2015 Mk8 with a full history: the 2.0 i-VTEC petrol for mostly short trips, or the diesel if you mainly drive long distances. A Mk7 (2003–2008) is cheap but old, so buy on condition.

Generations at a glance

Sources disagree on one detail. The RAC lists the six-speed manual for every Mk8 engine, while Autocar says the 2.4 came only as an automatic, so check the gearbox on the car itself. Some older reviews also number the generations differently; this guide follows the Mk7 and Mk8 names that Autocar uses.

Known issues

1. Unfinished airbag inflator recall work

Label: Confirmed recalls R/2013/049, R/2015/043, R/2015/104, R/2017/017, R/2018/029, R/2018/342, R/2019/125, R/2019/243 and R/2020/061 (details in the recall table below)

• What you notice: nothing until the airbag fires. The DVSA records describe inflators that can build up too much pressure, burst their metal casing and throw fragments into the cabin.
• Which cars: both generations. Passenger-airbag campaigns cover Mk7 builds from 02/01/2003 to 29/12/2008 (R/2015/043 and R/2015/104) and most Mk8 builds from 04/07/2008 to 20/05/2015 (R/2017/017, R/2018/029 and R/2018/342). R/2019/243 spans builds from 17/11/2000 to 16/12/2014. The driver-airbag campaign R/2020/061 has no build window in the DVSA file, so only a VIN check settles it. Not every car built inside a window is affected.
• Why: the DVSA records give more than one cause. The earliest campaigns blame faulty propellant from manufacture; later ones say the propellant can break down after years of heat and damp, so it burns too fiercely when the airbag fires.
• Fix: a Honda dealer replaces the inflator or the whole airbag module free of charge. Honda UK says the inflator job takes about an hour. When R/2020/061 was launched in October 2020, the DVSA record said the remedy parts were still being prepared, so ask specifically whether that one has been done.
• DIY difficulty: 5/5. Airbag recall work is for a Honda dealer only.
• Check when buying: run the registration through the GOV.UK recall checker, then ask a Honda dealer to check the VIN and show you the completed work. Honda warns that its records may not show outstanding work on cars imported into Europe, so take extra care with imports.
• Evidence: the DVSA recall records for the Accord; Honda UK's airbag inflator recall page and its recalls and updates page.

2. Diesel: oil level rising after DPF regeneration

Label: Confirmed recall R/2011/055

• What you notice: an oil level that climbs above the maximum mark. DVSA warns that if the level rises too far, the engine may not slow down when it should, may keep running after the ignition is switched off and can fail, with no warning to the driver.
• Which cars: Mk8 2.2 i-DTEC diesels built from 24/03/2008 to 20/01/2011.
• Why: an engine-software setting let fuel dilute the sump oil while the diesel particulate filter (DPF) was being burned clean (regenerated).
• Fix: under the recall, a Honda dealer rewrites the engine software and renews the oil and oil filter at no cost.
• DIY difficulty: 1/5 to check the dipstick; the recall itself is dealer work.
• Check when buying: confirm R/2011/055 is closed. With the engine cold and the car on level ground, make sure the oil is not above the top mark and does not smell of fuel, and look for regular oil changes in the history.
• Evidence: DVSA recall record R/2011/055.

3. Diesel: blocked particulate filter on low-mileage cars

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: a DPF or engine warning light, or the engine running poorly on a longer drive.
• Which cars: Mk8 2.2 i-DTEC diesels. Autocar singles out diesels that have covered unusually low mileages.
• Why: Autocar lists a blocked DPF among the Mk8's common problems and ties the risk to low-mileage cars.
• Fix: get the cause diagnosed before paying for parts. Autocar warns that cleaning the filter can confuse the engine computer so that the warning light returns, and it put the price of a new DPF at around £1,500 in its 2023 used-car guide.
• DIY difficulty: 3/5 (you need a diagnostic tool to read the filter's status).
• Check when buying: take a low-mileage diesel on a long test drive that includes faster roads, and make sure no warning lights come on. Autocar also suggests looking for white exhaust smoke, which can point to a failed head gasket, and checking the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) pipe for cracks.
• Evidence: Autocar's used Honda Accord 2008–2015 review; James Ruppert's Bangernomics column in Autocar, which also names a blocked DPF as a Mk8 problem.

