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:
replaced the starter (63 reports)
not sure (21 reports)
dealer replaced the starter (15 reports)
replace starter (12 reports)
dealer replaced the starter which fixed the problem (2 reports)
Along several others, I began having the intermittent starting problems on my 2013 2.4 L Accord at around 60,000 miles. This type of starter uses a solenoid to move the starter motor’s pinion gear forward to mesh with the flywheel’s ring gear while simultaneously pulling the plunger and its copper contact disc onto the battery contact and the starter motor contact to complete the circuit from the battery to the starter motor. When functioning properly, turning the ignition key or starter button should mesh starter’s pinion gear with the flywheel and turn the starter motor to crank the engine.
The problem with these starters is that the battery-side contact and the battery-side of the plunger contact erode excessively due to arcing and consequent pitting. This intermittently prevents the plunger’s contact from contacting the battery-side contact to complete the circuit between the battery and starter motor. When this happens, the pinion gear meshes with the flywheel but the starter motor doesn’t turn. Note that the pinion gear engaging and disengaging the flywheel is the clicking sound heard from under the car during a failed start.
This problem was fixed by replacing the contacts which are included in Honda Brush Holder (Honda part number: 31210-5A2-A01) which cost me $45 at my local Honda dealer. I believe 2013 through 2017 2.4 L Accords use this part which suggests that they will, or are, experiencing the intermittent starting problem. One would think Honda would have had a recall to fix this problem.
After a starter failure in January of this year, I had the SAME problem ten months and 9,000 miles later. My Honda dealer gave me a warranty on the starter he replaced earlier, so the repair was free this time.
The first time you have Honda replace a starter, ask for a warranted part. Starters are a KNOWN issue with the 2013 Accord, and maybe other years and models as well.
Parts issues such as this have kept me away from American cars for my whole adult life. Now it seems our Japanese friends are getting careless about their parts suppliers and about quality control.
After decades of reliable electrical components in Honda and other Japanese cars, I find I can no longer expect the reliability I enjoyed in the 70's and 80's. Not only is this a bother and expense to the owner, it wastes car service shops' time. Fine, have parts made anywhere, just supervise the production and exercise some quality control. There are other problems, Honda. You may have lost this family's business.
The starter started going out on this and I had to get it replaced at 55k miles. I had to push start button like 20 times to eventually get it to start, and eventually got to the point where it just wouldn't turn on anymore. I can't believe my starter died this early with a new car! I ended up getting another starter as my mechanic tested the starter and said it was dead. I used to think Hondas were awesome, but I guess it just depends on your luck.
- Kevin G.,
Wichita Falls, TX, US
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2013 Honda Accord - intermittently, will not start. Batteries for car & FOB new. Have been stranded for short times and car finally starts. Dealers only suggestion is to replace starter for ~$800. Car has 110k miles. This should be a recall!
Same starter problem many have described has been happening to me for over a year. Rarely at first, but then more frequently now - like every 3rd start - the auxiliary power comes on but the engine doesn't turn over. Sometimes the starter makes a horrible sound like maybe I'm trying to start the car but the engine is already on, but it definitely isn't. I can't reproduce this at will, so I figure there's little point taking it to a mechanic until I have to tow it in.
At first I thought the problem was because I had left the wheels turned sharply left or right. The brake pedal would be very hard to press when this start-failure occurred. I'd try to pull the wheel back to the center & stomp hard on the brake. It'd start. But recently, even though I have the steering wheel centered and brake pedal can be pushed easily, I can still have the start problem. It's like the car doesn't know the brake is being pressed & therefore turns on the aux power instead. I press the starter again without brake press to turn off the aux power, try again to start with brake pressed and it usually does start.
I called Honda Corporate some months back - no recall, no suggestion for a fix. Worthless. They knew there have been issues, but absolutely no help offered & no suggestions for what to tell the mechanics to look for (guess that would be acknowledging the problem is with their crappy parts!)
Called my local general non-Honda mechanic & he said I pretty much just have to wait for the car to die while I'm out and about, then have it jumped or towed to a shop. You'd think Honda mechanics would be aware of this and a fix would be shared.
Well this nonsense started over 8 months ago. It was really intermittent at first only happening here and there. As it started to get worse l would start the car and only the Aux would come on, and by the 3rd try it would fire 🔥 up!
When it really got bad the brake pedal seized making it impossible for me to press it with excess-able force to make the connection. I started to get really concerned now afraid of being stranded far from home. I decided to search the web for this problem and found many people said it was the starter.
I called Honda Canada 🇨🇦 to see if they had any service bulletins or recalls for this problem and they said no.
I only had 84,000km so l couldn’t believe that the starter had to be replaced. Since it is impossible to buy a car with a key anymore the dealerships hold us as a hostage having the expensive cost of driving these computerized cars.
I bough a 2013 Honda Accord LX MT used. It’s been driving fine for year and half. It intermittently will not start. Only hear click noise but engine will not turn over. Sometimes it will take more than 15 times before it starts. I changed the battery and starter myself still having the same issue. Someone mentioned it could be the ignition starter switch which was replaced and still no luck. I’ve taken it to dealership they were unable to reproduce the issue. I am ready to tun this car in for Toyota Camry.
