Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Honda Accord owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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
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. …
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!!!! …
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.
Car idles high and eratic since a new alternator was put on due to light(in and out) flickering along with fan and radio cutting out when A/C unit is used and cooling fans kick on and off.since then car idles high, surges went fron tacking 1100 cold to 1500. Went from warm idle at 600 and is now 8-900rpms.lights still do the same thing but they agree there was a voltage drop after two dealers said it was acharcteristic.after two month the cars going back in for a second seat track and a syl plate that was damaged.now along with a list of problems the front bumper is pealing in same spot on left and right side near headlights.I alreadt complained about the bumpers not fitting.dealer did idle relearn procedeure that did nothing.check fuel cap message comes on and check engine light was on.they claim after 20 years of driving and 4 hondas,I don't know how to put a gas cap on.worst car I …
Head and taillights dim every 20-30 seconds when A/C is running. This dimming mimics the flashing of your headlights that is the national signal to a semi truck driver that they have cleared your car and it's o.k .to proceed into your lane after passing you. This situation is an accident waiting to happen. It also could easily result in a road rage incident from a driver in front or behind you that thinks you are either flashing headlights or tapping the brakes. I have had the car back to the dealer twice for repair but they are not authorized to even attempt a fix as Honda says that this is normal. I contacted Honda corp in california and the case manager basically stated that this is normal and case closed. I have recently been told by service manager that Honda is looking into the headlight issue and it has been put into extreme engineering(whatever that means). …
The 2008 Honda Accord ex-l nav 4 cylinder suffers from poor headlight performance. While driving at night, the headlight intensity frequently fluctuates causing distraction and reducing nighttime visibility. My interpretation of the local Honda dealership diagnosis is provided below. Poor headlight performance is 'normal' due to the operation of the electrical load detector (eld). The function of the eld is to provide electrical system demand information to the onboard computer module. The onboard computer then uses the provided information to adjust alternator output which ultimately results in fuel savings. Honda is assuming that customers are willing to sacrifice normal headlight performance for the possibility of increasing fuel mileage. The operational design of one system produces a side affect in another system that results in a safety risk. …
Ongoing isuues with electircal system, lights flickering, accessories going in and out,seat uhpulstry and paint and seat frame. Had into another dealer and they said bad paint ,bad fabric and flickering lights are chacteristics of the 2008 Honda accords.service manager varified all problems and then I get a call later to pick up car because they tried to fix the seat and couldnt so they ordered another seat frame.I picked the car up next day with fraudulent paperwork,wrong dates and mialege.I was wondering why seatbelt did not feal tight.I get home and see that when they took seat out to try and fix,mechanic did not install seat belt back on the frame and he distryed the syl plate taking seat in and out and now the bolt cover is also missing.dealer picked up car from and brought it back.did not send car back with paperwork or even an apolagy.they claim they ordered replacement parts to …
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. …
I purchased an Accord exl on 2/8/09. While driving with the defroster or air conditioning on, the exterior and interior lights flash approximately every 30 seconds. We took it to the dealership and were told this is a normal characteristic caused by eld system. They are not able or not willing to fix the problem. This a serious safely hazard, as I drive highly congested roads daily and do not feel safe driving a car that flashes its headlights constantly. Other cars do not know this is a normal characteristic. They will think I am an aggressive driver flashing them, and this could cause serious problems. I do not understand why this cannot be resolved, and why Honda does not consider this a major problem. There seem to be many complaints about this issue, and I am not aware of any other cars that have this problem. …
Headlight complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2008 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 113 complaints about the lights of the 2008 Honda Accord, 7% of the model year's 1,520 complaints. The component named most often is headlights (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Honda Accord headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for the 2008 Honda Accord, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Honda Accord headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 1,000 miles, and 83% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 injuries to lights 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.