4. Diesel: clutch slip and dual-mass flywheel rattle

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: engine revs rising without matching acceleration (clutch slip), or a rattle or series of loud clunks as you pull away, which Autocar says can mean the dual-mass flywheel is breaking up.
• Which cars: Mk8 2.2 i-DTEC diesels with the manual gearbox.
• Why: Autocar reports premature clutch slip on manual diesels and describes dual-mass flywheel failure as one of the Mk8's expensive problems.
• Fix: replacing the clutch or the flywheel means taking the gearbox out, so have both assessed at the same time. Autocar adds that a rattle can instead come from the air-conditioning pulley breaking up, which it says these cars are prone to, so get any noise diagnosed before you agree a price.
• DIY difficulty: 4/5.
• Check when buying: with the engine warm, accelerate hard in second gear, as Autocar suggests, and watch for the revs flaring. Listen for rattles at idle and when pulling away, and ask for receipts for any clutch or flywheel work.
• Evidence: Autocar's used Honda Accord 2008–2015 review (clutch slip, flywheel and air-con pulley); James Ruppert's Bangernomics column in Autocar (worn clutches and costly flywheel problems on the Mk8).

5. Worn suspension joints, bushes and steering

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: knocks over bumps, vague or wandering steering, uneven tyre wear, or a car that pulls to one side.
• Which cars: all Accords, with the problem showing up most often on the older Mk7.
• Why: Autocar describes the Mk8's suspension as sophisticated but complex, with upper and lower ball joints at the front and several joints and bushes at the rear, and says the electric steering-rack motor has been known to fail, which can make the car pull to one side. In C4R's analysis of 2024 MOT tests, an excessively worn ball joint was a failure item on 6.6% of Mk7 tests and 3.3% of Mk8 tests, and a worn pin or bush was an advisory on 20.1% of Mk7 tests.
• Fix: replace the worn arms, joints or bushes, then set the wheel alignment. A steering-rack fault needs proper diagnosis on a ramp.
• DIY difficulty: 3/5.
• Check when buying: read the MOT history for repeat advisories about play in ball joints or worn bushes. Drive over speed bumps, check that the steering self-centres and the car runs straight, and look across the full width of each tyre.
• Evidence: C4R's analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2024; Autocar's used Honda Accord 2008–2015 review.

6. Sidelight and headlight MOT failures

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: a sidelight, dipped beam or brake light that is out, or headlights that dazzle or light the road poorly because they are aimed wrongly.
• Which cars: both generations, the Mk7 most of all. A position lamp (a sidelight or rear light) not working was the Accord's most common MOT failure item in 2024, recorded on 9.2% of Mk7 tests and 4.9% of Mk8 tests. Wrongly aimed headlights were recorded on 7.0% and 3.1%.
• Why: the DVSA data records what failed, not why, so treat this as a pattern to check rather than a known defect.
• Fix: replace the bulb first; if a new bulb does not work, check the holder and connector. Have the headlight aim set on a beam setter.
• DIY difficulty: 2/5.
• Check when buying: walk round the car with every light switched on, use a helper or a reflection to check the brake lights, and look for cloudy headlight lenses.
• Evidence: C4R's analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2024.

7. Mk7 diesel: oil use with no low-level warning

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: an oil level that drops between services. There is no low-level warning light, only an oil-pressure light, and What Car? warns that by the time it comes on the engine may already be damaged.
• Which cars: Mk7 2.2 i-CTDi diesels (2004–2008).
• Why: What Car? reports that this diesel uses oil and advises a weekly dipstick check.
• Fix: check the level weekly and top up with the grade in the handbook. If a car needs frequent top-ups, find out why before buying. Oil leaks are a separate issue that shows up often on these cars: in C4R's 2024 MOT analysis, an oil-leak advisory appeared on 12.6% of Mk7 diesel tests.
• DIY difficulty: 1/5.
• Check when buying: pull the dipstick before the test drive, ask the owner how often they add oil, and look underneath for fresh leaks.
• Evidence: What Car?'s used reviews of the 2002–2008 Accord saloon and Tourer; C4R's analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2024.

8. Mk7: ABS sensor faults and worn wheel bearings

Label: Reported by owners and independent specialists

• What you notice: an ABS warning light that stays on, or a hum or rumble from one corner that rises with road speed.
• Which cars: Mk7 saloon and Tourer, 2003–2008.
• Why: James Ruppert, writing for Autocar, names the ABS sensors and wheel bearings as the Mk7's main weak points. What Car? separately reports owners whose ABS played up and some whose wheel bearings were replaced earlier than expected. The MOT data fits: an ABS warning light was a failure item on 2.4% of Mk7 tests against 0.8% of Mk8 tests, and wheel-bearing failures were recorded on 1.4% against 0.5%.
• Fix: read the ABS fault code to find which sensor or wire is at fault, then replace that part. A worn bearing means a new bearing or hub.
• DIY difficulty: 3/5.
• Check when buying: make sure the ABS light comes on when you switch on and goes out once the engine starts. On the test drive, listen for bearing noise at different speeds.
• Evidence: Autocar Bangernomics column; What Car?'s used Accord Tourer 2002–2008 reliability review; C4R's analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2024.

