Driving at highway speed and sunroof glass spontanious exploded. Wasn't under any over passes or behind any vehicles. Luckily, I had the inside cover closed or I would've gotten shards of glass on my head and face while I was driving.
2017 Honda Accord body problems
severe 17 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,500 · see body across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
1crash
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: 2017 Honda Accord owners report structural welding defects, extensive water intrusion, spontaneous sunroof glass shattering, door lock failures, and paint quality problems—several issues go unresolved even after dealer visits. Be prepared for potential water damage, repeated dealer trips for noise complaints, and safety concerns that Honda has denied warranty coverage on.
Multiple structural and weatherproofing issues plague this Accord generation. One owner's front-end noise traced back to a bent frame from faulty factory welding that the manufacturer inspector couldn't resolve. Water intrusion is persistent—another owner's passenger-side floorboard soaked after rain or car washes, with audible water sloshing.
Sunroof failures are alarming: at least three owners report spontaneous glass shattering at highway speeds with no external impact, sending glass shards across the interior. Honda refused warranty coverage on at least one case.
Door locks on the right front and left rear fail to respond to the key fob or dashboard switch on some cars, forcing manual operation and raising ejection concerns. Wind noise above 45 mph is documented on multiple vehicles—owners reported it three times to dealerships without resolution.
Paint quality is consistently poor: hood paint chips and fades from black to a lighter shade, rear windshield channels and fender edges show peeling factory pearl white, and rust develops quickly beneath scraped bumper paint (even without salt exposure). One trunk opens randomly while parked. A hood insulator remained perpetually moist with white residue—the dealer dismissed it as normal without investigating.
Same Honda Accord body reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Bent frame from faulty welding
Frame bent due to faulty welding at manufacturing; dealer diagnosed after ruling out tire and suspension issues.
When: 33,974 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal noise from front end at various speeds; Noise persisted after tire replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replaced all four tires initially, then two front tires at 14,000 miles; frame issue not repaired. Owner filed complaint with manufacturer; inspector sent but no resolution offered.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer inspector sent but unable to offer resolution or provide findings report
Water intrusion into vehicle interior
Moisture entering vehicle from unknown location and accumulating in undercarriage; passenger-side floorboard soaked after car wash or rain.
When: Approximately 20,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Moisture accumulation in undercarriage; Soaked passenger-side floorboard after car wash or inclement weather; Water swaying sound audible while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle out of warranty; no repair performed.
Spontaneous sunroof glass shattering
Sunroof glass spontaneously explodes into small pieces while driving on highway, with no external impact. Glass shattered without apparent cause at highway speeds.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Sunroof glass suddenly exploded into thousands of pieces; Glass rained down on interior and occupants; Loud explosion noise during highway driving; No external impact or cause apparent
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple owners report issue; no repair attempts documented. One owner stated inner cover was closed, preventing glass contact with occupant.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer response out of warranty; refused supervisor escalation in one case
Door lock malfunction
Right front and left rear door locks fail to operate via remote key fob or door switch; manual operation only.
When: Left rear started approximately 2 months prior to report; right front started 3 days prior
Symptoms owners cite: RF and LR door locks won't unlock or lock with switch or key fob; Manual operation on door itself still works; Safety concern: passengers unable to exit in accident
Repairs/costs cited: Not inspected by dealer
Moisture under hood insulation
White residue and moisture accumulation under hood insulator cover on new vehicle; possible manufacturing defect or undiscovered leak.
When: Brand new vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Residue under hood insulator cover always wet/moist; White residue present; Possible leakage
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership dismissed as 'normal' without thorough inspection for leaks despite owner's written complaint
Vehicle rolling backward from Park
Vehicle rolled backward quickly from park position at gas pump while engine idling; door bent in incident. Owner suspects transmission slip from Park to Reverse.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle moved backward at speed while parked; Door bent during incident
Repairs/costs cited: Door bent during incident
Wind noise at highway speeds
Excessive wind noise audible above 45 mph from driver or front passenger window area; noise unbearable and reported multiple times to dealership.
When: Purchased 12/9/2016; reported on 3 separate occasions
Symptoms owners cite: Unbearable wind noise above 45 mph acceleration; Noise heard by front and rear passengers; Noise at ear level from driver or passenger window
Repairs/costs cited: Reported to dealership 3 times; no repair documented
Paint defects and premature wear
Multiple paint quality issues including chipping, fading, peeling, and discoloration. Hood paint faded from black; peeling around rear windshield rain channels and driver front fender edge.
When: New vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Several chips in hood paint; Hood paint fading and loss of color (black to lighter); Factory pearl white paint peeling around rear windshield rain channels; Paint peeling around rear window and driver front fender edge; Rust under chipped paint on bumper (no salt exposure in Texas; rain only)
Repairs/costs cited: Rust noted under chipped bumper paint with no salt exposure
Trunk spontaneously opening
Trunk opens on its own while vehicle is parked; no apparent trigger or cause.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Trunk suddenly opens while standing in parking lot
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
While driving this Honda accord the sunroof suddenly exploded into thousands of little pieces.It rained down pieces of glass all over me and the interior of the car. Nothing hit the glass and I had never heard of this occurring until I began researching to see if it had happened to others. There are many instances where people have talked of this happening to them on the Honda forum and other…
Had body trouble with your 2017 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 2017 Honda Accord?
It's a meaningful issue. 17 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 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most body failures cluster between 8,500 and 44,000 miles, with the median around 21,456. A quarter of owners report trouble before 8,500; a quarter make it past 44,000. 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 $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/2017/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.