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.

7.1

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$500
Average Mileage:
20,600 miles
Total Complaints:
22 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (21 reports)
  2. replace fuel injector (1 reports)
2008 Honda Accord fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2008 Honda Accord Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #22

Oct 032017

Accord EX 2

  • Automatic transmission
  • 85,000 miles

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

they should fix all problems we pay alot for all the problems

- massolin, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada

problem #21

Mar 192016

Accord LX 2.4L V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 38,000 miles

So the 2008 Honda accord 2.5 L V4 is suppose to have a 18.5 gallon tank. If you do the math using its 28-31 mpg you should be getting 450 miles per tank. I am getting 250.

I contacted Honda and the suggested trying different brands of fuel and getting a new fuel injector. I am not going to pay for another new fuel injector. I tried different brand of fuel and saw very minimal increases in my miles. I finally decided to do some research myself and found out by buying 18 gallons worth of gas and putting it in a gas can and then draining the rest of fuel with another can that I only put 13.5 gallons in the empty cars tank. My car came with a 13.5 gallon tank not a 18.5 gallon tank. I immediately contacted Honda and they said that can't be true and called me a liar and refused to fix a issue they made. Thanks Honda.

- Alexander G., Williamsburg, VA, US

problem #20

Mar 132013

Accord 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 122,650 miles

Honda 2008 Accord 4 cyl. gets 20.5 mpg with 55%+ highway driving. I try to drive 45-50 MPH if not holding up traffic. Can't believe ! Really, really disappointed in Honda !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I bought this car for the fuel mileage it was suppose to get !

- yttri, Madison, WI, US

problem #19

Apr 052013

Accord EX L 3.5L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 80,000 miles

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

P3400 came on when I was driving. Check it At pep boys auto and the was the results. Code p3400 talks about oil being dirty or low which I change the oil and filter. Light turn off. But now is back on affecting my vcm.

- Nelson D., Atlanta, GA, US

problem #18

Feb 282008

Accord EXL 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,000 miles

I only get 15 to 19 MPG max out of this car and have complained over and over. I have been told by the dealer to use only Chevron fuel. And, to buy Chevron fuel/injector cleaner. Then, run the crap out of it for a full tank of gas. Then, I went back and was told to chart my mileage for three tanks of fuel. I did this and then took the results in. I was informed that I did not need these results. My computer was flashed with the original factory image on four separate occasions to repair this. I knew this was all B.S. I had been a mechanic for over 18 years. On Honda motorcycles believe it or not. The new update for the oil consumption caused my fued mileage to lowere even more.

- Tracy V., Deer Park, TX, US

problem #17

Sep 092011

Accord EX 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

I brought the car back to honda and the service manager told me he knows and his hummer gets about the same gas milage as the Accord. The funny thing is after the recall its eating more gas, the gears are holding out longer, it reves higher before swithching to the next gears. I told the service manager and he infored me that i was not the only person to complain, so then why do this recall? I have my tire pressure at 35 and all tires with nitrogen. I'm going to change my oil this week to amzoil fully synthetic 5w-20w and try out knn air filter not cold air intake.

I was also thinking of trying out a chip so if anyone knows of a good chip let me know. I wanted to try gforcechip.

- fbrianteny, Staten Island, NY, US

problem #16

Sep 012008

Accord EX-L 2.4L

  • Manual transmission
  • 18,832 miles

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

I wonder if Honda really wants to keep the American market. My Accord is supposed to do 30MPG on highway (as advertised)... Well, 30MPG has never happened. The best it does is 24-25mpg. I don't know what is the mystery here but Camry does 30-31mpg on highway with the same 2.4L engine. I am extremely disappointed that my brand new Accord has so many mechanical and cosmetic problems. Great thing that I've leased it for 3 years, after that I will stay away from Honda.

- Eduard L., Cordova, TN, US

problem #15

Aug 202008

Accord EX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 31,069 miles

I have a 2008 Accord EX, and since I got it about 15 months ago, Ive never had 'REALLY good' mileage.. All of my driving is 50/50 between city and highway, but if I had to give the edge, I would say I do a little more highway driving. On the average, Ive never gotten really more than 10L/100 KM (about 650 to 700KM per tank fillup (70L tank)).. Ive even driven from Toronto to Montreal, all highway, no stop @ 115-120 KM and still got the same mileage.. Ive overinflated my tires (40Kpa), I shift my car into neutral when lifting my foot off the gas to cruise and it makes no difference.. The car has about 50K on it and nothing has changed.. Any assistance would be welcome. Thanks

- waseemk, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

problem #14

Jul 012008

Accord

  • Automatic transmission
  • 7,000 miles

Have you ever considered that maybe your driving is the problem? Pay attention to the fine print on the sticker: "Your mileage may vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle".