9. Mk7 Tourer: tailgate release and power tailgate faults

Label: Reported by owners and independent specialists

• What you notice: the tailgate will not open from the remote release, or the powered tailgate does not open or close properly.
• Which cars: Mk7 Accord Tourer, 2003–2008. The RAC says a power tailgate was standard on Executive models.
• Why: What Car? reports that several owners had the remote tailgate release fail, and Ruppert lists the Tourer's tailgate release as a known weak spot.
• Fix: trace the fault through the release switch, latch and motor. The RAC notes that the powered tailgate can still be opened and closed by hand if its motor fails.
• DIY difficulty: 2/5.
• Check when buying: open and close the tailgate with the key fob, with the buttons and by hand. The RAC says sensors should reverse the motor if it meets an obstruction, so check that this works.
• Evidence: What Car?'s used Accord Tourer 2002–2008 reliability review; Autocar Bangernomics column; RAC's Accord Tourer 2003–2008 review.

Recalls (DVSA data)

These are the Accord records in the DVSA recalls file whose build windows reach into 2002 or later, plus R/2020/061, which has no build window in the file. They are summarised in our own words; references, launch dates and build windows are copied from the file. R/2018/029 appears on six rows with different build windows and R/2013/049 on four, and all their windows are listed. Four older records are left out: R/1998/081, R/2003/077 and R/2004/119 cover Accords built before 2000, and R/2002/071, which has no build window, was launched in August 2002, before the Mk7 went on sale. Not every car built inside a window is necessarily affected, so check the individual car.

Run the GOV.UK vehicle recall check, then ask a Honda dealer to check the VIN for completed and outstanding campaigns.

MOT watch-points

What the 2024 DVSA figures say

C4R analysed 26,314 normal MOT tests carried out in 2024 on cars recorded by DVSA as a Honda Accord. The national figure is the 2024 first-time pass rate for all cars, weighted to match the ages of the cars in each group. Cars first used in 2008 are shown separately because both generations were sold that year.

Mk7 Accords passed at about the average rate for their age, while Mk8s did noticeably better than average. Mk8 petrols passed more often than diesels, but they had also covered far fewer miles.

Most common recorded failure items

Each figure is the share of that group's tests on which the item was recorded as a failure. One test can record several defects, so the shares must not be added together.

Common advisories to check before buying

• Tyres worn close to the legal limit or worn on one edge: 21.7% of Mk7 tests and 22.1% of Mk8 tests.
• Suspension pins or bushes worn: 20.1% of Mk7 tests and 11.3% of Mk8 tests.
• Brake discs worn, pitted or scored: 14.5% of Mk7 tests and 7.9% of Mk8 tests.
• Engine oil leak (not excessive): 12.6% of Mk7 diesel tests, against 1.9% of Mk8 diesel tests.
• Corroded subframe: 6.6% of Mk7 tests and 3.9% of Mk8 tests. On Mk7 diesels, excessive corrosion near a component mounting was a failure item on 3.2% of tests.

Method and limits: C4R calculated these figures from DVSA's anonymised 2024 MOT results for Class 4 and 7 normal tests with a pass, fail or pass-after-rectification outcome, counting each test once. The selection is make HONDA with model text starting ACCORD. Pass rate is P / (P + F + PRS). Groups use the date the car was first used; petrol and diesel use DVSA's fuel code, and 60 Mk8 tests with other fuel codes are left out of that split. These figures describe tested cars as a group and do not predict the condition of any one car.

What to check before the test

• Lights: sidelights, dipped beams, brake lights and headlight aim cause more Accord failures than anything else, so check every lamp.
• Suspension and steering: look for play in the ball joints and worn bushes, especially on a Mk7, and check the steering-rack gaiters.
• Brakes: check pad thickness and disc condition, and make sure the handbrake holds firmly, because weak parking-brake efficiency features on both generations.
• Warning lights: an engine or ABS warning light that stays on is a failure; the ABS light is a known Mk7 weak spot.
• Wipers and washers: fit fresh blades and fill the washer bottle before the test.
• Underside: on an older Mk7, look at the subframes, springs and component mountings for corrosion.

Read the full history on the GOV.UK MOT history service and look for advisories on suspension, brakes, lights and corrosion that keep coming back.

