2006 Honda Accord Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2006 Accord most often write about air bag warning lamps, air bags that did not deploy in a crash, and dealer estimates to replace air bag components. Steering and brake complaints are the next most common, and both tend to involve fluid leaks or vibration rather than sudden failures. Transmission complaints appear mainly on the V6 automatic cars at higher mileage, while brake complaints cluster in the first tens of thousands of miles.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Air bags did not deploy, or deployed without a crash

   • 82 complaints (19%)
   • median 101,781 mi at 9.2 yrs old (52 state mileage)
   • 32 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $700 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2026

   Several complaints describe air bags that failed to deploy in a collision, including front-end impacts where the structure was damaged. Others report the opposite: side curtain or passenger air bags deploying on a pothole, a tire failure or no impact at all. Complaints also mention delayed deployment and burns to hands or face after deployment. Reported from low mileage (under 25,000 miles) up to about 235,000 miles, in both routine driving and crash situations.

   Recall 19V501000Recall 19V499000Recall 19V182000Recall 18V268000Recall 16V178000Recall 05V5100003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the vehicle has had the Takata inflator recalls completed and check the VIN with a dealer for open campaigns; note that a completed recall does not by itself confirm the module or sensors are working.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car crashed into several wooden posts where the entire front end was damaged including the frame and my air bags never deployed. The car was totaled and I suffered injuries which required medical treatment. I informed american Honda of this issue on 2 seperate occasions and not once did they mention about looking into a possible defect in their vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10500771, filed 2013-02, 190,000 miles

   “Air bags popped out causing damage to my daughters face and burns to her arms and other bodily damages. The car barely hit the wall and the bags went off. We were at home. My daughter was treated twice (admitted at the trauma unit for 3 days). Speech therapy is required for the facial trauma and orthodontist was needed for a broken tooth and wire from her braces jammed in her jaw.”

   NHTSA complaint #11080835, filed 2018-03, 200,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light on / SRS system faults

   • 84 complaints (19%)
   • median 104,000 mi at 9.4 yrs old (48 state mileage)
   • 14 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $700 (median of 11 quotes)
   • filed 2006–2024

   Complaints describe the SRS or air bag warning lamp lighting up and staying on, sometimes intermittently, with no crash involved. Diagnostics at dealers are reported to point to a failed air bag control module, an open circuit in the driver seat position sensor, or a passenger-side sensor needing replacement. Owners say they were quoted several hundred to over a thousand dollars for the repair, and some report the lamp came back on shortly after the car had been serviced under an air bag recall. Reported from about 55,000 to 265,000 miles in the sample, with no clear weather or usage pattern.

   Recall 19V501000Recall 19V499000Recall 19V182000Recall 18V2680005 related service bulletins

   What to check: Turn the key to on and confirm the SRS lamp goes out after the self-check; ask for any air bag recall or service history and whether the control module or sensors have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My srs light indicating a malfunctioning of the front airbags came up just when I closed the dashboard cabin. When reported this to Honda dealer they say it is not covered under warranty and they don't know how it came up as this light should only turn on incase of accident. Now they want me to pay $1100 - $1200 to replace the whole srs unit. Please suggest.”

   NHTSA complaint #10487361, filed 2012-12, 66,000 miles

   “We were driving our 2006 Honda Accord ex-l (4cyl) and the srs light came on and we have previously (6 months before) had the airbags replace under the takata recall. We took the vehicle in immediately and found out that the airbag control module had failed and has to be replace at $650.00. I have never had an airbag control module fail and I am surprised that Honda is not covering this safety issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #10860417, filed 2016-04, 101,562 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake pedal vibration and premature rotor wear

   • 50 complaints (12%)
   • median 27,000 mi at 2.5 yrs old (41 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2025

   Complaints describe a thumping or pulsing brake pedal and vibration through the front of the car when braking, appearing at very low mileage and returning after rotors were resurfaced. Owners report rear brakes wearing before the fronts, and some describe a hard or push-back pedal and a momentary loss of braking over uneven pavement or potholes. Several owners say they had to produce the service bulletin themselves before the work was done at no charge. Mostly reported under about 50,000 miles, in some cases within the first few thousand miles.

