There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2008 Honda Accordin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
When cold starting my car it has a very loud rattle. Lately the rattle takes some time to go away.
VTC failure, grinding on cold start up. There is a known issue with this in my year model, 2008 Honda accord.
Engine is making rattling noise at cold start... I see it being reported by 1000s of 2008 honda accord sedan owners. My car mileage is only 120k. I need Honda dealer to fix it as this is a Honda company issue
The contact owned a 2008 Honda Accord. The contact stated that she reversed the vehicle into her driveway and exited. After five minutes, an abnormal odor of smoke was detected. There were sparks detected in the engine compartment, and the vehicle caught fire. The fire consumed the engine area up to the dashboard. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment or police report filed. The insurance towed the vehicle to a tow lot and deemed the vehicle a total loss. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.
Misfires from the eco mode it goes to
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the engine misfired with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic determined that the spark plugs were fouled and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that at approximately 12,000 miles later the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer and the spark plugs were replaced again. The contact related the failure to NHTSA ID Number: 10152430 (Equipment, Engine). The manufacturer was notified of the issue and referred the contact back to the dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
The engine rattles loudly for about 3 seconds on could start-up. The componet that is failing is the VTC ACTUATOR. This problem is casuing the engine light to go on. Also, I found out that the VTC Actuator on honda accord is a common failure. This is not a coincidence, it is a manufacture defect. In addition, it is putting my life in danger while it may cause engine failure. The VTC actuator rattles have been confirmed by independent mechanic.
The contact owns a 2008 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming 1-quart of engine oil per 1,000 miles driven. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated that after researching the failure, he became aware that similar vehicles were experiencing the same failure. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been contacted or notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND 30 MINUTES INTO DRIVING MY WARNING LIGHTS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BLINKING, TRIANGLE WITH EXCLAMATION, CAR MISFIRING. I CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR TOO FAR WITHOUT IT MISFIRING. I WAS LEFT STRANDED. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WHERE THE CAR HAS LEFT ME STRANDED. I HAVE PAID FOR 3 ALTERNATORS IN 4 YRS BECAUSE OF OIL DRIPPING IN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE THE ENGINE REVVED. THE CONTACT PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HONDA OF PLYMOUTH (9 LONG POND RD, PLYMOUTH, MA 02360) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PCM NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V395000 (POWER TRAIN) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 177,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, THERE WAS ABNORMAL TICKING SOUND DETECTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE SOUND VOLUME INCREASED WHILE ACCELERATING. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HILLSIDE HONDA (139-07 HILLSIDE AVENUE JAMAICA, NY 11435, (718) 866-4683) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CPU ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED, THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
WHEN STARTING UP MY 2008 HONDA ACCORD, I EXPERIENCE A VERY LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE VTC ACTUATOR. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG HONDA ENGINES. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. HONDA NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THE FACT THAT THE ACTUATOR THEY PUT IN MY CAR IS FAULTY AND CAN LEAD TO MANY MORE PROBLEMS.
I OWN A 2008 HONDA ACCORD WHICH I PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2008. AFTER I REACHED ABOUT 75,000 MILES I STARTED HAVING EXTREME OIL CONSUMPTION WHICH THEN LEAD TO ME HAVING TO REPLACE VTC ACTUATOR AND PISTON RINGS COSTING ME ALMOST $2,000. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY TELL ME THERE IS NO ISSUES AND HONDA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. I NOW CAN ONLY GO ABOUT 1,000 MILES WITHOUT HAVING TO REPLENISH THE OIL. AS MANY REPORTS AS THERE ARE OF THIS KNOWN ISSUE AND HONDA REFUSES TO SUPPORT THEIR CUSTOMERS, SPEAKS LOUDLY.
WHILE DRIVING TENSIONER BOLT BROKE LEAVE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING OR ANY POWER EXCEPT FOR THE BATTERY UNTIL THAT DIED.IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN TWO YEARS AND I DON'T SEE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE.
2008 ACCORD 4 CYLINDER HAS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BECAUSE OF FACTORY DEFECT PISTON RING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE A RATTLING SOUND WHEN COLD STARTED. THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO THE FAILURE REFERENCED IN HONDA'S SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: SB09-010. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
WHEN I START THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING AFTER IT HAS SET ALL NIGHT IT RATTLES FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN ON GOING.
MY VEHICLE'S PISTON RINGS ARE DAMAGED AND MY VEHICLE IS BURNING OIL. I NOTICED THAT AFTER CHECKING MY OIL ONE DAY THAT THERE WAS NO OIL ON MY DIP STICK. I HAD JUST RECENTLY GOTTEN AN OIL CHANGE LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AGO. I CHECK MY FLUID LEVELS FREQUENTLY DUE TO I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO. I TOOK IT BACK TO WALMART WHERE I HAD THE OIL CHANGE DONE AT AND THEY PERFORMED ANOTHER OIL CHANGE AND REPLACED THE OIL FILTER, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO WATCH THEM DO THE ENTIRE PROCESS. ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF GOES BY AND I WENT TO CHECK THE FLUID LEVEL AND AGAIN THE DIP STICK WAS BARE. THERE IS NO INDICATION OF ANY OIL LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, NOR IS THERE ANY OIL PRESENT ON THE GROUND UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT. THERE IS NO WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF ANYWHERE, NO OIL BURNING SMELL, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING VISIBLE TO SEE WHAT MIGHT BE GOING ON WITH THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC THAT IS IN TOWN WHERE THEY DID A THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE OIL BURNING IS BEING CAUSED BY THE PISTON RINGS. THEY ARE IN THEIR OPINION FAULTY PISTON RINGS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF DEB-RE ON THEM AND THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED. I FEEL THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE IN THE RECALL LIST DUE TO THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 104,123 MILES ON IT AND THE PISTONS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ACCORD. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS COLD STARTED, A CROAKING NOISE EMERGED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY MORNING FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
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 25, 2026