Buying one? Our checklist

1. Check the registration with the GOV.UK recall checker, then ask a Honda dealer to confirm every airbag campaign (and R/2011/055 on a 2008–2011 diesel) is closed against the VIN.
2. Read the MOT history for repeat suspension, brake, corrosion and oil-leak advisories.
3. Check the oil with the engine cold: not above the maximum on a Mk8 diesel, not low on a Mk7 diesel. Ask how often the owner tops it up.
4. On a diesel, drive for long enough to include faster roads and make sure no DPF or engine warning light appears; give a low-mileage diesel an especially long run.
5. On a manual diesel, accelerate hard in second gear to test for clutch slip, and listen for rattles or clunks when pulling away.
6. Drive over speed bumps and broken surfaces and listen for knocks. Check that the car runs straight and that both front tyres are wearing evenly.
7. Walk round the car with every light on, including the sidelights, brake lights and number-plate lamps.
8. On a Mk7, make sure the ABS light goes out after starting and listen for wheel-bearing noise. On a Mk7 Tourer, test the tailgate from the fob, the buttons and by hand.
9. Test the cabin electrics. What Car? reports stereo, Bluetooth and trim-rattle complaints on the Mk8, and Autocar says some owners have had wipers stop working. On a petrol, feel for hesitation when accelerating, which Autocar links to VTEC control problems.
10. Ask for a service history that shows oil changes, brake-fluid changes (Autocar suggests every couple of years) and, on a petrol, valve-clearance checks, which Autocar says are due every 30,000 miles.

Running costs

Vehicle tax: every Accord in this guide was registered between 2001 and 2017, so it is taxed on its official CO2 figure. These are the 12-month single-payment rates on GOV.UK when we checked; confirm the CO2 figure on the car's V5C, because it varies by version.

The Mk8 before-facelift figures are worked out from the reductions Autocar reported when the facelift was revealed.

Fuel: Auto Express quotes official combined figures of 53.3mpg for the facelifted manual diesel (46.3mpg as an automatic) and 40.9mpg for the 2.0 petrol, while What Car? warns that the 2.4 brings high fuel costs. Autocar averaged 38.8mpg in its own test of the facelifted diesel and expects most owners to land between that and the official figure. For the Mk7, What Car? lists up to 52mpg for the diesel, 38mpg for the 2.0 and 31mpg for the 2.4, but notes that some readers could not get near those figures.

Insurance: What Car? puts most Mk8 versions in insurance groups 22 to 27.

Clean air zones: for London's ULEZ, TfL says petrol cars need to meet Euro 4 and diesels Euro 6, and that diesels first registered after September 2015 generally comply. The Accord left UK sale in mid-2015, so check any diesel with TfL before you buy and expect it to be charged (£12.50 a day in London) unless TfL says otherwise.

Towing: Autocar notes that automatic diesels have a low 1,200kg towing limit, which rules them out for most caravans.

Sources & further reading

Official data and checks

• DVSA: Vehicle Safety Branch recalls database (data.gov.uk)
• DVSA: Anonymised MOT tests and results (data.gov.uk)
• GOV.UK: Check if a vehicle has been recalled
• GOV.UK: Check the MOT history of a vehicle
• GOV.UK: Vehicle tax rates for cars registered on or after 1 March 2001
• TfL: ULEZ standards for cars
• Honda UK: Airbag inflator recall
• Honda UK: Recalls and updates

Reviews, reliability and reported faults

• Autocar: Used Honda Accord 2008–2015 review
• Autocar: Bangernomics best buys, Honda Accord (James Ruppert, 2022)
• Autocar: Geneva motor show 2011, Honda Accord facelift
• Autocar: Honda Accord axed in the UK (2015)
• What Car?: Used Honda Accord saloon 2008–2015 review
• What Car?: Used Honda Accord saloon 2008–2015 reliability
• What Car?: Used Honda Accord saloon 2002–2008 review
• What Car?: Used Honda Accord saloon 2002–2008 reliability
• What Car?: Used Honda Accord Tourer 2002–2008 reliability
• What Car?: Used Honda Accord Tourer 2008–2015 reliability
• RAC: Honda Accord (2008–2011) used review
• RAC: Honda Accord (2011–2015) used review
• RAC: Honda Accord (2002–2008) used review
• RAC: Honda Accord Tourer (2003–2008) used review
• Auto Express: Honda Accord (2008–2015) review
• Auto Express: Used Honda Accord review (2004)

Generations and specifications

• Wikipedia: Honda Accord (Japan and Europe seventh generation)
• Wikipedia: Honda Accord (Japan and Europe eighth generation)

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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