CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2008 Honda Accord has several serious defects: poor brakes, excessive oil consumption, & uncomfortable seats.

BRAKES: There was a class action lawsuit against Honda in 2010 for premature & excessive brake wear. See our page on Honda's brake problems for more info.

OIL CONSUMPTION: Honda issued a TSB about this in late 2011, claiming it could be fixed through a software update to the VCM (variable cylinder management). There are class action lawsuits pending. See our page about the Accord oil consumption.

UNCOMFORTABLE SEATS: Owners have consistently reported uncomfortable seats with the entire 8th generation (2008-2012) of Honda Accords. Complaints range from back pain to leg circulation problems due to bad lumbar support, cushioning, & seat angle. Complaints aren't limited to only a certain body type -- the seat comfort problems are from a wide spectrum of owner height & weight. The common theme we hear is "we never noticed this during the test drive." Unfortunately for unwary buyers, the seat pain is noticeable after 15-20 minutes.

7.9

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$50
Average Mileage:
50,650 miles
Total Complaints:
15 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (7 reports)
  2. leather apholstry needs to be replaced (6 reports)
  3. replace console and driver's arm rest (3 reports)
2008 Honda Accord accessories - interior problems

accessories - interior problem

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2008 Honda Accord Owner Comments

problem #15

Sep 082009

Accord EX-L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The interior of this car is awful. It is not real leather and if it is, it is the worst quality. Soon after 3 years, the leather started to bubble up on the door armrest and the center console armrest and then tear into strips. It looked/looks ugly. The car looks like I have had it for 2 decades and it's only 10 years old!

The seats are also in bad shape, with slivers of cracks everywhere and gaps of cushion coming through. I ordered some seat covers to help cover up the ugliness.

I also wrote to Honda corporation early on and complained about this, but they shrugged it off as, we're sorry to hear that.

- ricketyrock, Bronx, US

problem #14

Aug 202016

Accord EX 2.4L V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,000 miles

All interior is a joke poor quality material; the roof and all the leather trims are coming loose or broken.

- Gloria B., Fort Lauderdale, US

problem #13

Aug 102013

Accord EX 2.4L I4

  • Manual transmission
  • 48,500 miles

Must have used the thinnest material possible. Would've been better had it just been rubber instead of paper thin vinyl.

- fieldings, Tallahassee, FL, US

problem #12

Jul 012011

Accord EX 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

THE QUALITY OF THE LEATHER IS REALLY AWFUL. BOTH FRONT SEATS ARE ALL CRACKED AS WELL AS BOTH ARM REST.. HONDA SHOULD REPLACED THAT AND PAY FOR THAT. THE CAR IS AN EXPENSIVE ONE AND IT DOESNT SUPPOSE TO BE LIKE THAT...:(

- Alba G., Miami, US

problem #11

Jun 022010

Accord LX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,000 miles

The seats where your bottom goes is very hard and not flexible at all. It will eventually crack like plastic. Everything else is a different color, thin and bubbles up and peels. This started happening about a year after I bought brand new. I paid around $32,000 for this car. It was not covered under warranty but they did replace the arm rest at no cost and told me to clean the discolored hardened seats with window cleaner??? Now the arm rest is bubbling again and the door and door arm rest is peeling. I took my car in again and he added up this ridiculous amount. He told me it would be around $4,000 the replace all the panels.

- kathy123, Vicksburg, US

problem #10

Feb 022015

Accord LX 4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,435 miles

The leather is cracking on the seat door and back seat. It looks bad. I have a 2000 Accord an the seats in it looks better than this one. Just sad they did not do a good job on this model of Honda.

- clarketierra, saluda, SC, US

problem #9

Jun 012012

Accord LX 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My Honda Accord was brand new off the show room floor so imagine my surprise when only 4 years later the interior material on the center console and driver's arm rest started to bubble and then shredded to the touch leaving bare bones now for all to see. I've written to Honda Customer Service (with pics) after the dealer told me it was normal wear and tear but to no avail. Guess a $30,000 car doesn't need to stay together until it's paid for... It's cheap fit and finish and they need to address this!!!

