Parts for your 2013 Honda Accord-Centre bearing

2013 Honda Accord centre-bearing — is it actually a thing?

Short answer: a traditional centre-bearing (the centre support for a two-piece tailshaft) isn’t used on the 2013 Honda Accord. Technical documentation for the 9th‑gen Accord shows a transverse engine and front‑wheel‑drive transaxle driving the front wheels only. There’s no rear differential and no propeller shaft to support, so there’s no need for a tailshaft centre-bearing.

That architecture is set out in Honda’s factory service information (Driveline/Axle — Front Driveshafts) and the Honda Electronic Parts Catalogue for the 2013 Accord, which lists left and right front driveshafts and, on some variants, a right‑hand intermediate shaft with a carrier bearing. There’s no “Propeller Shaft” group because the car doesn’t have one. Centre-bearings are a feature of long, two‑piece tailshafts typically found in rear‑wheel drive and some AWD/4x4 vehicles to control shaft whip and vibration — not front‑drive sedans like the Accord.

Worth noting: some 2013 Accord models do run an intermediate (jack) shaft on the right‑hand side to keep the drive shafts equal length and reduce torque steer. That shaft sits in a carrier bracket with a pressed‑in bearing, which some folks casually call a “centre bearing”. It isn’t a tailshaft centre support — it’s part of the front axle assembly. If you’re chasing a “centre-bearing” for an Accord, you’re almost certainly talking about that intermediate shaft carrier bearing or the complete intermediate shaft assembly as specified by Honda service procedures.

If the car has vibrations, hums, or shudders and a “centre-bearing” gets the blame, it’s smarter to look at the usual FWD suspects first:

• Outer and inner CV joints and the right‑hand intermediate shaft carrier bearing (if fitted)
• Engine and transmission mounts under load
• Front hub bearings
• Wheel/tyre balance, tyre condition, and alignment

For the intermediate shaft carrier bearing specifically: watch for a droning or rumbling that rises with road speed, vibration under throttle that eases on coast, or play at the bearing when the shaft is supported. Replacement on many Hondas is done as an assembly (shaft plus bearing and bracket) per the service manual, where the bearing is serviceable, it’s pressed out/in and the bracket bolts are torqued to spec. Quality parts and correct torque are key, and it’s best practice to recheck driveshaft seals and fluid levels after work on the transaxle side.

Popular questions

Does a 2013 Honda Accord have a centre-bearing?
No. It’s a front‑wheel‑drive setup with no tailshaft. Some variants have a right‑hand intermediate shaft with a carrier bearing, which is a different part within the front driveline.

What causes a vibration that seems like a bad centre-bearing on a 2013 Accord?
Common causes are worn CV joints, an intermediate shaft carrier bearing (if fitted) starting to rumble, tired engine/trans mounts, front hub bearings, or out‑of‑balance/flat‑spotted tyres. A road test under load and on overrun helps narrow it down.

How do you check the intermediate shaft carrier bearing on a 2013 Accord?
Listen for a speed‑related hum, feel for vibration on light throttle, and with the car safely raised, check for play or roughness at the bearing while supporting the shaft. Follow Honda’s service steps if removing the shaft, some models require replacing the shaft assembly rather than just the bearing.