Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
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).
"Takata recall" Honda USA does not honor the NHTSA 16v-056 (corrosion of the ECU unit) air bag recall. They said they would send a remedy letter in the fall of 2016. Never received the letter, and closed their recall campaign. They will not replace the ECU unit unless it's corroded to a point where a warning light comes on. The whole point of the NHTSA 16v-056 recall is to replace the ECU unit, so no corrosion will occur in the future. Honda USA refuses to replace the ECU unit. They bully their dealers not to replace it too. I have never encountered a business that is this deceiving in my life. I' m stuck without any pull or power to have them liable for this issue. Please ,I beg you , please help me NHTSA! There was a litigation that was settled in the past regarding premature wear on the rear brakes. …
I hear a grinding sound every time I brake. I saw that Honda settle a class action lawsuit regarding replacing or reimbursing for brake pads that wore out twice as fast. But I called Honda and they told me my car was not covered by this. I have a proximately 54,000 miles on my vehicle. Secondly, my vehicle vibrates or shakes a bit at higher speeds of 65 MPH and above on the highway. Not sure if this is a common problem or should be addressed by Honda. Finally, I develop backaches due to the discomfort of the seats which I suspect are not correctly or ergonomically designed. After about 30 to 40 minutes of driving I experience lower back pain which I normally never have. This dissuades me from driving for much longer distances as I remain stiff and need to rest in order to recover from the back pain after driving the vehicle.
At a full stop passenger exited the vehicle and shut the passenger front door and the side curtain airbags and front passenger seat side airbag deployed. The force of the airbags being deployed also damaged the back passenger door weather strip that creates a seal when doors close. Headliner is damaged as well. Seat belt on front passenger side has been deployed and is non functioning.
There is a sharp metal edge that I assume is part of the internal seat frame that has sliced through the seat foam and the seat fabric on the driver's side seat and presses against the body of the driver. No injuries have occured yet, but I don't relish the thought of this being shoved into my shoulder blade if I were to get hit from behind.
During a monsoon the passenger door was open and slammed shut by the wind. The passenger side airbag deployed while the vehicle was parked and turned off. The deployed airbag damaged the headliner and seat and misc other parts.
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 …
I have had it with this car. And I have had it with Honda. We purchased this car around February of 2013, and it didn't take me a week to start feeling this sharp pain in my back. It was at that time that I realized that the driver and passenger seat had both been manufactured in such a way that causes my back to feel extremely uncomfortable and painful. The only way I can describe the issue is that the seats have faulty lumbar support. Even when the lumbar support system is fully deflated, there is a massive lump at the bottom of the seat back that pushes my lower back outward, not allowing my upper back, neck and head to rest properly on the seat. It is to a point where driving is now getting more and more painful and it is affecting my daily drives. I find myself driving agitated, in pain and feeling like I'm in an extremely awkward position. …
I visited the Honda dealership in sterling, va a couple of months ago and had to get my brakes replaced. At that time I asked if they could fix my back driver's seat..(my daughter who is 10 got into the car one day and kicked the back seat by accident with her foot and it fell) I was told they could fix it and they could do it that day because they had the plastic clips in stock but it would cost an additional $197.00 (I can't remember exact amount) but I told them I was paying a lot of money already for replacing my brakes and I couldn't afford right now and told them I would be back. The guys tried to get the clip to hold (and I was very thankful) but as soon as I pulled out of the dealership it fell again. I was very happy with the service and there was one man in particular who was very helpful and I wished I had his name to tell you. …
The front headrests are unbearably uncomfortable because they stick so far forward that they give you a neck ache. We had to turn ours around in order to be able to stand driving the car or being a passenger. Also, the power adjustable seat on the driver's side is designed so that you can't adjust the front of the seat low enough to take pressure off the back of your thighs. The seat padding also comes up too much on each side of your body causing hip pain. In order to try and be comfortable you have to try and put the seat back, but the back of the seat is poorly designed too. There's just no comfortable position with this seat!!!!!!! This seat needs to be recalled and another more comfortable one installed instead...both driver and passenger side. My 1999 Accord has a super comfortable seat and head rest...why did they do such a bad thing in changing the design so drastically. …
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 …
Seat complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat problems on the 2008 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 34 complaints about the seats of the 2008 Honda Accord, 2% of the model year's 1,520 complaints. The component named most often is front assembly › head restraint (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Honda Accord seat problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seats 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 seat problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 43,000 miles, and 42% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to seats 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.