- Sherry Q., Douglasville, GA, US

problem #8

Jun 012012

Accord EX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 135,000 miles

Vinyl covering (simulated leather) began bubbling on one door arm rest 2 years ago. Then I noticed bubbling on center console arm rest and a second door arm rest in the summer of 2012. Now the center console arm rest cover is shredded like tissue paper. Clearly this is a quality problem and needs to be replaced. I have no idea how to proceed. If Honda won't make the repair, who should I consult and what is a cost estimate.

(If Honda won't make this repair it will be my LAST Honda purchase. I will be buying a new car next Spring.)

- hughd, Dunn, NC, US

problem #7

Sep 242010

Accord LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles

Can't believe, I'm not the only one! My 2008 Honda Accord is a piece of crap My interior has been peeling for years. I got one of the armrest replaced, 7 months from purchasing the car.I had the windows tinted when purchased. However, my seats front and back continue to peel and bubble.

The dealership said I cleaned it with the wrong cleaner and that caused my problems.Yeah, right.

I also had to replace the brakes prematurely. What's that about?

- hoop802dh, RIVERVIEW, FL, US

problem #6

Aug 172009

Accord LX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles

I bought a brand new off the lot 2008 Honda Accord with beautiful tan leather seats. about a year or so after I purchased the car I noticed the leather starting to bubble up on the center console and the door handles. The bubble eventually popped leaving a hole in the leather. Also the seat had some bubbling up and loss of color in spots. I took the car back to the dealer but it was out of warranty. The dealership agreed to split the cost of the replacement for the console and had the leather fixed on the passenger seat. They spray painted it with leather paint (i guess). Anyway that didn't last long as the color would wipe off on the rag when I used leather cleaner to clean off the seat. I imagine I am not the only one who is experiencing this problem as it is obviously the quality of the so called leather that is being used, or was being used.

- Sherry S., Knights Ferry, CA, US

problem #5

Feb 192009

Accord LX 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 29,800 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

don.t buy honda i took to honda dealer they don.t fix so i come back. the issue is my interior is falling apart.

- kyong, Duluth, GA, US

problem #4

Nov 262009

Accord LX-P 4 Cl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 29,000 miles

On Thanksgiving Day I was riding down the road and the sun was very bright! I pulled my sun visor down and then the sun shifted to my left. When I turned the visor, it feel out of the roof! I was so pissed b/c this is hazardous and unsafe! Tell me why, I had it fixed, and they put the same one in and it happened again today! The 2008 Honda Accord is defective and they need to recall all of them cause a sun visor hanging wires an all is not safe for a driver!!!

- snlewis, Birmingham, AL, US

problem #3

Sep 162009

Accord EX 2.4L

  • Manual transmission
  • 22,000 miles

Here is yet another 2008 Honda Accord gripe, around 22,000 miles I noticed little plastic chips falling out of the back of the steering wheel, they look like little black plastic pieces. Also the weather stripping on the A pillars keeps falling off during the summer when its hot. The moon roof got stuck open, took it to dealer and guess what, they left my car outside and it rained in my interior, they did fix it under warrany, but still a big pain in the ass. Passenger seat wobbles and makes rattling noises when you go over bumps. Arm rest on driver door has a hole worn in the cheapy fake leather from resting my elbow on it when i drive. Shifter knob is loose and rubber pedal pads are worn to the metal already. I wish honda made a toilet big enough to flush the accord down, because this car has turned out to be a TURD ! You should be ashamed of yourselves Honda!

- bed, Vineland, NJ, US

problem #2

Aug 262009

Accord EX 2.4L

  • Manual transmission
  • 38,000 miles

Seems that the glue that Honda is using cannot withstand hot temperatures/humidity we have here in NJ. Everything was OK untill the car was garaged, but when parked outside for several days (and a few weeks at the airport parking) it gave up. This should be embarrassing for Honda.

- fnj, M, NJ, US

problem #1

Jul 012008

Accord LX 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,000 miles

click to see larger images

interior falling apart interior falling apart

Got this car for only one month, and the carpet by the driver's side is detached from the door frame. More severe, the driver side ceiling was detached from the door frame, creating a hole. It seems the glue used by Honda is not strong enough (or Honda is using too few material that a tiny stretch due to temperature change ripped the ceiling/carpet away from the frame), and I am concerned the problem will get even worse.

- Chengru H., Canton, NY, US

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