I have a 2013 Honda Accord V6; purchased new in 2013. First my battery goes when I have less then 30K on the car; then a terrifying experience when my power steering goes out while I'm out driving (clients in the car as I'm a real estate agent) and now my starter. All in a car that is less then 5 years old and has less then 55K on it. When the battery went, I replaced. What can I do?
When the power steering went, I bitched to corporate as well as my local Honda dealer. Yes, they are aware of this problem and fixed if for free. WHY NO RECALLS? Guess they're waiting for someone to die first. NOW, less then a year from the power steering incident, I'm told yesterday my starter needs to be replaced to the tune on $800. This was no surprise as I was having issues and found (on this site) numerous people having the same problem.
Here's what was happening to my car: There are been maybe a half dozens incidents in recent years, when I start my car and it makes a sound like the car is already on. Being 60ish, I assumed the first couple of times, maybe I'm senile and did leave the car on. When this happens, the brake peddle cannot move. I shut the car down, and after a few seconds try again with no problems. The last time this happened was about a month ago and I KNOW the car was off. I started and that same problem.
I took the car in yesterday for a routine oil change and I told them what I experienced and had them check the started (due to what I found on the internet). Presto! Yup, it's the starter. We can change for $800. Now, either it really is the starter or this car is merely a piece of crap, as is HONDA, or perhaps both. In either case, I'm having the Service mgr call corporate (yes, they may pay to have this fixed) but either way, I'll have fixed an then walk to the closest Toyota dealer (had toyota's all my life.
My 2000 Avalon is probably still running with no issues) trade this piece of crap in and get me a car I can depend on. NEVER AGAIN WILL I PURCHASE A HONDA. PERIOD.
We bought a 2005 CRV that was great and we put 190K miles on it and it was almost trouble free. It looked like new when we traded it for a 2013 Accord. The Accord has had several issues in the 5 years we have had it. Now it is the starter which is acting up and matches most of the other descriptions I read on here; takes several pushes of the button to get it to start, sometimes, getting worse every day. I have a new starter on order. Other problems: excessive oil consumption at 1 quart/1,500 miles (CRV never used a drop), the heater has never worked well, door lock actuator problems, thermostat failure. I bought the extended warranty to 120K or 5 years and local dealer(JCH) would not change the thermostat without a $120 diagnostic fee and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to diagnose a bad thermostat. Bought one and changed in 30 minutes for $30 which fixed it of course. The only thing I like about this car is we average about 32 mpg. CVT has been OK but groans when pulling out on a really steep hill. I think Honda is slipping in their reliability rating. The starters are a known problem and we are lucky ours made it this far. This car has had more issues than my 20 year old F150 with 188K on it.
Starter continuously doesn't engage and start the car. Several times pushing the start button for it to work. There is a service campaign about this issue but Honda will not recall the part and pay for any of this. Very frustrating as my quote is in the range of $500 to $1000 dollars. The torque converter ring gear was apparently not positioned right. How am I supposed to know for sure if I get a replacement OEM Honda part that this will not keep happening?
I own a 2013 Honda Accord EXL, Ive had the car for about 5 years now. I purchased the car brand new, thinking Honda was a very reliable car brand, well I was incorrect. Not only has the alternator gone bad which I had to replace, but now my starter went bad as well. For a brand that relies on reliability, I have to say the company has gone down the drain. I just don't understand how both the alternator and stater have already gone bad. This simply just an embarrassment. Never again will I purchase a Honda.
Luckily for me, I was able to replace both parts on my own. I honestly say there should be a recall on both, or we should all get together a file a lawsuit with the company.
Like many of the other reports I've read on this forum, my 2013 Honda Accord Sport begun having issues starting about 2 months ago. Sometimes it would start right away and others it would take 4-5 times before it fired up. Eventually, the car quit starting entirely so I had it towed to Goodyear. While the tow truck driver told me the issue was surely the starter, Goodyear ran a diagnostics test and resulted the problem was in fact the battery; which was about a $120 fix opposed to approximately $700 fix for a starter (called about 4 different places in my area and they all quoted around this number). Now, fast forward a couple months, my car has quit starting again.
There are multiple posts about starters failing at 40K miles. My car failed to start at the same point. I had it repaired and Honda reimbursed my expense. But why are starters failing at 40K?
The starter stopped working after killing my battery. I had to change the battery. Tthen the car won't start anymore after one day from changing the battery. I towed it to the dealer and apparently the starter has died. Luckily I have extended warranty and it was covered.
Bought my Honda brand new in August 2013. In January battery went completely dead. I had to replace the alternator fro $750. Now for the past month, push start button started acting funny... many clicks before the car could start. Worried I took the car to Honda. Was charged $150 to diagnose the problem. Per Dealer I had to replace the starter $834. Car only has 36000 miles.
Tried to complain to the dealer about a discount, No response. Moreover when I dropped the car to get fixed at Brickell Honda, they do not have a courtesy shuttle service for clients. I had to Uber to and from home at my own expense. I would never imagine I would spend $1500 for an alternator and a new starter for a car with only 35k miles on it.
Now I feel that the car is not reliable.. Getting rid of it at the end of the year and never getting a Honda again.......
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Starter failed after 53,000 miles. It was a loss of 800$. Expected the 'reliable' Honda to not have this problem at least until 75k miles.
- drcak, San Jose, CA, US