2018 Honda Accord Engine Problems

Blown head gasket. This appears to be a widespread issue amongst all 10th gen honda accords due to a poorly designed engine by Honda.

I own a 2018 Honda Accord EX-L with a 1.5L turbocharged engine. The vehicle began overheating while idling and at low speeds, cooling down when driving at higher speeds. I brought the vehicle to a Honda dealership where a pressure test confirmed internal coolant loss with no external leaks found. The dealership diagnosed a head gasket failure and recommended replacement at a cost of $8,941. The component that failed is the head gasket on the 1.5L turbocharged engine, allowing coolant to leak internally into the cylinder. My safety was put at risk as the vehicle overheated while in traffic during normal driving conditions, creating a risk of engine failure, loss of power, and potential fire. The problem was confirmed by a certified Honda dealership via cooling system pressure test. A goodwill request has been submitted to American Honda on my behalf. Warning lights appeared on the dashboard twice indicating to turn the vehicle off immediately due to overheating. Symptoms first appeared in April 2026. I am aware of NHTSA TSB MC-10234626-0001 and an active class action lawsuit Bissell v. American Honda Motor Co. Case No. 3:24-cv-02286 addressing this exact defect on this exact engine.

Driving in a construction zone. Two lane highway and my car immediately went into limp mode. Left me and my children stranded on the side of the road while semis and cars driving 65 mph went past very close to us. Honda knows these accords have head gasket issues and it is unsafe to be driving them.

The vehicle began to overheat while traveling at fair speeds (35mph) on state road. Thermostat reading increased to H and vehicle note read “vehicle overheating” please park car. Car temperature read over 104 degrees Fahrenheit. No check engine light present. Vehicle was parked and turned off to cool.

Pulling out in front of High Speed Traffic, Engine went into Safe Mode with Check Engine Light. Fortunately a car at high speed avoided rear ending my car. Upon evaluation, DTC Code P0303 (Cylinder 3 - Misfire) was present. Coils and Spark Plugs were changed but car was still misfiring. Honda has a Warranty for 150k/ 10 year on Fuel Injectors but this VIN was not on list based on Honda Service Department. The Honda Service Department evaluated and Car has Head Gasket Leak in Cylinder 3. This is a widely known problem reported on many Honda Owner websites and Honda Service acknowledged it was an issue but is not a “Recall” despite the potential Safety Risk on the Road when car goes in to Protect / Shutdown Mode. The nature of this issue occurring on a well maintained car with 147k miles that is 8 years old and not being a Recall and a Safety related item is being reported by me as me and my family could have been impacted by a rear end collision as car shut down / protect mode. This could and likely has occurred to other owners and possibly attributed to accidents and Safety of passengers. Honda wants over $11k to repair the car which includes Fuel Injectors / Plugs / Coils / New Head as they reflect old head can’t be used even if machined / Head Gasket. This issue is a Safety related issue and should be a Honda Recall as the Head Bolts are a known design issue causing premature failure of the Head Gasket. Submitting this to document my incident, protect the public driving this model and year and hopefully providing information to warrant a recall so that all repairs will be performed under Recall Warranty. Also to protect the public from a Honda Accord Safety issue for 2018 Honda Accord LX.

We’re driving home when the vehicle suddenly had a significant reduction in power and the car would not accelerate beyond 5 mph. Honda calls it “limp mode”. I was approximately 2 to 3 miles from home. Approximately 20 vehicles swerved passed us at normal road speeds of approximately 50 mph. The only warning light that came on was a flashing “check engine” light. The vehicle towed to Elk Grove Honda, I initially thought it may the turbocharger because I could hear a grinding sound emitting from that area. EG Honda diagnosed the issue as coolant leaking into the cylinder, which caused the misfire from a faulty head gasket. It is understood this faulty head gasket issue is part of a California class action lawsuit related to 2018-2022 Honda 1.5L turbocharged VTEC engines.

I just submitted a complaint but wanted to add that after my car lost all power on a 45mph road and went into limp mode it then was towed to the closest shop. I do have a warranty but when I called Honda they said it wasn't covered The shop I took it to charged me 4100 dollars for a blown head gasket which from researching it looks like this is happening to all 2018 Honda accords This is low mileage and unacceptable , turns out after I called and told Honda they refused to pay because I had already had the shop look for the problem So I had to pay 4100 for an issue Honda clearly knows about This is unfair and Honda needs to fix this issue

I was driving down a 45mph street when my car shut down, complete power failure. Dashboard lit up with all kinds of warnings. It had to be towed to the nearest shop.

