CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2013-2014 Honda Accord is showing signs of an electrical problem with the starter failing soon after the 36K mile warranty expires. It's compounded by reports that the OEM battery doesn't have sufficient amps to start the V6 reliably after a year or two.

For now we are rating this problem with the "Beware" seal because it's occurring so soon after the 36K mile warranty expires. The upshot is when your Accord won't start, that's never good, but especially bad when it's just a few years old.

Also once again, owners are complaining that the 2013 Honda Accord seats are uncomfortable. Uncomfortable seats has been a significant complaint with the Accord since the 2008 model year.

7.9

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$620
Average Mileage:
54,100 miles
Total Complaints:
116 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replaced the starter (63 reports)
  2. not sure (21 reports)
  3. dealer replaced the starter (15 reports)
  4. replace starter (12 reports)
  5. dealer replaced the starter which fixed the problem (2 reports)
  6. replace starter, flexplate, rotate torque converter (2 reports)
2013 Honda Accord electrical problems

electrical problem

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2013 Honda Accord Owner Comments (Page 6 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #16

Apr 212016

Accord Sport 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 44,700 miles

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

My 2013 Honda accord is brand new car, and lifetime of a starter can hold upto 100k + Miles. If the starter fails on 44700 miles, then its not a good quality/defective in material/workmanship. And they are charging me $931 for fixing it..

Crown Honda is one of the worst service center you can ever go in Greensboro NC. Representative Andy Andrews said it takes $931.05+taxes to replace my starter but when I checked with another representative in same dealer, he said $650 when I checked with Flow Honda dealer, they charged $520

Shame on you honda..

Finally I havent replaced it yet

- Godwyn D., Jamestown, NC, US

problem #15

May 142016

Accord EX-L 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 56,200 miles

Intermittently, the starter fails to start the car. When this happens, I press on the brake and push the "Engine Start" button. A screeching sound happens. This is the sound of starter failure while starting the car. The pistons in the engine did not even turn. Typically when this happens, I tried to keep my foot on the brake pedal and try to push the engine start button again. Nothing happens.

The solution is to let go of the foot off the brake then press engine start button until the power shuts down. Try again by placing the foot on the brake and pressing engine start button again. The car starts. This happens randomly without any patterns. Very annoying, especially knowing the car's battery is in good condition.

Perhaps one of these days, I would go to the dealership and replace the starter. I read many complaints for starter failure and typical repair cost is around $700-$800. I wonder if it's worth it or not. Quite a few people stated the problem comes back even after repair, but slightly less frequent.

- kevh, Atlanta, GA, US

problem #14

Apr 012016

Accord Sport 2.4L

  • CVT transmission
  • 62,000 miles

My 2013 Accord Sport has been intermittently starting for months. I changed the battery to a stronger cranking one and it did not fix it although now it will start eventually. I have tested the alternator and it passed. Next is the starter but Honda changed its location and placed it under the motor. I submitted links from a Honda forum to this website documenting many others having the same issue whether they drive LX, EX, or Sport. CVT manual it doesn't seem to matter. I have not replaced the starter and think it should be recalled if that's the issue. There are YouTube videos also popping up with 2013 Accords not starting. We get one click and that's it.

Update from Apr 14, 2016 Not even a week after I posted my problem my car did not start. Only clicked, I even tired to jump it out of desperation. Had it towed to a dealer and they charged me a hefty price to replace the starter. Now the car starts like its supposed to. *Some people with push button start fixed their issue by just replacing the batt in the key fob. If that doesn't work then replace the starter.

I posted this in engine ~ wont start section. but pasting it here because a recall is needed!

- clintonmd, Accokeek, MD, USA

- clintonmd, Accokeek, MD, US

problem #13

Mar 012016

Accord Sport 2.4L

  • CVT transmission
  • 62,000 miles

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

My 2013 Accord Sport has been intermittently starting for months. I changed the battery to a stronger cranking one and it did not fix it although now it will start eventually. I have tested the alternator and it passed. Next is the starter but Honda changed its location and placed it under the motor. I submitted links from a Honda forum to this website documenting others having the same issue whether they drive LX, EX, or Sport. CVT manual it doesn't seem to matter. I have not replaced the starter and think it should be recalled if that's the issue. There are YouTube videos also popping up with 2013 Accords not starting. We get one click and that's it.

