2025 Honda Accord Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the steering: the wheel catches or sticks near center on the highway, small corrections become jerky, and in many cases a clicking or popping noise shows up when turning at low speed or standing still. A second cluster involves the advanced driver assistance features — collision mitigation, adaptive cruise and lane keeping — engaging or switching off when owners do not expect it, plus infotainment and over-the-air update complaints. Based on the sampled complaints, most of this is reported at low mileage, often within the first few thousand miles.

1. 1
   Steering

   Sticky / jerky steering on the highway

   • 21 complaints (22%)
   • median 10,500 mi at 1.8 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe the steering wheel catching in or near the center position, so making a small lane correction takes extra effort and then the wheel moves in a larger step than intended. Several say the car wanders or drifts and needs constant correction at highway speeds, and some report the effort changes with speed, being noticeable above roughly 40-60 mph. Complaints describe dealers performing an alignment, and in some cases replacing the steering rack, with owners saying the condition returned or that the dealer could not reproduce it. Reported across a wide mileage range but many describe it appearing in the first several thousand miles, at highway speeds.

   What to check: Drive the car at highway speed and try small in-lane corrections — feel for a notch or catch near center. Ask whether any steering rack or steering gear work has already been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Around 6,000 miles I started noticing a weird sticking sensation in the steering wheel when making small corrections at highway speeds. It feels like the wheel catches on a point near center and needs a little extra force to push through. It's subtle but it's happened enough times to startle me while driving at highway speeds, which is genuinely scary. My dealer looked at it but said they couldn't reproduce the issue and wouldn't take action. On top of that, the Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS) has been really erratic. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11722711, filed 2026-03

   “My 2025 Honda Accord Hybrid (approx. 37,500 miles) has developed a dangerous steering defect identical to the widely known 'Sticky Steering' issue affecting the 2022-2025 Civic and CR-V. The Safety Incident: While driving at highway speeds (45-70 mph), the steering wheel physically 'sticks' or 'locks' in the center position. To make minor lane corrections, I must apply abnormal force to break the wheel free, causing it to 'snap' or jerk suddenly. This leads to overcorrection and an inability to maintain a safe, straight line in my lane. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11705341, filed 2025-12
2. 2
   Steering

   Clicking or popping noise when turning the wheel

   • 13 complaints (14%)
   • median 1,500 mi at 1.2 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners report a clicking, knocking or creaking sound from the front end or under the wheel when turning, most apparent at parking speeds or while stationary. Some say the dealer greased components or confirmed a known issue but that a permanent fix was not available, and a few report the steering rack was replaced. Complaints describe the noise recurring after an attempted repair. Usually noted at low mileage and at low speed or during parking maneuvers; some appear within the first 1,500 to 6,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: With the car parked, turn the wheel lock to lock and listen for clicks or creaks. Ask whether the steering gearbox clearance service bulletin has been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am experiencing a knocking/creaking noise at low speeds and when stopped while turning the steering wheel. This seems to be a known and commonly reported issue, though Honda has not formally acknowledged it. I am concerned about the potential long-term impact if the issue is left unaddressed and American Honda declines to authorize a steering rack replacement.”

   NHTSA complaint #11705057, filed 2025-12

   “My wheels and steering column makes an extremely loud clacking, squeaking noise when turning left or right almost like my shocks, cv axle or suspension is damaged. The dealer service center can not locate the problem. The infotainment systems does not connect via Bluetooth or usb making it impossible to be hand’s free or access any maps or apps. The dealers service center attempted repair but it did not fix the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #11696664, filed 2025-10
3. 3
   Forward collision avoidance

   Adaptive cruise / automatic braking activates unexpectedly

   • 10 complaints (10%)
   • median 6,090 mi at 1.0 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2025–2026

   Complaints describe the collision mitigation or adaptive cruise system braking hard when no obstacle is in the path, sometimes while passing a truck or changing lanes, and in a few cases applying throttle toward a vehicle ahead in stop-and-go traffic. Owners also report the system braking for vehicles in adjacent lanes that are turning or slowing. Several say the dealer could not confirm a fault. Mostly reported at highway and freeway speeds with cruise or traffic assist engaged, often in the first few thousand miles.

   What to check: Test adaptive cruise and traffic assist on a quiet road and note any braking with a clear lane ahead. Ask whether the forward camera or radar has been recalibrated or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving an interstate freeway with my cruise on set to 75mph while passing a truck, both the truck and I were in are respective lanes and neither of us was straddling the lane divider. Suddenly the orange brake light came on the dash and the car braked hard without any input from me. The braking was so hard it pushed me forward twice and caused my seat belt to lockup.”

   NHTSA complaint #11749864, filed 2026-07

   “I was driving when a car pulled into a driveway. My car was not near this car and the brakes stopped very hard. At other times when the brakes should have stopped they did not. I had a major accident in Feburary and my safety features were on however the car did not stop when the other car turned into front of me causing total damage, broken thumb and torn ligament in my right hand.”

   NHTSA complaint #11662709, filed 2025-05
4. 4
   Forward collision avoidance

   Driver assist systems unavailable / warnings

   • 17 complaints (18%)
   • median 2,111 mi at 0.9 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners describe intermittent dashboard warnings that collision mitigation, lane keeping, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise and automatic high beams cannot operate, sometimes clearing after a few seconds and returning the same day. Complaints mention cameras replaced under warranty without resolving it, and one owner says a new battery was suggested first. Reported from the first months of ownership across a range of mileages, sometimes more often once the engine bay is warm.

   What to check: During a test drive, watch for warning messages about driver assist systems and confirm all of them are working before and after the drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “At first they said I needed a new battery. Thats why all the sensors were going off. I got a new battery and the sensors keep going on and off intermittently. The sensors going off are; hillside, steering assist, brake, brake system, tpms, and collision. It will clear and work for a day or 2 and then come back.”

   NHTSA complaint #11713130, filed 2026-01

   “the steering on the '25 Hybrid Sport L is a little loose? Even small movements make the car drift, and it's hard to keep it straight. the feels like the car won’t track straight. The Lane keep assist does not work like the 10th gen. It’s like a ping pong bouncing off the lines. Who’s experiencing this as well.”

   NHTSA complaint #11738247, filed 2026-05
5. 5
   Lane departure

   Lane keeping assist ping-pongs between lines

   • 15 complaints (16%)
   • typically at 1.2 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2025–2026

   Owners say lane keeping assist makes abrupt corrections that bounce the car from side to side rather than holding a steady path, and some describe it as worse than earlier generations. A few tie the behavior to the same loose or sticky steering feel and say they keep the system switched off. Noted at highway speeds, generally early in ownership.

   What to check: Try lane keeping assist on a divided highway and see whether it holds the lane smoothly or makes repeated corrections.

   An excerpt from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “this car has lane keeping assistance but this is very bad, if you let the assistant assist you at 65mph for more than 5 seconds you probably die, because this assistance move you like ping pong from left side to right side. Also this has a very bad quality of steering rack after 30 days starts making noise and they fixed but the noise starts again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11699605, filed 2025-11

Buying note. Have a used example driven at highway speed so you can judge the steering feel yourself, and confirm any steering gear or software work has already been completed. Also check that the driver assist and infotainment systems behave correctly, since several complaints describe issues that dealers could not reproduce or resolve on the first visit.

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.