The 8th-generation European Accord with the N22B i-DTEC diesel was Honda's answer to the Passat, Mondeo, and Avensis in the mid-size segment. Standard tune makes 150 hp; the 180 hp Type-S, on sale from June 2009, adds more torque. Honda never listed a 170 hp version. The engine uses a timing chain and shares its block with the Civic and CR-V of the era. It is widely considered solid for a modern diesel, but carries the usual diesel complexity: DPF, EGR, high-pressure common-rail, and a dual-mass flywheel. Sold in Europe from 2008 to 2015, with a facelift in 2011 that improved the DPF strategy and tensioners. Honda's type codes split the bodies: CU3 is the saloon and CW3 the Tourer estate, and this report covers both.· more· less
Timing chain, no belt replacementStrong torque, good motorway economy
EGR pipe cracks are widespreadDPF and DMF are costly weak points
Buy if: You drive mostly motorway or mixed routes, want a spacious diesel saloon or estate, and can find one with documented service history and correct low-SAPS oil used throughout.
Avoid if: You mainly do short urban trips (DPF will clog), cannot verify clutch/DMF condition on a manual car, or are looking at a pre-facelift car without recent EGR and fuel pump history.
Price & maintenance
Used price
€7,600
median asking price, typically 195,000 km
Typical range€5,400 – €10,500
Maintenance cost
€850 – €1,600/year
at 15,000 km/year
Fixed costsservice, tyres, brakes€550 – €900 /yr
Risk bufferunplanned repairs€300 – €700 /yr
Price estimates are based on German asking prices. Prices and costs vary by vehicle condition and location.
Ownership costs
Maintenance assumes 15,000 km a year. Price estimates are based on German asking prices. Prices and costs vary by vehicle condition and location.
The flexible EGR bypass pipe cracks from thermal fatigue, causing noise, smell and limp mode · more· less
This is the single most commonly reported fault on the N22B across Accord, Civic and CR-V. The flexible section of the EGR bypass pipe on the side of the engine block suffers thermal fatigue and cracks, which produces a distinctive hissing or ticking sound, a diesel smell in the engine bay, and eventually an EML and power loss. Honda has acknowledged the problem and sells a dedicated repair kit (part 06187-RL0-305) with the updated pipe plus all gaskets and bolts. Parts cost around €150-250, labour is 3-5 hours because the coolant system has to be partially drained. Most well-used examples have either had this done once already or are due. Confirm in the service history or be prepared for the bill.
DPF clogging and replacement
€700 - 2,5002 of 8
Large DPF mounted close to the turbo clogs easily on short trips; forced regens often only delay replacement · more· less
The i-DTEC DPF sits immediately after the turbo and is known to clog on cars used mainly for short journeys. Forced regeneration at a Honda dealer or specialist costs €150-250 per session and is not guaranteed to restore normal operation. A replacement DPF from Honda costs over €1,000 in parts alone, total €1,500-2,500 fitted. An off-car clean at a specialist (around €300-500) is often a sensible middle step. Pre-facelift (2008-2010) cars are worse offenders because of oil dilution. Multiple reports link DPF and turbo damage to Honda dealers historically filling the engine with oil that did not meet the required ACEA C2/C3 low-SAPS specification.
Dual-mass flywheel and clutch wear
€1,100 - 1,8003 of 8
On manual cars the DMF and clutch often need replacing between 120,000-180,000 km, especially on Type-S · more· less
This applies to manual cars only; the 150 hp Accord was also sold with a five-speed automatic, which has no clutch or dual-mass flywheel. The clutch on the manual 2.2 i-DTEC is on the weak side for the torque it handles, particularly on the 180 hp Type-S. Symptoms include judder from rest, a rattle at idle in neutral, and clutch slip under load. Replacing just the clutch kit is around €800-1,000 fitted at an independent; full clutch and LUK dual-mass flywheel kit runs €1,100-1,500 at a specialist and up to €1,800 at Honda dealers. Skimming the flywheel sometimes buys more life for about €150 but is not always viable if the DMF is worn. Plan for this job once in the car's life if buying above 120,000 km.
High-pressure fuel pump failure (Bosch CP4)
€2,500 - 5,0004 of 8
Bosch CP4 pump can disintegrate internally, sending metal swarf through the entire fuel system · more· less
The Bosch CP4 high-pressure pump fitted to the i-DTEC can fail internally and shed metal particles (swarf) through the fuel rail and into every injector. When this happens, a simple pump swap is not enough: the tank, lines, rail and all four injectors typically need replacement, which is where the cost blows up. Not every Accord suffers this and it is not a universal flaw, but when it does happen the bill routinely exceeds €3,000. Higher risk on cars run low on fuel frequently or fed poor-quality diesel. P0087 low rail pressure, hard starting and stalling are the classic warning signs.
Turbocharger wear
€900 - 1,8005 of 8
Typical turbo life 160,000-200,000 km; oil quality and DPF regens shorten it · more· less
The VGT turbo is reasonably durable but, like most modern diesel turbos, is sensitive to oil quality and to the repeated heat cycles of DPF regeneration. Failures tend to appear between 160,000 and 200,000 km. Symptoms are whistling, excessive smoke, and loss of boost. A reconditioned turbo at a specialist is typically €450-700 for the unit plus €400-600 labour; a complete new Honda turbo is significantly more. Stuck vanes from carbon build-up are sometimes fixable with a clean rather than full replacement.
Timing chain (early cars)
€1,200 - 2,0006 of 8
Early N22B engines had chain stretch issues; Honda revised tensioners later and covered many cases under goodwill · more· less
Early 2.2 i-DTEC engines (2008-2010) had a rate of timing chain stretch and tensioner problems, which Honda addressed with revised parts and covered many cases on goodwill up to around 125,000 miles. Later cars are much less affected. On a used Accord, listen for a rattle on start-up and light clatter at idle; if present, assume a full chain kit job at €1,200-2,000 including labour. On facelift cars (2011+) this is a relatively low-probability issue.
