Dealer Message - On August 29, 2019, American Honda launched five revised and one new Warranty Extension paint bulletins. Please review the following summary of requirements within these bulletins and share with the appropriate staff to ensure proper claim submission.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Honda Accord body problems
severe Owners of the 2014 Honda Accord have filed 21 NHTSA complaints about the body, typically surfacing around 9,980 miles at roughly $1,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See body across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
21
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
| Model year | body complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 Accord | 15 |
| 2011 Accord | 15 |
| 2012 Accord | 10 |
| 2013 Accord | 13 |
| 2014 Accord (this page) | 21 |
| 2015 Accord | 14 |
| 2016 Accord | 15 |
| 2017 Accord | 17 |
| 2018 Accord | 46 |
4crashes
6injuries
What stands out
Among the 17 model years of Honda Accord in our records for body problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering body 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.
Owner Notification Letter - On some 2014-15 Accord, the exterior paint around the rear glass may peel off. To ensure your confidence in your vehicle, American Honda is extending the warranty on the vehicle's exterior paint to 7 years from the original date of purchase.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - This warranty extension only applies to 2014-15 Accord vehicles painted B-588P Obsidian Blue Pearl or Fathom Blue Pearl. The exterior paint around the rear glass may peel off. American Honda is extending the warranty on the paint of the affected vehicles to 7 years from the original date of purchase with no mileage limit. This warranty extension does not apply to other paint issues like rock chips, scratches, bird droppings, sap, wraps, dents, collision damage, customerinduced damage, etc.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - This warranty extension only applies to 2014-15 Accord vehicles painted B-588P Obsidian Blue Pearl or Fathom Blue Pearl. The exterior paint around the rear glass may peel off. American Honda is extending the warranty on the paint of the affected vehicles to 7 years from the original date of purchase with no mileage limit. This warranty extension does not apply to other paint issues like rock chips, scratches, bird droppings, sap, wraps, dents, collision damage, customerinduced damage, etc.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - Today, August 29, 2019, American Honda is announcing a warranty extension for certain 2014-15 Accord vehicles with Obsidian Blue Pearl paint to address client concerns with peeling paint around the rear glass. American Honda is extending the paint warranty coverage from 3 years/unlimited mileage to 7 years/unlimited mileage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report the trunk lid as a serious problem: it won't stay open on level ground or slight grades and falls suddenly without warning, hitting family members in the head and face. Some have needed stitches. The torsion bar checks out per spec, but the lid still falls. Separately, the trunk spontaneously opens when parked—two to three times a month or more—even when keys are 50 feet away and nobody is near the car. This happens day and night. Water gets inside. One owner disconnected the power unlock and it stopped, but dealerships won't address it because they can't make it happen while watching.
Door locks fail: the driver door lock actuator stops working intermittently, gets replaced under warranty, then the rear door lock does the same thing out of warranty. One rear door got stuck completely and won't open from inside or outside without pushing the door in first—a safety hazard. Dealerships won't diagnose without a fee.
Rocker panels rust visibly on both sides near the rear doors at 47,000 miles. Owners say this is a known Honda issue going back 20 years, but dealership inspections never flag it. Paint peels from the roof-to-rear-window gap on at least some units; Honda issued a service bulletin but only for two specific paint colors. The driver door leaks water during heavy rain.
Wind noise from the B-pillar area is chronic and loud at highway speed, but dealerships say variation is normal. One owner reports missing foam absorber padding inside the rear bumper—just an air gap.
Most alarming: multiple owners describe the engine surging and the car lurching forward uncontrollably at parking speeds (2–5 mph) despite braking, causing crashes. Dealerships find no defects.
Same Honda Accord body reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Trunk lid fails to stay open; sudden closure
Trunk lid does not remain open on level ground or slight grades, falls suddenly without warning, causing head and facial injuries to owners and family members. Torsion bar checked per spec but issue persists.
When: Throughout vehicle ownership, reported within first month to one year
Symptoms owners cite: Trunk lid falls with no resistance; Free-falls suddenly on even slight grades; Does not stay open on level areas; Causes head and facial injuries when closing
Repairs/costs cited: Dealerships claim 'that is the way it's supposed to be' or confirm torsion bars are within spec; owners report repeated visits with no resolution
Trunk opens spontaneously when parked
Trunk pops open multiple times monthly without any key fob activation or nearby keys, sometimes occurring in middle of night. Prevents securing valuables; allows water damage to interior.
When: Recurring throughout ownership, 2-3+ times per month or more
Symptoms owners cite: Trunk opens for no apparent reason; Occurs when keys are 50+ feet away from vehicle; Happens during day and night; Cannot be reproduced at dealership; Water damage to trunk interior
Repairs/costs cited: Owner disconnected power unlock and issue stopped; dealerships refuse to address due to inability to reproduce in their presence
Door lock actuator failure
Door lock actuator stops working intermittently on driver-side door, then same failure appears on rear door. Pattern suggests design or manufacturing flaw affecting multiple door locks on same vehicle.
When: Occurs early in vehicle ownership while under warranty, then recurs out of warranty
Symptoms owners cite: Driver door lock/unlock actuator stops working intermittently; Rear driver-side door lock fails same way after first repair; Locks function intermittently
Repairs/costs cited: First failure replaced under warranty at dealer; second failure denied coverage post-warranty with $0 repair cost stated but owner indicates repair required
Rear door difficult to open; safety risk
Rear passenger door becomes stuck and will not open from inside or outside when pulled, behaving as if child lock is engaged. Requires pushing door inward then pulling handle to operate. Creates emergency egress hazard.
