Diagsheet

2018 Honda Accord · symptom sheet

Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking)

  • 227owner reports
  • 15,000median miles
  • $1,700median quote
  • 5involved a crash

Newest report Aug 23, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

605 of the 1,867 complaints on this car are about collision avoidance. 227 of those describe phantom braking.

Tick what matches of 227 reports

70
85
38
41
20

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the radar or camera sensor (45 reports), the software (9 reports) and the windshield (7 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on collision avoidance covers the 2018 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into collision avoidance on the Accord

EA24-002opened Apr 15, 2024
Collision avoidance · model years 2018 to 2022

Inadvertent automatic emergency braking. Open.

NHTSA summary
On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles. The reports allege that activation of the AEB system occurs while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that they were aware of a total of X,XXX reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and alleges that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the CMBS and its limitations. However, many consumer complaints allege that Honda dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or state that they were informed that this is considered normal CMBS operation. To date, ODI has received a total of 1,294 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of CMBS in 2017-2022 Honda CR-V and 2018-2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A total of 31 complaints alleged a crash and 50 alleged an injury. The Total column in the Failure Report Summary removes duplicate reports and shows the total number of reports with unique VINs from all Manufacturer, ODI, and EWR data sources. In some cases, there were multiple reports associated with a particular vehicle in which recurring failures were alleged. In total, there were X,XXX reports
PE22-003opened Feb 21, 2022
Collision avoidance · model years 2018 to 2019

Inadvertent automatic emergency braking. Closed apr 18, 2024.

NHTSA summary
On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles. The reports allege that activation of the AEB system occurs while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. Honda indicated that they were aware of a total of X,XXX reports that may relate to the alleged defect. Honda provided analysis of the alleged defect and alleges that some customers possibly had an inadequate understanding of the CMBS and its limitations. However, many consumer complaints allege that Honda dealerships were unable to reproduce the condition or state that they were informed that this is considered normal CMBS operation. To date, ODI has received a total of 1,081 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of CMBS in the subject vehicles. A total of 24 complaints alleged a crash and 42 alleged an injury. The Total column in the Failure Report Summary removes duplicate reports and shows the total number of reports with unique VINs from all Manufacturer, ODI, and EWR data sources. In some cases, there were multiple reports associated with a particular vehicle in which recurring failures were alleged. In total, there were X,XXX reports, 84 injury incidents and 40 crash
DP10-004opened Nov 18, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · model years 2005 to 2007

Braking performance. Closed dec 14, 2011.

NHTSA summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a defect petition requesting that it open an investigation and recall MY 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid vehicles for a possible safety defect related to braking performance.The petitioner in a defect petition letter and in a complaint filed with ODI under Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) 10329383 alleging ineffective braking performance of the Honda Accord Hybrid vehicle while driving over rumble strips along side of the highway and simultaneously attempting to the brake.The petitioner alleges this began a chain of events, where the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably, the passenger attempted to stop the vehicle by pulling the parking brake and eventually the vehicle crossing over into traffic flowing in the opposite direction.The result was a crash fatally injuring the passenger and severely injuring the petitioner and two occupants of another vehicle. During the defect petition review, ODI analyzed complaints involving similarly equipped Honda Accord Hybrid vehicles and first and second generation Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles, reviewed data provided to ODI by Honda in response to an information request letter and performed testing of braking performance of a 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid vehicle at NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center in East Liberty, Ohio.Based on this review, ODI does not believe additional investigation is likely to result in a finding that a defect related to motor vehicle safety exists.Therefore, in view of th
DP01-002opened Mar 1, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · model years 1995

Abs. Closed aug 6, 2001.

NHTSA summary
PE93-083opened Sep 27, 1993
Speed control · model years 1990

Stalling. Closed jan 31, 1994.

NHTSA summary
There is no summary currently available
EA89-005opened Nov 16, 1988
Speed control · model years 1986 to 1987

Fuel system venting. Closed nov 30, 1989.

NHTSA summary
===
PE88-062opened Jun 21, 1988
Speed control · model years 1986 to 1987

Fuel system venting. Closed nov 16, 1988.

