7.5
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- No data
- Average Mileage:
- 1,750 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 12 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (11 reports)
- honda has audio system firmware update (1 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Honda dealer.
I see others have this problem. It's happened three times in the three months I've owned the car. Everything that comes through the sound system -- AM, FM, XM, Bluetooth phone, CDs -- sounds horrible; tinny, distorted. I turn the audio system off, but can still hear a mid-frequency buzzing and whining. Turn the car off, restart, and the problem goes away. Obviously, if it only happens once every few weeks, it's impossible to reproduce for the service techs, but clearly this is a problem, and not just with my vehicle.
Honda? Are you listening? Any thoughts?
- Matthew R., Pennington, NJ, US
2013 Accord EX-L Nav
As others have reported, Buzzing sound is coming from speakers. It seems to happen randomly. The buzzing continues even after turning off radio. Turning off engine and restarting fixes until next time.
We brought the car into the dealer while it was happening, and they weren't interested in looking at it right then. (really annoying.) So we made an appointment to do the Radio / Nav update based on the Technical service bulletin / recall. He said this might fix the issue.
Well the update was done, still not sure if it fixed the buzzing issue because it is an intermittent problem. However, the update screwed up the HDD music data. Dealer couldn't figure out how to fix that so he suggesting erasing the HD and re-loading the CD's. Erased HD, and now CD's won't copy to HD when they are inserted.
Hopefully this will all get ironed out quickly.
- Jeff K., La Grange Park, IL, US
Tinny, irregular, and very annoying echo in my left ear from sound system at all volume levels in my Honda Accord, 2.4L purchased in mid February. Source doesn't matter and Honda customer service offers no help. Bad enough to keep me from recommending an otherwise great vehicle. Looking for any suggestions to cure this problem. I had no great expectations about the sound system in this vehicle but was not expecting it to be a constant source of irritation. By far the worst sound system in 49 years of car ownership. Vin 1hgcr2e70da106633
- Mark W., Shrewsbury, PA, US
The audio system makes a buzzing and echo sound and will continue to make this noise until the car warmed up, sometimes if the system is turned off it will stop but may start back the next week,two weeks,month etc.. It has happen three times since my purchase(Oct 2012) and it's a pain in the A@@.I reported this problem to the salesman,sales department manager,service department manager and the GM at McConnell and all I'm was told is that it's a software problem and they are updating the system but before I was told this they pulled a new audio system out of another 2013 Honda Accord and put it in my Honda, this was two weeks after I bought it, still the same problem. :( I bought it from McConnell Honda in Montgomery, AL and I am not HAPPY!! This is the second vehicle I have bought from this dealership. The first one a 2008 Honda accord had similar issues (I know, I should have learned my lesson by now, but I love the new style of 2013 Honda Accord).It's a Honda problem nation wide. A word of advice to customers don't buy from McConnell Honda, Montgomery,AL because the they won't be concerned about you after the deal is done and as a matter of fact don't buy a Honda Accord, make another choice!!!
Dorothy D- Montgomery, AL
- Dorothy D., Montogmery, AL, US
Tech told me the fix takes a long time because there are so many cars to update and they must connect to the Alpine (they make the audio/nav) server and the download is slow.
Not sure if it will fix all the problems. Mine has gone dead and become static'y several times.
- Kenneth K., Mckinney, TX, US
"Occasionally, the audio will start buzzing right after starting the car and all channels and stations will have the same symptom. They sound like they are out of tune and there is an annoying 60-80 cycle (OK, hertz) buzzing in the background. This buzz continues whether the volume is up or down. The only fix is to stop the car, turn it off, and restart. The screen goes blank at the same time. Very annoying!"
EXACTLY...word from word!! Same issue from previous complaint of somebody else!
- shannie, Charlotte, NC, US
All of the audio system sources have a buzzing noise that can only be fixed by turning off the car and restarting it..
- kaiser9, Edina, MN, US
I have owned this brand new Accord for only one month. It's been the second time in one week that the audio goes buzzy on all sources (AM, FM, XM, USB, CD). This problem disappeared after turning off and restarting the engine. It is happening at random and hard to recreate the problem.
- Leo E., Palatine, IL, US
Car makes an odd buzzing echo type noise on some start ups. I've noticed that it happens more frequent during the middle of the day when it's hot outside. It just so happened that I was on my way out to lunch and it happened, so I drove directly to the Honda dealership. The service advisor stated the software needed to be erased and reinstalled. At least that's what had to be done to another accord that had this same problem that came to the Riverside dealership recently. Mind you, I recently took my car to the dealership I purchased it from, Moss Honda in Mo Val, and they looked at me like I was crazy because they couldn't duplicate the problem. They said they would call me back but never did. Stay away from Moss Motors!
- Christopher M., Perris, CA, US
The audio system has had one instance of terrible static, regardless of the source (FM, XM, etc.), and with the phone OFF. I've only the had the car for 5 days. I can only hope that Honda pays attention to this ASAP!
- Rob E., Solon, OH, US
Occasionally, the audio will start buzzing right after starting the car and all channels and stations will have the same symptom. They sound like they are out of tune and there is an annoying 60-80 cycle (OK, hertz) buzzing in the background. This buzz continues whether the volume is up or down. The only fix is to stop the car, turn it off, and restart. The screen goes blank at the same time. Very annoying!
I reported it to the dealer's service manager and he said he has his finance manager with a 2013 Accord reporting the same problem, along with the dealer's daughter reporting the same thing. The service manager said they reported it to Honda who told him to let them know when they can replicate it on demand. Idiots, if we could replicate it, we could probably fix it!
This car was purchased on 11/30/2012 and already problems...
- jondun123, Lawrence, KS, US
I CAN'T BELIEVE HONDA WOULD SELL THIS "HIGH END" AUTOMOBILE WITH THIS STEREO SYSTEM. I HAD BOUGHT NISSANS 5 TIMES IN A ROW BUT WAS DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE, SO MADE A CHANGE. I WILL NOT BE GOING BACK TO HONDA. I HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS AND ALMOST 1000$ TRYING TO GET THIS SYSTEM TO SOUND GOOD FOR LONG COMMUTES. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT ON A 32K CAR, SO SAD.
I HOPE HONDA LEARNS THAT TO BE PENNY WISE IS NOT A GOOD STRATEGY IN LONG TERM AUTO INDUSTRY.
GOODBYE HONDA
- skittridge, Phoenix, AZ, US