   What to check: Test-brake from highway speed and feel for pedal pulsation, measure rotor thickness, and ask whether the front rotors or pads have been replaced and when.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Brakes are extremely sensitive. Applying the brakes while driving at slow speeds can often give the feeling that the occupants may hit the windshield...even though wearing seatbelts. Honda service tech's have acknowledged that they are that way but maintain that is just the way they are and you're just going to have to get used to it. I've owned this car almost 2 years and it is the only one I ever drive...and I am not able to brake this car smoothly. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10223448, filed 2008-04, 12 miles

   “Brake judder : in a technical service bulletins my personal family mechanic finally found what I had been complaining about for 6 months to Honda. A wiggle a shake or what ever you want to call it get this fix free....VIN#that start with 1hg or 3hg are eligible for brake pad replacement and turned rotors free. Honda knows but refuse to give the information out I had to get a copy of the report and take it to them before they fixed for free technical service bulletins.”

   NHTSA complaint #10227837, filed 2008-05, 500 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission slipping or failing to engage

   • 50 complaints (12%)
   • median 71,400 mi at 6.6 yrs old (44 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2025

   Complaints describe the automatic transmission dropping out of gear at speed with the engine revving, refusing to accelerate above a certain speed, or shifting erratically. Several owners had the car towed and were told the transmission needed replacement, while others report that dealers could not duplicate the problem. A few describe a gear that pops out under normal acceleration. Reported from under 40,000 miles up to about 165,000 miles, with most accounts at higher mileage.

   Recall 11V395000

   What to check: Test drive at highway speed to confirm each gear engages and holds, check for abnormal noise or a flashing or steady warning lamp, and ask for transmission fluid service records; confirm by VIN whether the transmission campaign applies.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While accelerating to highway speed (65) my car automatic transmission suddenly fell out of gear and the engine raced to 6k rpms and was unable to catch gear again with patting the gas peddle. It was almost as if the cars brake was on because there was almost no glide. I was just barely able to get off to the shoulder and not be rear-ended at high speed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10482940, filed 2012-11, 98,640 miles

   “Faulty transmission , vehicle will not move randomly in fast moving traffic , stops revs but goes no place . Have done flushes , selnoids, fuel pump, starter and many more things . Reached out to Honda opened cases blew me off several times . My son and I were almost killed in car several times never performed right from the start . The last time it happened was towed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10968818, filed 2017-03, 130,000 miles
5. 5
   Steering

   Power steering hose leak

   • 34 complaints (8%)
   • median 96,000 mi at 8.6 yrs old (28 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $368 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2011–2025

   Complaints describe fluid on the garage floor, steering that becomes stiff, whining or shuddering from the steering, and a burning smell or smoke under the hood. Shop inspections are reported to trace it to the high-pressure power steering hose leaking onto hot exhaust parts, and in some cases a hose that had already been replaced leaked again. Owners also describe low fluid levels without an obvious warning. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 160,000 miles, with several owners noticing it during routine maintenance.

   Recall 12V222000

   What to check: Check the power steering fluid level and look for oily residue on the hose under the hood; ask whether the hose was replaced and whether this vehicle is covered by the power steering hose campaign.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I took my Honda Accord e6 into darrell waltrip Honda for a recall to repair a power steering hose. I picked the car up and returned 27 miles on the interstate directly to my home. I was told the repair procedure was to take 5 hours plus oil change but it actually took less than 60 - 90 minutes. I parked the car in my garage and went upstairs into the house. About 12 minutes later the alarms went off and I found the garage and car in flames with heavy smoke. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10573356, filed 2014-03, 97,000 miles

   “I noticed my vehicle was leaking fluid on the garage floor. Later my steering started to get rigid and make noises. While I was driving I started to smell something burning. I took the vehicle into the closet shop and I was told that my high pressure power steering hose was leaking oil on the exhaust system and was dangerous to be driving because of a fire. After, I fixed my vehicle I noticed that there was a recall for the same issue on the 2003-07, v6 Honda accords. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10480634, filed 2012-10, 60,000 miles

Buying note. Check the VIN for open air bag and power steering campaigns before purchase, since recall completion is the simplest thing to verify on this model year. Then test drive at highway speed and brake from speed to check the transmission and rotors, and inspect the steering hose and fluid level for leaks.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.