2002 Honda Accord Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2002 Honda Accord, 7% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 97,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “ignition switch” (26% of reports).
- 69electrical system complaints
- 97,000median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 20%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ignition switch: mentioned in 18 of 69 complaints (26%)
- Able remove: mentioned in 8 of 69 complaints (12%)
- Key removed: mentioned in 7 of 69 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 54 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 69 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 2 an injury.
Honda Accord electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Accord | 1 | 9% | — |
| 2025 Accord | 9 | 10% | — |
| 2024 Accord | 26 | 17% | 22,863 |
| 2023 Accord | 23 | 27% | 25,100 |
| 2022 Accord | 105 | 41% | 22,000 |
| 2021 Accord | 66 | 27% | 100,000 |
| 2020 Accord | 53 | 15% | 14,500 |
| 2019 Accord | 109 | 16% | 14,000 |
| 2018 Accord | 296 | 16% | 11,075 |
| 2017 Accord | 155 | 29% | 29,048 |
| 2016 Accord | 199 | 33% | 46,000 |
| 2015 Accord | 237 | 39% | 50,500 |
| 2014 Accord | 378 | 39% | 52,000 |
| 2013 Accord | 416 | 29% | 50,000 |
| 2012 Accord | 32 | 9% | 50,000 |
| 2011 Accord | 18 | 6% | 66,000 |
| 2010 Accord | 34 | 6% | 60,500 |
| 2009 Accord | 44 | 6% | 62,500 |
| 2008 Accord | 104 | 7% | 32,000 |
| 2007 Accord | 60 | 11% | 89,000 |
| 2006 Accord | 42 | 10% | 81,000 |
| 2005 Accord | 96 | 15% | 70,961 |
| 2004 Accord | 146 | 14% | 85,000 |
| 2003 Accord | 142 | 7% | 71,000 |
| 2002 Accord | 69 | 7% | 97,000 |
| 2001 Accord | 78 | 8% | 102,500 |
| 2000 Accord | 171 | 14% | 107,000 |
| 1999 Accord | 388 | 34% | 130,000 |
| 1998 Accord | 308 | 26% | 126,037 |
| 1997 Accord | 96 | 21% | 135,500 |
| 1996 Accord | 40 | 8% | 120,000 |
| 1995 Accord | 43 | 8% | 132,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the interlock operation of the ignition switch may not function properly, making it possible to turn the ignition key to the "off" position and remove the key without shifting the transmission to park.
Risk: If the driver does not shift to park before removing the key and fails to engage the parking brake, the vehicle could roll and a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will perform an inspection procedure that confirms interlock function. Vehicles will be updated with a redesigned interlock lever free of charge. The recall began on march 7, 2005. Owners may contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Car exploded spontaneously. Fire department thinks it started in the steering wheel/ignition area. Vehicle is still parked on the street and is available for inspection. No one was in or around the vehicle, but it seems if someone had been in the car they would certainly have been incinerated…
The contact owns a 2002 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the vehicle independently accelerated without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle went over a concrete island with the engine revving and the vehicle accelerating. The contact turned the vehicle to the…
The ignition system of the vehicle is faulty. The engine keeps stalling intermittently and the vehicle shuts down. The issue has been observed at both low and high speeds. The issue occurs on average once in two weeks. This issue has put our family's safety in jeopardy. We filed a complaint with…

Frequently asked questions
Do all 2002 Honda Accords have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 69 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2002 Honda Accord (7% of the 1,050 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Honda Accord electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 97,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2002 Honda Accord?
The most frequent phrase is “ignition switch”, in 18 of 69 complaints, followed by “able remove” (8).
Other 2002 Honda Accord problems
- Power Train problems (478)
- Air Bags problems (273)
- Structure problems (75)
See all 2002 Honda Accord problems or electrical system problems across all Accord years.