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:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
8,403 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 lights problems

lights problem

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2008 Honda Accord Owner Comments (Page 1 of 5)

problem #90

Apr 162016

Accord

  • miles

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

'takeda recall' I took my vehicle to Honda buena park in buena park, ca for this recall, and I'm just finding out that the recall is still active.

- Glendora, CA, USA

problem #89

Apr 302015

Accord

  • 140,000 miles
Takata recall, excessive oil consumption, vtc actuator loud grinding on start up cold or warm!!!!! Honda would not fix because I was 15,000 miles over their grace period. I asked for good will and a big company that Honda is sure won't go bankrupt fixing my car.... but the girl I talked to was some what rude to me and just asked if I wanted the better business beau phone number. Their needs to be a class action law suit for the replacement of the vtc actuator, because sooner or later I will have engine failure and Honda knows about the problem. I have read 90% of the 2008 4 cylinder Accord have the problem and some of the newer models have the same problem. And I have heard they will replace the part, and soon after it does it again!!!! defective part!!!! I hope I can get some help, because Honda knows about the problem and I cant afford a new engine when the timing chain goes and everything with it!!!! thank you.

- Des Moines, IA, USA

problem #88

Nov 222016

Accord

  • miles
Takata recall, we bought this car for over 16,000 at gormleys automotive. After getting it home there were certain repairs that we needed asap. The car was definitely in a previous accident as we could see when the paint chipped that there was the original Honda white underneath. The car has 3 recalls. Lights come on that do not make sense and even though we didn't receive a manual, I looked things up on the internet. The engine belt rumbles, the suspension is way off, the leather seats and sidearms have ripped because they were replaced by cheap parts. The car loan is for $331 monthly and still is owed a siginificant amount on. Steward financial harasses with phone calls if you are an hr late on a payment. Unacceptable. I am disabled and can barely make ends meet. I do not want to pay for a car that runs like a hoopdee when its supposed to run like a Honda. Turning it does not grab the road, stationary the engine rumbles. I am a female so I do not know to much about cars. What I do know is that I cannot afford to have repairs done on a car with such a large amount owed on it.

- Collingswood, NJ, USA

problem #87

Jan 132016

Accord

  • 80,000 miles

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

Person pulled out in front of me and I struck her with front and edge of bumper. The side curtain deployed, but not the steering wheel airbag. I went forward and was hit in the chest on the steering wheel. This was on a 4 lane street leading out of town the speed was 35 mph

- Iowa City, IA, USA

problem #86

Nov 022015

Accord 4-cyl

  • miles
2008 Honda Accord. Consumer writes in regards to brake, engine, electrical, air bag light, seat belt, light problems and radio problems. The consumer stated the pistons were replaced a couple of years ago. The engine has been misfiring since July 2014. The coils, spark plugs and fuel injectors were replaced and the check engine light continued to stay on.

- Yonkers, NY, USA

problem #85

Sep 152014

Accord 4-cyl

  • 102,000 miles
While driving, headlights in normal position dim to point of not being safe to see and then they flicker to being normal low beams again. This process occurs at speeds from 0-70 and occurs 2-3 times a minute. This also occurs when bright lights are on. Please pressure Honda to fix this very well known and ignored problem before someone is killed. What does it take? forums all over internet with same complains. Not isolated events !!!

- Energy, IL, USA

problem #84

Jun 102014

Accord

  • 88,000 miles

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

Lights dim (and entire dash momentarily losses power) frequently.

- Rigby, ID, USA

problem #83

Dec 012013

Accord

  • 35,000 miles
Head lamps dim and flicker every few minutes while driving. I am an ase certified master tech and L! tech so I under stand the cause. Honda uses a voltage sensing devise to turn off the charging system to lower the engine load sometimes and increase gas mileage. The problem is with the head lamps on the alternator can only be turned off briefly before the voltage falls too low and the charging system must turn back on. This leads to a constant flickering of all the lamps and sometimes confusion to other drivers who think you flashed your lights at them so they can turn left in front of you when really you did not. I think all these cars need to be reprogrammed to keep the alternator turned on when the head lamps are on, a simple fix that would make them much safer.

- New Bedford , MA, USA

problem #82

Jun 162010

Accord

  • 42,000 miles
2008 Honda Accord purchased new at gary force Honda bowling green ky. First issue: Cold start rattle, dealer replaced atc actuator, problem corrected. Have replaced brakes on the car 4 times. Most recently replaced approximately 1 year ago and now when brakes are applied the steering wheel vibrates worse than a road wagon. At 70,000 miles oil light came on, checked oil and none was on the stick. Added oil, took the car to dealer, they replaced vtc actuator but it did not correct the problem. Complained again and they performed oil consumption analysis only to tell me it was using less than one quart per one thousand miles and that was the industry standard. A few months later I became more irritated about the problem and complained again. They performed another oil consumption analysis to tell me it was using more than it was previously but less than one quart per 1000 miles and wouldn't do anything. Currently the car has 100000 miles on it and yes, the warranty just expired and it's using one quart per 1200 miles. I wrote Honda of America a letter and complained. They called but other than kind words, they did nothing. Oh and have I mentioned the head lights.... they blink when the heat or air is on. I must not forget that the leather on both the arm rest and console has bubbled up but no signs of wear or damage around the bubbles. And let me not forget the most recent issue: Now often times while setting completely still at a stop light and/or going down the road I hear a clicking sound in the steering column. I am not turning the steering wheel when I hear this noise. It just starts clicking, kind of like an electronic click coming from the steering column. Oh what a piece of junk Honda made when it built the 2008 Accord. Paid 30,000 for it and I'm sadly disappointed.

