The 2008 Honda Accord has 13 recalls, the most serious being the Takata passenger-side airbag inflator, which can explode and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
A separate recall covers the driver-side frontal airbag inflator, which carries the same risk of an explosive rupture sending sharp fragments toward the driver or front passenger. Several additional recalls address the passenger airbag system in vehicles that received replacement inflators during prior repair attempts: in some cases those inflators were installed incorrectly and may not deploy properly in a crash. Rounding out the airbag concerns, the airbag control unit can corrode over time and fail entirely, preventing any airbag from deploying, and a side impact sensor set too sensitively can cause airbags to fire unexpectedly.
On the mechanical side, a bearing in the automatic transmission can break and cause a short circuit that stalls the engine. On V6 models, a power steering fluid hose can leak onto a hot catalytic converter, creating smoke and a potential engine compartment fire. There is also a recall covering certain accessory nose masks that can block the hood's secondary latch, allowing the hood to fly up while driving and blocking the driver's view of the road.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during a previous replacement, potentially affecting its ability to deploy properly.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the inflator installation and replace the passenger front air bag module assembly if needed, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Driver air bag inflators installed during previous recalls or as service parts may explode during a crash when the air bag deploys due to a manufacturing defect.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver air bag inflator with a different inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement, potentially affecting its ability to deploy properly in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the passenger air bag and replace the module assembly if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Replacement passenger front air bag inflators may have been incorrectly installed at one dealership, potentially affecting proper deployment.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag module assembly at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost when parts become available.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The air bag control unit may corrode and fail in certain 2008-2010 Accord vehicles.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the air bag control unit at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Moisture can seep into the airbag controller over time, causing it to fail and preventing airbags from deploying in a crash.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the airbag control module.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The side impact sensor for the airbag system is too sensitive. With the ignition on, a strong bump to the vehicle's lower body or a door slammed hard could trick the airbag computer into deploying the seat and side curtain airbags when there's no crash.
What the fix does
The dealer will update the airbag system software to adjust the sensor sensitivity.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
High under-hood and power steering fluid temperatures can cause the power steering hose to crack and leak fluid prematurely.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a new heat-resistant power steering hose at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The outer bearing race in the transmission secondary shaft can break during certain driving patterns, causing unusual noise, triggering the check engine light, and allowing the idle gear to contact an electronic sensor housing.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the automatic transmission control module software at no cost to prevent the bearing damage.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Some accessory nose masks can block the hood's secondary latch from working. If the primary latch isn't fully engaged, the hood may open while driving, blocking the driver's view and risking a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the nose mask with an updated version that doesn't interfere with the hood latch.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
