2009 Honda Accord Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 Accord most often write about rear brakes that wear out unusually early, frequently needing pads and rotors well before the front brakes do. Air bag warning lights, unexpected air bag deployments and questions about recall coverage form the second large group, and a smaller but consistent set of reports covers engine oil consumption, misfires and top-end noise. Many of the brake reports come in at low mileage, while the air bag and engine reports tend to arrive at higher mileage.

1. 1
   Brakes

   Rear brakes wear out early

   • 162 complaints (22%)
   • median 22,000 mi at 1.9 yrs old (138 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $534 (median of 12 quotes)
   • filed 2009–2026

   Complaints describe rear brake pads and rotors wearing out far sooner than expected, sometimes within the first 13,000 to 20,000 miles, with squealing or scraping noises from the rear before replacement. Several owners say the front brakes still had most of their material left when the rear brakes were already gone. According to the complaints, dealers often described the wear as normal for this car, and owners were commonly charged for pads and rotors. Mostly reported between roughly 4,000 and 28,000 miles, often on cars driven mainly on the highway.

   What to check: Have the rear pads and rotors inspected regardless of the odometer reading, and ask for service records showing when they were last replaced. Listen for scraping or squealing from the rear on a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased a brand new 2009 Accord ex-l v6 coupe in september 08. I only have about 19k miles and the dealership says the rear brakes are at 0% while the front brakes are at 90%. This is a front wheel drive vehicle and there is no reason the rear brakes should be completely gone.”

   NHTSA complaint #10275951, filed 2009-07, 19,000 miles

   “The rear brakes of my Honda Accord 2009 began making a terrible scraping noise. Honda claimed I had left the parking brake on while I drove it. I had never used the parking brake. I had driven 20,000 highway miles on the vehicle. I do not think I wore out the rear brakes. It was repaired 5/24/2010. The following day, I rec.'d a notice of a class action suit against Honda for rear brakes. Why is Honda not repairing the brakes for free?”

   NHTSA complaint #10335027, filed 2010-06, 20,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Excessive oil use, misfires and top-end noise

   • 123 complaints (17%)
   • median 61,500 mi at 4.8 yrs old (88 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,850 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2009–2025

   Owners describe the engine using oil quickly enough that it runs low between changes, sometimes with a quart needed weekly, along with a brief rattle or grinding noise at cold start-up. Complaints also mention shuddering, loss of power and misfire codes, with spark plugs needing repeated replacement and, in some cases, a diagnosis that piston rings or the engine needed major work. Dealers reportedly told some owners the oil use was within an acceptable range. Reported from roughly 35,000 miles upward, with most complaints between about 70,000 and 170,000 miles.

   9 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level and condition before and after a test drive, and listen for a rattle in the first couple of seconds after a cold start. Ask whether the piston ring and piston warranty extension or the valve timing actuator service bulletin work was ever performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Purchased a used 2009 Honda Accord from carmax in madison tennessee. In dec. 2012 check engine light came on. No oil in engine. 2009, 6 cylinder v-tech. Have monitored the oil consumption after dealer overfilled, with pictures of overfill, with milage and various pictures of the dip stick. This engine has an eco system. No permanent damage but dealer encourages an oil change every 4000 miles and not what is in the manual.”

   NHTSA complaint #10493427, filed 2013-01, 57,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2009 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the engine was previously rebuilt. The contact stated that the engine was misfiring while driving and coming into a stop. The check engine warning light and an unknown warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where cylinder #1 spark plug was replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11625148, filed 2024-11, 173,643 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light and SRS unit issues

   • 129 complaints (18%)
   • median 90,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (63 state mileage)
   • 33 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $882 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2009–2026

   Owners report the air bag or SRS warning light staying on, often with no stored code found at inspection, and in some cases the air bag system was diagnosed as needing a new SRS unit or wiring harness repair. Some complaints describe a burning smell before the light came on. Several owners say the dealer told them no recall applied to their vehicle identification number even though they expected coverage. Reported across a wide range of mileage, most often above about 80,000 miles.

