# Honda Accord 2018–2022 Pre-Purchase Checklist | CarCaseFile

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> Printable pre-purchase inspection checklist for the 2018–2022 Honda Accord: the generation-specific checks that separate a good one from someone else's problem.

Case file · HONDA-ACCORD-2018-2022 · Field document

# Honda Accord 2018–2022 · Pre-purchase checklist

Bring this to the inspection. Every check below is specific to this generation's documented failure modes, not generic used-car advice.

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Check 01

On 1.5T cars: pull the dipstick and smell it. A gasoline smell or an oil level ABOVE the full mark is the classic oil-dilution tell. Walk away or price in the risk.

Check 02

Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: confirm the Denso fuel-pump recall (23V-858, 2018–2020 1.5T) and the backup-camera/infotainment software update were completed.

Check 03

Ask for oil-change receipts. On a 1.5T you want intervals of ~5,000 miles or less, not the 7,500+ the maintenance minder allows.

Check 04

On 2.0T cars: drive it cold in stop-and-go. Harsh 2–3 shifts or a clunk from park into reverse points to the known 10AT rough-shift behavior. Some cars got a clutch break-in procedure or software update, some didn't.

Check 05

Let the car sit during your inspection, then restart it: slow cranking or a dash full of warnings suggests the known 12V battery parasitic-drain issue.

Check 06

Cycle the infotainment unit through CarPlay/Android Auto and the backup camera; freezing or black screens are a documented complaint on 2018–2019 cars.

Check 07

On the highway, note any unprompted braking events or constant CMBS warnings. The phantom-braking issue is real and under NHTSA investigation; some cars exhibit it far more than others.

Check 08

On hybrids, verify the 12V battery age and check for any IMA-era prejudice pricing. The two-motor system itself has a strong record and hybrid trims are often the best value.

Walk-away signals

2018 (highest complaint volume of the generation: first-year 1.5T, infotainment, battery, and 10AT issues all peak here) · 2018–2019 1.5T in cold climates without documented oil-change history

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