The 2013 Honda Accord earns very high marks for safety from both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. But, unresolved steering issues and corroded drive shafts might have you considering a Toyota.
- The NHTSA and the IIHS both awarded the 2013 Honda Accord top honors in their respective crash tests.
- A host of electrical issues may stem from leaky battery sensor casing.
- Steering issues have been reported by the hundred, but no steering recalls have been issued as yet.
- Early corrosion may lead to driveshaft failure, and it is unclear whether the recall fully addressed the issue.
- The 2013 Honda Accord is a great car overall, but its key issues may be a little too severe and a little too common for the typical buyer.
Battery Sensor Shorts Affect Over One Million Accords
At more than a million units affected, a 2017 recall for battery sensor shorts is by far the 2013 Accord’s biggest recall. In recalled units, the problem came down to the casing for a battery sensor allowing water to get in, which could short the sensor, and leave your car unable to detect the presence of a battery.
Battery sensors are pretty cheap to replace, but if you’re spending forty, fifty dollars to swap it out every time it rains, that’s going to add up over the years. The issue constitutes a safety concern because your car could lose power while in motion, which could increase the odds of getting into an accident.
The fix involved simply replacing damaged sensors, and applying a waterproof adhesive to keep water out of the casing. This may have solved the problem in more instances than not, but there have been reports of drivers having trouble getting their engine started.
Electrical complaints make up over 300 of the 1,132 total complaints on file with the NHTSA, and one of the most common electrical complaints points to the car simply making a clicking noise when you try to start it up. This might have to do with cars that should have been recalled, but weren’t, but we can’t say for certain.
Lack of Recalls May Leave You Paying Thousands Out of Pocket for Steering Repairs
With nearly 400 complaints on file, plus three investigations, one of them still ongoing, steering issues may be biggest concern for 2013 Accord drivers. The investigation pertains to loss of steering control, with strong winds knocking the car across the road, while the complaints range from loose steering to lockup.
According to the documentation made public on the investigation, there is not yet enough data to justify a recall, but there have been enough reports of steering troubles to launch an Engineering Analysis. In plain English this means that something’s wrong, and the NHTSA is trying to find out what that is.
In addition to drivers reporting loss of steering control or wobbly steering, there are also complaints of “the steering wheel became really heavy and required force to move it,” or simply “electric power steering was bad, making it impossible to drive.”
In these instances, since the car is out of warranty by now and there are no recalls in place, drivers are being forced to shell out around two thousand bucks for the repairs. These issues alone might have you considering a Toyota or a Nissan if you’re looking for an efficient midsize from 2013.
Corroded Drive Shafts May Cause Sudden Power Loss
The 2013 Accord has 160 complaints on file for the engine, 83 for the powertrain, and 39 for vehicle speed control. Many of these complaints have to do with a 2020 recall for the drive shaft, which is prone to early corrosion and mechanical failure.
If you’re driving a four-cylinder Accord with a one-speed CVT, many of these vehicles were assembled with a drive shaft lubricant that may degrade too quickly, leading your shaft exposed to road salt, debris, moisture, and everything else you might encounter out on the road.
Many drivers are reporting excessive engine oil use, engine stall, and rough shifting. These symptoms might not always point to a failing drive shaft, but they’re certainly consistent with what you expect to see when a drive shaft starts to corrode. It’s not going to be a sudden collapse, but a slow mounting of small issues, one by one.
Complaints have been fewer since the recall went into effect, but they issues that may point to a failing drive shaft continue to pop up now and then. As with the unaddressed steering issues, this recall, and related complaints, may be reason enough to skip the 2013 Accord.
Severe Problems With a Moderate Rate of Incidence Might Have Accord Buyers Thinking Twice
There’s a lot to love about the Honda Accord. The car has a perfect five star overall crash test rating from the NHTSA, and a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, their highest honor. The car is safe, but it might not be all that reliable.
The central issue here is that if something goes catastrophically wrong, you might be on your own. Most of these cars will be out of warranty by now, and no recalls have been issued for the all-too-common steering problems that have been reported.
That said, an investigation into those steering issues is still underway. By this time next year, the issue might well be resolved with a comprehensive recall in place to correct the car’s wobbly steering and wheel lockup. But, if you’re still shopping around, why bet on that?
In short: as of the time of this writing, October 2022, you can do better than a 2013 Honda Accord. If you’ve really got your heart set on this car, you can keep an eye on the NHTSA investigation page and see how things turn out. Meanwhile, the 2013 Toyota Camry delivers a similar driving experience with far fewer complaints.
