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Reliability report · 2021 Honda Accord · Updated July 2026 · ~$1,900/yr fuel · what it costs to keep →

One of the quieter 10th-gen years — but the head gasket now costs you, coverage has run out.

By 2021 the Accord is quiet in the data, and a well-kept one is an easy car to own. But the 1.5-liter turbo head-gasket pattern hasn't fully disappeared — a hybrid owner in the file was quoted about $7,000 with the dealer conceding it's a known generational issue and no coverage to waive it.

Two coverage notes matter for 2021: it's outside the 2018–2020 A/C-condenser warranty extension, so a condenser leak is now out-of-pocket, and there's a small CVT driven-pulley update on a limited batch of cars. The 2.0T remains the head-gasket-free pick.

Evidence: 253 NHTSA complaints · 4 recall campaigns · 4 mechanic & forum sources

Canary status

Chirping

What that means: A low-volume year — 206 gas plus 47 hybrid complaints — and a mature product. The catch: the 1.5-liter turbo can still fail a head gasket, and 2021 sits outside the A/C-condenser warranty extension, so both of those repairs now land on the owner.

CalmChirpingSquawkingFainted

253

Federal complaints

4

Recalls

~$7,000

Head gasket / engine replacement (owner-quoted)

Federal crash tests

5-star scale
Overall
Frontal crash
Side crash
Rollover

Tested variant: 2021 Honda ACCORD 4 DR FWD (NHTSA VehicleId 15895)

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) →

Known issues

Ranked by the cost of ignoring them. Every claim carries its source.

1.5T head gasket — rarer now, and fully on the owner

major
  • 1.5L turbo
  • Hybrid (2-motor)

The head-gasket failure is much less common by 2021 but still present on the 1.5-liter turbo, and the economics are worse because coverage has run out: a hybrid owner in the complaint file was quoted around $7,000 with the dealer admitting a known generational problem and no recall to fall back on. Symptoms are unchanged — cold-start misfire, a coolant level that drops, potential limp mode. Cold-start the car, check the coolant, and prefer a 2.0T if the risk worries you.

This is a 1.5L turbo and Hybrid (2-motor) problem. The 2.0L turbo, 2.4L four, and 3.5L V6 don’t share it.

Which engine is in the one you found? →

Head gasket / engine replacement (owner-quoted)

~$7,000

Sources: NHTSA complaint database, 2021 Accord and Accord Hybrid · Independent mechanic channel transcripts (10th-gen Accord)

A/C condenser leak — no longer coveredmoderate

The A/C condenser can still corrode and leak refrigerant, but 2021 falls outside Honda's 2018–2020 condenser warranty extension — so unlike the earlier years, this repair is now out-of-pocket. Test the A/C hard; a weak system on a 2021 is a real cost to negotiate, not a free fix.

Sources: NHTSA complaint database, 2021 Accord and Accord Hybrid · NHTSA manufacturer communications (CVT driven-pulley notification, recall documents)

several hundred+

Condenser replacement, out of warranty

CVT driven-pulley update (limited batch)moderate

  • CVT (four-cylinder)

Honda issued an owner notification for a small number of 2021 Accords whose CVT driven pulley wasn't properly hardened during manufacturing, which over time can lead to abnormal operation, slippage or noise. It affects a limited batch, but if a 2021 shows CVT slipping or unusual noise, check whether it's one of the notified cars. The 2.0T's 10-speed automatic isn't involved.

Sources: NHTSA complaint database, 2021 Accord and Accord Hybrid · NHTSA manufacturer communications (CVT driven-pulley notification, recall documents)

Fuel-pump and airbag-sensor recalls, seat-belt retractormoderate

The 2021 is covered by the multi-year fuel-pump recall, the seat-weight-sensor airbag recall, and a second-row center seat-belt automatic-locking-retractor recall that can leave a child restraint unsecured. All are free fixes; confirm they're closed by VIN.