- Morgantown, KY, USA

problem #81

Dec 312007

Accord 4-cyl

  • 25 miles
Headlights flicker often (every 20-30 seconds) when using air conditioning.

- Mesilla, NM, USA

problem #80

Feb 102012

Accord 4-cyl

  • miles

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

Over the course of 3000 miles I had to add an additional 5 quarts of oil and while driving the headlights dim intermittently.

- Bellingham, MA, USA

problem #79

Nov 182011

Accord 4-cyl

  • 26,500 miles
Headlights flicker out completely or dim severely when coming to a stop or the condenser for the ac/defrost kicks on. I have researched this and it appears to be an issue due to the electric load detector. Although Honda had said this might be normal I find that while driving my 4 yr. Old son around it is a safety concern and would like to have the problem looked into.

- Strongsville, OH, USA

problem #78

Nov 032008

Accord

  • miles
Some sort of electrical problem is occurring and causes the headlights to dim and fluctuate erratically. The sound in the stereo also gets lower often times and I wonder if this ties into the headlights problem. I feel unsafe driving the vehicle because it is a distraction and causes me to check my instrument panel and I really expect a vehicle to operate properly after spending so much money on it.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #77

Sep 062011

Accord 4-cyl

  • 0 miles
At night the headlights dim repeatedly while the car is at a stop. While driving the headlights flicker or blink every 15-25 seconds while the air conditioning is operating. This could appear as if I am flashing other drivers and can be construed as an aggressive act. I would not have bought this car had I known about this design flaw. However Honda released a statement on their website that this flicker of the headlights is normal and was designed that way to increase fuel efficiency.

- New Boston, TX, USA

problem #76

Apr 112011

Accord 4-cyl

  • 33,000 miles
2008 Honda Accord headlights flicker when ac is on when fan cycles, occurs every 15-20 seconds. This is a major distraction. Drivers in front of me think I am flashing my lights at them. Took my car to Honda and they stated this is "normal". this is not normal. I have owned numerous vehicles and have never experienced such a problem. Honda needs to fix this problem.

- Byron, GA, USA

problem #75

Mar 182011

Accord

  • 40,500 miles
Headlights flicker when fan switch is on. Flicker happens about every 20 seconds with A/C on and less with heat. Dealership says this is normal.

- Southampton, NJ, USA

problem #74

Dec 202010

Accord

  • 0 miles
Lights dim all the time driving down the road. Honda says no fix.

- Emmett, ID, USA

problem #73

Aug 302010

Accord

  • 35,800 miles
We leased a new 2008 Honda Accord and after a few weeks noticed that the headlights flickered. This was very annoying and when we asked the local Honda dealer about it they gave us a document that states that it's normal. We didn't like that answer but there wasn't anything that we could do. 2 years later and still constantly having the headlights flicker at night my wife drove the car at night and the lights went out for approximately 10 seconds. We contacted the dealer and they took a look at it and said they didn't notice anything other than the normal flicker. Now my wife won't drive the car at night thinking this is gong to happen again and the dealer won't do anything about it.

- Center Point, IA, USA

problem #72

Jan 012010

Accord

  • 27,000 miles
I have a 2008 Honda Accord. Its headlights flicker and are very dim. This is a huge concern for me. I cannot see very far ahead of my car and it looks as if I am flashing my lights at others. Also my tail lights flickers which give the impression I am braking.

- Farmersville, TX, USA

problem #71

Jun 072008

Accord

  • miles
I purchased a 2008 Accord ex-L with the 4 cylinder engine in June of 2008. The headlights on this vehicle flicker or dim at night as ac or other fans cycle on & off. This is very distracting for me & must be for the other drivers that meet me on the road. I took it to the dealership twice in the past year and was told this is a normal characteristic caused by the electrical load detector (eld) system. They are not able or not willing to fix the problem. This could be a serious safely hazard. I wonder whether it is safe to drive a car that dims its headlights constantly. I do not understand why this cannot be resolved, and why Honda does not consider this a major problem. Should Honda be allowed to decide the dimming problem is normal? the other night on the way home I had someone pull off the road to let me pass, I can only assume it was because of my dimming lights. These lights are not safe and Honda needs to fix this problem.

- Haslet, TX, USA

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