   Recall 16V0560002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Confirm the air bag warning light goes out after the bulb check on start-up, and ask the dealer whether any open air bag recalls or warranty extensions apply to the specific vehicle identification number.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The srs unit has failed which is an acknowledged problem in some 2008-2010 Honda accords but my particular model is not eligible for the recall. Considering the failure and the acknowledgment from Honda on this exact issue, my car should be eligible for the recall free of charge. I came to know about this problem because of the airbag indicator light being on.”

   NHTSA complaint #11363706, filed 2020-10, 90,000 miles

   “Gerald jones Honda on 12/23/17 inspected srs lt on and tech clifford warner wrote in invoice no codes need srs unit and charged $120. The srs light always comes on when car is turned on. I do not think it is safe air bag system. Honda motors refuge to even talk further and it wants me get respected again and again. I had four total inspection and test results does not give any error codes. What should I do?”

   NHTSA complaint #11337511, filed 2020-07, 106,115 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Air bags deploying without a crash

   • 61 complaints (8%)
   • median 89,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (43 state mileage)
   • 31 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2026

   Complaints describe front or side air bags deploying during ordinary driving or even when a door was closed, without an impact. Owners report loss of control, minor injuries, and difficulty getting an explanation from the dealer afterward. Some note that their car had already had recall work done, while others say the vehicle was not covered. Reported from about 65,000 to 120,000 miles in the sampled complaints.

   Recall 19V502000Recall 19V378000Recall 19V182000Recall 18V268000Recall 18V042000Recall 17V545000Recall 17V030000Recall 16V3460004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for documentation that every open air bag inflator recall has been completed, including any follow-up inspection after a replacement inflator was installed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My wife was involved in a fender bender as well as an accident and both times the airbags did not deploy. The car had a recall in 2016. The car was taken in for the recall and the repairs was supposedly made. The car was totaled in the accident. And the airbags did not deploy causing injury's to my wife as well as her brother in the car. The insurance did not want to help with the medical bills, causing us to be in dept as well as my wife is still affected by this. Im”

   NHTSA complaint #11326300, filed 2020-05, 83,000 miles

   “I was driving down the road, a city street traveling 30 MPH, and my driver side window airbag deployed. They have recently announced recalls on 2008-2009 Honda 4-door accords for the sensitivity of the side impact sensors being too high. This isn't an issue that's exclusive to their 4-door sedans, and also relates to their 2 door coupe. As a result of my airbag deployment I took my car to Honda and they were unable to give me any explanation as to why my airbag deployed but wouldn't accept responsibility. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10823794, filed 2016-02, 65,000 miles
5. 5
   Steering

   Steering column clunk or click when turning

   • 25 complaints (3%)
   • median 43,000 mi at 4.6 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2023

   Owners describe a clunk, click or knock from the steering column when the wheel is turned in either direction, sometimes progressing to a stiff or binding feel. Complaints say the dealer identified the steering column or its lower bearing as the cause and quoted a repair at the owner's expense. Some owners note a service bulletin exists for the noise even though no recall was issued. Mostly reported between about 28,000 and 107,000 miles.

   What to check: Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for a clunk or click. Ask whether the steering column noise has been inspected or repaired.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 2009 Honda Accord and recently noticed a clicking sound in the wheel when I turn either direction. The clicking has become progressively worse. I took the car to the Honda mechanic and they noticed the noise as well but did not know what it was. Since then the clicking continues.”

   NHTSA complaint #10592931, filed 2014-05, 107,000 miles

   “Whenever I turn my steering wheel in either direction, it makes a noise. Took it to Honda dealer and they are now replacing the steering wheel column and asking me to pay some $800. I see that this is a regular Honda Accord problem, not sure why I have to bear the cost.”

   NHTSA complaint #10783779, filed 2015-10, 28,000 miles

Buying note. Check the rear brakes, the air bag warning light and open recall status, and the engine oil level and cold-start sound before buying, since these are the areas owners write about most. Ask for service records documenting any recall, warranty extension or steering column work already completed.

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.