2018–2022 Accord models with 1.5L turbocharged engines are experiencing premature head gasket failures. Honda is facing class-action lawsuits regarding these engines, and there are known Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) for issues like cylinder misfires. Full injectors .

Failing head gasket - cars stalls. Coolant reservoir goes empty. Check engine light go on.

2018 Honda Accord with blown head gasket. Vehicle has a 1.5L turbo charged engine and 100,000 miles.

The head gasket failed which caused the vehicle to stall out while driving which poses a safety threat to the driver and others due to other vehicles possibly colliding with the vehicle when stalling out. Also, this issue cause the warning light of the engine overheating, which required me to pull over while driving to prevent additional damage to the engine. The vehicle was taken to a nearby dealership for repairs that cost $3,898.91. Upon research, this is a standard issue with this year, make, and model that Honda has refused to address through a recall.

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000.

At 144000 miles all vehicle lights came on and vehicle engine would shake and vibrate. Computer said misfire on cylinder three. Changed spark plugs and coil. Problem still persisted. Mechanic recommended replacing fuel injectors so i did. After injectors were replaced all the lights came back on and the car runs worse. I believe its a blown head gasket now and the mechanic is testing the head this week.

Car was jerking when acceleration. Dealer inspected the vehicle and said the head gasket is blown. It overheated a day after Honda dealership fixed my water pump.

While driving at highway speed, the engine suddenly stalled without warning, resulting in a complete loss of power. This created a dangerous situation as I was unable to maintain speed or safely maneuver with surrounding traffic. At the time of the incident, all electrical warning lights illuminated on the dashboard simultaneously. Prior to this event, there were no clear warnings indicating imminent failure. The vehicle was later diagnosed with a failed head gasket and turbocharger issues. The sudden engine stall while in motion presents a serious safety risk, particularly at highway speeds, as it increases the likelihood of a crash due to loss of propulsion and reduced driver control. This issue appears to have occurred unexpectedly and without adequate warning

I am submitting a claim regarding a major repair needed on my 2018 Honda Accord. The vehicle was recently diagnosed at an authorized Honda dealership, where technicians determined that the engine requires a head gasket repair. I was quoted approximately $7,000 for the repair. Based on the research I have done, premature head gasket failure appears to be a known and recurring issue reported by other owners of this model, often occurring around 100,000 miles or even sooner. This type of failure at this mileage is unexpected for a properly maintained vehicle and raises concern about a potential defect or design issue. Additionally, the vehicle showed no clear warning signs prior to the diagnosis. There were no dashboard warnings or indicators that would have alerted me to an imminent failure, which made it impossible to address the problem before significant damage occurred. Given the nature of the failure, the relatively low mileage for such a major engine issue, and the high repair cost quoted by the dealership, I am requesting that this matter be reviewed and that assistance or coverage for the repair be considered.

Head Gasket Failure at 121,000. It has also affected the spark plugs. We were quoted a 4300 repair at the Honda Dealership in Carlsbad. Engine displayed all lights and went on power loss mode and suddenly couldn't go more than 5-10 MPH, so we had to tow it. Was dangerous getting such a slow car into a parking lot safely.

Major head gasket failure with no warning while pulling out onto a busy road. There is a major design flaw with the head gasket, no recalls or preventative notices from Honda whatsoever! My wife was put into a dangerous situation once the car went to limp mode with no warning while getting onto a busy road. Multiple lights on the dash lit up when the car entered limp mode. The car was immediately towed to a Honda dealership and was diagnosed with a blown head gasket. Service manager stated this is a VERY common occurrence and is indeed a design flaw. Car was fixed with no help from Honda for their faulty design $5100...

This car has a faulty motor that Honda is well aware of. The head gaskets crack, and the antifreeze leaks into the cylinder. Specifically, Cylinder 3. My car is at the dealership, and the repairs are 6500. They refuse to acknowledge this problem and currently have a class action lawsuit because of this very issue. I need a car because I am a full-time student.