Honda Accord problems
720 owners have filed defect reports on this one. That's not a small number. No active recalls — patterns come from the complaint record.
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open.
- Electrical system: 39 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 42,315–144,000 mi
- Powertrain: 28 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 45,500–109,000 mi
- Reliability score 6.8/10 — around the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
Unintended acceleration. Has occurred 6 times since march 2018. No coloration with ambient temperature, weather conditions or speed. Symptom: driving & braking hard to slow down, place into neutral and engine revs up to 5k RPM. Restart car after about 10 seconds and engine…
Engine oil consumption is more and causing burning of engine oil very frequently. This is causing rattling noise when accelarating and would cause more damage to engine and can be hazardous if driving on highway.
Loud whining noises coming from the rear wheels when the brakes were applied, caused us to have the local Honda dealer check the brakes. The rear brake pads were very badly worn through. The car is driven at highway speed approximately 50% of the time, meaning the brakes would…
While driving at 30 MPH, vehicle suddenly accelerated to a high rate of speed. Difficulty stopping the car. It was necessary to place in neutral and turn engine off. Honda dealership checked vehicle and could not provide an explanation for this problem. Fearful of this…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Common questions
Is the 2009 Honda Accord reliable?
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 720 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Honda Accord has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
Should you avoid the 2009 Honda Accord?
The 2009 Honda Accord is a higher-risk ownership prospect. Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open. The record behind that call: Electrical system: 39 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 42,315–144,000 mi; Powertrain: 28 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 45,500–109,000 mi; Reliability score 6.8/10 — around the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2009 Honda Accord?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is brakes, with 217 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 26,358 miles. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 88,325 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Honda Accord has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2009 Honda Accord?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 720 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.