2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical228.6%
- Engine228.6%
- Fuel system228.6%
- Driver assistance114.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
HONDA REPLACED THEIR SATELLITE RADIO SYSTEM IN THE NEW ACCORD PLUG-IN HYBRID WITH HONDALINK AHA RADIO. BEGINNING THE DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR, HONDALINK AHA RADIO HAS BEEN UNRELIABLE AND SO DISTRACTING TO THE DRIVER THAT I CONSIDER IT A DANGER. SINCE IT IS DESIGNED TO WORK THROUGH THE OWNER'S CELL PHONE, IT REQUIRES CONSTANT MONITORING USING BOTH THE CELL PHONE AND THE TOUCH SCREEN AND MOST OFTEN WILL NOT FUNCTION. SOMETIMES AFTER DRIVING WITHOUT IT WORKING IT WILL COME ON SUDDENLY ALARMING THE DRIVER. IT IS THE MOST DISTRACTING, DANGEROUS, AND UNRELIABLE TECHNOLOGY I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. AS LONG AS IT IS IN THE CAR IT IS A DANGER TO THE DRIVER AND OTHERS. HONDA SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND INSTALL SATELLITE RADIO THAT WORKS SIMPLY BY TURNING IT ON. ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND SPENT HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH HONDA TECHNICAL, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND MAINTAIN THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO RESOLVE IT. *TR
VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY, UNABLE TO EXCEED APPROXIMATELY 30-40MPH ON ELECTRIC ONLY MODE. HYBRID MODE OR REGENERATIVE HYBRID MODES WERE UNABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGE TO POWER THE VEHICLE. ELECTRIC ONLY POWER SUPPLY WAS SOON DEPLETED & THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START THE GASOLINE ENGINE AND RE-ENTER NORMAL HYBRID POWERED MODE. VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND REQUIRED A TOW. AS OF 01/09/2014 THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT AN AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AWAITING REPAIR WITH NO CURRENT KNOWN DIAGNOSIS PROVIDED TO ME. THE AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS IN CONTACT WITH HONDA CORPORATE TECHNICAL ATTEMPTING TO TROUBLESHOOT AND IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER AND LOCOMOTION. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY, UNABLE TO EXCEED APPROXIMATELY 30-40MPH ON ELECTRIC ONLY MODE. HYBRID MODE OR REGENERATIVE HYBRID MODES WERE UNABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGE TO POWER THE VEHICLE. ELECTRIC ONLY POWER SUPPLY WAS SOON DEPLETED & THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START THE GASOLINE ENGINE AND RE-ENTER NORMAL HYBRID POWERED MODE. VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND REQUIRED A TOW. AS OF 01/09/2014 THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT AN AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AWAITING REPAIR WITH NO CURRENT KNOWN DIAGNOSIS PROVIDED TO ME. THE AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS IN CONTACT WITH HONDA CORPORATE TECHNICAL ATTEMPTING TO TROUBLESHOOT AND IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER AND LOCOMOTION. *TR
THE UNUSUAL EVENT OCCURS WHEN DRIVING THE 2014 HONDA ACCORD PLUG-IN AT ABOUT 45-65 MPH. NORMALLY, ACCELERATING THE CAR REQUIRES USING BOTH THE GAS ENGINE AND BATTERY (HV MODE) TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AT THIS SPEED. BUT EVERYDAY FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR'S GAS ENGINE SUDDENLY AND RANDOMLY REVS CONSISTENTLY VERY HIGH AND ALSO NOTABLY VERY LOUD. ON 11/27/13, WHILE DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON THE 5 FWY, AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE OF THE UNUSUALLY HIGH REV NOISE AGAIN, THE CAR LOSES ALL POWER AND MOVEMENT FROM THE GAS ENGINE. IT WAS LIKELY, ONLY THE BATTERY WAS PROVIDING MOVEMENT OF THE CAR BECAUSE THE BATTERY METER HAD ONLY 1 BAR LEFT (THE CAR BATTERY METER USUALLY ALWAYS HAS AT LEAST 2 BARS DURING NORMAL OPERATION). I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE SHOULDER LANE, ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE CAR WAS STILL NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. AFTER ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT FINALLY STARTS TO WORK NORMALLY AGAIN. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE CAR EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER SIMILAR TO A STALL - SEVERAL MESSAGES POPPED UP ON THE CLUSTER SUCH AS "POWER SYSTEM PROBLEM". THE CAR WAS PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED OFF - WAITED A FEW MINS TO RESTART AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON - IT APPEARS HONDA USA ISSUED A RECALL FOR WHAT SEEMS LIKE THE EXACT PROBLEM FOR 2014-2015 REGULAR HONDA ACCORD HYBRID'S UNDER TSB15-057 BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THE PLUG-IN HYBRID MODELS - LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP IS DIAGNOSING THE ISSUE AND HONDA USA HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT ALTHOUGH THEY STATED THE CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL EVEN THOUGH ITS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SAFETY ISSUES AS THE REGULAR HYBRID MODEL
VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY, UNABLE TO EXCEED APPROXIMATELY 30-40MPH ON ELECTRIC ONLY MODE. HYBRID MODE OR REGENERATIVE HYBRID MODES WERE UNABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGE TO POWER THE VEHICLE. ELECTRIC ONLY POWER SUPPLY WAS SOON DEPLETED & THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START THE GASOLINE ENGINE AND RE-ENTER NORMAL HYBRID POWERED MODE. VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND REQUIRED A TOW. AS OF 01/09/2014 THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT AN AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AWAITING REPAIR WITH NO CURRENT KNOWN DIAGNOSIS PROVIDED TO ME. THE AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS IN CONTACT WITH HONDA CORPORATE TECHNICAL ATTEMPTING TO TROUBLESHOOT AND IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER AND LOCOMOTION. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE UNUSUAL EVENT OCCURS WHEN DRIVING THE 2014 HONDA ACCORD PLUG-IN AT ABOUT 45-65 MPH. NORMALLY, ACCELERATING THE CAR REQUIRES USING BOTH THE GAS ENGINE AND BATTERY (HV MODE) TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AT THIS SPEED. BUT EVERYDAY FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR'S GAS ENGINE SUDDENLY AND RANDOMLY REVS CONSISTENTLY VERY HIGH AND ALSO NOTABLY VERY LOUD. ON 11/27/13, WHILE DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON THE 5 FWY, AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE OF THE UNUSUALLY HIGH REV NOISE AGAIN, THE CAR LOSES ALL POWER AND MOVEMENT FROM THE GAS ENGINE. IT WAS LIKELY, ONLY THE BATTERY WAS PROVIDING MOVEMENT OF THE CAR BECAUSE THE BATTERY METER HAD ONLY 1 BAR LEFT (THE CAR BATTERY METER USUALLY ALWAYS HAS AT LEAST 2 BARS DURING NORMAL OPERATION). I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE SHOULDER LANE, ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE CAR WAS STILL NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. AFTER ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, IT FINALLY STARTS TO WORK NORMALLY AGAIN. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .