There are 6 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2018 Honda Accord Hybridin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The engine head gasket failed due to design flows. I have to put coolants and oil on a daily basis to keep the car running to avoid overheating.
Subject: Safety Complaint – Premature Head Gasket Failure in 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid (VIN: [XXX] ) Dear NHTSA Representative, I am submitting this letter as a formal complaint regarding a serious and premature mechanical failure in my 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid (VIN: [XXX] ). At approximately 96,000 miles, the head gasket failed, resulting in major engine problems and potentially unsafe vehicle performance. I am the original owner of this vehicle and have maintained it consistently in line with Honda’s recommended service intervals. The engine has never been overheated or misused, yet the head gasket has failed much earlier than expected for a modern vehicle, especially a hybrid model. After researching online, I have found multiple reports of similar issues involving 2018 Honda Accord models experiencing premature head gasket failure, many of them under or near 100,000 miles. I am concerned that this may point to a widespread defect that could compromise the reliability and safety of these vehicles. A sudden head gasket failure can cause the engine to overheat, lose power, or even stall — all of which present potential risks to the driver and passengers, especially at highway speeds. I respectfully request that the NHTSA investigate this issue further to determine whether a safety-related defect exists and if a recall or manufacturer action should be issued. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please feel free to contact me if any additional information is needed to support the investigation. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
About two weeks ago, I could have been killed on the New York State Thruway when my 2018 Honda Accord suddenly lost all power. One moment, I was driving normally—then, without warning, my check engine light came on, I had zero ability to accelerate and was forced to pull over as my car rapidly lost speed. II had my vehicle towed to Morehead Honda where they ran diagnostics and told me my car needed nearly $6,000 in repairs due to coolant leaking into the engine, which caused cylinder misfires and valve damage. But here’s the kicker—this same issue has happened to other Honda Accords of the same model year, yet Honda refuses to recognize it as a widespread problem. Morehead Honda admitted to me that they’ve seen this issue before in other 2018-2020 Honda Accords and 2017-2018 CR-Vs. In fact, they said Honda quietly fixed the problem in newer models (2021+)—but they still won’t acknowledge it as a defect in mine. That means my engine failure is not some one-in-a-million fluke—it’s something that has happened to multiple owners of the same model and year. But Honda refuses to take responsibility, leaving me on the hook for an absurdly expensive repair. Many others have had the same or similar issues. Below are some: 2017-2020 Honda Accord owners who have reported coolant leaks, cylinder head cracks, head gasket failures, or related issues: 2018 Accord 2.0T owner blew a head gasket, with a potential cracked engine block. The dealership diagnosed the issue on cylinder #3, with coolant mixing into the engine oil. A 2018 Accord EX-L 2.0T owner experienced a coolant loss leading to a blown head gasket and coolant leaking into cylinders 2 and 3. A 2018 Accord 1.5T owner had dashboard warnings and the car failed to accelerate. The dealership diagnosed a blown head gasket, with coolant leaking into cylinders 3 and 4. A 2020 Honda Accord owner suffered a blown head gasket at 58,000 miles. The dealership confirmed it was the fourth such case they had seen.
Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P030X (Cylinder Misfire Detected) stored. Experience engine running rough. - There are multiple misfiring cylinders. available for inspection upon request. - My safety and the safety of others was put in immediate risk when the engine started to jerk violently back and forth on the freeway. - The problem been reproduced and confirmed by a certified local Honda dealership. - There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.
Engine overheated and turns out we have a blown head gasket. The problem escalated quickly from and "your engine may be warm" messages to "Do not drive!" messages. We tried to stop and cool it off when that message happened. To me the safety issue comes with the experience of needing to urgently find a place to stop while driving on a busy road (interstate for us) so the engine doesn't get much worse. Car is currently at a Honda dealer to assess the damage to the engine.
This has occurred on two separate dates. While using ECON mode and driving on the highway I went to accelerate to pass another vehicle and the car started shaking and the check engine light started flashing. I could no longer accelerate with traffic traveling at speeds of 70 behind me. I was able to safely maneuver my car to the should of the highway. I turned it off for a few minutes and turned it back on and it operated perfectly fine with no engine light on anymore. The second time it happened the car forced the ECON mode off while flashing the check engine light, but kept shaking until I pulled over and turned off the car for a few minutes. I will be taking it to the dealer. Had there not been a highway shoulder I would’ve had to force my way across 4 lanes on a 70mph highway while being unable to accelerate or come to a complete stop in the fast lane which is a major safety issue.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026