When: Started at 37,000 miles after cold morning (30-32 degrees)
Symptoms owners cite: Door will not open from outside or inside; Acts as if child lock is on despite not being enabled; Requires pushing door in before pulling handle to open; Occurs regardless of temperature after initial cold incident; Safety concern in case of emergency
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership refuses to diagnose without $180 fee; issue not resolved
Rocker panel and frame rust
Visible rust and rust bubbles appear on rocker panels (both sides) near rear doors below doors and in front of rear tires. Owner reports this is a habitual Honda Accord issue spanning over 20 years and multiple generations. Dealership inspections did not flag the problem.
When: Visible at approximately 47,000 miles; began forming long before discovery
Symptoms owners cite: Visible rust on rocker panels both sides; Rust bubbles near rear doors; Rust below doors and in front of rear tires; Frame and sub-frame rust issues historically reported
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs cited; factory warranty expired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership service inspections did not identify or recommend rust prevention despite multiple visits
Paint peeling from roof/rear window panel gap
Paint peels from upper groove between roof and back window panel. Owner concerned about eventual corrosion affecting window integrity and safety. Service Bulletin released by Honda (dated Aug 29, 2019) but warranty extension limited to specific paint colors (Phantom Blue Pearl or Obsidian Blue Pearl), excluding other colors with same issue.
When: Occurring during vehicle ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Paint peeling from roof/back window panel junction; Potential for corrosion progression; Safety concern regarding window integrity
Repairs/costs cited: Service Bulletin exists but warranty extension applies only to Phantom Blue Pearl or Obsidian Blue Pearl 2014-2015 Accords
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda Service Bulletin TSB dated Aug 29, 2019 for 2014-2015 Accords but limited to specific paint colors
Excessive wind noise from door seals
Chronic excessive wind noise from driver-side B-pillar area since new vehicle purchase in August 2014. Noise becomes pronounced at highway speeds and feels like air blowing directly at driver's ear. Dealership investigation concluded some cars have more wind noise than others and deemed this acceptable.
When: Since August 2014 at time of purchase; persistent throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Excessive wind noise at highway speeds; Pronounced around driver-side B-pillar; Sensation of air blowing into left ear; Treated as distraction and safety concern by owner
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple dealership visits; no repair attempted; deemed normal variation
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda complaint filed; dealership determined this is normal and acceptable variance
Missing rear bumper foam absorber
Rear bumper missing foam absorber pad between outer bumper and metal plate. Repair shop identified defect during scratch repair work. Paint shop noted this occurs when vehicles arrive with detached bumpers/mirrors assembled at dealer or when batch shipments missing absorber.
When: Present from vehicle acquisition
Symptoms owners cite: Rear bumper lacks foam absorber; Air gap felt when pressing bumper; Bumper does not feel firm or hard
Repairs/costs cited: Identified during repair shop inspection; absorber was missing or never installed
Driver-side view mirror glare obstruction
Reflective glare from headlights of oncoming vehicles causes obstruction to driver-side view mirror visibility, impeding roadway visibility at low speeds (5 mph).
When: At approximately 150 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Headlight reflective glare on driver-side mirror; Obstruction of roadway visibility
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified
Door water leak
Driver-side door leaks water into door panels during heavy rain, particularly when opening the door. Owner reports multiple instances and notes online reports indicate this is widespread Honda issue.
When: Recurring during heavy rain events throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Water accumulation between door and door panels; Water intrusion during heavy rain; Multiple occurrences reported
Repairs/costs cited: No repair noted in complaint
Engine surge on low-speed stop
Engine suddenly surges and vehicle lurches forward uncontrollably at very low speeds (2-5 mph) when owner attempts to brake while parking or entering parking spots. Vehicle propels forward into obstacles (restaurant wall, fence, cement column) with owner unable to control acceleration despite braking. Occurs multiple times; dealership cannot identify defect.
When: Multiple incidents reported, including March 2014 incident; recurring throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Engine surges suddenly at low speeds; Vehicle lurches forward uncontrollably; Occurs while braking at 2-5 mph; Operator loses control of vehicle; Happens multiple times with different outcomes
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership collision center found 'no defects in materials or factory workmanship'; problem not resolved; owner notes 11+ other reports of same issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership inspection found no defects
Headrest stuck in raised position after rear-end collision
Following rear-end collision impact, headrest moves to highest position and becomes stuck. Head struck metal bars when attempting to adjust. Headrest mechanism failed to return to normal position.
When: After rear-end collision on 7/18/2020 while vehicle stationary at stoplight
Symptoms owners cite: Headrest locked in highest position; Unable to lower headrest; Head strikes metal bars when adjusting
Repairs/costs cited: No repair details provided
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had body trouble with your 2014 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 body problem on the 2014 Honda Accord?
It's a meaningful issue. 21 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,500.
At what mileage does the body typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most body failures cluster between 2,552 and 15,072 miles, with the median around 9,980. A quarter of owners report trouble before 2,552; a quarter make it past 15,072. 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 $1,500 for body 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 body?
No active recalls currently cover body 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/2014/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.