2008 Honda Accord Engine Problems

When cold starting my car it has a very loud rattle. Lately the rattle takes some time to go away.

NHTSA ID

11692866

Incident

Aug 1, 2025

VTC failure, grinding on cold start up. There is a known issue with this in my year model, 2008 Honda accord.

NHTSA ID

11666278

Incident

Jun 4, 2025

Engine is making rattling noise at cold start... I see it being reported by 1000s of 2008 honda accord sedan owners. My car mileage is only 120k. I need Honda dealer to fix it as this is a Honda company issue

NHTSA ID

11614954

Incident

Sep 16, 2024

The contact owned a 2008 Honda Accord. The contact stated that she reversed the vehicle into her driveway and exited. After five minutes, an abnormal odor of smoke was detected. There were sparks detected in the engine compartment, and the vehicle caught fire. The fire consumed the engine area up to the dashboard. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment  or police report filed. The insurance towed the vehicle to a tow lot and deemed the vehicle a total loss. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.

NHTSA ID

11608773

Incident

Aug 14, 2024

Mileage

163,000 mi

The contact owned a 2008 Honda Accord. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and turned off in the driveway, she was informed that there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated that she noticed flames coming out from underneath the hood. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle burned significantly and was propelling burning particles. The fire department advised the contact to exit the residence and to stay in the backyard for safety. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire department report was filed. The contact was unsure whether the police arrived at the scene and whether a police report was filed. There was no injury sustained. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle had melted. The vehicle was towed and totaled. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.

NHTSA ID

11605393

Incident

Jun 14, 2024

Mileage

163,000 mi

Brakes: ABS system has been feeling funny for some months. Engine: Consistent P3497 Code which has turned into a check light ON.

NHTSA ID

11571265

Incident

Mar 11, 2021

The contact owns a 2008 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the engine misfired with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic determined that the spark plugs were fouled and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that at approximately 12,000 miles later the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer and the spark plugs were replaced again. The contact related the failure to NHTSA ID Number: 10152430 (Equipment, Engine). The manufacturer was notified of the issue and referred the contact back to the dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.

NHTSA ID

11501611

Incident

Mar 17, 2022

Mileage

113,000 mi

Misfires from the eco mode it goes to

NHTSA ID

11485988

Incident

Sep 23, 2022

I am having issues with my transmission. My gears get stuck between 2nd and 3rd gear while driving. It loses power and I have to switch to Neutral and put it back in Drive in order for it to become unstuck. I have taken it to Honda, and they told me it was the computer, and several other things. They replaced $2000 worth of parts and the problem still happens. I took it back to Honda and they told me I needed a new transmission after they took $2000 from me. This initially started approximately 5 months ago when my engine light came on.

NHTSA ID

11472404

Incident

Jan 17, 2022

Went to get my smog check and the found the problem and he diagnosed the problem as a nose mask.

NHTSA ID

11449414

Incident

Jan 24, 2022

The contact owns a 2008 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming 1-quart of engine oil per 1,000 miles driven. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated that after researching the failure, he became aware that similar vehicles were experiencing the same failure. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been contacted or notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11449307

Incident

May 1, 2021

Mileage

80,000 mi

The engine rattles loudly for about 3 seconds on could start-up. The componet that is failing is the VTC ACTUATOR. This problem is casuing the engine light to go on. Also, I found out that the VTC Actuator on honda accord is a common failure. This is not a coincidence, it is a manufacture defect. In addition, it is putting my life in danger while it may cause engine failure. The VTC actuator rattles have been confirmed by independent mechanic.

NHTSA ID

11432978

Incident

Jun 1, 2021

I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND 30 MINUTES INTO DRIVING MY WARNING LIGHTS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BLINKING, TRIANGLE WITH EXCLAMATION, CAR MISFIRING. I CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR TOO FAR WITHOUT IT MISFIRING. I WAS LEFT STRANDED. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WHERE THE CAR HAS LEFT ME STRANDED. I HAVE PAID FOR 3 ALTERNATORS IN 4 YRS BECAUSE OF OIL DRIPPING IN

NHTSA ID

11384151

Incident

Dec 18, 2020

Mileage

30 mi

WILD EMOTION HARD SHIFTING HESITATION AND HIGH RPMS SHIFTS AROUND 456 RPMIT DOESN'T SEEM TO DO THIS WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING COLD VERSUS AFTER IT'S BEEN ON A TRIP AND ENGINE IS WARMER. ON COLD START THE VEHICLE NOT IN MOTION MAKES A LOUD NOISE NOT SURE HOW TO DESCRIBE IT

NHTSA ID

11374728

Incident

Nov 13, 2020

Mileage

180,000 mi

THIS 2008 HONDA ACCORD CONSTANTLY MISSES MOSTLY FROM CYLINDER 1 AND SOMETIMES JUST SPITS OIL OUT OF THE TAILPIPE.THE MISSES HAPPEN AT IDLE, AND ALMOST 100% WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS MAKING IT EXTREMELY UNSAFE. IT HAS HAD MANY SENSORS REPLACE, ITS TIMING BELT REPLACED, ALL COILS, AND SPARKPLUGS MANY TIMES. THE MECHANIC SAYS THE SPARK PLUGS ARE LASER IRRIDIUM AND SHOULD LAST 100,000 MILES BUT ARE LUCKY TO LAST 10,000 MILES. I AM NOT SURE WHAT DOCUMENTS TO INCLUDE BUT AM JUST GETTING THIS COMPLAINT STARTED. I HAVE THE ACCORD AT THE MECHANIC TODAY BUT IT HAS BEEN MULTIPLE REPAIRS PRIOR TO THIS.

