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 2011 Honda Accord owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
No accident occurred!, seats are extremely uncomfortable and is causing me back pains when sitting for long periods of time, I can imagine in a collision these seats would be very unsafe to a persons body, they're so stiff if would be like getting pressed against a wall if hit hard enough, it's time Honda FIXES this problem!
I have been to several dealers and I get the same answer. If I figure out how to fix my seat problem it will void my warranty. I can not get the seat on a 90 degree angle.it is cutting off my circulation and my foot goes numb. I have a knee replacement and can not get my leg straight enough so my knee does not start to hurt. Between the numbness and the knee pain I am afraid of having an accident due to the angle of the seat. I have tried all sorts of pillows, etc. Does not help. If I replace the seat with one that will shift to a right angle it will void the warranty, so will putting a wedge of any kind under the back of the seat. I am heading for an accident and apparently I can not do anything to fix the situation without giving myself another big problem. I can not imagine that I am the only person with this problem. …
The active head restraints moved into the forward position for no apparent reason (I.e., there was no rear collision). It happened first with the driver's seat and separately, at some later point, with the front passenger's seat. The restraints were supposed to automatically move back to their normal position (according to the owner's manual), but that didn't happen - they remained locked in the forward position. I took the vehicle to schaumburg Honda in illinois and the technician said that the seat frames should be replaced. He said the problem indicated that the active head restraints might fail to work properly in a collision. I decided to report this because it could be a safety issue for other drivers with similar Honda models/seat frames.
The 2011 Honda Accord is excellent car but the seats are incredibly a nightmare. The seats are very uncomfortable in fact I had to seek the help of a chiropractor. You cannot drive the car 3 miles before you start feeling neck pains, shoulders and upper back. Head rest and the seat curves makes one more miserable on the wheels. I hope something will be done to help this sad news.
The driver seat cause back pain, back injuries and require ibuprofen to tolerate driving the car. Several of hundreds of consumer complaint to Honda and even though the local dealer acknowledge the problem. Honda is refusing to acknowledge the defective seat that cause back injuries and replace the seat.
I owned a 2003 Accord and loved it. When it came time to get a new car, I only wanted a new Accord. I didn't even test drive it. What a mistake! For the first week, every time I drove the car I tried to readjust the seat to make it more comfortable. Nothing worked. I have beautiful leather seats, but I sit on a wedge and have a lumbar pillow stuffed behind my back. My hip and back were thrown out of line to the point that 4 months after buying the car, I was using a cane. I no longer use the cane, but I no longer take this car for long drives. The seats cause pain in my back, hips and legs. In my 2003 Accord I was able to tip the seat so my knees would raise up or down. The new "improved" seats did away with that feature. In addition, the head restraint pushes my head forward and down causing neck pain. My pregnant daughter is in the market for a 4 door car to replace her 2 door car. …
The front seats in the 2011 Honda Accord need to be recalled and replaced. It has caused me (and thousands of others online) to have severe back pain. The lower lumbar support sticks out way to far and causes uneven support to your lower and upper back. I have never had back issues, but after driving this car for a week, I am in serious pain. So what are my options? Go buy expensive aftermarket pillows that don't work? Trade the car back in and lose thousands and thousands of dollars? Or maybe I should just live with the pain and absorb the cost of a chiropractor? Normally I wouldn't complain, but this is a serious issue. Just look it up online. This seriously needs to be fixed asap or Honda could get sued. There is enough info out there and upset customers to cause Honda a huge legal nightmare.
My current Accord is the 4th I've leased since 2002. When the car hit 1,000 miles the springs in the bottom seat cushion started to feel like they were pushing up through the seat. The longer I was in the car the worse it got. It actually became painful to drive. Searching on the internet, I saw that I was not alone. Many complained of the same problem and were told by their dealer that the seats were within specifications and no problem could be found. Sadly, my dealer told me the same, although they made an "adjustment" to the problem that didn't exist and reduced the seat from painful to just really uncomfortable. I'm 6'3". If you sit into the back of the seat you will regret purchasing this vehicle. Honda is in denial about the issue and won't stand behind their product.
This vehicle has killed my back, and that too without any accident. It has the most awful, poorly designed seats. For over two years I thought my bad back was a problem due to my work posture and diet. And I tried every thing I could think of, along with monthly visits to a chiropractor. I connected the problem to the car quite accidentally. I happen to change cars for a few months and my back problems just vanished. And now I can notice how my back goes out of whack the moment I drive in this car, whether a passenger or a driver. I cannot last more than a mile or two. If I go longer than ten minutes, I have to visit the chiropractor the next day. Though the car is not wrecked, it has wrecked my back.
Bought Accord 2011 se on July 22. After first week of ownership, I found it hard to adjust the driver seat to a confortable position. It started giving me either leg pain or back pain or shoulder/neck pain. The seat feels so hard and impossible to find a good position to drive for more than 10 min. Thanks to the power seta, I kept adjusting the seat while driving but could not find a good position. Called Honda, they asked me to call dealer. The dealer advised me to trade in the car. Only if I had felt this during my test drive..ahh....too late now. Not sure what to do. Dont want to loose thousands of dollors in replacing the car, but cant see myself driving this car up to 150,000 miles.
Seat complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat problems on the 2011 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the seats of the 2011 Honda Accord, 13% of the model year's 296 complaints. The component named most often is front assembly › head restraint (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Honda Accord seat problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seats 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 seat problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 1,000 miles, and 78% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 6 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.