Most common 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid problems
Share of the 48 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda Accord Hybrid complaints by model year
Best Accord Hybrid years: 2014. Years to avoid: 2023, 2018, 2024, 2019, 2017. Compare all years →
2021 Honda Accord Hybrid recalls (3)
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Seat belts › Rear/other › Retractor
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint system.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the second-row center seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid:
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles.
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid owners say
Driver assistance
The contact rented a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently activated the braking without warning. While driving at night on the freeway and changing lanes, the failure recurred. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 13,700.
Since the first winter after I purchased my vehicle in 2021, typically when cold, but not always, I lose all the Honda Sensing (Advanced Driver Assist Features). The dashboard lights up with the following warnings . - Collision Mitigation Braking System Problem. See Dealer - Road Departure Mitigation System Problem. See Dealer - Auto High Beam Problem. See Dealer - Adaptive Cruise Control System Problem. See Dealer - Lane Keep Assist System Problem. See Dealer This failure of these safety systems can last anywhere from 5-60 minutes. Sometimes if you shut the vehicle off and turn it back on again, the warning will go away. On multiple cold mornings (below ~45 F), my 2021 Accord Hybrid displays a cascade of safety system failure warnings upon startup. …
Engine & cooling
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed with the cruise control activated, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a recurring failure. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 40,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times due to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
Electrical system
I saw the investigation of hat the NTSB is opening into problems with the CRV and a handful of other vehicles. I think you should add the Honda accord hybrid (touring) to this investigation. I was driving on a road with speed limit of 55 mph. In full evening traffic. My check engine light flashed on, and I immediately called the dealership to set an appointment. Within one minute of that light coming on, I lost all acceleration power, it just dropped off in the middle of the high flow of fast traffic with no shoulder. I had to find a way to force people to let me over going less than 5 mph to get to a safe shoulder. Then my car just stopped. I was on the phone with the service department at Honda when this happened and they were like, yeah sometimes that just happens. You get to the side of the road within a minute or it will shut off while driving. …
Shortly after purchasing this 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid (used, from a dealer), the infotainment touchscreen began to exhibit phantom touch behavior - the screen activates or presses buttons on its own without user input. This causes menus to change, volume to fluctuate, navigation to exit, or apps to open/close while the vehicle is in motion. It occurs frequently. The issue is not related to driver error, screen protector use, or moisture. The system has been rebooted and factory reset without improvement. A dealership employee has personally witnessed the issue in person, and I have recorded video proof of it occurring. This behavior is distracting and unsafe, as it pulls the driver's attention away from the road unexpectedly as the screen flashes, and produces audible beeps. …
2021 Honda Accord Hybrid engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | FWD | 48 / 48 / 48 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid a good car?
Based on 48 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Accord Hybrid rates use caution: 1.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Accord Hybrid at the same age. It is one of the Accord Hybrid years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid?
The driver assistance — 12 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic emergency braking. Next are the engine & cooling (10) and electrical system (8).
How many recalls does the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid, the most recent from May 21, 2026 (front passenger). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Honda Accord Hybrid?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2018, 2024, 2019 and 2017. See the full Honda Accord Hybrid years comparison.
At what mileage do 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 38,000 miles; 80% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.