NHTSA ID

11363923

Incident

Oct 12, 2020

Mileage

184,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE THE ENGINE REVVED. THE CONTACT PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11360456

Incident

Sep 21, 2020

CAR LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION. AT STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, CAR WILL JUST SHUT OFF, REQUIREING THE DRIVER TO PUT IT IN PARK AND RESTART THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ID

11352078

Incident

Aug 29, 2020

Mileage

109,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HONDA OF PLYMOUTH (9 LONG POND RD, PLYMOUTH, MA 02360) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PCM NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V395000 (POWER TRAIN) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 177,000.

NHTSA ID

11341800

Incident

Jul 8, 2020

Mileage

177,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT START-UP, THE ENGINE RATTLED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE OIL LEVEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CURTISS RYAN HONDA (333 BRIDGEPORT AVE, SHELTON, CT 06484) WHERE AN UNKNOWN ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE RECEIVED OIL CHANGES AT 3,000 MILES INTERVAL AND NOT 5,000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE OIL CONSUMPTION THE VEHICLE RECEIVED OIL CHANGES AT 2,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11329706

Incident

Mar 1, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, THERE WAS ABNORMAL TICKING SOUND DETECTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE SOUND VOLUME INCREASED WHILE ACCELERATING. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HILLSIDE HONDA (139-07 HILLSIDE AVENUE JAMAICA, NY 11435, (718) 866-4683) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CPU ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED, THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ID

11327006

Incident

May 30, 2020

Mileage

40,000 mi

AT COLD START UP CAR RATTLES LOUDLY FOR A FEW SECONDS, I PIN POINTED THIS TO THE VVT ACTUATOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

11325683

Incident

Jan 2, 2019

Mileage

160,000 mi

WHEN STARTING UP MY 2008 HONDA ACCORD, I EXPERIENCE A VERY LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE VTC ACTUATOR. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG HONDA ENGINES. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. HONDA NEEDS TO OWN UP TO THE FACT THAT THE ACTUATOR THEY PUT IN MY CAR IS FAULTY AND CAN LEAD TO MANY MORE PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

11320374

Incident

Mar 12, 2020

2008 ACCORD 4 CYLINDER HAS EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BECAUSE OF FACTORY DEFECT PISTON RING.

NHTSA ID

11298370

Incident

Sep 25, 2019

Mileage

300,000 mi

I OWN A 2008 HONDA ACCORD WHICH I PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2008. AFTER I REACHED ABOUT 75,000 MILES I STARTED HAVING EXTREME OIL CONSUMPTION WHICH THEN LEAD TO ME HAVING TO REPLACE VTC ACTUATOR AND PISTON RINGS COSTING ME ALMOST $2,000. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY TELL ME THERE IS NO ISSUES AND HONDA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. I NOW CAN ONLY GO ABOUT 1,000 MILES WITHOUT HAVING TO REPLENISH THE OIL. AS MANY REPORTS AS THERE ARE OF THIS KNOWN ISSUE AND HONDA REFUSES TO SUPPORT THEIR CUSTOMERS, SPEAKS LOUDLY.

NHTSA ID

11289666

Incident

Dec 17, 2019

Mileage

75,000 mi

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE ONE YEAR AGO (DECEMBER 2018) AND HAVE HAD A GRINDING NOISE UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THIS GRINDING NOISE OCCURS DURING OR WEATHER AND COLD WEATHER. I WENT TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY RAN AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE VTC ACTUATOR WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY AND THERE WAS A HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION. HONDA IS SAYING THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL BUT THIS IS AND HAS BEEN A WELL KNOWN OCCURRING ISSUE WITH HONDA'S FROM YEARS 2008-2012) AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX AS THE PRICE TO FIX THE VEHICLE WOULD COST JUST AS MUCH AS THE PRICE I PURCHASED IT FOR. I'M HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED WITH A HONDA AS I'VE HEARD EXCELLENT THINGS ABOUT HONDA CARS WHICH IS WHY I PURCHASED MY ACCORD. IF I HAD KNOWN OF THE ISSUE I WOULDN'T HAVE PURCHASED IT AND I'D RATHER PURCHASE A DIFFERENT CAR THAN TO HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET. I DON'T FEEL I HAVE BEEN TREATED PROPERLY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND I GABE HONDA THE CHANCE TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT BUT NO ONE IS WILLING TO COOPERATE. I WILL NOT BE PURCHASING A NEW VEHICLE. I EVEN THOUGHT TO TRADE MY VEHICLE IN FOR A 2018 HONDA ACCORD BUT IF I FEEL I'VE BEEN TREATED POORLY WHY WOULD I WANT TO CONTINUE GIVING A COMPANY MY BUSINESS IF I'VE BEEN TREATED POORLY? ALSO MY DAD WAS CONSIDERING PURCHASING A BRAND NEW 2021 HONDA CIVIC BUT NOW I WILL LEAD HIM TO A DIFFERENT BRAND VEHICLE AS HONDA HAS NOT LIVED UP TO ITS NAME. AND NOW TO TOP EVERYTHING OFF, MY MOTOR IS GOING ALL DUE TO THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE HONDA DEALER. IF THEY WOULD HAVE FIXED THE VTC ACTUATOR PROBLEM MY MOTOR WOULDN'T BE CONSUMING SO MUCH OIL AND MY MOTOR WOULD NOT HAVE BLOWN. I THINK IT'S A LITTLE OUTRAGEOUS THAT HONDA THINKS IT'S NORMAL FOR ME TO HAVE TO PAY FOR AN OIL CHANGE AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH IF NOT SOONER WHEN IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THOUSANDS OF HONDA'S.

NHTSA ID

11288936

Incident

Mar 18, 2019

Mileage

107,000 mi