Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Honda Accord owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I am able to turn the ignition to the off position and remove the key without putting the vehicle in park. While this has not resulted in an accident YET, the car did roll down my driveway once. Someone could die as a result of this problem. I believe the issue is with the ignition interlock. Both the dealer and an independent mechanic told me it was an expensive repair and "not worth doing on this car". The thing is, there is a recall for this very issue on other 1999-2002 Honda Accord sedans, but the recall does not include my car's VIN. This is a public safety threat that make me afraid to sell or donate my car. The problem has been ongoing for about 3 years. There are no warning lights associated with the problem, but a number of other electrical issues have been developing.
Ignition switch should prevent the driver from retrieving the key while shift lever is in any position other than parking. This failure allows the driver to retrieve the key while the shift lever is in any position therefore allowing the car to roll down if parked in a slope and hit people or other cars.
My mother had picked up my niece from her school and was waiting for my nephew and his friend to get out of high school. When ready to go, the car was difficult to start. Took about 10 min to get the car to start. After the car started, went into reverse and backed out of the parking space. Put the car in drive and it "chugged" a couple of times. Then the car accelerated unexpectedly. She was unable to slow the car down by applying the brakes. The car traveled 460 feet accelerating the whole time.the approximate speed of the car was between 60-80 MPH. At the end of the parking lot, she turned left and the car hit a curb launching them into a pole that holds up the chain link fencing around the school. They went thru the fencing and into the block wall behind it coming to rest there. All 4 occupants were seen by a doctor and released that day. My mother has numerous cuts and bruises. …
I took it to oreilys to read the OBD and the guy told me my ECU was wiped. My identity has also been stolen and these gang of people who impersonate me have done this, at an earlier time 8/19 my keys were stolen from my roommate and I reported it because they got tickets in my name. Anyhow I have to push start my car to override the fact that theres no data to tell my car what to do and my key is also invalid and I cannot afford to fix it. Was hoping there was a way you could get info on who did this and accessed the info?? Or if I am covered under the privacy act?? [redacted]
My ignition-park interlock is faulty but isn't under the current recall. It May be common sense to put the e-brake on when parking but not everyone is perfect, my vehicle has nearly rolled away multiple times now. Luckily I caught it in time to stop it from crashing. Also if I do leave the vehicle in d4 with the e-brake on, ignition key out of course, and I leave the vehicle parked, someone could break in and push it away. Regardless what I showed the dealership, they told me to contact Honda of America to file a complaint. I just did that and got told the same thing.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. While driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning and had difficult steering. The contact restarted the vehicle and resumed normal operation. The failure recurred six times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the ignition switch was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 168,020.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. While the gear lever was in the drive position, the contact was able to turn the key to the off position. As a result, the vehicle rolled away. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was made aware of NHTSA campaign number: 05V025000 (electrical system) but the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 95,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. While driving at night, the instrument panel back lighting dimmed and the contact was unable to see the gauges. The dealer could not duplicate the failure. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V256000 (interior lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 05V025000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Takata recall: air bag passenegr side light turns on multiple times even a passnger is sitting on the front seat with proper restraint precautions. Electric: brake light fuses keep blowing interlock ignition switch: the key can be disengaged/removed while gear is still in drive mode. Should not happen. Key should only be disengaged in park mode.
Related recalls
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
On certain passenger vehicles, the interlock operation of the ignition switch May not function properly, making it possible to turn the ignition key to the "off" position and remove the key without shifting the transmission to park.
Remedy: Dealers will perform an inspection procedure that confirms interlock function. Vehicles will be updated with a redesigned interlock lever free of charge. The recall began on March 7, 2005.
NHTSA investigations
Ignition-park interlock
The above failure report counts are for model year (my) 1999 - 2001 Honda accord models that were not within the scope of a related Honda recall action (NHTSA 03V423); these vehicles were investigated by odi under defect petition (dp) 04-006.complaint information for other models and model years was not obtained by odi.the noted population indicates the number of vehicles (including the my 2002 accord plus the…
Ignition-park interlock
Six of the odi complaints are duplicative of Honda complaints, as well as four of the crashes.the one injury occurred when a rollaway vehicle struck the exiting operator who had inadvertently parked the vehicle in an unsecured state (not in park, brake not engaged).Honda identified the warranty claims from complaint descriptions that contended the interlock system failed to operate properly.Honda presented the…
Ignition-park interlock
The office of defects investigation (odi) produced an information request (ir) letter dated October 14, 2004 which defined the subject vehicles as model year 1999 - 2001 Honda accord vehicles which were not within the scope of prior recall action (03V423) Honda conducted to resolve an interlock defect.Honda submitted responses on November 29 and December 21, 2004.the failure reports noted above have been determined…
Electrical complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2001 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 78 complaints about the electrical system of the 2001 Honda Accord, 8% of the model year's 922 complaints. The component named most often is ignition › switch (13 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Honda Accord electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 05V-025 (switch, Jan 28, 2005). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Honda Accord electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 110,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 2 fires and 4 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.