Most common 2009 Honda Accord problems
Share of the 727 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Honda Accord complaints by model year
Best Accord years: 2023, 2011, 2012. Years to avoid: 2018, 2013, 2019, 2014, 2003. Compare all years →
2009 Honda Accord recalls (10)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 22, 2018.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX, ZDX, Honda Accord Crosstour, Fit, Insight and Pilot vehicles, 2011-13 Acura TSX Sportswagon, 2010-2012 Honda Accord,, 2010-2011 Honda Civic, Civic NGV, Civic Hybrid and CR-V vehicles and 2013 Honda FCX Clarity and Fit EV vehicles ever registered in the…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2008-2012 Accord, 2010-2012 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2012 Fit and Pilot, 2010-2012 Insight, and 2009-2012 Acura TSX vehicles that received replacement passenger frontal air bag inflators.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Show 4 more recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Acura TSX, 2011-2012 Acura TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Acura ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2012 Honda Accord Crosstour and Honda Insight, 2009-2012 Honda Fit, 2009-2012 Pilot, 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2012 Honda FCX Clarity and 2006-2011 Honda Civic, Civic Hybrid, Civic…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has mailed an interim notification, and will send a second notification when parts are…
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Acura TSX, 2011 TSX Wagon, 2010-2011 Acura ZDX, 2008-2011 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid, and Civic GX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2010-2011 FCX Clarity and Insight, and 2009-2011 Fit, and Pilot vehicles originally sold, or…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air bags
American Honda Motor Company, Inc. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Accord vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control units, free of charge. Parts are expected to be available in Fall 2016.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
Honda is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 accord, 2007-2010 cr-v, and 2005-2008 element passenger cars manufactured from July 1, 2004, through September 3, 2010. The outer race of the secondary shaft bearing May be broken during certain driving styles.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and dealers will update the automatic transmission control module software free of charge. The safety recall began on August 27, 2011.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2009 Honda Accord:
SRS Control Module Failure
As discussed further below, and by letter dated January 22, 2016, Honda is recalling certain model year (MY) 2008 through 2010 Honda Accords to replace a defective air bag/SRS control module that can result in the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) becoming fully inoperative (disabled).See NHTSA Safety Recall 16V056 at SaferCar.gov for further details.Honda's response to an agency Information Request letter…
Inadvertent Side Air Bag Deployment
Honda is conducting a safety recall of approximately 303,900 model year 2008-2009 Honda Accord sedans to address inadvertent deployment of the side air bags (see NHTSA recall 15V-665 for more information).It should be noted that almost all of the recalled vehicles are the 2008 Accords (built from start of model year 2008 production to June 25, 2008) as only about 500 early-built 2009 Accords (built from June 24 to…
What 2009 Honda Accord owners say
Brakes all 236 →
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken for an alignment. While performing the alignment, the parking brake activated independently. After the service was completed, the contact disengaged the parking brake and noticed that the vehicle seemed a bit more difficult than normal to steer. The contact pulled over, stopped, and became aware that the rear rotors were overheated and turning red. The contact stated that the parking brake was still activated even though the instrument panel had indicated that the parking brake was disengaged. The contact turned off the vehicle until the vehicle had cooled off and then returned home with the vehicle. Once the contact was home and the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the parking brake was still engaged even after disengaging the parking brake. …
I installed (2) identical Advance Auto Parts Platinum rear brake rotors on my vehicle. Both rotors were installed at the same time, in the same manner, and under normal conditions. After approximately (1) mile of normal driving on of the rear brake rotors catastrophically failed by completely separating at the hat (the center mounting section). The opposite side rear rotor, installed at the same time, did not fail. The failure occurred without warning and resulted in immediate loss of braking integrity at that wheel. This type of structural failure presents a significant safety risk, including the potential for sudden brake loss, wheel lockup, or loss of vehicle control. The vehicle was not being driven aggressively, and there were no abnormal conditions prior to the failure. The failed rotor has been preserved and is available for inspection. …
Air bags all 144 →
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a burning odor detected prior to the illumination of air bag warning light. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence then towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic informed the contact that there was a recall for the air bag. However, when the contact contacted the dealer, the dealer informed the contact that there was no air bag recall associated with the VIN. The vehicle was repaired by the independent mechanic, who replaced the air bag control unit. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN for the air bag. The failure mileage was 105,516.
My daughter was in an accident on 9/28/2021 and the air bag exploded and she said it burned her but it was actually some type of metal. The vehicle was inspected by the insurance company. I ended up buying the vehicle back and when the car was delivered to the repairman, it was note that is was a faulty air bag. I am not sure about the other questions as it relates to warning lamps, ect.. It has been inspected by State Farm, the car is still in my possession. I was advised to report the airbag blowout. It was stated on my Market valuation Report under Supplemental information that HONDA is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord for incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury. NHTSA Campaign ID 18v268000, 19v182000, 19v378000 & 19v502000.
Engine & cooling all 140 →
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the vehicle had been experiencing an oil leak. The dealer diagnosed that the valve cover gasket had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the valve cover gasket was replaced several times; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that a hairline fracture in the engine housing had caused the oil vacuum seal to fracture and the oil to leak. The dealer replaced the engine housing. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal loud sound coming from underneath the hood, and the vehicle skipped gears and lunged forward. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 70-75 MPH, the contact noticed a burning chemical odor. The check engine warning light was illuminated. …
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the engine was previously rebuilt. The contact stated that the engine was misfiring while driving and coming into a stop. The check engine warning light and an unknown warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where cylinder #1 spark plug was replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the engine might need to be rebuilt to completely correct the failure. The vehicle was temporarily repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Action Number: RQ24013 (Engine). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 173,643.
2009 Honda Accord engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 30 / 24 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Honda Accord a good car?
Based on 727 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Accord rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Accord at the same age. 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 2009 Honda Accord?
The brakes — 236 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about foundation components › disc › pads. Next are the air bags (144) and engine & cooling (140).
How many recalls does the 2009 Honda Accord have?
There are 10 recalls for the 2009 Honda Accord, the most recent from June 27, 2019 (inflator module). 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023, 2011 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2018, 2013, 2019, 2014 and 2003. See the full Honda Accord years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Honda Accord problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 33,000 miles; 60% 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.