Automatic Emergency Braking Problems of Honda Accord - part 1

I was driving on the freeway at freeway speed with my mom and daughter in the car and all of a sudden the car decelerated suddenly to almost a stop, sending us all flying forward. I felt like we had to have hit something, but we didn't; it just felt that way because of the sudden, abrupt stop while going freeway speed. Our bodies are sore this morning as a result. Thankfully, no one was directly behind me at the time, and we didn't get rear-ended. This could have definitely caused fatalities. If I were to have been killed, no one would have known it was a vehicle malfunction. They would have thought I braked hard for some unknown reason. Even if I braked hard, it wouldn't have caused such an impact; this felt like we hit a wall because the wheels seemed to just lock. Very frightening. I'll probably have to take my mom to get looked over by a doctor due to the flying forward. Her seat belt flung her back, but for elderly people, it could cause some damage. It took me a moment to realize what happened.

See all problems of the 2020 Honda Accord 🔎.

Since I purchased this car in 2022, the collision mitigation braking system has randomly engaged for no reason. This has happened multiple times over the years, day and night, when no other vehicle, road obstructions, or other factors warrant the system triggering.

See all problems of the 2018 Honda Accord 🔎.

The break light flash on my dashboard when I was driving on route 42 doing 65mph.

On August 29th 2026 at 1:28pm (13:28) 148,320 mi. On odometer during interstate driving and topping the sunshine skyway bridge on interstate 275 northbound (27. 617863, -82. 653639) the vehicle detected both road departure and engaged the emergency automated braking due to the shadow generated by the superstructure of the skyway bridge falling on the road surface. The vehicle attempted to correct the "road departure" by steering the vehicle away from the perceived problem and violently engaged the brakes nearly causing a collision as it has done numerous times before. In this particular event, it was an extraordinarily dangerous situation given the location that it occurred (190ft in the air on a walled in 2 lane interstate highway). I have reported this to NHTSA and american Honda on multiple previous occasions and await a repair or even an acknowledgement of this extremely dangerous issue. Honda has opened a case on this but have had 12+ months and no response has been issued.

I was driving on 42 at 2:05 a. M. And I was heading towards the exit to get off and I started slowing down and after I took my foot off the brake, the brake light illuminated on my dashboard for me to hit the break, like something was in front of me and there wasn’t anything in front of me.

I was driving on route 42 at 11:52 pm and my brake light illuminated on my dashboard indicating me to hit the brake so I stepped on the break so my car wouldn't brake itself. There was nothing directly in front of me for that like to come on but it did. The highway was dry there was a little bit of cars on the highway but in front of me.

I was driving on [xxx] at around 1252am, and my brake light lite up on my dashboard, indicating me to press on the break or the car was going to break its self. The roads were clear and dry, there was barely any traffic. If I didn’t press on the brake when the car told me too it would have stopped it’s self cause me and my passenger to get thrown forward and me to get hit in the rear of my car. This has been going on for quite sometime. I talked to [xxx] from american Honda customer service back in December of 2025 about what was going on with my car. I have removed the license plate holder thinking that was causing it but it wasn’t. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Today was the 4th time my vehicle breaked on its own without any reason. The prior breaking, I kinda shrugged off thinking it maybe sensed another vehicle and was being cautious. However, today I was traveling north hwy 11 and there was nothing in front of me. My car abruptly and violetly slammed on its breaks for no reason at all. The violent deceleration caused my head and neck to whip and my neck is still very sore along with headache. There was no vehicles, pedestrians or obstacles in front of the car. There was a car coming in the opposite direction but it was approximately 200-300 feet away. This almost caused me to crash and was very upsetting. There was no warning whatsoever for this extreme break. I am grateful that the car traveling behind me did not hit me or run off the road. It was very violent and scary. I was traveling at 55 mph when this occurred. Today is Saturday and I was not able to reach anyone at the dealerships service department but I will be contacting them Monday morning. Please advise as to what my options are. Thank you.

