Headlight complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2022 | 3 | 1% | — |
| 2021 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2020 | 4 | 1% | — |
| 2019 | 11 | 2% | 0 miles |
| 2018 | 25 | 1% | 10,000 miles |
| 2017 | 21 | 4% | 30,000 miles |
| 2016 | 128 | 21% | 40,000 miles |
| 2015 | 8 | 1% | 10,000 miles |
| 2014 | 19 | 2% | 35,000 miles |
| 2013 | 15 | 1% | 12,000 miles |
| 2012 | 5 | 1% | 65,000 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 1% | 50,000 miles |
| 2010 | 6 | 1% | 100,000 miles |
| 2009 | 22 | 3% | 1,000 miles |
| 2008 | 113 | 7% | 1,000 miles |
| 2007 | 10 | 2% | 48,000 miles |
| 2006 | 13 | 3% | 88,000 miles |
| 2005 | 21 | 3% | 72,000 miles |
| 2004 | 44 | 4% | 79,000 miles |
| 2003 | 56 | 3% | 66,000 miles |
| 2002 | 19 | 2% | 85,000 miles |
| 2001 | 27 | 3% | 100,000 miles |
| 2000 | 43 | 4% | 114,000 miles |
| 1999 | 17 | 1% | 120,000 miles |
| 1998 | 10 | 1% | — |
| 1997 | 4 | 1% | 230,000 miles |
| 1996 | 5 | 1% | 80,000 miles |
| 1995 | 7 | 1% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The problem is with the Infotainment system. It was replaced once under warranty but is again malfunctioning. The infotainment system controls some critical features of the vehicle. One instance is when trying to calibrate tpms after a low condition, it is impossible to get control of the display as it makes "Ghost" selections or is hung up. Resets both hard and soft do not work. Removing the negative battery cable doesn't work. Note that research shows many Accords and other models are effected. It also seems the manufacturer is aware of the situation and doing nothing to correct it. This is a safety issue. If it were just the radio effected, I really would care. But because the cars systems rely on the infotainment systems, its a concern. Symptoms are : Freezing & Crashing: The screen becomes unresponsive or shuts down unexpectedly. …
My blinker won't appear on the dash. My trunk won't open. My back up camera won't come on at all. Can't adjust my exterior lights, stuck on the dimmest setting and can't change. Lights will also flicker and I have no control over it. My radio screen told me to enter a code but wouldn't allow me to. My break system light was on. There is warning reading adaptive cruise control see dealer, automatic emergency braking see dealer, lane departure warning see dealer. Doors locked and unlocked while driving. Air condition wasn't blowing the temperature it said, and acting as it was on low when it was on the highest setting. It is available for inspection upon request. I brought my car into a Honda dealership today. My car had to stay overnight because they were unable to address the problem. There were no prior problems or warnings beforehand. …
I own a 2020 Honda Accord EX-L with a 1.5T turbo engine. The problem happened on January 20, 2026, when my car had 66,988 miles. While my husband was driving it, the engine warning light came on, and the car suddenly lost power in the middle of the road. Fortunately, there was no car behind me at the time. Otherwise, he could have been in a serious accident. He was able to pull into a nearby parking lot. To avoid further damage, we had the car towed to a certified Honda dealership for diagnosis. The dealer told me that the fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced. The total repair cost was $1,851. The dealer checked my vehicle identification number (VIN) and told me there was no recall for my car, even though some vehicles of the same model and year do have recalls for similar issues. Because of this, I had to pay the full repair cost out of pocket. I kept the repair receipt. …
Engine stall in the middle of the road making me hit an object and it lock up the steering wheel for I couldn't are nun causing the car to being in an accident this cost my insurance $4.5K to fix in damages and the car was under Honda care and Honda care basic warranty because they have on the carfax that it was minor because the amount of damage that cause Honda should be reliable for this accident bc this was a new car the steering wheel was not supposed to lock up while driving are just stall in the highway for I can't steer
All the lights came on on the car, took it to get looked at they stated it was the turbocharger I spent $2500 to get it replaced and yet all the lights are still on-automatic headlights don't work and the infotainment system keeps cutting out-like glitching. According to the Honda representative at the dealership, this year model has had alot of issues and several cars in the last month alone have replaced turbochargers and had to come back and get an entire motor! This is highway robbery if the cars themselves weren't put together correctly from the manufacturer. This needs to be looked into as I'm having to shell out thousands of dollars for a defective car. My [redacted] drives this vehicle and I don't know what to do as the dealership charges $190 for every diagnostic test and to not have an answer is frustrating. All I'm hearing is several cars this year are horribly made. …
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH at night, the driver's side headlight became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the presence of condensation in the headlights had caused the headlights to experience a short circuit. The dealer replaced the entire driver's side headlight assembly. The vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer later informed the contact that the repair could not be covered because the vehicle was used. Additionally, the contact stated that the third-party warranty did not cover the headlights. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired under an unknown recall repair, the contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that whenever the warning lights were illuminated and the brake pedal was depressed, the rear brake lights failed to illuminate as designed. The contact stated that while the lights were turned off and the brake pedal was depressed, the headlights erroneously illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Accord. The contact stated that after driving and pulling into a parking spot, the contact parked and exited the vehicle and was informed by someone that the front driver's side daytime running light was off. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the failure that the light bulb needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the front driver's side headlight bulb. After approximately a year the failure recurred. The contact took the vehicle back to a local dealer who replaced the headlight bulb again however when the contact went to pick up the vehicle, she noticed that the front passenger's side headlight was flickering. The contact notified the dealer of the issue and the dealer inspected the passenger's side headlight and replaced the light bulb however, the failure persisted. …
Related recalls (1)
Interior lighting
On certain passenger vehicles, the dimmer control for the instrument panel lights could fail due to heat buildup.
Remedy: Dealers will replace a multiplex control unit for the instrument panel lights. Owner notification began June 16, 2004. Owners should contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
Frequently asked questions
Which Honda Accord years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2016 (128), 2008 (113), 2003 (56), 2004 (44) and 2000 (43) model years. Headlight complaints make up 21% of all complaints for the 2016.
Is there a recall for Honda Accord headlight problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 04V-256 (interior lighting, Jun 7, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Honda Accord headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles; 57% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the headlights (61 mentions), followed by the brake lights (11).
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.