Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Honda Accord owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2012 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and called an independent mechanic to describe the warning message on the vehicle. The independent mechanic informed her that she could continue to drive the vehicle to her residence. The following day the contact took the vehicle to the independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the ABS module needed to be replaced however, the replacement part was on backorder. The contact then took the vehicle to the local dealer who inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,071.
At around 7:25am this morning I was driving to work in traffic and I was needing to stop, but my brakes were not working properly. They went all the way to the floor, no pressure, and I rear ended another person going 35mph. My entire front-end of my vehicle is totalled and my airbags did not even deploy. After the wreck I pumped my breaks to try to move it off the freeway and the breaks started to work again. This is a serious problem because had I been going any faster and even had my other family in the car we all could have been seriously injured or died!!
The VSA/ABS module has failed. It is available for inspection. My safety and the safety of others are being put at risk due to the fact that the brakes may lock up or give out with this faulty module. Yes the problem has been confirmed by my local Honda dealer. The vehicle had only been inspected by the Honda dealer. The lights that appeared on the dash are, ABS, brake and traction control. There has already been a recall on this exact issue for my exact trim. I believe my car should be included in the recall due to the fact that I only hadn't 105k miles and hadn't had EVERY service done that was ever recommended. I keep my car in excellent condition. This should not be happening. Thank you
ABS,Traction Control, Brake Light steady stay on. Have taken vehicle to numerous mechanics. ISSUES can NEVER BE RESOLVED. Lights will stay on no matter what. I HAVE TO CHANGE THE BRAKES LIKE EVERY 4-6 months. Alignment also has to keep getting done. I don't know if that's because the issue with whatever is causing the braking issues haven't been resolved. Also the oil has to be changed like every 4,000 miles. . I also was driving down the road one day and heard this LOUD bang almost like a gunshot and out of the blue the trunk torque rods and the clips broke spontaneously.
Problem: When the ABS computer system (ABS) fails, the balance between front and rear brakes becomes abnormal even for a vehicle without ABS, it becomes rear biased. Making it unsafe to stop quickly. (90% of the brake force is to the rear). The cost of this part is too expensive for most people to replace and this means that most will drive the car as is without replacing the ABS module. What I expect: I expect that the balance of brake force, is that of a vehicle without ABS (60-70% front).
ABS Module has failed and brake, ABS and traction control lights remain on; causing braking issue. This component has failed in many vehicles of this type per mechanic and should be recalled. There is very little mileage on the vehicle around 50K. A safety recall is apparent as if injury occurs Honda is liable, as an elderly person owns the vehicle. Vehicle does not stop as it should and will not receive an inspection sticker. This should not be on the consumer given the amount of low mileage.
My ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, BRAKE & TPMS LIGHTS have been ON for the past few months. My tire air pressure is fine. The dealer claims I need to replace the VSA MODULE at the cost est @ $1900. After my personal investigation, I have learned Honda has had numerous customer complaints of these same issues on 2012-2013 Honda Accords.
ABS, Traction Control and Brake lights on. Diagnosed by 2 mechanics told ABS module is bad, which affects braking and is hazardous. Also told this should not be happening with so little mileage on vehicle 50K. There needs to be a recall for this issue!!!!
I was in a crash yesterday 04/18/17 at around 4:55-5:00 pm due to my brakes not reacting as they should and stopping my car. I rear ended a car because of this and my front of my car is completely totaled. I have filed a claim with my insurance, but this was a frightening experience. My airbags did not deploy, and noticed that my seatbelt had unfastened after the incident. I was driving on the freeway, and was in traffic on the 405 southbound getting close to the 22 fwy exit by seal beach. If I was going faster than cruising speed, who knows what would have been the outcome, seeing that these 3 red flags occurred.
The vehicle was backing up and when put in drive to park, the vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed. I was braking as hard as I could and it went over the block causing damage to my car and hitting the building causing damage . This happened after filling my car up with gas the night before. I need to know if there is a recall on this.
Brake complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2012 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the brakes of the 2012 Honda Accord, 10% of the model year's 373 complaints. The component named most often is antilock › control unit/module (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Honda Accord brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2012 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 2012 Honda Accord brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 21,000 miles, and 64% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to brakes 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.