Sources: NHTSA complaint database, 2021 Accord and Accord Hybrid · NHTSA manufacturer communications (CVT driven-pulley notification, recall documents)

They admitted this is a known problem for this generation — but with no recall, they wouldn't waive the roughly $7,000.
4 mechanic & owner sources

Open recalls

Free fixes at any Honda dealer. Run the VIN — “completed” isn’t always completed.

  1. 21V-900Second-row center seat-belt automatic locking retractor may deactivate improperly, leaving a child restraint unsecured (2021 Accord and Accord Hybrid). Free seat-belt assembly replacement.open
  2. 24V-064Front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short, risking unintended airbag deployment (2020–2022 Accord and Accord Hybrid). Free sensor replacement; phased remedy.open
  3. 23V-858In-tank fuel pump may fail and stall the engine (multi-model 2013–2023 campaign). Free fuel-pump module replacement.open
  4. 26V-332Front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short, risking unintended airbag deployment (2016–2022 Accord). Free sensor replacement; owner letters mailed July 2026.open

What it costs to keep

The purchase price is what you negotiate. These are the numbers you live with afterward — each one sourced, none of them blended into a fake total.

The ownership picture — 2021 Accord

Four sourced numbers. No fake total.

Fuel

33 MPG combined (30 city / 38 highway) for the FWD, 1.5L turbo on the EPA federal fuel-economy test.

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (EPA) — EPA’s federal fuel-economy test, recomputed with current gas prices. EPA record 43361 (Accord).
Other builds EPA lists: FWD, 2.0L turbo 26 MPG · Hybrid FWD, 2.0L 43 MPG.

$1,900/yr

at $4.15/gal · 15,000 mi/yr · 55/45 city/hwy · pulled Jul 12, 2026

Crash losses

Insurers lose about 17% more on this vehicle than on the average car. Higher collision losses tend to show up in what you pay for coverage.

Source: HLDI — the insurance industry’s loss-data institute — HLDI collision losses, 2020–22 models, published April 2023 (report R-23). 100 = the all-vehicle average. Series read: Honda Accord.
Other series: Honda Accord hybrid 107, where 100 = average.

117 vs 100

17% above average

Theft

Stolen roughly 3× as often as the average vehicle. Worth pricing comprehensive coverage before you buy, not after.

Source: HLDI — HLDI whole vehicle theft losses, 2020–22 models, published April 2023 (report WT-22). 100 = the all-vehicle average. Series read: Honda Accord.
Other series: Honda Accord hybrid 61, where 100 = average.

306 vs 100

3× average — off this chart

Repair risk

What this specific year is known to need. Pulled from the issues above — the repairs owners actually report, at the costs they report them. Averages from other sites blend every year together; these are this year’s own numbers.

Source: this report — 01 Known issues.

Head gasket / engine replacement (owner-quoted)~$7,000
Condenser replacement, out of warrantyseveral hundred+
Why there’s no single “cost to own” number: sites that promise one are guessing at your insurance quote, your annual miles, and your luck. These are the numbers we can actually source — and each one carries its receipt.

Shopping this year?

Get the printable pre-purchase checklist and an alert if this year’s recall sheet changes.

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Have a specific one in your sights?

The VIN is on the listing. We’ll check this exact car — build, open recalls, and whether the “completed” repairs stayed fixed.

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Before you buy

Print this
  1. 01Identify the engine: a 2.0T avoids the head-gasket pattern; on a 1.5T, cold-start it and check for misfire.
  2. 02Check the coolant reservoir and dipstick; a dropping coolant level or milky oil on a 1.5T is the head-gasket tell.
  3. 03Run the A/C on max — a weak system on a 2021 is out-of-pocket now, so price it in.
  4. 04If the CVT slips or makes noise, check whether the car is in the 2021 driven-pulley owner-notification batch.
  5. 05Run the VIN against 21V-900 (seat belt), 24V-064/26V-332 (airbag sensor), and 23V-858 (fuel pump).

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vincanary.com/honda/accord/2021