See all problems of the 2022 Honda Accord 🔎.

Sudden braking; car comes to a complete stop and brakes so hard. Most likely fault from collision mitigation brakking system.

See all problems of the 2021 Honda Accord 🔎.

Automatic braking has engaged at least 3 times in the last year when there was no car nearby or obstacle in the road. This has happened on city streets at speeds of approx 30-45mph. If this sudden braking happened at freeway speeds it's highly likely I would be rear ended. I have not taken it to dealer as I expect that they will say what they typically do . . . Nothing is wrong. Granted it is difficult to reproduce the phantom braking for them to observe the issue. The alarm sounded and the large red "brake" light came on on the dash. 8. 12. 26 incident was in a lane adjacent to traffic cones but I was nowhere near hitting them.

See all problems of the 2025 Honda Accord 🔎.

1) incident 1: while changing lanes on an empty street emergency brake kicked in although there is vehicle in front or rear in adjacent lane. Incident date: 08/6/2026 2) incident 2: during snow time on a free way i75 towards airport. Aeb kicked in multiple times. Environment conditions: snowing, road is icy and vehicle was moving at 30mph. This situation was scary as we had vehicle in front and rear. If wouldn’t have intervened my car would be sandwiched between front and rear traffic cars. Incident date: Feb 2025.

I was driving on route 42 today at around 3:45 and my brake light flashed across my dashboard like I needed to step on my break because there was something in front of me but there was nothing in front of me. This has been going on for over a year now I have reported it multiple times and I'm just trying to see if you guys are going to fix it or inspect it I've cleaned off my radar also to make sure that wasn't the problem and it still does it.

In my 2015 Honda Accord. The abs, adaptive cruise control, vehicle stability assist, power steering, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, traction control, hill start assist, and brake system dash lights have all been intermittently coming on and off starting right around 150k miles. Now all of the lights have been on for some time now. I spoke to autonation Honda and chapman Honda here in tucson and both dealerships said it was a known vsa module issue with Honda. One quoted a $3,700 fix while the other estimated the job to be about $3,800. Technicians at autonation Honda confirmed that my Accord has the 32-11 abs solenoid valve malfunction, and the 85-01 vsa module malfunction codes that are directly related to the weak solder used by Honda on these modules. It’s unbelievable that this has been a known issue with Honda’s vsa/abs modules, and nothing can be done because the cars regular brakes can still be used. This issue directly affects almost every safety function this car came with. Everything is disabled. It’s really unfortunate that this known issue can be labeled as normal wear.

See all problems of the 2015 Honda Accord 🔎.

Brake system error and turbo and head gasket need to be changed. So may complaints about this. . .

The random ghost punches on the infotainment screen cause distractions while driving. It beeps and blares music without anyone touching it. Sometimes the screen goes dark and makes it hard to reset maintenance issues etc. Also, the car has braked really hard when getting on an off ramp from the interstate. Nothing in the road and lines clearly marked.

The automated braking system engaged unexpectedly for the second time in 3 days. There were no cars in front, no cars parked on the side of the road. The vehicle was brought to a sudden stop with brake flashing on the dashboard. During both instances, there was a car being us that nearly rear ended us due to the unexpected braking.

See all problems of the 2024 Honda Accord 🔎.