NHTSA summary
SUMMARY: THE FOUR OWNER COMPLAINTS INVOLVE FIVE VEHICLES, THREE ACCORDS AND TWO LEGENDS. A SEARCH OF ODI RECORDS PERTAINING TO HONDA SAFETY RECALLS AND DEALER SERVICE BULLETINS REVEALED NO INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS SUBJECT.===
DP88-008opened Jan 13, 1988
Speed control · model years 1986

Accord sudden accel-see dp87-026. Closed mar 30, 1988.

NHTSA summary
ACCORD SUDDEN ACCEL-SEE DP87-026
DP87-026opened Jul 13, 1987
Speed control · model years 1984

Sudden acceleration. Closed jul 21, 1987.

NHTSA summary
SUDDEN ACCELERATION
PE86-066opened Jul 28, 1986
Speed control · model years 1984 to 1986

Sudden acceleration. Closed nov 3, 1986.

NHTSA summary
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:INFORMATION FROM HONDA RELEVANTTO THIS PE WAS PROVIDED BY LETTER DATED 8 SEPTEMBER AND A PRESENTATION TONHTSA ON 2 OCTOBER.HONDA HAS ISSUED NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS OROTHER NOTIFICATIONS TO DEALERS RELATING TO FUEL FLOW AND DELIVERY, THROTTLECONTROL, OR ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS THAT MAY RESULT IN UNINTENDED SUDDENACCELERATION.THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH A CARBURETOR DESIGNWHICH, ACCORDING TO HONDA'S EVALUATION, WILL NOT PERMIT ENGINE RPM TOEXCEED A FAST IDLE CONDITION OF 2000 RPM WITHOUT DRIVER ACTUATION OF THETHROTTLE. TEST DATA WERE PROVIDED TO SHOW THAT AN ENGINE SPEED OF 2000 RPMWITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION WOULD, WHEN SHIFTED INTODRIVE, YIELD A VEHICLE SPEED OF 8 MPH AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS.OTHER TEST DATA WERE PROVIDED TO SUPPORT HONDA'S POSITION THAT FAILEDENGINE MOUNTS WOULD NOT CONTRIBUTE TO SUDDEN VEHICLE ACCELERATION ASALLEGED IN THIS PE.ANALYSIS:THE FOLLOWING ARE CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT OBSERVATIONS AND/ORANALYTICAL ASSESSMENTS OF THE FACTS IN THIS PE FILE: OTHE ALLEGED INCIDENTS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE FROM OTHER PE/EA FILESIN THAT THEY TEND TO EMPHASIZE OCCURRENCE OF THE PHENOMENON WHENTHE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTED FROM PARK INTO ANOTHER GEAR. OA HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE REPORTED OCCURRENCES ALSO INVOLVEACCIDENTS,BUT THE RELATIVELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF INJURY ACCIDENTSSUGGESTS THAT MOST ARE LOW SPEED COLLISIONS. OHONDA HAS NOT IDENTIFIED, AND ODI'S ANALYSES HAVE NOT DISCOVERED,A TREND OF MECHANICAL

What owners paid

5 of the 227 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $1,700 to $3,000.

$1,700$1,700$3,000
$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 5,000 and 29,000 miles, from the 93 reports that gave a mileage.

117
2118
4019
1620
1121
5722
2823
2824
1525
1026

What owners wrote

“Instrument cluster lights up with the following warnings: road departure mitigation,brake system,vehicle stability assist,ACC,collision mitigation,Emission system problem, electric power steering, hill assist,brake system hold. OBD2 codes are: PO301,PO301.Dealer diagnosed problem and solution as: replace Fuel Injectors.Car with 50,000 miles run fine. Idiot lights are out of control.”

Filed Mar 18, 2024 · 50,000 miles

“When driving in various scenarios on open road, the automatic emergency braking system will engage unexpectedly. No vehicles were within 1/4 mile or more in front of me. Has happened more than once.”

Filed Feb 25, 2022

“Possible glitch that sometimes causes the car randomly slam on brakes or slow down with out the driver touching the brake pedal.”

Filed Feb 25, 2022

“The automatic collision avoidance, braking system sometimes when it has brought to a near stop locks down. It happens when I am on cruise control and let the system slow me down. When this happens it won't bring me up to speed when the car in front of me pulls away. I have to give it some some gas to break free. It's happened several times over the last few months.”

Filed Feb 25, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 5 of 227 reports involved a crash and 8 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

Other problems on this car