Update from Apr 14, 2016: Not even a week after I posted my problem my car did not start. Only clicked, even tired to jump it out of desperation. Had it towed to a dealer and they charged me a hefty price to replace the starter. Now the car starts like its supposed to. *Some people with push button start fixed their issue by just replacing the batt in the key fob. If that doesn't work then replace the starter.

- clintonmd, Accokeek, MD, US

problem #12

Jan 272016

Accord Sport 4.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 46,000 miles

My car has randomly done this 3 times now. Won't start for no apparent reason. Have had two mechanics test battery and it tests fine.

- maynard7, Molalla, OR, US

problem #11

Sep 032015

Accord LX 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 41,000 miles

THE STARTER WAS TEMPERAMENTAL, SOMETIMES WOULD START SOMETIMES TOOK THREE OR FOUR ATTEMPTS, THEN IT SMOOTHED OUT AND WAS OK FOR A FEW WEEKS. LAST NIGHT THE STARTER WENT KAPUT. I HAD TO TOW THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND GO GET A RENTAL AT 11:30 AT NIGHT AT THE AIRPORT SO AS NOT TO MISS WORK.

THEY CALLED THIS AFTERNOON, AFTER Y 3 ATTEMPTS TO CALL THEM. THIS IS A PUSH BUTTON STARTER. I LIKE THE OLD KIND, THEY ARE MORE RELIABLE. I WONDER IF THIS IS A NEW ITEM FOR HONDA AND THEY HAVEN'T PERFECTED IT YET.

WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS HERE ON THE SAME MODEL THIS IS MY THIRD HONDA. I HAVEN'T HAD MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH 2 OF THEM. I LOVE MY CAR, WITH THE CAMERAS AND SIDE VIEW FOR PASSING, BUT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS RECURRING.

- Diane D., LOUISVILLE, KY, US

problem #10

Mar 022016

Accord Sport 2.4L

  • CVT transmission
  • 42,000 miles

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

Starting to have intermittent starter problems. Will need to replace soon. Hopefully Honda Corp will take care of it since out of warranty. Not happy! First new car I have purchased and thought that Honda would be a reliable choice. Wrong answer. Already had transmission replaced at 8,000 miles,oil flow to the cam issues and now this. Very much considering replacing this manufacture with another one.

- kiko, Ventura, CA, US

problem #9

Aug 082015

Accord Sport 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 48,000 miles

Bought my 2013 Honda Accord sport brand new. Started having trouble with the starter, took it to the dealer and got the song and dance about "we can't fix it unless we can recreate it"..It was an intermediate problem so I lived with it for awhile. Going anywhere was a hassle, not knowing whether or not the car would start, not to mention quite embarrassing, Finally the car wouldn't start for about 6 hrs. once the car started I took it to the dealership, and of course the car started for them with no problem, I left the car there, they called me 45, min, later and told me the starter was shot. The car is ONLY 3 yrs. old, Honda needs to get on the ball with their product, I have never had a starter problem in any of my previously owned vehicle after only 3 yrs. Once I pay 700.00 dollars for the problem to get fixed I am dumping the car and buying something other than a Honda. We bought the car new so we wouldn't have to deal with this nonsense. My mistake ,

- Anne T., Willoughby, OH, US

problem #8

Mar 012016

Accord EX 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

We have owned 9 Honda Accords and this is the worst ever. I have had complaints with this car right after the warranty was off. Several months ago I tried to start it and it would not start, several minutes later it would start. Went to work and got ready to come home it would not start--this happened for about a month or so had it checked and had battery replaced. Shortly afterwards it started doing the same thing; start sometimes then would not start. Took it in to get it checked this time they said it is the starter and will cost about $775.00. I am so disappointed in this car. I bought 1 Acura and went back this last time and bought a Honda Accord, big mistake. I should have bought something else--just a loyal Honda customer up until now I am sick of this car. Still paying a car note and then have to pay this amount of money on it. Awful!!

Hondas owned: 1986, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2007, 2013...now tell me that's not believing in Hondas. I have had it with this one (2013).

In addition to this 1st had a problem with the car backing up-- they had a fix for that, then the starting problems x2.

I will not purchase another Honda...we also own Ford Trucks and Expedition---Ford Motor Company works with their customers.

It let me get through the warranty period, I did experience from time to time the car not starting but I thought maybe it was because it was cold. I never reported it but after the warranty then it was more frequent.

Please if you have any problems at first report it because it will come back to haunt you and then it is your problem.

