NHTSA Complaint #11698388 — 2018 HONDA ACCORD

I am writing regarding my recently purchased used 2018 Honda Accord. The car has low mileage and initially ran well, but it has developed a recurring cylinder misfire problem. When this happens, the car slows down and cannot exceed 20 mph. This issue has occurred several times—once while my daughter was driving on the highway, creating a dangerous situation as she tried to pull over safely. I took the car to both a Honda dealership and an independent mechanic. The dealership diagnosed a head gasket issue and quoted over $6,000 for repairs. However, the independent shop could not identify the issue—no error codes appeared during their diagnostic scan. After I shared the dealer’s diagnosis, the independent mechanic mentioned that this may be a known design flaw in certain Honda Accords from this model range. From what I’ve learned, the problem involves the engine’s cooling system design. The coolant travels inside the engine around the outside of the cylinders, and Honda used a small channel between cylinders to allow coolant flow. This channel appears to be the failure point, leading to head gasket problems in multiple vehicles. I believe this may be a systemic issue affecting many Honda Accords with this design, and I urge someone from this office to investigate and make Honda take responsibility for these repairs. I am in a position where I am able to transition away from this vehicle, so this will not help me. So I hope you are able to help other, because the repair bill could cripple people and hinder them for using a vehicle that they rely on to provide for themselves and their family.