2008 Honda Accord Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2008 Accord most often report rear brake pads wearing out early, many under 30,000 miles and sometimes with a grinding noise rather than a warning light. Long-term complaints center on the passenger airbag inflator recalls and inspections, oil consumption with spark plug fouling or cold-start rattle on higher-mileage cars, and headlights that dim periodically from new.

1. 1
   Brakes

   Rear brake pads wear out early

   • 543 complaints (36%)
   • median 22,000 mi at 2.0 yrs old (492 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $466 (median of 30 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2022

   Owners describe rear pads reaching the backing plates at unusually low mileage, often announced by a metallic grinding or squealing from the rear rather than a warning light. Dealers typically replaced pads and turned or replaced rotors at the owner's expense, and some owners say they were told the wear is normal for the car's weight or pad compound. Several report recurrence within another 10,000 to 20,000 miles, and some mention a sticking rear caliper. Mostly reported between roughly 13,000 and 45,000 miles, frequently on cars used largely for highway commuting.

   What to check: Inspect rear pad thickness and rotor condition rather than trusting mileage, and ask for service records showing when the rear pads and rotors were last replaced. After driving, check whether either rear wheel feels unusually hot, which can point to a sticking caliper.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I would like to suggest that NHTSA investigate the braking system on the 2008 Honda Accord and other models with the same braking system. Brakes seem to be experiencing premature wear and rotors are becoming warped at 30,000 miles or much sooner. Hundreds of other 2008 Honda Accord owners have complained of the same problem on car related forums. I realize that brakes are typically a wear and tear thing, but the speed at which these brakes wear seems excessive.”

   NHTSA complaint #10269807, filed 2009-05, 15,000 miles

   “The brake pads are gone very rapidly on 56000miles only. Honda service centre is asking them to replace at my own cost I have Honda care plan as well but no luck . Brake pad should go as longer as 70,000 miles.”

   NHTSA complaint #10471390, filed 2012-08, 56,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Excessive oil use and spark plug fouling

   • 211 complaints (14%)
   • median 66,756 mi at 6.0 yrs old (162 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,531 (median of 18 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2025

   Owners describe topping off oil frequently, in some cases around a quart per 1,000 miles, along with black smoke, oil on the tailpipe, and repeated misfires with a flashing check engine light. Dealers often replaced spark plugs, which owners say fouled again within roughly 10,000 miles, and some mention a piston ring warranty extension tied to a class settlement. Others link oil loss to alternator failures and a loud rattle at cold start traced to the variable valve timing actuator. Mostly reported from about 40,000 miles upward, with many between 80,000 and 190,000 miles.

   8 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level and look for a fuel or burnt smell, ask how often oil is added between changes, and request records of spark plug or ring/piston work. Bulletins describe a piston ring and piston warranty extension and a cold-start rattle traced to the VTC actuator.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was on the highway and 30 minutes into driving my warning lights, check engine light is blinking, triangle with exclamation, car misfiring. I can't drive the car too far without it misfiring. I was left stranded. This is the fourth time this has happened where the car has left me stranded. I have paid for 3 alternators in 4 yrs because of oil dripping in”

   NHTSA complaint #11384151, filed 2020-12, 30 miles

   “Back in august I took my car to southeastern Honda dealer like I routinely do to have my oil changed. It was suggested by service rep to change my transmission fluid, which I did. On my way home from work one night my engine light started flashing and my car was driving like it is going to shut off. I took my car to the dealer and they hooked it up to a machine and said it was 2 of my spark plugs, it's a common problem with the accords v6 so it's best to change all of plugs which I agreed too and this will solve the problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10499977, filed 2013-02, 95,851 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Airbag inflator recalls and warning lights

   • 372 complaints (24%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 7.3 yrs old (182 state mileage)
   • 53 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $698 (median of 34 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2026

   Many complaints concern the passenger frontal inflator recalls: owners describe notices, repeat visits, and in some cases a warning light appearing after the inflator was replaced. Others report the airbag or SRS light staying on and dealers quoting a diagnostic fee or saying the unit's serial number was outside the recall. A few describe airbags that did not deploy in a collision or a side airbag that deployed on a door closing. Spread across the model year at a wide range of mileage, with most reports from cars above 45,000 miles.

