Service News - The navigation clock and date are incorrect. This is due to a limited GPS receiver Capacity resulting in rollover of the internal chip memory; the rollover occurred on January 1, 2022, at 12:00AM local time.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2011 Honda Accord electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2011 Honda Accord have filed 13 NHTSA complaints about the electrical, typically surfacing around 120,000 miles at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2007 Accord | 51 |
| 2008 Accord | 88 |
| 2009 Accord | 39 |
| 2010 Accord | 26 |
| 2011 Accord (this page) | 13 |
| 2012 Accord | 27 |
| 2013 Accord | 355 |
| 2014 Accord | 339 |
| 2015 Accord | 215 |
2fires
What stands out
Of the 18 model years of Honda Accord we track for electrical problems, this one has the fewest owner complaints on file (13).
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
ServiceNews Article - The clock shows the incorrect time. This issue is due to a limited GPS receiver capacity resulting in "rollover" of the internal chip memory; the "rollover" will occur on January 1, 2022, at 12:00AM local time. As a result, once specific triggers are met, the navigation date and time will be incorrect.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - American Honda is announcing a powertrain warranty extension as a result of a settlement of a class action captioned, Soto et al.v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. 3:12-cv-1377-SI (N.D. Cal.). The piston rings on certain cylinders may rotate and align which can lead to spark plug fouling. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - The piston rings on certain cylinders may rotate and align which can lead to spark plug fouling. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - American Honda is announcing a powertrain warranty extension as a result of a settlement of a class action captioned, Soto et al.v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. 3:12-cv-1377-SI (N.D. Cal.). The piston rings on certain cylinders may rotate and align which can lead to spark plug fouling. This can set DTCs P0301 No. 1 cylinder misfire detected, P0302 No. 2 cylinder misfire detected, P0303 No. 3 cylinder misfire detected, P0304 No. 4 cylinder misfire detected, and cause the MIL to come on.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Two owners reported electrical fires in parked 2011 Accords — one at 120,000 miles with flames from the dashboard and driver-side door (fire department extinguished it), and another where the door caught fire spontaneously 10 hours after the vehicle was last touched, with the blaze traced to the door locks and power window master switch area. One owner reported the entire door melted.
Beyond fire risk, owners cite multiple electrical failures: an alternator needing replacement at 42,000 miles; a defective ignition wire harness causing power loss and deceleration at 67,000 miles; and complete electrical system failure following an airbag repair, with the radio cycling on and off and the vehicle refusing to start.
Control systems also show trouble: the factory radio changes stations on its own whether the car is stopped or moving; the TPMS warning light cycles on and off unpredictably while driving; the sunroof opened spontaneously while parked during a snowstorm; and the navigation system calendar reset to 2002 instead of 2022, which the owner found was a widespread issue.
One owner complained of excessive cabin noise and attributed it to the electronic noise cancellation system, reporting headaches on drives over two hours; Honda dealers denied any defect.
Same Honda Accord electrical reports on nearby years: 2009 · 2010 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Electrical fire — dashboard/door area
Smoke and flames emanating from dashboard driver-side and door; vehicle fire requiring fire department intervention. Another incident reported door spontaneously catching fire 10 hours after last use, with apparent origin at door locks and power window master switch area, causing extensive door melting.
When: 120,000 miles (narrative #2); unprovoked while parked (narrative #9)
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke and flames from dashboard and driver-side door; Door catching fire spontaneously while vehicle parked; Extensive melting of door structure
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #2: repaired by independent mechanic; cause undetermined. Narrative #9: no repair documented.
Electrical system failure after airbag repair
Electrical system failure initiated after vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign 16V346000 (airbags). Radio cycling on and off during start attempts; vehicle would not start.
When: 134,354 miles; post-repair of airbag campaign
Symptoms owners cite: Radio illuminating on and off during start attempts; Vehicle failing to start; Complete electrical system failure
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Campaign 16V346000 (airbags)
Defective ignition wire harness
Electrical ignition wire harness defect causing loss of power and deceleration while driving. Battery and oil pressure warning lights illuminated.
When: Approximately 67,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle deceleration and power loss while driving; Battery warning indicator illumination; Oil pressure warning indicator illumination
Repairs/costs cited: Ignition wire harness replacement required; vehicle not repaired at time of complaint.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware of failure
Alternator failure
Alternator failure indicated by battery warning light during driving.
When: 42,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Battery warning indicator illumination while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Alternator repair needed; vehicle not repaired at time of complaint.
Radio malfunction — station changing on its own
Factory radio spontaneously changes stations without driver input, occurring while vehicle stopped or moving.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Radio changing stations spontaneously; Malfunction occurring at rest and while driving
Navigation system clock malfunction
Navigation system calendar reset to January 2002 instead of 2022; clock running one hour ahead. Owner reports this is a widespread issue affecting multiple vehicles with same navigation version.
When: Unknown mileage; apparent widespread issue
Symptoms owners cite: Calendar reset to wrong year (2002 vs. 2022); Clock displaying incorrect time (one hour fast)
Sunroof opening on its own
Sunroof opening spontaneously while vehicle parked in severe winter weather conditions (snowstorm, below-zero windchill, high winds).
When: Unknown mileage; during extreme cold weather
Symptoms owners cite: Sunroof opening without driver input while parked; Occurrence during snowstorm and extreme cold
TPMS malfunction
Tire Pressure Monitoring System warning light coming on, staying on, and cycling off intermittently with variable intervals, including while vehicle is in motion.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: TPMS light coming on and staying on; Light turning off intermittently; Malfunction occurring while driving
Engine noise/audio system — headaches on extended drives
Owner reports excessive internal cabin noise at higher speeds, attributed to electronic noise cancellation system design in 2010-era Accords. Owner experienced headaches on drives longer than two hours. Honda dealers and technical service could not identify or acknowledge an issue. Honda reconfigured the system for 2013 models.
When: Unknown mileage; occurs on drives over 2 hours
Symptoms owners cite: High internal cabin noise at higher speeds; Headaches in occupants on extended drives; Issue attributed to noise cancellation system design
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda reconfigured noise cancellation system in 2013 Accord models; dealers denied any defect in 2011 model
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had electrical trouble with your 2011 Honda Accord?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2011 Honda Accord?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 65,000 and 260,000 miles, with the median around 120,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 65,000; a quarter make it past 260,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Honda/Accord.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.