Srs weight sensor failure-- triggers the dashboard warning light and disables my passenger airbag. My srs light is on continuously. There is a current Honda recall for this issue for my make and model; however, do to my VIN not being listed, the Honda dealership wants to charge me a diagnostic fee plus the repair costs for the exact issue that the current recall is listed for. My VIN needs to be added. I should not have to come out of pocket to pay for this when I'm having the exact issue listed in the recall. My srs light being on continuously is a major safety concern because it disables the airbags--so in the event of an accident, the airbags will not deploy. I contacted Honda corporate and they created a case--case number 16432964 for this issue--but they told me it would be possibly months to get anything done and I would still have to pay out of pocket first. Nhtsa recall number: 26v-332 campaign description: 2018-22 Accord, Accord hyb seat weight sensor recall exp recall date: 05/21/2026 I have a service appointment on xxx @830am at the Honda of owings mill address: [xxx] phone: [xxx] I am also experiencing the phantom braking issue (unintended activation of the collision mitigation braking system) when there is no object in sight. The fix seams to be updating the collision mitigation braking system (cmbs), which often require software updates and sensor recalibration. The dealership wants to charge me for this as well. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2019 Honda Accord 🔎.

The local authorized Honda service center has failed to resolve this threat. Below is the mandatory timeline and documentation regarding this defect: [date of incident #1 – xxx]: while driving at approximately 35 mph on a open road with no obstructions, the vehicle abruptly engaged heavy emergency braking without warning. This nearly caused myself to get into a severe rear-end collision. [in-person service visit #1 -xxx– paramus, NJ]: on this date, I brought the car to paramus Honda, and was advised that their service department “has never heard of any vehicle made by Honda, phantom breaking”. Upon my insistence that this happened and that experiencing such made me feel unsafe and nervous to drive the vehicle. The service department advised me to ensure that both the rear and front sensors on the vehicle were free and clear of any type of debris. I did so and have ensured to always be of the sensors moving forward. [date of incident #2 - xxx]: while driving at approximately 25 mph on a clear road, with no obstructions, the vehicle abruptly engaged heavy emergency braking without warning. My two children, age [xxx] & [xxx] were in the vehicle at this time & again nearly caused a severe rear-end collision. Phone contact- service visit #2 - xxx. – Honda of paramus, NJ]: on this date, I called paramus Honda, and was advised again that their service department “has never heard of any vehicle made by Honda, phantom breaking. ” * [date of incident #3: xxx]: while driving at approximately 35 mph on a clear road with no obstructions, the vehicle abruptly engaged heavy emergency braking without warning. This caused a severe rear-end collision with the three vehicles behind me to all crash into each other- with 7 of the 9 people that were in those vehicles, get hurt and require medical attention & ambulance transport. Two of those individuals were babies & my two children, age [xxx] & [xxx] were in my vehicle at this time. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving vehicle detected both road departure and engaged the emergency automated braking. The vehicle attempted to correct the "road departure" by steering the vehicle away from the perceived problem and engaged the brakes nearly causing a collision as it has done numerous times before. I have reported this to NHTSA and american Honda multiple times and await a repair of this dangerous issue. Honda has opened a case on this but have had 18 months and no response has been issued.

Both my road departure mitigation and collision mitigation braking system both randomly turn off and show “setting incomplete” when I attempt to put them from off to on. After 5-7 days of normal driving both systems will turn back on and thereafter work for 5-7 days before turning off once again. I have not been involved in any accidents. I’m afraid off unprovoked braking from these electrical safety support systems not working correctly causing possible serious injury to me and others and also causing me emotional mental anxiety while driving due to documentation of these issues in my specific Honda causing possible accidents due to the faulty safety support systems I’m experiencing.

The car hit the brakes automatically at 70mph when passing on the left. There was absolutely nothing in front of the car that should have triggered the cmbs.

See all problems of the 2017 Honda Accord 🔎.

I purchased a 2022 Honda Accord hybrid two years ago. On multiple occasions, I have been traveling at high speeds 70-75 mph when the orange brake signal appears across the screen, and the car abruptly slams on the brake with no other vehicles around me. It forcefully threw me forward. We have had Honda vehicle in for service many times, the dealership are never able to duplicate the problem because it happens sporadically. It is extremely dangerous, and I don't ever feel safe in the vehicle, and I don't feel comfortable using the adaptive cruise control. In the past we have always owned Honda's and never ever felt unsafe. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed quickly.