I even called in a customer complaint. Amber told me that 3 yrs/36,000 miles and the warranty is off so it is the customers responsibility to get it fixed. They can not provide me any assistance. I asked that my complaint be passed on to higher authority. All of my Hondas gave me 100,000+ miles with no major problems, again disappointed.

Researched the web and found many complaints about the starter problem.

Hope this helps somebody.

- smit9936, Sparta, GA, US

problem #7

Dec 022014

Accord EX-L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles

I've had the started in my car replaced 2 times so far.

First time I brought the car in they replaced it and the issue went away for about 7-9 months. Second time they said they couldn't reproduce it so they did nothing. Third time they were able to reproduce it and replaced the started a 2nd time. Fourth time I brought it in they said they were finally able to pull a code off of something and replaced a different part that Honda had some information on. Car started failing to start again within 2 days of the repair and I am bringing the car back to Honda again today.

Car is 3 years old and I've been dealing with this for about 2 years of it.

Still waiting for someone at Honda to figure out what is going on. I can always get the car to start after 2-3 attempts but it should not be happening anywhere near this often, if at all.

Update from May 12, 2016: You will have to excuse my lack of car part knowledge. The part replaced was heavy and kind of looked like a saw blade. (When I get home I'll try to update with the part name). Essentially something during the starting process grabs the grooves one this piece to spin it but since some of the grooves were chipped it failed to grab it. They said this is the first time they have ever seen this before. When asked what might cause this they had no idea. Not sure if it was faulty from the beginning and I was just very lucky or if they somehow wore down over time.

Part may be a flywheel looking at pictures on google.

- J K., Houston, TX, US

problem #6

Nov 132015

Accord LX 3.2L V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 56,000 miles

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

I purchased a brand new Honda Accord 2013 and the starter is already gone. I paid $612.75 to repair & no one offered to explain why I had to pay for a faulty starter from Honda. I think I should at least had this replaced because they knew this was received from the factory with a faulty starter.

They charged my battery but did not say the battery needed charging when I came in & told them the first mechanic said it was a dead cell in the battery-Boyd said it was the starter only

After spending $35,000 on this car from them I think they should have covered at $300.00 of these repairs

- Andre & Beverley F., Oxford, NC, US

problem #5

Aug 172015

Accord LX 2.4L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,969 miles

I am astonished that a starter can fail in less than 16,000 miles of driving. This will surely influence my choice of a lease car in September 2016. The starter failed on 90 degree day and required two visits from AAA and a tow to the dealer. Two days at the dealer and me with no car. Brought it to the dealer 7/21 for intermittent starting problems. They kept the car two days and said it started every time they tried it. Seems like there should be a better plan. At least its free.

- Patricia B., Warwick, RI, US

problem #4

Jul 132015

Accord EX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 28,199 miles

My Honda about 2 yrs old. First time it needed servicing besides brakes and oil. The starter problem was intermittent would start then it would take 2-9 times pushing the button to get it to start. It happened when I was at the dealer so they were able to diagnose the problem.

- ig, Amityville, NY, US

problem #3

Jun 242015

Accord EX- L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,300 miles

Occasionally when I press the starter button it makes a noise that would happen when you push the starter button with car already on. This has happened several times although I can't predict when. I'm having this checked out and will update.

Update from Jul 23, 2015: Mechanic said he couldn't replicate the problem and that the starter worked fine. When the valet went to get my car the starter made that awful noise and wouldn't start. Service people told me to bring car back in two weeks which I will do.

Update from Nov 10, 2015: Sold the car as I couldn't get any satisfaction from service dept.

- davidpil, Tarrytown, NY, US

problem #2

Jul 022015

Accord Sport

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,734 miles

I bought my 2013 Honda Accord Sport new in October 2013. I have less than 19,000 miles & my starter is going out. It was hesitant with starting a few days until recently when I had to let it sit for a couple of hours before it would start. Once I was able to start it I drove it to my local dealer & they placed it on the computer. It showed that my starter was bad & they have ordered a new one. It will be replaced at no charge because of factory warranty.

I love my car, but I plan to trade it in for a non-Honda if I have any more issues. I don't want to be responsible for repairs once the warranty expires.

- cbc2014, Alexandria, LA, US

problem #1

Apr 112015

Accord LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 46,500 miles

I think Honda should look into the starter installed on their 2013 Honda Accords on all years. This is a common problem for all years.

- Shundrea L., Prairieville, LA, US

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