NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 178 complaints against the 2021 Honda Accord. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2021 Honda Accord complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2021 Honda Accord has generated 224 NHTSA complaints and has 3 active recalls. If your 2021 Honda Accord has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Honda pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2021 Honda Accord has 40 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “I just got off the freeway and coasted down the off-ramp, did not engage the brake nor the acceleration pedals. Suddenly the emergency brake system sl…”
The 2021 Honda Accord has generated 26 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “Vehicle entertainment system experiences phantom touches that changes or turns off navigation, makes calls, flashes between applications, is unrespons…”
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2021 Honda Accord include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 15 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The screen randomly freezes or toggles between different screen without user input. It will randomly exit navigaton, end calls, increase volume, etc. …”
Airbag defects are safety-critical and may trigger California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22. The 2021 Honda Accord has 15 NHTSA complaints on record related to airbag warning lights, unexpected deployment, and sensor failures. Owner reports include: “While driving all of a sudden seat belt sign pops up and stays there . I think there is something wrong with seat belt system.…”
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2021 Honda Accord have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 12 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “On 3 occasions, was accelerating on interstate (after entering from ramp), check engine light began blinking, car shook terribly & went into limp mode…”
The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2021 Honda Accord by the NHTSA or Honda. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the second-row center seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024, October 18, 2024, and August 2025. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda’s numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda’s numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2021 Honda Accord:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Honda to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Honda must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2021 Honda Accord qualifies as a lemon under California law, Honda may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Honda a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Honda dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Honda pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Honda a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Honda is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2021 Honda Accord has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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