CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2008 Honda Accord has several serious defects: poor brakes, excessive oil consumption, & uncomfortable seats.

BRAKES: There was a class action lawsuit against Honda in 2010 for premature & excessive brake wear. See our page on Honda's brake problems for more info.

OIL CONSUMPTION: Honda issued a TSB about this in late 2011, claiming it could be fixed through a software update to the VCM (variable cylinder management). There are class action lawsuits pending. See our page about the Accord oil consumption.

UNCOMFORTABLE SEATS: Owners have consistently reported uncomfortable seats with the entire 8th generation (2008-2012) of Honda Accords. Complaints range from back pain to leg circulation problems due to bad lumbar support, cushioning, & seat angle. Complaints aren't limited to only a certain body type -- the seat comfort problems are from a wide spectrum of owner height & weight. The common theme we hear is "we never noticed this during the test drive." Unfortunately for unwary buyers, the seat pain is noticeable after 15-20 minutes.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
74,272 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Honda Accord drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2008 Honda Accord Owner Comments (Page 3 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #5

Dec 222012

Accord

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My vehicle was in park. When I tried to put it in drive, it would not move. I inserted a key beside the gear shift to release the gear shift. My vsa light, along with the ! warning light came on. When I looked in my car manual, it instructed me to take it to the Honda dealership immediately. I took it to the Honda dealership and they called american Honda but could not figure out what was wrong with the car. The gear shift now locks at least once a day and is getting harder to release. It also makes a clicking noise. I went back to the Honda dealership and waited 3 1/2 hours for them correct the problem. They again called american Honda and their only recommendation is for me to pay $1200 to buy a new part. The Honda dealership charged me $200 for their time. I was sent away with no repair to my car. I called american Honda and explained that I am worried about my safety. The vsa light along with the ! warning light says in the manual "vsa systemmalfunction. Vehicle has normal driving ability, but does not have vsa traction and stability enhancement; see dealer as soon as possible". I have went through 3 sets of tires this year and I think it is because of this issue. Honda has already recalled the vsa in the 2005 Honda Pilot. In their recall statement, "during a vsa system malfunction, the amount of brake force applied could exceed the driver's intended input. Unexpected brake activation could increase the risk of a crash." I am very disappointed that Honda is not concerned about my personal safety even though they know their is an issue with their vsa system. I am very concerned about my safety and the safety of the passengers that ride in my car.

- Carthage, NC, USA

problem #4

Aug 282012

Accord 4-cyl

  • 68,000 miles
The car did not want to move after it was put in gear. When the car did move it was very hesitant and would not pick up speed at first, then would gradually pick up speed. The car is back at the dealership and first they said it was transmission sensor, then said it was the computer, after replacing that the car begin a rough idle.

- Brunson, SC, USA

problem #3

Dec 012011

Accord

  • 123,000 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Accord. The contact stated that that vehicle was included in the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number 11V395000 (power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm, PCM)). The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that they would not repair the vehicle because it was not in warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 123,000.

- Trenton, NJ, USA

problem #2

Nov 032010

Accord 6-cyl

  • 30,000 miles
Above start date and mileage are estimates as this seems to have always been an issue. The engine sputters when accelerating through the first few gears. This is noticeable around the 20-35 mile per hour range, but may occur before or after that speed. It seems dangerous if acceleration is needed when the car will not respond. I have looked up Honda service bulletins and it seems there a re a few that "might" fit the issue. One is related to an oil "leak" another to oil "consumption" as well as one related to engine "low power". I believe the oil issue exists regardless as I am checking it now and discovered it is always low. There are a couple of others that may or may not apply as it is hard to determine the exact problem and service bulletin. The vehicle has been to the dealer for this issue only for the dealer to not be able to determine the cause or identify the problem while at the shop. Early on while under warranty the vehicle was brought back to the dealer for this issue and some spark plugs were replaced. If I remember correctly they said there was a problem with the spark plugs. The issue has always remained even after the replacement of some spark plugs. They may not have replaced all of them and thus the issue at hand? I will have to ask the dealer for a service history if they have it since I may not have all the records. The car will go back again for this issue after writing this. I'm hoping for a positive outcome where it will not cost me a fortune as the car is now out of warranty but was brought in for this while it was covered.

- Oak Ridge, NJ, USA

problem #1

Sep 142009

Accord

  • 9,600 miles
September 14, 2008 and also about 8-10 days before that date I experienced a get up and go while my foot was on the brake. The engine rpms climbed and I had I all could do to stand on the brake. I was in traffic and on a slight uphill grade (4-6%) in both cases. The car was creeping forward inspite of my efforts to brake as hard as I could. I was able to get the car into neutral before the light change. The car acted normally after that. My latest experience perhaps 100 miles later was much more dramatic. In this case the engine race was more violent and the car shuttered as I stood on the brakes. I believe the wheels were spinning and I was creeping uphill. I looked down to see if my foot was squarely on the brake as didn't want my foot to slip. My right foot was squarely on mid pedal. I do not drive with both feet. I have never had an accident and am very safety conscience. This time I again was able to get the car into neutral. I did see the engine RPM near 5000 when I went into neutral. I engine was quiet and when the light changed I returned home with no problems. I left the car outside, fearing an incident in my garage. What would have happened on wet pavement or snow" I promptly contacted my Honda dealer. After two days they have yet to reproduce this problem. They appear to have no answer. This is a low mileage car of less than 10,000 miles. I have had no problems with this car nor any of the others brought there. This is a great dealer. My family owns also owns Honda based on our excellent past history. >>> in summary: I no longer have any faith in this car's safety. Why does such a dangerous fault have to be demonstrated by the dealer? do I have to have an accident before they will replace a sensor or some computer chip" until this safety malfunction is corrected I can no longer enjoy the car I paid for.

- Prospect, CT, USA

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