EGR valve carbon build-up
€200 - 6007 of 8
EGR valve and intake tract carbon up on short-trip use, causing rough running and EML · more· less
Separate from the cracked bypass pipe, the EGR valve itself and the intake manifold accumulate heavy soot deposits, particularly on cars used for short journeys. Symptoms include an EML, a P0401 or P0402 code, hesitation under load, and occasional stalling. A clean usually resolves it for €150-250 at an independent; replacement is €400-600 with parts. Mapping the EGR out is common in the UK but is not legal for road use in most EU countries and will fail MOT/technical inspection where applicable.
VSA/ABS modulator failure
€600 - 1,4008 of 8
VSA/ABS module can fail, triggering persistent warning lights and disabling stability control · more· less
The VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) modulator on CU-generation Accords is a known failure point, with multiple owner reports of permanent VSA and ABS warning lights. The car still drives, but it does so without ABS or stability assist. A replacement module is €400-700 plus labour; refurbished units are available from specialists for less. Treat this as safety-relevant, not cosmetic: braking distances lengthen on wet or loose surfaces, and an ABS or ESC malfunction counts as a major defect at technical inspection.
Durable underneath, but diesel complexity adds up
The i-DTEC earns a reputation as one of Honda's better diesels and can easily exceed 300,000 km with the right care. The bulk of the cost risk comes from well-known diesel components: EGR pipe, DPF, dual-mass flywheel and, occasionally, the high-pressure fuel pump. A facelift car (2011+) with documented EGR pipe replacement, correct low-SAPS oil history and no DPF warnings is the sweet spot. Short-trip drivers should look at the 2.0 i-VTEC petrol instead.
Service history
Complete Honda dealer or specialist records essential. Annual or 20,000 km service intervals; confirm the oil used meets Honda's 0W-30 low-SAPS grade or the manual's alternative 5W-30, both to ACEA C2/C3.
Cold start
Start the engine completely cold. Listen for rattle, hissing or diesel smell from the engine bay in the first 30 seconds.
Test drive
Minimum 30 minutes including motorway speeds to get DPF, turbo and gearbox fully warm. Watch for power loss, warning lights or judder.
Tires and brakes
Check tread depth, age, and uneven wear. Front tyres wear quickly on the heavier diesel.
Body and underside
Inspect sills, rear arches and subframe for rust. Accord saloons and Tourers are generally well protected but 10-17 year-old cars vary by climate.
Specific for this vehicle
Listen for EGR pipe hiss on cold start
With the bonnet open, have someone start the car cold. A hissing or ticking from the driver's side of the engine plus a diesel smell points to a cracked EGR bypass pipe.
Check DPF status and regeneration history
Ask for evidence of forced regens or off-car cleans. Ideally have it scanned for soot load, ash load and number of regens. Avoid cars with >20 g soot or a warning displayed.
Feel for clutch judder and DMF rattle
On a manual car, pull away gently from a stop in first - judder points to worn clutch/DMF. At idle in neutral with foot off the clutch, listen for a rattle that quietens when the clutch is pressed.
+ 5 more checksShow less
Scan for fuel system codes (P0087, P0088)
Any stored low or high rail-pressure codes are a serious warning for the Bosch CP4 pump. A refusal to share the scan history is itself a red flag.
Check VSA and ABS warning behaviour
Turn ignition to on without starting: both lights should illuminate, then go out after engine start. Permanent warning means a failed modulator.
Verify oil specification used
Honda 0W-30 low-SAPS is the specified grade, and the European manual's viscosity chart also permits 5W-30. What matters is the ACEA C2/C3 low-SAPS specification: oil that does not meet it has been linked to DPF and turbo damage, and non-compliant oil was historically used by some Honda dealers.
Look for turbo smoke and whistle
Under hard acceleration from low revs, blue or excessive black smoke and a rising whistle indicate turbo wear.
Listen for timing chain rattle (2008-2010 cars)
On earlier pre-facelift cars, a rattle on cold start lasting more than a couple of seconds suggests chain or tensioner wear.
Recalls and Technical Service Bulletins
Takata airbag inflator recall (affecting various 2008-2015 Accord models)Verify completed
DPF regeneration software update for 2009-2011 Accord saloon and Tourer diesels - faulty engine-control software allowed fuel to dilute the engine oil, raising the oil level and risking uncontrolled engine overspeed; Honda campaign 5NE, the matching German action of July 2011 covered 3,009 carsCritical - verify completed
Contact a Honda dealer with the VIN to verify all recalls have been completed, including the Takata airbag work and the diesel engine-control software update.
Warranty Status
Factory warranty (3 years / 100,000 km)Expired on all CU Accords
Timing chain goodwill (early cars)Expired - originally up to 125,000 miles
Rust perforation warranty (12 years)Expired on most cars - the last 2015 cars can run to 2027
Extended warranty availabilityThird-party only - factory Honda extension not offered for this age
Every 8th-generation Accord is outside the 3-year factory warranty, and the historic timing chain goodwill programme for early 2.2 i-DTEC engines ended years ago. Only the 12-year structural corrosion cover can still be live, and only on the last 2015 cars, subject to Honda's inspection terms. Third-party used car warranties are available but often exclude DPF, EGR and DMF - the exact components most likely to fail on this engine.
Sources: Research draws on model-specific owner forums and owner communities, recall information from official authorities, German automotive press, and multiple workshop cost references cross-checked against each other.
This report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Estimates may be inaccurate. Always have a qualified specialist inspect the vehicle before purchase. We accept no liability for decisions made based on this information.