In fact, the sticker on my new 2008 Accord, below the "HIGHWAY MPG: 25 MPG", explicitly stated in smaller print: "Expected mpg for most drivers is 20 to 30". PLEASE examine your personal driving habits before blaming the vehicle. A heavy foot on the pedal is one of the most common causes for poor gas mileage. So does idling... if you're sitting at a stoplight or stop sign, you're effectively getting 0 mpg. If you're going to be idling for more than 30 seconds or so at a stoplight, consider turning your engine off. The little bit of engine wear is much less costly than the fuel saved. And an idling engine is not running at peak temperature, which causes fuel residue to condense on cylinder walls, resulting in damage. It is estimated that every single day, Americans waste 3.8 million gallons of gas simply by idling.

In addition, make sure your tires are properly inflated (improperly inflated tires consume 2 to 3% of your mpg), make sure your air filter is clean (a clogged air filter can cost you 10% of your mpg), remove unnecessary weight (every extra 100 pounds costs you 1 to 2%, so get those golf clubs you're not using out of the trunk!) If you've got a bike rack on your roof that you're not using, remove it to make your car more aerodynamic. Above 35 mph, roll up your windows and use the air conditioning... the extra drag caused by keeping your windows down at high speed costs you more than running the A/C.

- mspears, Texarkana, TX, US

problem #13

Aug 202008

Accord 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75 miles

I bought this car with the idea that it would return something near the advertised mileage. I am still waiting for that to happen. Have the car for just over 5 thousand miles and same sh*t since new. I should have stuck with my 1995 Mercury v6 which did just as good (my daughter is still driving it and loves it). One good thing I did was lease so I can give this shitbox back after the 2 years and get a Chevy or something else.

- Dennis V., Brooklyn, NY, US

problem #12

Mar 282008

Accord EX L V6 V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100 miles

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

We traded our 05 Avalanche in at Katy Honda for a car that is advertised as getting 19 in town, we average in town 13.8 to 14.2 and hwy is around 22 to 23 mpg. Our Chevy got 15.5 in town. The front seat track broke at 1100 miles and was in the shop 3 times for a repair. the seat still wobbles and moves around. The service manager at Katy Honda told us that they could not fix it and and we would have to live with it. We have rear end rattles that are so loud you cannot think. it has been in the shop 3 times and still we have the rattles, now the dash rattles. The car in ECO mode gets stuck and will not go back to run on all 6 cylinders. This has been complained about 4 times the service manager stated they could not find the problem in the computer but it is a known problem. The seats will kill your back and the active head rest forces your head forward which is uncomfortable, The highway noise at 70 mph is very loud and is such that you have trouble having a conversation. The radio has limited volume and is very average for sound,

This Honda Accord is the worst car we have ever owned.out of 38 cars, My 95 BMW 525 gets 19 in town mileage and 28 mpg at 90 mph on highway. We have wrote numerous certified mail sent letters to Honda and spoke to there customer service jerk, they have offered no solutions, We have filed under the Texas Lemon Law to get rid of this harsh riding, back breaking, rattle trap gas guzzler. We have since purchased a BMW 335 i and an Audi a6 both are a much better car, we bought our daughter a VW Passat and it is a fantastic riding car and much quieter than the Honda. One more issue that has sprung up on the Honda, when braking the wheels shimmy now,Hey HONDA OF KATY>I have unsold 37 individuals on Honda's they purchased other cars>>you suck to deal with and a pain in the Ass>>save yourself a headache>>don't buy an ACCORD>>>13.8 Miles per gallon>>

- artist419, Houston, TX, US

problem #11

Apr 252008

Accord EX L I4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 7,000 miles

EPA mileage was supposed to be more REAL. Rated at 31 for Hwy but never get better than 23. All highway to and from work. Tried all speeds, with and without cruise. Should go back to my 2003 Camry that got 30.

- Richard F., Lancaster, PA, US

problem #10

Jul 312008

Accord LX 4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 4,100 miles

I purchased this car for its fuel economy. Window sticker said 32 Hwy. All the miles on this car are 99% highway and on my best tank, I received 22.5 MPG. Its a terrible fuel efficient mid size car.

