Honda Accord (1998-2023) firing order — diagram & guide

In the mid-size executive sedan category, the Honda Accord has been known as one of the top options for years. It’s extremely popular in the North American market and it makes sense since they mostly use greatly dependable engines.

If you own one and face certain issues like misfires or rough idling, don’t worry – this guide on Honda Accord (1998-2023) firing order should help. Not only will our experts go in-depth into the firing orders of different Accord engines, but we’ll also cover cylinder numbering to make things simpler on your end.

Sixth-generation Honda Accord (1998-2001) firing order

The sixth-gen Accord was the first generation to venture into the 2000s and it featured some of the most iconic Accord engines up to date. Back in the day, drivers could pick between two four-cylinder options and a V6, so we’ll start by explaining the firing orders of these.

Honda Accord 2.0L firing order

The 2.0-liter engine was a base option for the sixth-gen Accord and it’s a regular four-cylinder engine with a straight displacement. That means that the Honda Accord 2.0L firing order is 1-3-4-2 and the cylinders are ordered from left to right.

One thing that makes everything so much easier with this one is that you can start with the first cylinder as the left-most cylinder and move your way to the right toward cylinders 2, 3, and 4.

Honda Accord 2.3L firing order

The 2.3L engine has been added for the later model years of the sixth-generation Accord and it fits in perfectly among the engine options. The Honda Accord 2.3L firing order is 1-3-4-2 as well, and the cylinder order is the same as for the previous 2.0-liter engine.

Honda Accord 3.0L firing order

As the only V6 option among these, the Honda Accord 3.0L firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6 and this engine was mostly available for the North American market. It’s also pretty different from the rest of the sixth-gen Accord models since it was a V6, so there are two cylinders more than require your attention.

The first cylinder is positioned on the passenger’s side along with cylinders 2 and 3, while the driver’s side cylinders are 4, 5, and 6 front to rear.

Seventh-generation Honda Accord (2002-2007) firing order

While the seventh-gen Accord still used the same base engine in the form of a 2.0-liter powertrain, there were two added engines for this generation. It was the first time in decades that the Accord used a diesel engine, as well as the famous 2.4-liter VTEC, so let’s see how they rate in terms of their firing orders.

Honda Accord 2.4L firing order

The 2.4-liter engine was a signature powertrain for the seventh-gen Accord since it started production at this time and kept on going through the next-generation model. The Honda Accord 2.4L firing order is 1-3-4-2 just as it is for the previous four-cylinder engines we’ve mentioned.

Plus, the cylinders are also arranged from left to right which makes it easier in the sense that it’s impossible to mix up the firing orders for these engines.

Honda Accord 2.2L firing order

The 2.2-liter i-CTDI engine was the first diesel-powered engine option used in an Accord, and the firing order is also 1-3-4-2 for this one. It’s also interesting how this engine uses the same cylinder configuration as the four-cylinder petrol engine, but the difference is – it doesn’t have spark plugs.

The ignition system as a whole is different, so you won’t need the firing order for misfires and similar issues. It still comes in handy to know the firing order in case your diesel engines have issues starting so you can check up on the cylinders.

Eighth-generation Honda Accord (2008-2012) firing order

With the eighth-gen Accord, we’ve witnessed the return of the V6 engine, only this time it wasn’t the previous 3.0-liter one, but a 3.5-liter V6.

It’s one of Honda’s all-time best V6s and we’ll deal with the configuration and firing order of that one next since this generation also used the old 2.0L and 2.4L engines we’ve already discussed.

Honda Accord 3.5L firing order

The 3.5-liter engine from the Accord has a firing order 1-4-2-5-3-6 and it’s one of the most reliable engines out of the bunch. It’s also a V6 similar to the 3.0-liter one since the cylinders are also arranged in the passenger’s side and the driver’s side banks.

Just like with that previous engine, the first cylinder is the front-most cylinder on the passenger’s side, while the driver’s side cylinders are numbered 4, 5, and 6 front to rear.

Ninth-generation Honda Accord (2013-2017) firing order

Just like for the previous generation, the ninth-gen Accord also features the same three engine options. So, we’ve got the 2.0L and 2.4L four-cylinder engines with the firing order 1-3-4-2, and the 3.5L V6 Accord with the firing order 1-4-2-5-3-6.

There were no newly added engines for this generation, so we’ll move on with the tenth generation of the model.

Tenth-generation Honda Accord (2018-2023) firing order

Finally, the tenth-gen model has lost the previously famous four-cylinder VTEC engines and the V6. There were two completely new engines offered for this model, and these are the 2.0-liter turbo and the 1.5-liter turbo engines, so let’s see if their firing order is any different.

Honda Accord 1.5L firing order

The Honda Accord 1.5L firing order is 1-3-4-2 as well, but this engine is a bit different from the previous four-cylinder engines. It’s a turbocharged petrol engine with cylinders going from the first one on the left, to the fourth one on the right side of the engine.

However, it features a lower capacity and forced induction so you may need to check up on oil levels and spark plugs more often. Luckily enough, you can diagnose oil leaks and misfires with the firing order so it always comes in handy to memorize it with this engine.

Honda Accord 2.0L turbo firing order

As the final engine we’ll discuss among the tenth-gen Accord powertrains, the 2.0-liter turbo petrol engine is also the latest one of them all. The Honda Accord 2.0L turbo firing order is 1-3-4-2 as well and the cylinder arrangement for this one is the same as for hte previous 1.5-liter engine.

It’s still a relatively new engine so there’s no discussion as to how far it will go without frequent checkups being needed, but it can’t go wrong to apply the firing order and check its compression every now and then.

Our take

On behalf of our team of automotive experts, we hope that this guide on the Honda Accord firing order is sufficient help for you when it comes to DIY engine maintenance.

It’s common knowledge that Accord engines like the 2.4-liter one or the V6s are pretty durable in general, but using the firing order to keep them in check is the way to go if you have enough experience and confidence to check the engine yourself.