   Recall 19V502000Recall 19V378000Recall 18V268000Recall 17V545000Recall 17V030000Recall 16V346000Recall 16V0560005 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for documentation that every open airbag inflator recall has been completed, and check that the SRS light goes out after the bulb check at startup. A bulletin extends SRS unit warranty coverage for an illuminated SRS light with certain stored codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Light was turning on off when turn on street. Lighton seat belt was also doing the same thing. I didn't know what it was so I took it to the dealer.they said it was the airbag doing all the problem . So they explained that there was a recall on this problem so they change it on time before any other serious accident can happen.”

   NHTSA complaint #11057985, filed 2018-01, 5 miles

   “My vehicle went in for airbag recall repair in august at bay ridge Honda in brooklyn new york and when I got it back a airbag light started showing on my dashboard I tried calling the dealership and got brushed away and they kept hanging up on me so I have a appointment to go back in on december 16 but they keep telling me to pay 150 dollars to figure out the problem my mechanic checked it for me and said it was for the passenger air bag that they changed plus the driver side one that I never had issues with since I bought the car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11382808, filed 2020-12, 78,956 miles
4. 4
   Exterior lighting

   Headlights dim periodically

   • 128 complaints (8%)
   • median 500 mi at 0.8 yrs old (95 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2020

   Owners report headlights dimming briefly and returning to normal every 10 to 20 seconds at any speed, whether or not accessories are on, and sometimes with a tail light flicker. Some dealers told owners it is a characteristic of the car or that no fix was available at the time, and owners who had the battery and alternator checked were told both were fine. Reported from near-new, often within the first few hundred miles and again on cars past 100,000 miles.

   What to check: Drive the car at night or in a garage with the lights on and watch for rhythmic dimming, and ask whether the battery, alternator, and grounds have been checked.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a new 2008 Honda Accord ex-l 4cyl. Whenever the headlights are on they have a very distracting characteristic of dimming momentarily and then returning to normal about every 15 - 20 seconds. It does not seem to matter what accessories are on or off. I was told by the Honda dealership that they have heard of the problem but there is no fix at this time.”

   NHTSA complaint #10252597, filed 2008-12, 400 miles

   “2008 Honda Accord exl coupe. The headlights dim slightly about every minute. It does not matter if I have air/heat/radio on - it does not seem to matter what speed/RPM I am traveling. I have not taken it to the dealer - from reading online, Honda has been telling everyone this is a feature of the car.”

   NHTSA complaint #10251920, filed 2008-12, 120 miles
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Hard or erratic transmission shifting

   • 67 complaints (4%)
   • median 52,385 mi at 5.2 yrs old (58 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,653 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2026

   Owners describe harsh shifts and jerking on acceleration, delayed or high-rpm upshifts, and the car seeming unsure which gear to use, sometimes worse when the engine is warm. Some report stalling or loss of power at speed, with a dealer updating the control module or finding nothing on a scan, and one owner referenced the automatic transmission control module campaign. Mostly reported above 100,000 miles, with several between 150,000 and 190,000 miles.

   Recall 11V395000

   What to check: Test drive from cold and again when warm, feeling for harsh or delayed shifts, and ask whether the transmission fluid was serviced and whether the control module campaign was completed for this VIN.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a Honda Accord lx 2008 sedan which I bought 2 years ago. Ever since I bought this each year without fail I have experienced intermittent lack of power during acceleration which has happened while driving on the highway, each time it has lasted any where from 20 to 45mins ,there no engine check light on or any indication light of a malfunction. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10358179, filed 2010-09, 56,333 miles

   “Wild emotion hard shifting hesitation and high rpms shifts around 456 rpmit doesn't seem to do this when the car is running cold versus after it's been on a trip and engine is warmer. On cold start the vehicle not in motion makes a loud noise not sure how to describe it”

   NHTSA complaint #11374728, filed 2020-11, 180,000 miles

Buying note. A 2008 Accord with documented brake, oil-consumption, and airbag recall work is easier to live with; verify open recalls and service history, and budget for rear brakes and, on higher-mileage cars, oil top-offs and spark plugs.

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.