Honda Accord automatic emergency braking problems, 2016–2026
1,200 of the 5,524 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Honda Accord 2016–2026 name the automatic emergency braking (NHTSA’s “Forward Collision Avoidance” heading — forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, including phantom braking). The loudest years: 2018 (458), 2019 (220), 2020 (150). Filed under the same heading across these years: 1 manufacturer bulletin, 2 NHTSA investigations. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Honda Accord automatic emergency braking problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the automatic emergency braking | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 10% | — | — | the year → |
| 2025 | 23 | 21% | — | — | the year → |
| 2024 | 36 | 16% | — | — | the year → |
| 2023 | 60 | 27% | — | — | the year → |
| 2022 in depth | 104 | 34% | — | 1 investigation | the record → |
| 2021 in depth | 91 | 32% | — | 1 investigation | the record → |
| 2020 in depth | 150 | 37% | 30k | 1 investigation | the record → |
| 2019 in depth | 220 | 28% | 22k | 2 investigations | the record → |
| 2018 in depth | 458 | 23% | 37k | 2 investigations | the record → |
| 2017 | 57 | 10% | — | — | the year → |
| 2016 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the automatic emergency braking. Nothing here is a rate.
When the automatic emergency braking complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2018: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2020: 15 · 2021: 69 · 2022: 258 · 2023: 215 · 2024: 232 · 2025: 245 · 2026: 161
Across the model years, half of the 137 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the automatic emergency braking problem between 14,000 and 62,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the automatic emergency braking, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
I was driving in between 40 and 50 miles per hour and the automatic braking got activated automatically for a few seconds. The road was clear and there were no vehicles or obstacles anywhere. It was about 9.15 am and approx temp was 40 F. This is the second time it occurred.
Emergency braking happened several times with NO obstacle in the way. Perfect driving conditions in daylight. Twice it slowed down my vehicle on the highway. A few other times the braking light came on but didn’t seem to actually put on the brake
I purchased a 2019 certified pre-owned Honda Accord Touring Hybrid in February, 2022. This was the second Honda Accord Touring Hybrid I've owned, so I was already very familiar with this vehicle.
Noticed there is already an investigation open. My car is literally afraid of shadows and other objects that just aren't there. It will slam on the brakes as it detects that there is an impending crash despite any cars near me. It has almost caused 3 accidents with the cars behind me.
The Collision Avoidance system activated twice for no reason. Inspection is available. I and my passenger were jerked by the rapid stop & could have been rear ended if anyone was behind me. The second event was in an intersection when I and the driver behind me were driving slowly.
What is on file about the automatic emergency braking, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigations
- EA24002 Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Brakingopened Apr 15, 2024 · open
- On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles. The reports allege that activation of the AEB system occurs while driving with no a…
- PE22003 Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Brakingopened Feb 21, 2022 · closed Apr 18, 2024
- On February 21, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation (PE22003) to assess reports of inadvertent activation of the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system, in model year 2017-2019 Honda CR-V and 2018-2019 Honda Accord vehicles. The reports allege that activation of the AEB system occurs while driving with no a…
1 manufacturer bulletin filed under this heading, any model year
- Sep 10, 2026
- Owner Notification Letter - Honda has developed software updates to the Honda Sensing system to enhance driver experience by modifying the circumstances when the advanced driver assist system (ADAS) decelerates the vehicle or the extent of deceleration. The software covers Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), and Road Departure Mitigation (RDM).
Every one filed under the heading is listed. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Other systems with a record on the Honda Accord
Source: the same filesEvery system, every model year: Honda Accord problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Honda Accord years have the most automatic emergency braking complaints?
2018, 458; 2019, 220; 2020, 150. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2020 (37%).
Is there a recall for the automatic emergency braking on the Honda Accord?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading on any of these model years. A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do automatic emergency braking problems show up on the Honda Accord?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 33,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 14,000 and 62,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Forward Collision Avoidance" heading cover?
Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, including phantom braking. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.