- Lisa O., Phoenix, AZ, US

problem #9

Aug 262008

Accord Coupe I4

  • Manual transmission
  • 2,485 miles

I drive 100km/h (60mph) drive in 5th gear and on highway I am getting around 34mpg and should be 43-44 as far as I read! This is not even close to being correct I would love 40mpg if I could get it!!!!!!

(to get USA MPG take 5/6 of the above numbers, 16% less as USA has a smaller gallon)

- Rick S., Ottawa, ON, Canada

problem #8

Jun 302008

Accord LXP 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120 miles

Man a fuel efficient vehicle they advertise. This car gets the almost the same mileage as my 98 explorer awd v8 (got 16mpg). The Honda gets a little over 19mpg. Ive timed lights so i don't half to stop. I cruise at 65mph set cruise, checked tire pressure. This car really sucks! Reliability the eats your wallet for gas money. There window stickers are gaff. What a scam they should fix the problem or fix your sticker. This is false advertisement. I called Honda they said humidity, heat, moisture all takes a factor. I stated my friend has a 98 accord gets 28 out of his 4 cyl. I said you either took a leap backwards or someone discovered a problem too expensive to fix and to compensate with added more fuel. Also on first start up idle drives to 1500 rpm. My vw used to do that but, took 156k before so. Oh by the way on the 08 accord check the left corner on the truck in the crease for paint peeling. Its one of those quiet recalls.

- Richie M., Methuen, MA, US

problem #7

Jan 012008

Accord EX 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,200 miles

For a Honda this car gets crappy MPG.For what I spent i can get a suv. that gets about the same MPG have not cracked 20MPG on highway or town

- toadman555, Bloomington, IL, US

problem #6

May 072008

Accord EX 2.4L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 0 miles

Honda Accord EX 4 cyl. 2.4 automatic. Bought new, now have 2000KM . Gas mileage is much worse than expected or listed in Can. Government publication or in Honda brochure or on their window sticker in showroom. It was listed at 6.4 l/100 km 43 mi/can. Gal on highway. I have measured it in highway driving at over 8 l/100km. About 17 or 18 mi/gal(US); mixed highway/city driving, 12.5 l/100km.

Very significant difference and disappointing given that I traded in a 2003 Camry that gave me exactly 6.4 l/100 km consistently in highway driving. Dealer told me "You got what you bought"

Anyone have same problem with a better resolution/

- stanc, Halifax, NS, Canada

problem #5

May 232008

Accord LX-E 2.4L V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 500 miles

We just purchased a 2008 Accord EX-L 2.4L I4, It's a gas pig. We've always got as good as or better gas mileage, than what was advertised, on our previous vehicles. I just sold a 2002 Malibu that had over 150,000 miles and we were still getting 23/29 mpg.

This is the first Honda I've ever bought and it will be my last. We just put several hundred miles on the car this past weekend, mostly interstate, and we got around 23 mpg.

Their advertised mileage is 31 mpg! I don't see how, unless they tested it going downhill with the engine off. SOMETHING SMELLS FISHY!!!!!

- masoner, Kingsport, TN, US

problem #4

Apr 222008

Accord EX 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1,950 miles

I have only been getting between 17-18 mpg, but I only drive locally, rarely on the highway. Still, the EX 4 cyl. is supposed to get 21 city mpg. At the price of gas these days, 4 fewer mpg adds up!

- 4thhondamaybelast, Hicksville, NY, US

problem #3

Jan 032008

Accord EX-L 2.4L I-Vtec

  • Automatic transmission
  • 5,200 miles

What is going on with the '08 Accord EX-L? I am getting the city rated fuel economy, but doing it on the highway. Average highway mileage is 23 -25 mpg. I don't even want to talk about city mileage. Lets just say I can watch the needle on the gas gauge move as I drive in town. Fun fun!! Seems quite a long way from the 31 mpg rated Honda put on the car. I have made two complaints to the dealer, but have got a song and dance that is it the fuel, not the car. Baloney!! Somethings wrong, but I am just not smart enough to figure it out yet and the dealers don't know any better. Anyone else got any answers yet?

P.S. At present, 5400 miles on the car. If I don't find an answer soon, I am going to cut my loses and trade the car for a Nissan or Toyota.

Darvin Will

Evansville, IN

- Dar W., Newburgh, IN, US

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