I was going on the highway at around 65-70 mph and the road was clear. The Honda automatic emergency braking (aeb/collision mitigation braking system) activated and I couldn’t do anything, the brake was sudden and my speed decreased to almost 30mph. There were no cars behind me or it would have definitely been a fatal rear-end crash. The road was clear, there were no cars/object ahead of me on the road.

Subject: vehicle safety defect report – brake failure and collision mitigation system malfunction to the national highway traffic safety administration, I am filing a safety defect complaint regarding a Honda vehicle that experienced sudden brake failure and a suspected collision mitigation braking system (cmbs) malfunction, resulting in a crash on [date]. Incident summary: • brakes suddenly stopped responding • cmbs appeared to activate or interfere with braking • no obstacles or hazards present • loss of control and collision • vehicle purchased from karplus warehouse (salvage title) • dealer did not disclose braking or safety system issues this malfunction created a dangerous safety hazard. I request that NHTSA document this incident and evaluate whether similar complaints ---.

I have bought this car new in 2018, the issue that I’m having is that . . I’ll be driving on the highway or local my car will brake on its own without any hazards in front of it . It’s very dangerous it almost caused me an accident on the highway .

My automatic braking system randomly halted me to a stop in the middle of a clear road and almost caused the person behind me to crash into me even though they were back away from me a safe distance. This has happened several times now and it scares me a lot every time it happens. Makes me want to sell the car. I looked it up and saw that many other people online have had an issue with this feature. I also learned there’s no way for me to fully disable the feature which is frustrating. I can only turn it off manually each time I turn my car on. This feature is not safe and has put my life at risk way more times than it has been helpful.

See all problems of the 2023 Honda Accord 🔎.

As I was driving, the automatic braking system engaged and there was no other vehicle or object in front of or beside me. The car behind me could have rear ended me.

In Feb. 2026, I had a software recall service performed on my Honda Accord. Later that same day, a persistent error message appeared on my dash: software update not available see dealer. I contacted the dealer and they said sometimes that error message clears on its own and to wait and see. A few days later as I was leaving work, I turned my car on, put it in reverse and realized I had no propulsion or power steering. I put the car back in park and restarted it and drove it straight to the dealer where it sat for about three weeks as they tried to clear the error message. They were not able to reproduce the issue I reported with my car being on but without power. I picked up the car on 3/16/26. After leaving the dealership, it began sputtering and lurching. I could see on the powertrain display that the car was not communicating well between the engine and hybrid battery. I pulled into a parking lot and put the car in park and it began functioning normally. I called the dealer and they said to bring it back if that happened again. It has not. Tonight, I was pulling up to a red light when my car suddenly slammed on the brakes and displayed lane departure mitigation off. I attempted to restore that safety feature and realized my car had lost power. It did restore power and I was able to drive home, but I am terrified of my car since it engaged the braking system for no reason and disabled a safety feature plus losing power. During my car's time in the service department, it got a new can gateway module and telematics unit along with repeated attempts to make the software update glitch free to eliminate the persistent warning messages that had been displaying. Honda tech support was involved, and I have contacted Honda corporate with my concerns about the safety of my car but am waiting for a response. My perspective is the software recall update ruined my perfectly good car and I am worried I am going to lose power and get injured or worse.

I own a 2018 Honda Accord equipped with collision mitigation braking system (cmbs). The vehicle has experienced multiple instances of false collision warnings and phantom braking. The issue occasionally occurs when approaching overhead interstate signs. In most cases, the system flashes brake warnings briefly and then clears. However, on one occasion during rainy conditions a few years ago, the vehicle unexpectedly applied the brakes at highway speed with no obstacle present. The vehicle has undergone multiple camera calibrations (this may have also included the radar), but the problem persists. This creates a serious safety hazard, particularly at highway speeds where sudden braking could result in a rear-end collision. The issue appears to be related to false object detection by the adas system, potentially involving radar or sensor misinterpretation.

