Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Honda Accord owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2011 Honda Accord. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, he shifted into drive(D) and depressed the accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact stated that upon accelerating, the vehicle independently decelerated at slow speeds. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he used a code reader to diagnose the vehicle and retrieved two unknown codes for a faulty manifold air pressure sensor and mass air flow sensor. Additionally, the contact stated that he performed a tune-up and routine maintenance on the vehicle however, the failure recurred. The check engine warning light illuminated again after the tune-up. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2011 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light was flashing. The contact stated that the vehicle was vibrating and was losing motive power. The contact drove the vehicle back to the residence and later had the vehicle towed to a local independent mechanic. The contact stated that the mechanic diagnosed the vehicle, and the contact was informed that the piston rings needed to be cleaned. The mechanic replaced the spark plugs as well. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to a Class Action Lawsuit regarding the piston rings fouling the spark plugs and causing poor engine performance. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
I'm having symptoms of cold startup engine rattle type clatter sound for approximately 2-3 seconds and then it goes away. Doesn't do that again unless the car sits for a period of time. If it's been started recently like within 1 hour or 2 hours it will startup with out making that metal rattle/clatter sound for 2-3 seconds. I was told it's likely the 2.4l engine VTC actuator is failing letting the engine oil drain out causing a dry start. I was told it was a common issue and even the internet is saying the same thing that this is a widely known issue. There should be a recall for this because this should not be happening My car has only 156,000 miles on it. And I've own cars with well over 200,000 miles and that's never happened never had I had an engine problem related to the timing chain or the VVT system. …
The engine on the Honda Accord car shudders and loses power when there is a change in gears. Based on my research and after consultation with my mechanic, the Honda Odyssey had similar problems. The problem was traced to the torque converter. Supposedly Honda had to implement a software fix for the torque converter on those Odyssey's.
When I start my car, I hear a rattle sound for 1-2 seconds. It only happens when the car has been off for about 3 hours. It used to happen once in awhile and now everyday. I searched online and a lot of people say it's the "engine's variable timing control actuator" or VTC.
I purchased this vehicle in February 2015. The first thing that I had to fix was the axle ( output shaft ) seal leak which the Honda dealer did not want to repair even though the car only had 62,000. Also, it makes a loud noise in the back when I go over the speed bump which is coming from the suspension. In addition, whenever I took the vehicle to ntb for an oil change. The mechanic told me that the rear main seal needs to be replaced because it is starting to leak motor oil. And again, the Honda dealer does not want to honor the powertrain warranty on my vehicle despite the low mileage it has. Seems like I need to file a lawsuit against them.
On 4/5/19, my wife's Honda pilot ex experienced severe engine problems on the road in fairview tn resulting in an inability to accelerate, hesitation when the gas pedal was depressed, and a flashing 'check engine' light. These symptoms were identical to an issue she had with this vehicle in 2017 that necessitated a tow to darrell waltrip Honda in franklin tn for repair, and similar to less severe episodes of hesitant acceleration both she and I have experienced with the vehicle since at least 2016. Grassland car care center in franklin tn diagnosed the spark plugs were oil fouled causing a misfire. Engine codes p0301, p0302, p0303, p0304, and p0300 resulted from the incident. We have since learned this is a known defect with this model of Honda and that the vcm-2 class action lawsuit resulted in a warranty extension of eight years from purchase date. …
While driving at highway speed (55 MPH) and then slowing down for traffic, the variable timing control actuator apparently stuck. The engine warning light came on followed by white smoke from the tailpipes. There was an immediate lack of power trying to accelerate again. This continued until the car was at a service shop. The mechanic indicated the engine went from 6 cylinders to 3 cylinders (eco mode) but never recovered. The trouble code was: p3400 means that the powertrain control module (PCM) has detected an abnormality in the cylinder deactivation system for engine bank one. Bank 1 denotes the bank of the engine which contains the number one cylinder. This problems appears to be the same as previously reported by other consumers. Honda needs to investigate and recall the vtc actuators.
My engine makes a loud rattling sound for 2-3 seconds after a cold start-up, especially after the car sat overnight. After 2-3 seconds, the sound goes away. According to Honda TSB, the vtc actuator is faulty and needs to be replaced to resolve the problem. If left untreated, the timing chain can be stretched which leads to reduced fuel economy and possibly other engine problems. Up to the time of this complaint, Honda has not yet issued any recall for this problem. My Honda dealer quoted me $680 to replace the vtc actuator. My vehicle's warranty has expired so if I want to have it replaced, I will have to pay out of pocket. I really love my Accord. I don't understand why a big auto manufacturer like Honda hasn't done anything, given this is a common problem which happens to many vehicles already.
After 2 years of owning my new 2011 Honda Accord, I noticed a grinding sound during cold starts that lasted 1-2 seconds and then stops. I have the dealership inspect the problem but they quickly dismissed and said the noise was being made by the vtc and to not worry about the noise. In addition, they said that no harm would be caused by the noise. Now I have over 100,000 miles on the car and the noise is on every cold start no matter what the temperature and last for 2-5 seconds. I recently called the dealer and they indicated that if the vtc was the problem (which it has been all along), then I would need to pay in full for the repair since it is out of warranty.
Engine complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2011 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2011 Honda Accord, 10% of the model year's 296 complaints. The component named most often is engine (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Honda Accord engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2011 Honda Accord, though it has 9 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 2011 Honda Accord engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 72,000 miles, and 35% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.