The vehicle suddenly braked on its own without any obstruction, causing a violent stop and injury. I took it to the nearest dealership to check for a recall. They said there wasn't a recall for this VIN, although online searches show this as a known defect for 2018-2020 Honda Accord collision mitigation system.

Driving on rt 42 at 1042pm on March 1st going 60mph my cars break light came on for me to break like there was something in front of me but there wasn’t.

Description of incident: 1. Component/system failure: the engine cooling system and head gasket failed. A certified shop has confirmed coolant intrusion and a failed leak-down test on cylinder 2. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2. Safety risk: my safety and the safety of my family and other drivers were put at extreme risk. On March 1, 2026, the vehicle suffered a sudden loss of motive power while traveling at 70 mph on the freeway. The car dropped to 15 mph instantly, forcing me to maneuver across active lanes to a narrow shoulder with almost no space. I was nearly hit by high-speed traffic. This has occurred over 8 times since 2023. 3. Confirmation by service center: the problem has been reproduced and confirmed by an independent service center on site lube auto & tire. They utilized a borescope and leak-down test to verify the internal engine failure. 4. Inspections: the vehicle has been inspected by a certified independent technician. I am in the process of notifying the manufacturer (Honda) of these findings for their inspection and accountability. 5. Warning lamps & symptoms: prior to the total power loss, the vehicle displayed engine temperature warnings and "check engine" lights. These symptoms first appeared approximately 8 months after purchase in 2023 and have progressively worsened, leading to the current engine failure. 6. Additional notes: this failure is identical to issues cited in active class-action lawsuits regarding Honda's engine defects, affecting both standard and hybrid models. I am communicating via written report/email for documentation and accessibility purposes.

This Honda Accord sport se has had electrical problems from the day I received the vehicle. Every time I went for an oil change at bommarito Honda I mentioned it to them and they said “yeah the new Hondas do tend to hand a lot of those electrical problems” so with this the problems continued to get worse. Sometimes the buttons do not work, sometimes they do, sometimes the lights don’t work and sometimes they do and sometimes the safety features and break system automated itself. I have slammed my head on the steering wheel on multiple occasions. I believe this needs to be looked into because the malfunction of the car falsely reports danger and caused an accident. Yes every time it malfunctions it flashes briefly and so quickly on the screen .

I purchased my 2018 Honda Accord sport from carmax on January 16, 2026, and I have had several serious problems with the vehicle since purchasing it. Every warning light on the dashboard has come on, my radar system will not stay calibrated, and I have been told that my fuel injectors need to be replaced. In addition, the relay module was already broken when I received the vehicle, which causes the interior lights in my car not to work properly. These issues have caused serious concerns about my safety and the safety of others because I cannot depend on the vehicle’s safety systems or know when another component may fail. The vehicle and affected components are available for inspection upon request. I have attempted to get these problems addressed, but I have not been able to get a satisfactory resolution. The issues have been identified/diagnosed, and I am seeking further inspection to determine the full extent of the problems. I have not had the vehicle inspected by the police or an insurance representative, but I am trying to get the manufacturer/dealer involved so these issues can be properly documented and addressed. I am especially concerned because I have only had this vehicle since January 16, 2026, and I have already put a significant amount of money into it while still owing a substantial amount on the loan. I was also informed that the vehicle could potentially be considered a total loss within the next couple of months. I do not believe it is reasonable for me to be left responsible for a vehicle that I recently purchased from carmax and that has developed or revealed so many serious problems. I am requesting assistance in determining whether these issues can be properly repaired, whether the vehicle is safe and reliable to drive, and what options are available to me for a resolution given the amount of money I have already invested and the remaining balance on my vehicle loan.

The body control module has gone out on my 2021 Honda Accord. Yesterday, when it went out, it affected all adas features, in addition to key functionality of the car.